WorldWideScience

Sample records for varied learning opportunities

  1. I’m just thinking - How learning opportunities are created in doctoral supervision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kobayashi, Sofie; Berge, Maria; Grout, Brian William Wilson

    for learning. Earlier research into doctoral supervision has been rather vague on how doctoral students learn to carry out research. Empirically, we have based the study on four cases each with one doctoral student and their supervisors. The supervision sessions were captured on video and audio to provide...... for verbatim transcripts that were subsequently analysed. Our results illustrate how supervisors and doctoral students create learning opportunities by varying aspects of research in the discussion. Better understanding of this mechanism whereby learning opportunities are created by bringing aspects......With this paper we aim to contribute towards an understanding of learning dynamics in doctoral supervision by analysing how learning opportunities are created in the interaction. We analyse interaction between supervisors and doctoral students using the notion of experiencing variation as a key...

  2. Realising the organisational learning opportunities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pomfret, D.G.; Bradford, S.T.

    2000-01-01

    An aspect of proactive safety management is learning lessons from unforeseen events. As BNFL has expanded and extended its nuclear services to many more sites, the potential for organisational learning has grown, but sharing through informal networking has become progressively harder. This potential problem has been solved by implementing formalised company-wide arrangements to turn incidents and accidents into organisational learning opportunities through a system called 'Learning from Experience' (LFE). LFE enables event causes and corrective actions to be identified and shared across all BNFL's sites, initially in the UK but ultimately throughout the world. The result is prevention of events having similar causes, and development of a learning culture which breaks down the barriers to adopting best practice'. Key aspects of the system are: Applying root cause analysis to all significant events; Logging all events, their causes and corrective actions onto a Company-wide database; Screening the database regularly by locally appointed Feedback Co-ordinators trained in identifying learning opportunities and knowledgeable of their own business area, and; Placing and tracking actions to prevent similar events at local Event Review Meetings. The paper describes the implementation and initial experience in operation of the LFE system, which is seen as a significant step towards becoming an expanding and learning company with no accidents or incidents. (author)

  3. Mathematics and Science Learning Opportunities in Preschool Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piasta, Shayne B.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Miller, Heather Lynnine

    2014-01-01

    Research findings The present study observed and coded instruction in 65 preschool classrooms to examine (a) overall amounts and (b) types of mathematics and science learning opportunities experienced by preschool children as well as (c) the extent to which these opportunities were associated with classroom and program characteristics. Results indicated that children were afforded an average of 24 and 26 minutes of mathematics and science learning opportunities, respectively, corresponding to spending approximately 25% of total instructional time in each domain. Considerable variability existed, however, in the amounts and types of mathematics and science opportunities provided to children in their classrooms; to some extent, this variability was associated with teachers’ years of experience, teachers’ levels of education, and the socioeconomic status of children served in the program. Practice/policy Although results suggest greater integration of mathematics and science in preschool classrooms than previously established, there was considerable diversity in the amounts and types of learning opportunities provided in preschool classrooms. Affording mathematics and science experiences to all preschool children, as outlined in professional and state standards, may require additional professional development aimed at increasing preschool teachers’ understanding and implementation of learning opportunities in these two domains in their classrooms. PMID:25489205

  4. Mobile Technologies Enhance the E-Learning Opportunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, Keh-Wen

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this paper is to identify the mobile technologies that enhance the E-Learning opportunity, examine the educational benefits and implementation issues in mobile learning, discuss the guidelines for implementing effective mobile learning, identify the current application and operation of mobile learning, and discuss the future of…

  5. An Opportunity to Learn US History: What NAEP Data Suggest Regarding the Opportunity Gap

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heafner, Tina L.; Fitchett, Paul G.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the degree to which Opportunity to Learn (OTL), is associated with students' achievement in US History. Opportunity to Learn stems from the basic premise that there is an important relationship between the quality and frequency of classroom instruction and students' levels of academic success. The authors…

  6. Learning Opportunities (Editorial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denise Koufogiannakis

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available We’ve reached the end of another year of publication at EBLIP, my first at the helm as Editor‐in‐Chief, and four full years of publication since we began. This year was a busy one with several changes to the editorial team, the addition of more Editorial Advisors, and new evidence summary writers joining our team. Most importantly, the journal continues to grow and thrive, with more people than ever participating in its success. This year we added a new section called Using Evidence in Practice, and in this issue there are two articles in that section which provide practical examples of applying evidence in the workplace. Putting evidence into practice is what EBLIP is all about, so it is my hope that this new section makes the application of evidence based practice more concrete for readers. As we began working on issue 4.4, the Editorial Team decided that it would be a good idea to seek out an Editorial Intern to help with some of the tasks we never seem to get to, given that we are all volunteers. We see the internship as an opportunity to give a library and information studies student a chance to get involved with an open access journal and learn about publishing in library and information studies, which will hopefully benefit them as they begin their new career. The Editorial Intern will assist with marketing and promotion of the journal, soliciting potential manuscripts, and proofreading. They will also participate in all editorial meetings and general discussions. We anticipate that they will bring a wealth of enthusiasm and fresh ideas to our conversations so that EBLIP Editors can also continue to learn and grow by having a fresh set of eyes involved with our processes. It will certainly be a win‐win situation and a learning opportunity for all involved. We are pleased to announce that Andrea Baer has accepted the position of Editorial Intern and joined our team in mid‐November. Andrea is currently attending the University of

  7. Opportunity to discuss ethical issues during clinical learning experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palese, Alvisa; Gonella, Silvia; Destrebecq, Anne; Mansutti, Irene; Terzoni, Stefano; Morsanutto, Michela; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Canzan, Federica; Ponte, Adriana Dal; De Biasio, Laura; Fascì, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Tollini, Morena; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca; Dimonte, Valerio

    2018-01-01

    Undergraduate nursing students have been documented to experience ethical distress during their clinical training and felt poorly supported in discussing the ethical issues they encountered. Research aims: This study was aimed at exploring nursing students' perceived opportunity to discuss ethical issues that emerged during their clinical learning experience and associated factors. An Italian national cross-sectional study design was performed in 2015-2016. Participants were invited to answer a questionnaire composed of four sections regarding: (1) socio-demographic data, (2) previous clinical learning experiences, (3) current clinical learning experience quality and outcomes, and (4) the opportunity to discuss ethical issues with nurses in the last clinical learning experience (from 0 - 'never' to 3 - 'very much'). Participants and research context: Participants were 9607 undergraduate nursing students who were attending 95 different three-year Italian baccalaureate nursing programmes, located at 27 universities in 15 Italian regions. Ethical considerations: This study was conducted in accordance with the Human Subject Research Ethics Committee guidelines after the research protocol was approved by an ethics committee. Overall, 4707 (49%) perceived to have discussed ethical issues 'much' or 'very much'; among the remaining, 3683 (38.3%) and 1217 (12.7%) students reported the perception of having discussed, respectively, 'enough' or 'never' ethical issues emerged in the clinical practice. At the multivariate logistic regression analysis explaining 38.1% of the overall variance, the factors promoting ethical discussion were mainly set at the clinical learning environment levels (i.e. increased learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety and nursing care quality, quality of the tutorial strategies, competences learned and supervision by a clinical nurse). In contrast, being male was associated with a perception of less opportunity to discuss ethical issues

  8. An interactive approach for new careers: The role of learning opportunities and learning behavior

    OpenAIRE

    van der Sluis, E.C.; Peiperl, M.A.

    2000-01-01

    This study examined the learning process at work from an individual perspective. Different kinds of learning opportunities and learning behavior were examined as (a) predictors of career development and (b) moderators of the development process on the job. Survey data from early-career MBAs were analyzed by performing hierarchical regressions and difference-of-means tests. Results indicated that the total amount of developmental job opportunities has a positive influence on individual percept...

  9. Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Jamie Munn

    Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the "intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education" (Dewey, 1938, p. 19- 20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding

  10. Opportunities to learn scientific thinking in joint doctoral supervision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kobayashi, Sofie; Grout, Brian William Wilson; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

    2015-01-01

    Research into doctoral supervision has increased rapidly over the last decades, yet our understanding of how doctoral students learn scientific thinking from supervision is limited. Most studies are based on interviews with little work being reported that is based on observation of actual...... supervision. While joint supervision has become widely used, its learning dynamics remains under-researched and this paper aims to address these gaps in research by exploring learning opportunities in doctoral supervision with two supervisors. The study explores how the tensions in scientific discussion...... between supervisors can become learning opportunities. We combine two different theoretical perspectives, using participation and positioning theory as a sociocultural perspective and variation theory as an individual constructivist perspective on learning. Based on our analysis of a complex episode we...

  11. Designing Opportunities to Learn Mathematics Theory-Building Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bass, Hyman

    2017-01-01

    Mathematicians commonly distinguish two modes of work in the discipline: "Problem solving," and "theory building." Mathematics education offers many opportunities to learn problem solving. This paper explores the possibility, and value, of designing instructional activities that provide supported opportunities for students to…

  12. Measuring Access to Learning Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawley, Willis D., Ed.; Ready, Timothy, Ed.

    This study examined the continued relevance and adequacy of the Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Compliance Report (E&S Survey) as a tool for enforcing civil rights laws in education, monitoring quality of access to learning opportunities, and research on other current issues of educational policy and practice. The Committee on…

  13. The impact on career development of learning opportunities and learning behavior at work

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Sluis, E.C.; Poell, R.F.

    2003-01-01

    This study focuses on the individual career development process of M.B.A.s on the job, in an era emphasizing personal responsibility for learning and development. The impact of learning opportunities and individual learning behavior was analyzed through repeated measures. Hierarchical regressions

  14. Blended Learning Opportunities in Ukrainian IT Public Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szimkovics, Tamás

    2017-01-01

    Based on previous surveys the usage of ICT and blended learning is at a low level in Ukraine. To catch up with the European average, it is important to familiarize the students and teachers with blended learning in the secondary school. The information technology classes provide the best opportunity to introduce the blended learning, because they…

  15. Exploration of Textual Interactions in CALL Learning Communities: Emerging Research and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Jonathan R.

    2017-01-01

    Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has greatly enhanced the realm of online social interaction and behavior. In language classrooms, it allows the opportunity for students to enhance their learning experiences. "Exploration of Textual Interactions in CALL Learning Communities: Emerging Research and Opportunities" is an ideal…

  16. Informal interprofessional learning: an untapped opportunity for learning and change within the workplace.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisbet, Gillian; Lincoln, Michelle; Dunn, Stewart

    2013-11-01

    In this paper, we explore the educational and workplace learning literature to identify the potential and significance for informal interprofessional learning within the workplace. We also examine theoretical perspectives informing informal workplace interprofessional learning. Despite numerous studies focusing on formal interprofessional education programs, we suggest that informal interprofessional learning opportunities are currently unrealized. We highlight reasons for a focus on learning within the workplace and the potential benefits within an interprofessional context.

  17. In Search of Learning Opportunities for All

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Louw, Arnt Vestergaard; Jensen, Ulla Højmark

    2013-01-01

    to understand the learning environment. Based on the concepts of classification and framing, as found in the later work of Basil Bernstein, we view that learning is fundamentally linked to the social and the cultural context of the school. To scales are presented for understanding and analysing the learning......In this article, we address one of the most critical challenges facing the schools today: designing of learning environments that can provide learning opportunities for all students. The article first provides a brief introduction to content of this challenge. Then we focus on theoretical tools...... environment: the praxis scale and the student positioning scale. The scales are tools for analysing three different learning environments in upper secondary schools in Denmark, Switzerland and the USA. The article provides theoretical and empirical explanations of how the design of the learning environment...

  18. Opportunity to Learn: The Health Connection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Shirley A.

    1993-01-01

    Reviews the following health issues related to the opportunity to learn for poor African-American and other minority children: (1) inadequate prenatal care; (2) malnutrition; (3) childhood diseases and illnesses; (4) unsafe environments and violence; (5) teenage sexual activity, pregnancy, and AIDS; (6) substance use and abuse; and (7) mental and…

  19. Creating opportunities to learn in mathematics education: a sociocultural perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goos, Merrilyn

    2014-09-01

    The notion of `opportunities to learn in mathematics education' is open to interpretation from multiple theoretical perspectives, where the focus may be on cognitive, social or affective dimensions of learning, curriculum and assessment design, issues of equity and access, or the broad policy and political contexts of learning and teaching. In this paper, I conceptualise opportunities to learn from a sociocultural perspective. Beginning with my own research on the learning of students and teachers of mathematics, I sketch out two theoretical frameworks for understanding this learning. One framework extends Valsiner's zone theory of child development, and the other draws on Wenger's ideas about communities of practice. My aim is then to suggest how these two frameworks might help us understand the learning of others who have an interest in mathematics education, such as mathematics teacher educator-researchers and mathematicians. In doing so, I attempt to move towards a synthesis of ideas to inform mathematics education research and development.

  20. Fostering Sustained Learning among Undergraduate Students: Emerging Research and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemosit, Caroline; Rugutt, John; Rugutt, Joseph K.

    2017-01-01

    Keeping students engaged and receptive to learning can, at times, be a challenge. However, by the implementation of new methods and pedagogies, instructors can strengthen the drive to learn among their students. "Fostering Sustained Learning Among Undergraduate Students: Emerging Research and Opportunities" is an essential publication…

  1. The Impact on Career Development of Learning Opportunities and Learning Behavior at Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Sluis, Lidewey E. C.; Poell, Rob E.

    2003-01-01

    Survey responses were received in 1998 (n=63) and 1999 (n=98) from master's of business administration graduates. Hierarchical regression and difference of means tests found that career development depended on learning opportunities at work and on individual learning behavior. Behavior was more predictive of objective career development measures,…

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

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

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

    2012-01-01

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

  3. Patterns in Elementary School Students' Strategic Actions in Varying Learning Situations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malmberg, Jonna; Järvenoja, Hanna; Järvelä, Sanna

    2013-01-01

    This study uses log file traces to examine differences between high-and low-achieving students' strategic actions in varying learning situations. In addition, this study illustrates, in detail, what strategic and self-regulated learning constitutes in practice. The study investigates the learning patterns that emerge in learning situations…

  4. E-Learning: opportunity or end of field classes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloemertz, Lena; Kuhn, Brigitte; Kuhn, Nikolaus J.

    2013-04-01

    E-Learning is often seen as an opportunity to avoid the costs of field classes by using new digital media to communicate content to students that otherwise could only be seen in the field. However, feeling, tasting and smelling soil on a farm or in a forest cannot be substituted via the internet. To achieve some teaching efficiency, an course on e-learning introduced at the University of Basel therefore took an opposite approach: instead of compromising the field experience, the opportunities to broaden access and generate flexibility for the students and instructors during the lecture room section of a soil science and land use course were maximised. The course has six topics, each e-learning element is designed to take one week of the studentśself study time devoted to the course. Three one-day field classes spread over the term offer an opportunity to the students to become acquainted with common soil types in the region of Basel and typical land use. The latter emphasizes visits to farms to ensure that the perspective of the farmers on their and soils and business is communicated to the students. The field classes also ensure sufficient contact time between instructors and students. The informal time spend together during the days in the field also ensures to address individual questions of the students. Overall, the format of the course ensures that the field experience and instructor presence are offered where needed and that e-learning is used to replace formal contact time where self-study is possible.

  5. Opportunities to Learn for Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Enthusiasm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Mahler

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify opportunities to learn for teachers’ motivational orientations. Motivational orientations are relevant characteristics of psychological functioning, which are important for the behavior of a teacher and mandatory for effective teaching. We focus on three domains: self-efficacy, subject-specific enthusiasm, and enthusiasm for teaching the subject. Self-efficacy covers the belief of an individual that he or she is capable of performing required behaviors to produce a desired outcome. Teacher enthusiasm is an affective teacher orientation that is related to a specific subject and to teaching this specific subject. Different opportunities to learn are considered for teachers’ motivational orientations. Since teacher education particularly focuses on the acquisition of professional knowledge, we added a further exploratory focus to the study and investigated the relationships between motivational orientations and professional knowledge (content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. 134 biology teachers participated in the study. The results reveal that teacher education at university, the attendance in professional development courses, and self-study provide opportunities to learn for self-efficacy and enthusiasm for teaching the subject. Moreover, we found self-efficacy and subject-specific enthusiasm to be positively related to pedagogical content knowledge.

  6. Connecting through Comics: Expanding Opportunities for Teaching and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton-Gary, Cynthia

    2012-01-01

    When students are faced with learning abstract contents, creating meaningful teaching and learning opportunities is a challenge for many educators. Concerns for how to get students to connect theoretical constructs and apply them to the "real world" is especially critical for those students studying to be teachers. This descriptive study…

  7. Interprofessional team meetings: Opportunities for informal interprofessional learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisbet, Gillian; Dunn, Stewart; Lincoln, Michelle

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the potential for workplace interprofessional learning, specifically the learning that occurs between health professionals as part of their attendance at their regular interprofessional team meetings. While most interprofessional learning research to date has focused on formal structured education programs, this study adds to our understanding of the complexities of the learning processes occurring between health professionals as part of everyday practice. Through observations of team meetings and semi-structured interviews, we found that the interprofessional team meeting provided a practical, time-efficient, and relevant means for interprofessional learning, resulting in perceived benefits to individuals, teams, and patients. The learning process, however, was influenced by members' conceptions of learning, participation within the meeting, and medical presence. This study provides a basis for further research to assist health professionals capitalize on informal learning opportunities within the interprofessional meeting.

  8. Professional Development across the Teaching Career: Teachers' Uptake of Formal and Informal Learning Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Dirk; Kunter, Mareike; Klusmann, Uta; Ludtke, Oliver; Baumert, Jurgen

    2011-01-01

    This study examined teachers' uptake of formal and informal learning opportunities across the career cycle. Analyses were based on data from 1939 German secondary teachers in 198 schools. Results showed that formal learning opportunities (in-service training) were used most frequently by mid-career teachers, whereas informal learning opportunities…

  9. Digital Learning Environments: New possibilities and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Otto Peters

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the general problem whether and, if so, how far the impact of the digitised learning environment on our traditional distance education will change the way in which teachers teach and learners learn. Are the dramatic innovations a menace to established ways of learning and teaching or are they the panacea to overcome some of the difficulties of our system of higher learning and to solve some of our educational problems caused by the big and far-reaching educational paradigm shift? This paper will not deal with technical or technological achievements in the field of information and communication which are, of course, revolutionary and to be acknowledged and admired. Rather, the digital learning environment will be analysed from a pedagogical point of view in order to find out what exactly are the didactic possibilities and opportunities and what are its foreseeable disadvantages.

  10. Collaborative work and medical talk: opportunities for learning through knowledge sharing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsen, Line Lundvoll; Ludvigsen, Sten R

    2010-01-01

    Teleconsultations provide new opportunities for learning in medical settings. This study explores the conditions under which learning among physicians takes place. The empirical context is 47 real-time video conferences carried out to examine collaborative work and the medical talk involved. Sixteen of the observations were consultations wherein general practitioners (GPs) and specialists shared knowledge with the purpose of solving a medical problem related to a patient under treatment. In this exploratory study, the learning opportunities are seen as what medical practitioners with different types of expertise achieve through interaction while working with patients over periods of time. The analysis of medical talk in consultations shows that collaborative work among GPs and specialists creates a shared understanding of the patient's clinical history and treatment trajectory. As knowledge is demanded and attributed and gaps of knowledge become shared, consultations create a work tool that expands the medical work and talk. Collaborative work in and between different levels of the health care service expands knowledge, creates opportunities for learning in everyday settings, and improves the quality of knowledge distribution in the health care system.

  11. Optimal critic learning for robot control in time-varying environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chen; Li, Yanan; Ge, Shuzhi Sam; Lee, Tong Heng

    2015-10-01

    In this paper, optimal critic learning is developed for robot control in a time-varying environment. The unknown environment is described as a linear system with time-varying parameters, and impedance control is employed for the interaction control. Desired impedance parameters are obtained in the sense of an optimal realization of the composite of trajectory tracking and force regulation. Q -function-based critic learning is developed to determine the optimal impedance parameters without the knowledge of the system dynamics. The simulation results are presented and compared with existing methods, and the efficacy of the proposed method is verified.

  12. E-LEARNING CHANGE MANAGEMENT: Challenges and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaattin PARLAKKILIC

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The role of e-learning technologies entirely depends on the acceptance and execution of required-change in the thinking and behaviour of the users of institutions. The research are constantly reporting that many e-learning projects are falling short of their objectives due to many reasons but on the top is the user resistance to change according to the digital requirements of new era. It is argued that the suitable way for change management in e-learning environment is the training and persuading of users with a view to enhance their digital literacy and thus gradually changing the users’ attitude in positive direction. This paper discusses change management in transition to e-learning system considering pedagogical, cost and technical implications. It also discusses challenges and opportunities for integrating these technologies in higher learning institutions with examples from Turkey GATA (Gülhane Askeri Tıp Akademisi-Gülhane Military Medical Academy.

  13. Situation Creator: A Pedagogical Agent Creating Learning Opportunities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Miao, Yongwu; Hoppe, Ulrich; Pinkwart, Niels

    2007-01-01

    Miao, Y., Hoppe, H. U., & Pinkwart, N. (2007). Situation Creator: A Pedagogical Agent Creating Learning Opportunities. In R. Luckin, K. Koedinger & J. Greer (Eds.), Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (pp. 614-617). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: IOS

  14. Open Educational Resources and the Opportunities for Expanding Open and Distance Learning (OERS-ODL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jameson Mbale

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Distance learning (DL was a teaching modality which utilized technology to deliver teaching to students who were not physically present such as in a traditional classroom setting. DL was not constrained by geographic considerations and therefore offered unique opportunities to expand educational access. The University of Namibia (UNAM and International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH partnered to examine DL at UNAM, to assess strengths and weaknesses, and to make recommendations for improvement. The primary method used in this assessment was interviews with staff at centers and units engaged in Distance Learning at UNAM. It was analyzed how interactions vary between instructor and learner, among learners, and between learners and learning resources. DL at UNAM was categorized into five approaches including: 1 Outreach, 2 Print-based, 3 Computer based, 4 Internet-based, and 5 Digital Video Conferencing (DVC. All-in-all, a strategy of “starting small” was envisaged to allow individual instructors to voluntarily use collaborative software such as Google Groups to enhance print-based instruction and progressively expand DL at UNAM.

  15. Learning Opportunities And Learning Behaviours Of Small Business Starters: Relations With Goal Achievement, Skill Development, And Satisfaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.M. van Gelderen (Marco); L. van der Sluis; P. Jansen (Paul)

    2004-01-01

    textabstractLearning is a vital issue for small business starters, contributing to short term and long term business performance, as well as to personal development. This study investigates when and how small business starters learn. It specifies the situations that offer learning opportunities, as

  16. Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children’s math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators’ provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children (n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children’s math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children’s learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age. PMID:26257434

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

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jossberger, Helen

    2011-01-01

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

  18. Parents’ and Experts’ Awareness of Learning Opportunities in Children’s Museum Exhibits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Stuehling, Amara; Resnick, Ilyse; Mahajan, Neha; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Moynihan, Nora

    2017-01-01

    Informal learning outside of school are crucial for a child’s development. Children’s museums, in particular, are environments conducive to this sort of learning, especially when parents guide children’s exploration. However, research suggests a gap between parents’ and experts’ perceptions of the value of informal learning. In Study 1, we asked groups of parents and experts (i.e., individuals in the community connected with the field of education or those with training in child growth and development) to rate the presence of learning opportunities available in two museum exhibits, finding that parents consistently provided lower ratings. In Study 2, we explored whether signage aimed at orienting parents toward the learning potential in these exhibits would have an impact on their ratings. Results suggested that signage made parents’ ratings look more like those of experts. Taken together, these studies show that a simple intervention can help parents perceive the learning opportunities in children’s museum exhibits as experts do. PMID:28970647

  19. A Parametric Learning and Identification Based Robust Iterative Learning Control for Time Varying Delay Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lun Zhai

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A parametric learning based robust iterative learning control (ILC scheme is applied to the time varying delay multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO linear systems. The convergence conditions are derived by using the H∞ and linear matrix inequality (LMI approaches, and the convergence speed is analyzed as well. A practical identification strategy is applied to optimize the learning laws and to improve the robustness and performance of the control system. Numerical simulations are illustrated to validate the above concepts.

  20. Effects of increased self-regulated learning opportunities on student teachers’ metacognitive and motivational development.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, Emmy; Bastiaens, Theo; Stijnen, Sjef

    2017-01-01

    This intervention study focused on the relationships between student teachers’ self-regulated learning (SRL) opportunities, their use of metacognitive learning strategies and their motivation for learning. Results indicate that student teachers’ use of metacognitive learning strategies increases

  1. Opportunity to learn English and mathematics in Ghanaian primary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Opportunity to learn English and mathematics in Ghanaian primary schools: implications for teacher education programmes. ... teachers' instructional practices and management of instructional time, and • teachers' preparedness to implement the content standards. These inefficiencies could be attributed to the fact that the ...

  2. Case study as a learning opportunity among nursing students in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    research were observed in order to maintain the integrity of the research. The research fi ndings suggest that the case study as a learning opportunity is effective in facilitating learning, as indicated by the following three categories: increase in critical thinking skills, increased theory and practice integration and increased ...

  3. Combining theories to reach multi-faceted insights into learning opportunities in doctoral supervision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kobayashi, Sofie; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

    The aim of this paper is to illustrate how theories can be combined to explore opportunities for learning in doctoral supervision. While our earlier research into learning dynamics in doctoral supervision in life science research (Kobayashi, 2014) has focused on illustrating learning opportunitie...

  4. Studying the mechanisms of language learning by varying the learning environment and the learner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldin-Meadow, Susan

    Language learning is a resilient process, and many linguistic properties can be developed under a wide range of learning environments and learners. The first goal of this review is to describe properties of language that can be developed without exposure to a language model - the resilient properties of language - and to explore conditions under which more fragile properties emerge. But even if a linguistic property is resilient, the developmental course that the property follows is likely to vary as a function of learning environment and learner, that is, there are likely to be individual differences in the learning trajectories children follow. The second goal is to consider how the resilient properties are brought to bear on language learning when a child is exposed to a language model. The review ends by considering the implications of both sets of findings for mechanisms, focusing on the role that the body and linguistic input play in language learning.

  5. Homebound Learning Opportunities: Reaching Out to Older Shut-ins and Their Caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penning, Margaret; Wasyliw, Douglas

    1992-01-01

    Describes Homebound Learning Opportunities, innovative health promotion and educational outreach service for homebound older adults and their caregivers. Notes that program provides over 125 topics for individualized learning programs delivered to participants in homes, audiovisual lending library, educational television programing, and peer…

  6. The Use of Twitter in the Creation of Educational Professional Learning Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Carrie R.; Maninger, Robert M.; LaPrairie, Kimberly N.; Sullivan, Sam

    2015-01-01

    This study sought to examine how educators are using Twitter to increase their professional learning opportunities beyond the boundaries of traditional professional development offers, and whether educators feel a greater sense of fulfillment receiving professional development through networking and community learning than they do through…

  7. Opportunities for learning in an introductory undergraduate human anatomy and physiology course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montplaisir, Lisa Marie

    2003-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the course conditions that support the development of meaningful student learning in an introductory undergraduate human anatomy and physiology course. The study was conducted during an 8-week summer-session at a small mid-western university. Classroom observations and taped recordings of class sessions were used to determine content episodes within the instructional unit, opportunities for learning created by the instructor, demonstrations of information processing by the students, and the ways in which the instructor used the Personal Response System (PRS). Student interviews were used to determine students' level of understanding of pre-test and post-test items. Student interviews and a questionnaire were used to determine students' perceptions of the PRS as a learning tool. Findings reveal that the instructor had different expectations of students when posing verbal questions in-class than he had when posing PRS questions. The use of verbal questions did not permit demonstrations of student understanding; however, the use of the PRS did result in demonstrations of student understanding. Questions posed via the use of the PRS were categorized according to cognitive level. The cognitive level of the questions increased with time over the instructional unit and within the content episodes. Students demonstrated deeper understanding of the topics after instruction than they did before instruction. Students reported more in-class thinking about the content, more discussion of the content with their neighbors, more regular class attendance, more opportunities for deeper learning, and a general preference for the PRS over traditional lectures. Findings of the study indicate that the instructional decisions about the use of questions influences the opportunities for students to process information and demonstrate their understanding of the content and that students valued these opportunities. A better understanding of the

  8. Collaborative work by using videoconferencing: opportunities for learning in daily medical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundvoll Nilsen, Line

    2011-08-01

    In this article, I explore what happens when general practitioners (GPs) and specialists meet using videoconferencing to collaborate on a patient's treatment. By using videoconferencing, GPs and specialists are offered opportunities to share and produce knowledge. The data corpus was 42 videotaped videoconferences. The treatment of one specific patient was selected.This patient was discussed over a period of 9 days, which constituted five videoconferences. I describe how GPs and specialists discuss treatment strategies and exemplify how knowledge sharing creates opportunities for learning in boundary zones across activity systems as a part of daily practice.The talk about the treatment occurs by information exchange and by consultation. Information exchange without any dilemmas presented might support decisions already made. Consultations wherein dilemmas are presented and solved by bridging knowledge gaps between the general practitioner and the specialist create opportunities for learning.

  9. Incidental learning and memory for food varied in sweet taste in children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laureati, M.; Pagliarini, E.; Mojet, J.; Köster, E.P.

    2011-01-01

    This experiment investigated incidental learning and memory in children (age 7–10 years) for three different foods (fruit juice, fruit purée and biscuit), varied in sweetness. Children (N = 286) were exposed to three target foods and 24 h later their incidental learning was tested for one of the

  10. Teacher Learning and Instructional Change: How Formal and On-the-Job Learning Opportunities Predict Change in Elementary School Teachers' Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parise, Leigh Mesler; Spillane, James P.

    2010-01-01

    Recent education reform has emphasized the importance of teacher learning in improving classroom instruction and raising student achievement. This article focuses on teachers' learning opportunities, including formal professional development and on-the-job learning that occurs through interactions with colleagues. Using data from 30 elementary…

  11. Classroom Composition and Racial Differences in Opportunities to Learn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minor, Elizabeth Covay

    2015-01-01

    Black and White advanced math students leave high school with disparate math skills. One possible explanation is that minority students are exposed to different learning opportunities, even when they are taking classes with the same title. Using a convenience sample of the Mathematics Survey of the Enacted Curriculum (SEC), this study found that…

  12. Ecosystem Services Valuation as an Opportunity for Inquiry Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Zachary P.; Bennett, Drew E.

    2016-01-01

    Teaching ecosystem services provides an ideal opportunity to use inquiry-based learning to help students make connections between ecological, geological, and social systems. The idea of ecosystem services, or the benefits nature provides to society, has emerged as a key concept in a host of environmental fields and is just beginning to gain…

  13. Peer influence on school learning among students of varying socio ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study examined peer Influence on School Learning among students of varying socio-economic backgrounds. One hundred and twenty students (60 males and 60 females) with a mean age 15.1 years were randomly selected from four co-educational Secondary Schools in Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State.

  14. Exploring home visits in a faith community as a service-learning opportunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    du Plessis, Emmerentia; Koen, Magdalene P; Bester, Petra

    2013-08-01

    Within South Africa the Psychiatric Nursing Science curriculum in undergraduate Baccalaureate nursing education utilizes home visits as a service-learning opportunity. In this context faith communities are currently unexplored with regards to service-learning opportunities. With limited literature available on this topic, the question was raised as to what are these students' and family members' experience of home visits within a faith community. To explore and describe nursing students' and family members' experiences of home visits within a faith community. A qualitative approach was used that was phenomenological, explorative and descriptive and contextual in nature. The research was conducted within a faith community as service learning opportunity for Baccalaureate degree nursing students. This community was situated in a semi-urban area in the North-West Province, South Africa. Eighteen (n=18) final year nursing students from different cultural representations, grouped into seven groups conducted home visits at seven (n=7) families. Comprehensive reflective reporting after the visits, namely that the students participated in a World Café data collection technique and interviews were conducted with family members. Three main themes emerged: students' initial experiences of feeling overwhelmed but later felt more competent; students' awareness of religious and cultural factors; and students' perception of their role. Two main themes from the family members emerged: experiencing caring and growth. There is mutual benefit for nursing students and family members. Students' experiences progress during home visits from feeling overwhelmed and incompetent towards a trusting relationship. Home visits in a faith community seems to be a valuable service learning opportunity, and the emotional competence, as well as spiritual and cultural awareness of nursing students should be facilitated in preparation for such home visits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  15. Local Feature Learning for Face Recognition under Varying Poses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duan, Xiaodong; Tan, Zheng-Hua

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we present a local feature learning method for face recognition to deal with varying poses. As opposed to the commonly used approaches of recovering frontal face images from profile views, the proposed method extracts the subject related part from a local feature by removing the pose...... related part in it on the basis of a pose feature. The method has a closed-form solution, hence being time efficient. For performance evaluation, cross pose face recognition experiments are conducted on two public face recognition databases FERET and FEI. The proposed method shows a significant...... recognition improvement under varying poses over general local feature approaches and outperforms or is comparable with related state-of-the-art pose invariant face recognition approaches. Copyright ©2015 by IEEE....

  16. The Presentation Assignment: Creating Learning Opportunities for Diverse Student Populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Brenda H.; Bartle-Angus, Kathryn

    2000-01-01

    Finds the presentation assignment to be an effective method of providing students with the opportunity to apply the literacy skills they are learning in ways that are personally meaningful. Describes the presentation assignment framework and provides an example of an assignment that required students to analyze and interpret works of literature…

  17. The Effect of Conversation Engagement on L2 Learning Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenxue

    2017-01-01

    This article reviews patterns of interaction (i.e. learner role relationships) in peer communicative tasks, and uses data collected from different tasks to explain what happens in peer interaction and its impact on the learning opportunities interlocutors create for each other. It proposes that, with L2 peer interaction gaining popularity in…

  18. How Do Clinicians Learn About Knowledge Translation? An Investigation of Current Web-Based Learning Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damarell, Raechel A; Tieman, Jennifer J

    2017-07-13

    Clinicians are important stakeholders in the translation of well-designed research evidence into clinical practice for optimal patient care. However, the application of knowledge translation (KT) theories and processes may present conceptual and practical challenges for clinicians. Online learning platforms are an effective means of delivering KT education, providing an interactive, time-efficient, and affordable alternative to face-to-face education programs. This study investigates the availability and accessibility of online KT learning opportunities for health professionals. It also provides an analysis of the types of resources and associated disciplines retrieved by a range of KT synonyms. We searched a range of bibliographic databases and the Internet (Google advanced option) using 9 KT terms to identify online KT learning resources. To be eligible, resources had to be free, aimed at clinicians, educational in intent, and interactive in design. Each term was searched using two different search engines. The details of the first 100 websites captured per browser (ie, n=200 results per term) were entered into EndNote. Each site was subsequently visited to determine its status as a learning resource. Eligible websites were appraised for quality using the AACODS (Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance) tool. We identified 971 unique websites via our multiple search strategies. Of these, 43 were health-related and educational in intent. Once these sites were evaluated for interactivity, a single website matched our inclusion criteria (Dementia Knowledge Translation Learning Centre). KT is an important but complex system of processes. These processes overlap with knowledge, practice, and improvement processes that go by a range of different names. For clinicians to be informed and competent in KT, they require better access to free learning opportunities. These resources should be designed from the viewpoint of the clinician, presenting KT

  19. Risks and opportunities of virtual learning: the experience of UOC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adela Ros Híjar

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available In this article, I have tried to give answers to the question of what the risks and opportunities of virtual learning are. In this sense, the UOC's experience has been of great value to analyse several key issues such as the new ways of accessing quality education, the new ways of participation, the new values of educational processes as well as some of the structural factors on which e-learning is based, but which place its very model in jeopardy. Direct observation of some key processes as well as contact with the main actors (e.g. students, teachers and technicians have provided valuable information about some factors to consider when analysing the social implications of virtual learning.

  20. INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING: MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRODUCE SPOKEN ENGLISH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puji Astuti

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The contribution of cooperative learning (CL in promoting second and foreign language learning has been widely acknowledged. Little scholarly attention, however, has been given to revealing how this teaching method works and promotes learners’ improved communicative competence. This qualitative case study explores the important role that individual accountability in CL plays in giving English as a Foreign Language (EFL learners in Indonesia the opportunity to use the target language of English. While individual accountability is a principle of and one of the activities in CL, it is currently under studied, thus little is known about how it enhances EFL learning. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a constructivist grounded theory analysis on participant observation, in-depth interview, and document analysis data drawn from two secondary school EFL teachers, 77 students in the observed classrooms, and four focal students. The analysis shows that through individual accountability in CL, the EFL learners had opportunities to use the target language, which may have contributed to the attainment of communicative competence—the goal of the EFL instruction. More specifically, compared to the use of conventional group work in the observed classrooms, through the activities of individual accountability in CL, i.e., performances and peer interaction, the EFL learners had more opportunities to use spoken English. The present study recommends that teachers, especially those new to CL, follow the preset procedure of selected CL instructional strategies or structures in order to recognize the activities within individual accountability in CL and understand how these activities benefit students.

  1. Consequences of increased self-regulated learning opportunities on student teachers’ motivation and use of metacognitive skills.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, Emmy; Bastiaens, Theo; Stijnen, Sjef

    2017-01-01

    This intervention study focused on the relationships between primary student teachers’ self-regulated learning (SRL) opportunities, their motivation for learning and their use of metacognitive learning strategies. The participants were 3 teacher educators and 136 first-year student teachers.

  2. An investigation into the opportunity to learn that is available to Grade 12 mathematics learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerrit Stols

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the opportunity to learn (OTL that is available to Grade 12 mathematics learners. Learner workbooks were analysed in terms of time on task, curriculum coverage, curriculum coherence, and cognitive demand. Based on these elements, experienced mathematics teachers judged the opportunity that the learners have to achieve more than 60% for each topic. According to the workbooks, the average number of active learning days in this sample was 54.1 days per annum. This resulted in limited curriculum coverage in almost all sections in 16 of the 18 under-performing schools. In these schools, learners spent most of their time practising routine procedures. The high correlation of 0.95 (p < 0.001 between the experts'prediction about the opportunity to learn in the different schools (based on the learner workbooks and learners' actual performance in the Grade 12 exam shows that the number, the coverage, the cognitive level, and the coherence of activities play a major role in understanding learner performance.

  3. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE SELECTION OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT NURSES IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. lita

    2002-11-01

    The study therefore focused on the following objective: To identify the factors that influence the selection of learning opportunities for primary health care in hospital units. A qualitative research design utilising focus group discussions were used. The population consisted of conveniently selected lecturers, student nurses and registered nurses. The same initial question was asked in each focus group to initiate the discussions. The data were analysed according to Tesch's method. The results indicated that there is positive commitment from the lecturers and registered nurses to be involved in selecting appropriate learning opportunities. The student nurses also demonstrated a willingness to learn and to be exposed to learning opportunities in primary health care. There were however certain constraints that emerged as themes, namely: • Managerial constraints • Educational constraints Under the theme "managerial constraints" categories such as workload, nursing staff shortages and communication problems were identified. Under the theme "educational constraints" categories such as a lack of guidance, and the correlation of theory and practice emerged. Recommendations based on this research report include improvement of in-service education on managerial and educational aspects to facilitate the primary health care approach in hospitals.

  4. Machine learning for medical ultrasound: status, methods, and future opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brattain, Laura J; Telfer, Brian A; Dhyani, Manish; Grajo, Joseph R; Samir, Anthony E

    2018-04-01

    Ultrasound (US) imaging is the most commonly performed cross-sectional diagnostic imaging modality in the practice of medicine. It is low-cost, non-ionizing, portable, and capable of real-time image acquisition and display. US is a rapidly evolving technology with significant challenges and opportunities. Challenges include high inter- and intra-operator variability and limited image quality control. Tremendous opportunities have arisen in the last decade as a result of exponential growth in available computational power coupled with progressive miniaturization of US devices. As US devices become smaller, enhanced computational capability can contribute significantly to decreasing variability through advanced image processing. In this paper, we review leading machine learning (ML) approaches and research directions in US, with an emphasis on recent ML advances. We also present our outlook on future opportunities for ML techniques to further improve clinical workflow and US-based disease diagnosis and characterization.

  5. TOWARDS THE FORMULATION OF A PROPOSAL FOR OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN STANDARDS IN EFL LEARNING AND TEACHING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalba Cárdenas Ramos

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the need to formulate and implement a proposal for opportunity-to-learn standards (OTL in the field of language learning and teaching in Colombia, with the aim of ensuring the necessary conditions for the implementation and achievement of the performance standards, issued by the Ministry of Education as part of the National Bilingual Program in this area. First, it reviews the concept, origins, composition and models of OTL standards, and then it examines the Colombian situation to make a case for OTL in this country.

  6. Consequences of Increased Self-Regulated Learning Opportunities on Student Teachers' Motivation and Use of Metacognitive Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrieling, Emmy; Bastiaens, Theo; Stijnen, Sjef

    2012-01-01

    This intervention study focused on the relationships between primary student teachers' self-regulated learning (SRL) opportunities, their motivation for learning and their use of metacognitive learning strategies. The participants were 3 teacher educators and 136 first-year student teachers. During one semester, teacher educators and student…

  7. Learning Opportunities in PhD Supervisory Talks: A Social Constructionist Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Wenwen; Singhasiri, Wareesiri

    2016-01-01

    Although PhD supervision has been recognised as an educative process and a complex pedagogy for decades, there is little research into on-site pedagogic processes. Informed by social constructionism and a Foucauldian approach, this qualitative case study explores how learning opportunities were created by analysing both a supervisor's verbal…

  8. Learning Opportunities for Group Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, Alfonso J.; Mataveli, Mara

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the impact of organizational learning culture and learning facilitators in group learning. Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted using a survey method applied to a statistically representative sample of employees from Rioja wine companies in Spain. A model was tested using a structural equation…

  9. Opportunities to Learn: Inverse Relations in U.S. and Chinese Textbooks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Meixia

    2016-01-01

    This study, focusing on inverse relations, examines how representative U.S. and Chinese elementary textbooks may provide opportunities to learn fundamental mathematical ideas. Findings from this study indicate that both of the U.S. textbook series (grades K-6) in comparison to the Chinese textbook samples (grades 1-6), presented more instances of…

  10. Effects of Opportunities for Word Retrieval during Second Language Vocabulary Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barcroft, Joe

    2007-01-01

    Research suggests that memory for an item improves when one is allowed to retrieve the item (Slamecka & Graf, 1978). This study explored benefits of providing opportunities for target-word retrieval during second language vocabulary learning. English speakers studied new Spanish words while viewing 24 word-picture pairs. They first viewed all 24…

  11. The Perceived Effect of Duty Hour Restrictions on Learning Opportunities in the Intensive Care Unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabri, Nessrine; Sun, Ning-Zi; Cummings, Beth-Ann; Jayaraman, Dev

    2015-03-01

    Many countries have reduced resident duty hours in an effort to promote patient safety and enhance resident quality of life. There are concerns that reducing duty hours may impact residents' learning opportunities. We (1) evaluated residents' perceptions of their current learning opportunities in a context of reduced duty hours, and (2) explored the perceived change in resident learning opportunities after call length was reduced from 24 continuous hours to 16 hours. We conducted an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey of 240 first-, second-, and third-year residents rotating through 3 McGill University-affiliated intensive care units (ICUs) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. The survey investigated residents' perceptions of learning opportunities in both the 24-hour and 16-hour systems. Of 240 residents, 168 (70%) completed the survey. Of these residents, 63 (38%) had been exposed to both 24-hour and 16-hour call schedules. The majority of respondents (83%) reported that didactic teaching sessions held by ICU staff physicians were useful. However, of the residents trained in both approaches to overnight call, 44% reported a reduction in learner attendance at didactic teaching sessions, 48% reported a reduction in attendance at midday hospital rounds, and 40% reported a perceived reduction in self-directed reading after the implementation of the new call schedule. A substantial proportion of residents perceived a reduction in the attendance of instructor-directed and self-directed reading after the implementation of a 16-hour call schedule in the ICU.

  12. 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.

  13. Stakeholder Perceptions, Learning Opportunities, and Student Outcomes in Three Clinical Learning Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendricks, Susan; DeMeester, Deborah; Stephenson, Evelyn; Welch, Janet

    2016-05-01

    Understanding the strengths and challenges of various clinical models is important for nursing education. Three long-standing clinical models (preceptored, hybrid, and traditional) were compared on several outcome measures related to satisfaction, learning opportunities, and student outcomes. Students, faculty, and preceptors participated in this study. Although no differences were noted in satisfaction or standardized examination scores, students in the preceptored clinical model were able to practice more psychomotor skills. Although participants in the preceptored model reported spending more time communicating with staff nurses than did those in the other models, students in the traditional model spent more time with faculty. No differences were noted among groups in student clinical observation time. All clinical learning models were focused on how clinical time was structured, without an emphasis on how faculty and preceptors work with students to develop nursing clinical reasoning skills. Identifying methodology to impact thinking in the clinical environment is a key next step. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(5):271-277.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

  14. Talking back to theory: the missed opportunities in learning technology research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Oliver

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Research into learning technology has developed a reputation for being drivenby rhetoric about the revolutionary nature of new developments, for payingscant attention to theories that might be used to frame and inform research, andfor producing shallow analyses that do little to inform the practice of education.Although there is theoretically-informed research in learning technology, this isin the minority, and has been actively marginalised by calls for applied designwork. This limits opportunities to advance knowledge in the field. Using threeexamples, alternative ways to engage with theory are identified. The paper concludesby calling for greater engagement with theory, and the development of ascholarship of learning technology, in order to enrich practice within the fieldand demonstrate its relevance to other fields of work.

  15. Machine Learning for Precision Psychiatry: Opportunities and Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bzdok, Danilo; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas

    2018-03-01

    The nature of mental illness remains a conundrum. Traditional disease categories are increasingly suspected to misrepresent the causes underlying mental disturbance. Yet psychiatrists and investigators now have an unprecedented opportunity to benefit from complex patterns in brain, behavior, and genes using methods from machine learning (e.g., support vector machines, modern neural-network algorithms, cross-validation procedures). Combining these analysis techniques with a wealth of data from consortia and repositories has the potential to advance a biologically grounded redefinition of major psychiatric disorders. Increasing evidence suggests that data-derived subgroups of psychiatric patients can better predict treatment outcomes than DSM/ICD diagnoses can. In a new era of evidence-based psychiatry tailored to single patients, objectively measurable endophenotypes could allow for early disease detection, individualized treatment selection, and dosage adjustment to reduce the burden of disease. This primer aims to introduce clinicians and researchers to the opportunities and challenges in bringing machine intelligence into psychiatric practice. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Special ways of knowing in science: expansive learning opportunities with bilingual children with learning disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Álvarez, Patricia

    2017-09-01

    The field of bilingual special education is currently plagued with contradictions resulting in a serious underrepresentation of emergent bilinguals with learning disabilities in professional science fields. This underrepresentation is due in large part to the fact that educational systems around the world are inadequately prepared to address the educational needs of these children; this inadequacy is rooted in a lack of understanding of the linguistic and cultural factors impacting learning. Accepting such a premise and assuming that children learn in unexpected ways when instructional practices attend to culture and language, this study documents a place-based learning experience integrating geoscience and literacy in a fourth-grade dual language classroom. Data sources include transcribed audio-taped conversations from learning experience sessions and interviews that took place as six focus children, who had been identified as having specific learning disabilities, read published science texts (i.e. texts unaltered linguistically or conceptually to meet the needs of the readers). My analysis revealed that participants generated responses that were often unexpected if solely analyzed from those Western scientific perspectives traditionally valued in school contexts. However, these responses were also full of purposeful and rich understandings that revealed opportunities for expansive learning. Adopting a cultural historical activity theory perspective, instructional tools such as texts, visuals, and questions were found to act as mediators impacting the learning in both activity systems: (a) teacher- researcher learning from children, and (b) children learning from teachers. I conclude by suggesting that there is a need to understand students' ways of knowing to their full complexity, and to deliberately recognize teachers as learners, researchers, and means to expansive learning patterns that span beyond traditional learning boundaries.

  17. Extending Basic Learning Opportunities: Challenge and Response. UNESCO-UNICEF Co-operative Programme Digest No. 16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prakasha, Veda; And Others

    This digest focuses on problems encountered in the expansion of facilities for universal primary education and responses being developed to overcome these problems. The central message of the document is that nonformal structures of learning and community involvement play a key role in the expansion of basic learning opportunities in the…

  18. Profiles of Opportunities to Learn for TEDS-M Future Secondary Mathematics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ting-Ying; Tang, Shu-Jyh

    2013-01-01

    This study used the data set from the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics to identify the profiles of opportunities to learn (OTL) regarding topics studied in teacher preparation programs by future secondary mathematics teachers from 15 participating countries. The topics of inquiry covered tertiary-level mathematics,…

  19. The rise of E-learning and opportunities for Indian family physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chayan Datta

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The IT (information technology revolution is sweeping across the globe. Distance, location and costs have become irrelevant. With availability of newer communication tools, medical education and practice are bound to be transformed. Rapid advancement of science requires medical professionals to update their knowledge constantly. Online interface for CME (Continued Medical Education presents an exciting opportunity as an E learning tool.

  20. The Effect of Banking Personnel's Access to E-Learning Opportunities on Their Professional Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaaslan, Ilknur Aydogdu

    2013-01-01

    Developments in information and communication technology create the spread of education and economic opportunities. E-learning is one of them. For companies in the banking sector, web-based training is a new

  1. Engineering Computer Games: A Parallel Learning Opportunity for Undergraduate Engineering and Primary (K-5 Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Michael Budnik

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present how our College of Engineering is developing a growing portfolio of engineering computer games as a parallel learning opportunity for undergraduate engineering and primary (grade K-5 students. Around the world, many schools provide secondary students (grade 6-12 with opportunities to pursue pre-engineering classes. However, by the time students reach this age, many of them have already determined their educational goals and preferred careers. Our College of Engineering is developing resources to provide primary students, still in their educational formative years, with opportunities to learn more about engineering. One of these resources is a library of engineering games targeted to the primary student population. The games are designed by sophomore students in our College of Engineering. During their Introduction to Computational Techniques course, the students use the LabVIEW environment to develop the games. This software provides a wealth of design resources for the novice programmer; using it to develop the games strengthens the undergraduates

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijaya, Ariyadi

    2017-01-01

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

  3. Biomass accident investigations – missed opportunities for learning and accident prevention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hedlund, Frank Huess

    2017-01-01

    The past decade has seen a major increase in the production of energy from biomass. The growth has been mirrored in an increase of serious biomass related accidents involving fires, gas explosions, combustible dust explosions and the release of toxic gasses. There are indications that the number...... of bioenergy related accidents is growing faster than the energy production. This paper argues that biomass accidents, if properly investigated and lessons shared widely, provide ample opportunities for improving general hazard awareness and safety performance of the biomass industry. The paper examines...... selected serious accidents involving biogas and wood pellets in Denmark and argues that such opportunities for learning were missed because accident investigations were superficial, follow-up incomplete and information sharing absent. In one particularly distressing case, a facility saw a repeat accident...

  4. E-learning in neurology education: Principles, opportunities and challenges in combating neurophobia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhetri, Suresh Kumar

    2017-10-01

    Neurophobia, the fear of clinical neurology, affects not only medical students but also non-career neurologists globally. This can have significant implications on patient care, especially given the increasing burden of chronic neurological disorders. The negative perception and lack of confidence amongst general practitioners and hospital physicians may lead to increased referrals to neurology, thereby increasing waiting times and inpatient stay. The onus, therefore, should be on improving training and stimulating interest in neurology. There is emerging evidence that integrating e-learning to traditional pedagogies can improve delivery of neurology education and help combat neurophobia. However, embracing e-learning may be challenging for contemporary neurologists, mostly 'digital immigrants', involved in the training of tomorrow's doctors who are largely 'digital natives'. This paper reviews the principles, opportunities and challenges of incorporating e-learning in neurology education to help improve learners' perception of clinical neurology, facilitate delivery of self-directed experiential learning and perhaps breed 'neurophilia'. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Medical students' opportunities to participate and learn from activities at an internal medicine ward: an ethnographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hägg-Martinell, A; Hult, H; Henriksson, P; Kiessling, A

    2017-02-14

    To optimise medical students' early clerkship is a complex task since it is conducted in a context primarily organised to take care of patients. Previous studies have explored medical students' perceptions of facilitation and hindrance of learning. However, the opportunities for medical student to learn within the culture of acute medicine care have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore how medical students approach, interact and socialise in an acute internal medicine ward context, and how spaces for learning are created and used in such a culture. Ethnographic observations were performed of medical students' interactions and learning during early clerkship at an acute internal medicine care ward. Field notes were taken, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Data analysis was guided by Wenger's theory of communities of practice. 21 medical students and 30 supervisors participated. Two themes were identified: Nervousness and curiosity- students acted nervously and stressed, especially when they could not answer questions. Over time curiosity could evolve. Unexplored opportunities to support students in developing competence to judge and approach more complex patient-related problems were identified. Invited and involved -students were exposed to a huge variation of opportunities to learn, and to interact and to be involved. Short placements seemed to disrupt the learning process. If and how students became involved also depended on supervisors' activities and students' initiatives. This study shed light on how an acute internal medicine ward culture can facilitate medical students' possibilities to participate and learn. Medical students' learning situations were characterised by questions and answers rather than challenging dialogues related to the complexity of presented patient cases. Further, students experienced continuous transfers between learning situations where the potential to be involved differed in a wide variety of ways. Published

  6. Demand Management Opportunities in E-fulfillment: What Internet Retailers Can Learn from Revenue Management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    N.A.H. Agatz (Niels); A.M. Campbell (Ann Melissa); M. Fleischmann (Moritz); J.A.E.E. van Nunen (Jo); M.W.P. Savelsbergh (Martin)

    2008-01-01

    textabstractIn this paper, we explain how Internet retailers can learn from proven revenue management concepts and use them to reduce costs and enhance service. We focus on attended deliveries as these provide the greatest opportunities and challenges. The key driver is service differentiation.

  7. UDENTE (Universal Dental E-Learning) a golden opportunity for dental education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, Patricia

    2012-01-10

    learning (TEL) is to be viewed as a golden opportunity in Higher Education.

  8. Teaching and Learning Jewish History in the 21st Century: New Priorities and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Benjamin M.

    2018-01-01

    New 21st-century circumstances in the Jewish world--including the changing nature of Jewish identification, the retreat from identity and continuity as singular aims of Jewish education, the democratization of Jewish learning opportunities, increased emphasis on informal and experiential Jewish education activities, and demonstrable interest among…

  9. ICT AND MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES: LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAINING NEEDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graham Davies

    2002-06-01

    Full Text Available This article is divided into two main sections. The first section considers why technology has not lived up to its expectations in bringing about improvements in language learning. Many learning opportunities are offered by new technologies but they are not fully exploited, mainly owing to the lack of relevant training offered to teachers. In addition, with the advent of the Web, there is a disturbing trend towards removing the teacher from the learning process - which is simply not acceptable. The second section of the article looks at a website that offers a considerable volume of ICT training materials or language teachers, namely the ICT4LT website: http://www.ict4lt.org. The author examines the aims behind the site as a whole and the pattern of site visits, discussing the key issues and drawing conclusions based on an analysis of the pattern of visits to different modules of the site. Some important lessons have been learned regarding the type of training that teachers appear to need, for example: the continued interest in multimedia and the high demand for introductory courses. It is also evident that Web traffic is predominantly one-way and confined to certain sectors of the world, indicating that much more has to be done in order to stimulate discussion and to make the Web accessible to underserved regions of the world.

  10. Early Fractions Learning of 3rd Grade Students in SD Laboratorium Unesa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sari, Elisabet Ayunika Permata; Juniati, Dwi; Patahudin, Sitti Maesuri

    2012-01-01

    Fractions varied meanings is one of the causes of difficulties in learning fractions. These students should be given greater opportunities to explore the meaning of fractions before they learn the relationship between fractions and operations on fractions. Although students shading an area represents a fraction, it does not mean they really…

  11. Analysis of e-learning opportunities in Slovenia during the years 2006 and 2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tina Godina

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The author examines the characteristics of e-learning opportunities for adults in Slovenia during the years 2006 and 2015. At the outset, some of the characteristics of this form of education and its development are described. E-learning is a form of education, which is characterized by openness and flexibility, and is as such particularly suitable for the adult population. The year 2006 was chosen as a starting point because this was also the year when the last analysis of the e-learning provisions in Slovenia was published (Zagmajster, 2006. The author compared this year with the year 2015. Data were obtained from the catalogue of the educational offer, which can be accessed at the web portal “Kam po znanje? [Where to Get Knowledge?]”, the latter being is managed by Slovenian Institute for Adult Education.

  12. Non-Formal Education, Out-of-School Learning Needs and Employment Opportunities: Evidence from Mali

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weyer, Frederique

    2009-01-01

    Non-formal education (NFE) is now considered as playing a critical role in the achievement of the objective of Education for All, by reaching the learning needs of youth and adults who do not have access to formal education, increasing their employment opportunities and therefore contributing to poverty alleviation. Yet there is still insufficient…

  13. Impact of the Extended Learning Opportunities Summer Adventures in Learning (ELO SAIL) Program on Student Academic Performance: Part 1, Results from Fall 2012 to Fall 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper-Martin, Elizabeth; Wolanin, Natalie; Jang, Seong; Modarresi, Shahpar; Zhao, Huafang

    2016-01-01

    Extended Learning Opportunities Summer Adventures in Learning (ELO SAIL) is a Montgomery County Public Schools summer program for students in all Title I elementary schools; it targets students who will be in kindergarten-Grade 2 in the fall following the program. This report analyzed demographic characteristics of attendees and the impact of the…

  14. Addressing Barriers to Learning and Teaching to Enhance Equity of Opportunity. Report from the National Summit on ESSA and Learning Supports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA, 2017

    2017-01-01

    Passage of the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA) provides opportunities to improve how schools address barriers to learning and teaching and re-engage disconnected students and families. Of particular relevance to these concerns, ESSA replaces what has been described as a maze of programs with a "Student Support and Academic…

  15. Opportunities and Challenges of Multiplex Assays: A Machine Learning Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junfang; Schwarz, Emanuel

    2017-01-01

    Multiplex assays that allow the simultaneous measurement of multiple analytes in small sample quantities have developed into a widely used technology. Their implementation spans across multiple assay systems and can provide readouts of similar quality as the respective single-plex measures, albeit at far higher throughput. Multiplex assay systems are therefore an important element for biomarker discovery and development strategies but analysis of the derived data can face substantial challenges that may limit the possibility of identifying meaningful biological markers. This chapter gives an overview of opportunities and challenges of multiplexed biomarker analysis, in particular from the perspective of machine learning aimed at identification of predictive biological signatures.

  16. Through the Student's Eyes: A Perspective on Personalized Learning and Practice Guide for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redding, Sam

    2013-01-01

    The standard definition of "personalized learning" stresses instruction that is varied in pace, method, objectives, and content for each student and tailored to the student's interests and preferences. Technology is seen as a means to efficiently manage this level of differentiation, access a cornucopia of learning opportunities and…

  17. Social Issues and Problem-Based Learning in Sociology: Opportunities and Challenges in the Undergraduate Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eglitis, Daina S.; Buntman, Fran L.; Alexander, Dameon V.

    2016-01-01

    This article discusses the use of problem-based learning (PBL) in the undergraduate sociology classroom. PBL shifts students from the role of passive listeners and learners to active knowledge builders and communicators through the use of concise and engaging social problem cases. PBL creates opportunities for building substantive area knowledge,…

  18. Collaborative learning: A next step in the training of peer support providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cronise, Rita

    2016-09-01

    This column explores how peer support provider training is enhanced through collaborative learning. Collaborative learning is an approach that draws upon the "real life" experiences of individual learners and encompasses opportunities to explore varying perspectives and collectively construct solutions that enrich the practice of all participants. This description draws upon published articles and examples of collaborative learning in training and communities of practice of peer support providers. Similar to person-centered practices that enhance the recovery experience of individuals receiving services, collaborative learning enhances the experience of peer support providers as they explore relevant "real world" issues, offer unique contributions, and work together toward improving practice. Three examples of collaborative learning approaches are provided that have resulted in successful collaborative learning opportunities for peer support providers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Stealth Learning: Unexpected Learning Opportunities through Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, Laura A.

    2012-01-01

    Educators across the country struggle to create engaging, motivating learning environments for their Net Gen students. These learners expect instant gratification that traditional lectures do not provide. This leaves educators searching for innovative ways to engage students in order to encourage learning. One solution is for educators to use…

  20. Learners' Use of Communication Strategies in Text-Based and Video-Based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication Environments: Opportunities for Language Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Yu-Wan; Higgins, Steve

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the different learning opportunities enabled by text-based and video-based synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) from an interactionist perspective. Six Chinese-speaking learners of English and six English-speaking learners of Chinese were paired up as tandem (reciprocal) learning dyads. Each dyad participated…

  1. How International Studies Contributed to Educational Theory and Methods through Measurement of Opportunity to Learn Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suter, Larry E.

    2017-01-01

    The international comparative studies in 1959 were conducted by International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) researchers who recognized that differences in student achievement measures in mathematics across countries could be caused by differences in curricula. The measurements of opportunity to learn (OTL) grew…

  2. When are workload and workplace learning opportunities related in a curvilinear manner? The moderating role of autonomy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. van Ruysseveldt (Joris); M.H. van Dijke (Marius)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractBuilding on theoretical frameworks like the Job Demands Control model and Action Theory we tested whether the relationship between workload and employees’ experiences of opportunities for workplace learning is of an inverted u-shaped nature and whether autonomy moderates this

  3. 20 CFR 670.520 - Are students permitted to hold jobs other than work-based learning opportunities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Are students permitted to hold jobs other than work-based learning opportunities? 670.520 Section 670.520 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THE JOB CORPS UNDER TITLE I OF THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT...

  4. Varied Practice in Laparoscopy Training: Beneficial Learning Stimulation or Cognitive Overload?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spruit, Edward N; Kleijweg, Luca; Band, Guido P H; Hamming, Jaap F

    2016-01-01

    Determining the optimal design for surgical skills training is an ongoing research endeavor. In education literature, varied practice is listed as a positive intervention to improve acquisition of knowledge and motor skills. In the current study we tested the effectiveness of a varied practice intervention during laparoscopy training. Twenty-four trainees (control group) without prior experience received a 3 weeks laparoscopic skills training utilizing four basic and one advanced training task. Twenty-eight trainees (experimental group) received the same training with a random training task schedule, more frequent task switching and inverted viewing conditions on the four basic training tasks, but not the advanced task. Results showed inferior performance of the experimental group on the four basic laparoscopy tasks during training, at the end of training and at a 2 months retention session. We assume the inverted viewing conditions have led to the deterioration of learning in the experimental group because no significant differences were found between groups on the only task that had not been practiced under inverted viewing conditions; the advanced laparoscopic task. Potential moderating effects of inter-task similarity, task complexity, and trainee characteristics are discussed.

  5. Varied Practice in Laparoscopy Training: Beneficial Learning Stimulation or Cognitive Overload?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward N. eSpruit

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available AbstractDetermining the optimal design for surgical skills training is an ongoing research endeavor. In education literature, varied practice is listed as a positive intervention to improve acquisition of knowledge and motor skills. In the current study we tested the effectiveness of a varied practice intervention during laparoscopy training. 24 trainees (control group without prior experience received a three week laparoscopic skills training utilizing four basic and one advanced training task. 28 trainees (experimental group received the same training with a random training task schedule, more frequent task switching and inverted viewing conditions on the four basic training tasks, but not the advanced task. Results showed inferior performance of the experimental group on the four basic laparoscopy tasks during training, at the end of training and at a two month retention session. We assume the inverted viewing conditions have led to the deterioration of learning in the experimental group because no significant differences were found between groups on the only task that had not been practiced under inverted viewing conditions; the advanced laparoscopic task. Potential moderating effects of inter-task similarity, task complexity and trainee characteristics are discussed.

  6. Math Is More than Numbers: Beginning Bilingual Teachers' Mathematics Teaching Practices and Their Opportunities to Learn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Cathery

    2017-01-01

    In this article, the author provides results from a 3-year, longitudinal study that examined two novice bilingual teachers' mathematics teaching practices and their professional opportunities to learn to teach. Primary data sources included videotaped mathematics lessons, teacher interviews, and field notes of their teacher preparation methods…

  7. Examining Opportunity-to-Learn and Success in High School Mathematics Performance in California under NCLB

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavrilovic, Daniel Miodrag

    2013-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has put many schools under a lot of pressure to meet its high demands. In this quantitative study, the effects that the NCLB act has had on students' opportunity to learn (OTL) and Subject Level Success (SS) from 2004 to 2012 in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade math coursework (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and…

  8. Learning behavior and learning opportunities as career stimuli

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Sluis, E.C.

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents some preliminary findings of a study in the field of work-related learning and management development from a managerial perspective. The interaction between individual and organisational characteristics builds the frame of reference to establish a management learning model, which

  9. When Are Workload and Workplace Learning Opportunities Related in a Curvilinear Manner? The Moderating Role of Autonomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ruysseveldt, Joris; van Dijke, Marius

    2011-01-01

    Building on theoretical frameworks like the Job Demands Control model and Action Theory we tested whether the relationship between workload and employees' experiences of opportunities for workplace learning is of an inverted u-shaped nature and whether autonomy moderates this relationship. We predicted that--at moderate levels of…

  10. Using Tests as Learning Opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foos, Paul W.; Fisher, Ronald P.

    1988-01-01

    A study involving 105 undergraduates assessed the value of testing as a means of increasing, rather than simply monitoring, learning. Results indicate that fill-in-the-blank and items requiring student inferences were more effective, respectively, than multiple-choice tests and verbatim items in furthering student learning. (TJH)

  11. Opportunities for Learning Math in Elementary School: Implications for SES Disparities in Procedural and Conceptual Math Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachman, Heather J.; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; El Nokali, Nermeen E.; Castle Heatly, Melissa

    2015-01-01

    The present study examined whether multiple opportunities to learn math were associated with smaller socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in fifth-grade math achievement using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD; N = 1,364). High amounts of procedural math instruction were associated with higher…

  12. Nothing Succeeds Like Success? Equity, Student Outcomes, and Opportunity to Learn in High- and Middle-Income Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santibañez, Lucrecia; Fagioli, Loris

    2016-01-01

    A strong relationship between article background and educational outcomes fuels a negative inequality cycle. This paper explores the interplay between student socioeconomic status and educational outcomes, and the mediating role of Opportunity-to-Learn (OTL) in high- and middle-income countries. Using data from PISA 2012, we find that the…

  13. Informal Learning from Error in Hospitals: What Do We Learn, How Do We Learn and How Can Informal Learning Be Enhanced? A Narrative Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Feijter, Jeantine M.; de Grave, Willem S.; Koopmans, Richard P.; Scherpbier, Albert J. J. A.

    2013-01-01

    Learning from error is not just an individual endeavour. Organisations also learn from error. Hospitals provide many learning opportunities, which can be formal or informal. Informal learning from error in hospitals has not been researched in much depth so this narrative review focuses on five learning opportunities: morbidity and mortality…

  14. Opportunity Evaluation through Experiential Learning (OETEL): An Analysis of Perceived Desirability, Perceived Feasibility, and Entrepreneurial Intention

    OpenAIRE

    Krisakorn Sukavejworakit; Triyuth Promsiri; Thanaphol Virasa

    2018-01-01

    The entrepreneurial intention is recognized as the best predictor of entrepreneurship activity. This study aims to extend the understanding of entrepreneurial intention within the context of entrepreneurship education. The role of opportunity evaluation on entrepreneurial intention was explored with the application of Experiential Learning Theory. The conceptual framework was developed based on the integrated entrepreneurial intention model, where perceived desirability and perceived feasibil...

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

    OpenAIRE

    Ariyadi Wijaya

    2017-01-01

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

  16. Learning from Schools That Close Opportunity Gaps

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaCour, Sarah E.; York, Adam; Welner, Kevin; Valladares, Michelle Renée; Kelley, Linda Molner

    2017-01-01

    The Schools of Opportunity Project recognizes public high schools that employ research-based practices to close opportunity gaps. The commended schools illustrate how school quality can and should be measured by far more than just test scores. In doing so, they offer exemplars and a path forward for the nation's schools. The selection criteria for…

  17. Looking in on Music: Challenges and Opportunities for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Wharton Conkling

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Whereas most articles in this special issue demonstrate careful and close-up views of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL in a performing arts or humanities discipline, my approach is opposite; I look in on music teaching and learning to interrogate current conceptions of SoTL. I begin with Sloboda’s cognitive explanation of music expertise and consider how music expertise is established relatively early in life. I then proceed to develop two case studies of music in higher education showing how each case illustrates expertise, and highlighting experts’ desires for progressively greater challenges. I argue that collaboration with other expert performers is one sort of challenge that meets such desires. By drawing attention to collaboration, I then reframe music as social practice, and I highlight the qualities of participatory performance. In the latter part of the article, I turn my attention toward explaining what it means to think about learning as participation in a community of practice, and I draw on the case studies to demonstrate that such a view presents both challenges and opportunities for SoTL.

  18. District Decision-Makers' Considerations of Equity and Equality Related to Students' Opportunities to Learn Algebra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth A.; Keazer, Lindsay; Traynor, Anne

    2018-01-01

    Background/Context: In this article we explore equity issues related to school district decision-making about students' opportunities to learn algebra. We chose algebra because of the important role it plays in the U.S. as a gatekeeper to future academic success. Current research has not yet explored issues of equity in district-level…

  19. A Decade of Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Challenges, Achievements, and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mtebe, Joel S.; Raphael, Christina

    2017-01-01

    For a decade past, integration of technology in teaching and learning has been received with both apprehension and skeptism from academics and student majority at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM). The study recounts real, professional and practical experiences, challenges, and opportunities of integrating educational technologies using…

  20. Early Fractions Learning of 3rd Grade Students in SD Laboratorium Unesa

    OpenAIRE

    Elisabet Ayunika Permata Sari; Dwi Juniati; Sitti Maesuri Patahudin

    2012-01-01

    Fractions varied meanings is one of the causes of difficulties in learning fractions. These students  should be given greater opportunities to explore the meaning of fractions before they learn the relationship between fractions and operations on fractions. Although students can shading area represents a fraction, does not mean they really understand the meaning of fractions as a whole. With a realistic approach to mathematics, students are given the contextual issues of equitable distributio...

  1. Study on state grouping and opportunity evaluation for reinforcement learning methods; Kyoka gakushuho no tame no jotai grouping to opportunity hyoka ni kansuru kenkyu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, W.; Yokoi, H.; Kakazu, Y. [Hokkaido University, Sapporo (Japan)

    1997-08-20

    In this paper, we propose the State Grouping scheme for coping with the problem of scaling up the Reinforcement Learning Algorithm to real, large size application. The grouping scheme is based on geographical and trial-error information, and is made up with state generating, state combining, state splitting, state forgetting procedures, with corresponding action selecting module and learning module. Also, we discuss the Labeling Based Evaluation scheme which can evaluate the opportunity of the state-action pair, therefore, use better experience to guide the exploration of the state-space effectively. Incorporating the Labeling Based Evaluation and State Grouping scheme into the Reinforcement Learning Algorithm, we get the approach that can generate organized state space for Reinforcement Learning, and do problem solving as well. We argue that the approach with this kind of ability is necessary for autonomous agent, namely, autonomous agent can not act depending on any pre-defined map, instead, it should search the environment as well as find the optimal problem solution autonomously and simultaneously. By solving the large state-size 3-DOF and 4-link manipulator problem, we show the efficiency of the proposed approach, i.e., the agent can achieve the optimal or sub-optimal path with less memory and less time. 14 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs.

  2. Effects of the amount and schedule of varied practice after constant practice on the adaptive process of motor learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Umberto Cesar Corrêa

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of different amounts and schedules of varied practice, after constant practice, on the adaptive process of motor learning. Participants were one hundred and seven children with a mean age of 11.1 ± 0.9 years. Three experiments were carried out using a complex anticipatory timing task manipulating the following components in the varied practice: visual stimulus speed (experiment 1; sequential response pattern (experiment 2; and visual stimulus speed plus sequential response pattern (experiment 3. In all experiments the design involved three amounts (18, 36, and 63 trials, and two schedules (random and blocked of varied practice. The experiments also involved two learning phases: stabilization and adaptation. The dependent variables were the absolute, variable, and constant errors related to the task goal, and the relative timing of the sequential response. Results showed that all groups worsened the performances in the adaptation phase, and no difference was observed between them. Altogether, the results of the three experiments allow the conclusion that the amounts of trials manipulated in the random and blocked practices did not promote the diversification of the skill since no adaptation was observed.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ariyadi Wijaya

    2017-11-01

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

  4. Image analysis and machine learning in digital pathology: Challenges and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madabhushi, Anant; Lee, George

    2016-10-01

    With the rise in whole slide scanner technology, large numbers of tissue slides are being scanned and represented and archived digitally. While digital pathology has substantial implications for telepathology, second opinions, and education there are also huge research opportunities in image computing with this new source of "big data". It is well known that there is fundamental prognostic data embedded in pathology images. The ability to mine "sub-visual" image features from digital pathology slide images, features that may not be visually discernible by a pathologist, offers the opportunity for better quantitative modeling of disease appearance and hence possibly improved prediction of disease aggressiveness and patient outcome. However the compelling opportunities in precision medicine offered by big digital pathology data come with their own set of computational challenges. Image analysis and computer assisted detection and diagnosis tools previously developed in the context of radiographic images are woefully inadequate to deal with the data density in high resolution digitized whole slide images. Additionally there has been recent substantial interest in combining and fusing radiologic imaging and proteomics and genomics based measurements with features extracted from digital pathology images for better prognostic prediction of disease aggressiveness and patient outcome. Again there is a paucity of powerful tools for combining disease specific features that manifest across multiple different length scales. The purpose of this review is to discuss developments in computational image analysis tools for predictive modeling of digital pathology images from a detection, segmentation, feature extraction, and tissue classification perspective. We discuss the emergence of new handcrafted feature approaches for improved predictive modeling of tissue appearance and also review the emergence of deep learning schemes for both object detection and tissue classification

  5. Peer tutors as learning and teaching partners: a cumulative approach to building peer tutoring capacity in higher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sherran Clarence

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Peer tutors in higher education are frequently given vital teaching and learning work to do, but the training or professional development and support opportunities they are offered vary, and more often than not peer tutors are under-supported. In order to create and sustain teaching and learning environments that are better able to facilitate students’ engagement with knowledge and learning, the role of peer tutors needs to be recognised differently, as that of learning and teaching partners to both lecturers and students. Tutors then need to be offered opportunities for more in-depth professional academic development in order to fully realise this role. This paper explores a tutor development programme within a South African writing centre that aimed at offering tutors such ongoing and cumulative opportunities for learning and growth using a balanced approach, which included scholarly research and practice-based training. Using narrative data tutors provided in reflective written reports, the paper explores the kinds of development in tutors’ thinking and action that are possible when training and development is theoretically informed, coherent, and oriented towards improving practice.

  6. Psychologists and detainee interrogations: key decisions, opportunities lost, and lessons learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pope, Kenneth S

    2011-01-01

    After the 9-11 terrorist attacks, U.S. psychologists faced hard choices about what roles, if any, were appropriate for psychologists in the detainee interrogations conducted in settings such as the Bagram Airbase, the Abu Ghraib Prison, and the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camps. The American Psychological Association (APA) sparked intense controversy with its policies and public statements. This article reviews APA decisions, documents, and public statements in this area, in the context of major criticisms and responses to those criticisms. The review focuses on key issues: how the APA created and reported policies in the areas of ethics and national security; transparency; psychologists' professional identities; psychologists' qualifications; ethical-legal conflicts; policies opposing torture; interpretations of avoiding harm; and effective interrogations. It suggests lessons learned, missed opportunities, and questions in need of a fresh approach. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved

  7. Balancing Bologna: opportunities for university teaching that integrates academic and practical learning outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Probst, Lorenz; Pflug, Verena; Brandenburg, Christiane; Guggenberger, Thomas; Mentler, Axel; Wurzinger, Maria

    2014-05-01

    In the course of the Bologna Process, the quality of university teaching has become more prominent in the discourse on higher education. More attention is now paid to didactics and methods and learner-oriented modes of teaching are introduced. The application of knowledge, practical skills and in consequence the employability of university graduates have become requirements for university teaching. Yet, the lecture-style approach still dominates European universities, although empirical evidence confirms that student-centred, interdisciplinary and experiential learning is more effective. Referring to the learning taxonomy introduced by Bloom, we argue that standard approaches rarely move beyond the learning level of comprehension and fail to reach the levels of application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Considering the rapid changes and multiple challenges society faces today, responsible practitioners and scientists who can improve the current management of natural resources are urgently needed. Universities are expected to equip their graduates with the necessary skills to reflect and evaluate their actions when addressing 'real world' problems in order to improve impact and relevance of their work. Higher education thus faces the challenge of providing multi-level learning opportunities for students with diverse practical and theoretical learning needs. In this study, we reflect on three cases of university teaching attempting to bridge theory and practice and based on the principles of systemic, problem based learning. The described courses focus on organic farming, rural development and landscape planning and take place in Uganda, Nicaragua and Italy. We show that being part of a real-world community of stakeholders requires hands-on learning and the reflection and evaluation of actions. This prepares students in a more effective and realistic way for their future roles as responsible decision makers in complex social, economic and ecological systems. We

  8. Learning Analytics: opportunities for schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanni Fulantelli

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available La valutazione delle esperienze di apprendimento che avvengono in ambienti in cui le interazioni sono mediate dalle tecnologie è una sfida ardua che deve essere affrontata con approcci adeguati. Le tecniche di Learning Analytics si sono sviluppate recentemente con l’obiettivo di fornire gli strumenti necessari per ottimizzare le esperienze di apprendimento. Queste tecniche supportano i docenti nel prendere tempestivamente quelle decisioni che rendono il processo didattico più efficace, permettendo di intervenire sull’intero processo o sui singoli studenti in modo personalizzato. Sebbene le tecniche di Learning Analytics si siano sviluppate principalmente nei contesti di alta formazione online, questo articolo mette in evidenza come l’impiego di tali tecniche può portare benefici anche nei contesti scolastici. Di fatto, in questi contesti, le tecnologie sono sempre più utilizzate per supportare le esperienze di apprendimento formali e informali, come quelle basate su dispositivi mobili, serious game e social network, e i dati generati sono sempre più numerosi, richiedendo nuovi approcci di analisi che traggono vantaggio dall’impiego delle tecniche di Learning Analytics.

  9. Early Fractions Learning of 3rd Grade Students in SD Laboratorium Unesa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabet Ayunika Permata Sari

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Fractions varied meanings is one of the causes of difficulties in learning fractions. These students should be given greater opportunities to explore the meaning of fractions before they learn the relationship between fractions and operations on fractions. Although students can shading area represents a fraction, does not mean they really understand the meaning of fractions as a whole. With a realistic approach to mathematics, students are given the contextual issues of equitable distribution and measurements that involve fractions

  10. Examining Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice as a lifelong learning process: opportunities and challenges to the nuclear medicine professional and beyond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pascual, Thomas N B

    2016-08-01

    This essay will explore the critical issues and challenges surrounding lifelong learning for professionals, initially exploring within the profession and organizational context of nuclear medicine practice. It will critically examine how the peer-review process called Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice (QUANUM) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can be considered a lifelong learning opportunity to instill a culture of quality to improve patient care and elevate the status of the nuclear medicine profession and practice within the demands of social changes, policy, and globalization. This will be explored initially by providing contextual background to the identity of the IAEA as an organization responsible for nuclear medicine professionals, followed by the benefits that QUANUM can offer. Further key debates surrounding lifelong learning, such as compulsification of lifelong learning and impact on professional change, will then be weaved through the discussion using theoretical grounding through a qualitative review of the literature. Keeping in mind that there is very limited literature focusing on the implications of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process for nuclear medicine professionals, this essay uses select narratives and observations of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process from an auditor's perspective and will further provide a comparative perspective of QUANUM on the basis of other lifelong learning opportunities such as continuing professional development activities and observe parallelisms on its benefits and challenges that it will offer to other professionals in other medical speciality fields and in the teaching profession.

  11. Expanding CTE Opportunities through Blended Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinstry, Elizabeth

    2012-01-01

    The global economy, 21st century skills, knowledge society, college and career readiness, digital and project-based learning are all common terms to educators who are expanding their learning environments beyond the classroom to meet the needs of all students. It is common knowledge that the rapid technological advances of this century have…

  12. Blended Learning as Transformational Institutional Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanDerLinden, Kim

    2014-01-01

    This chapter reviews institutional approaches to blended learning and the ways in which institutions support faculty in the intentional redesign of courses to produce optimal learning. The chapter positions blended learning as a strategic opportunity to engage in organizational learning.

  13. The Use of Online Citizen-Science Projects to Provide Experiential Learning Opportunities for Nonmajor Science Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donna M. Kridelbaugh

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Citizen science is becoming even more accessible to the general public through technological advances in the development of mobile applications, facilitating information dissemination and data collection. With the advent of “big data,” many citizen-science projects designed to help researchers sift through piles of research data now exist entirely online, either in the form of playing a game or via other digital avenues. Recent trends in citizen science have also focused on “crowdsourcing” solutions from the general public to help solve societal issues, often requiring nothing more than brainstorming and a computer to submit ideas. Online citizen science thus provides an excellent platform to expand the accessibility of experiential learning opportunities for a broad range of nonmajor science students at institutions with limited resources (e.g., community colleges. I created an activity for a general microbiology lecture to engage students in hands-on experiences via participation in online citizen-science projects. The objectives of the assignment were for students to: 1 understand that everyone can be a scientist; 2 learn to be creative and innovative in designing solutions to health and science challenges; and 3 further practice science communication skills with a written report. This activity is designed for introductory science courses with nonmajor science students who have limited opportunities to participate in undergraduate research experiences.

  14. Disability and eLearning: Opportunities and Barriers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mike Kent

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper explores the current rising rates of online learning in higher education. It examines how disability is activated differently online and the impact of this on learning and teaching through the internet and the accessibility of two of the most popular learning management systems, Blackboard and Moodle, and the different approaches, benefits and problems associated with each system. It then explores the eLearning environment beyond the structure of a LMS to a broader digital campus that includes social networks, video hosting sites and micro blogging, where students and staff are increasingly expanding the learning and social environment in higher education. It also questions the legal and moral responsibilities of universities to make all their online activities accessible to all students, regardless of disability.

  15. Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats of Blended Learning: Students’ Perceptions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hande, S

    2014-01-01

    Background: Blended learning (BL) in a cell biology course of the premedical program at the Kasturba Medical College International Centre, Manipal, India, commenced in 2006. The program provides training in basic sciences to students, especially from the United States and Canada. The approach to the study was phenomenographic, with a qualitative study design using an open-ended questionnaire, focused interviews and empirical observations. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of BL in a premedical class. Subjects and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Ninety six students in a premedical cell biology class participated in the study. SWOT analysis of students’ perceptions was conducted manually. Statistical analysis included content analysis of qualitative data to classify data and aligning them into the SWOT analysis matrix. Results: The outcomes of the study revealed student perceptions in terms of SWOT of BL and the potential uses of this strategy. Conclusions: The study provides background for educators and curriculum experts to plan their modules while incorporating a BL approach. PMID:24971204

  16. Strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats of blended learning: students' perceptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hande, S

    2014-05-01

    Blended learning (BL) in a cell biology course of the premedical program at the Kasturba Medical College International Centre, Manipal, India, commenced in 2006. The program provides training in basic sciences to students, especially from the United States and Canada. The approach to the study was phenomenographic, with a qualitative study design using an open-ended questionnaire, focused interviews and empirical observations. The aim of this study was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of BL in a premedical class. It was a cross-sectional study. Ninety six students in a premedical cell biology class participated in the study. SWOT analysis of students' perceptions was conducted manually. Statistical analysis included content analysis of qualitative data to classify data and aligning them into the SWOT analysis matrix. The outcomes of the study revealed student perceptions in terms of SWOT of BL and the potential uses of this strategy. The study provides background for educators and curriculum experts to plan their modules while incorporating a BL approach.

  17. Unveiling information on opportunity costs in REDD

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Delacote, Philip; Palmer, Charles; Bakkegaard, Riyong Kim

    2014-01-01

    Improving information about individual opportunity costs of deforestation agents has the potential to increase the efficiency of REDD when it takes the form of a payment for environmental services scheme. However, objectives pursued in REDD projects may vary across policy makers. Within a theoret......Improving information about individual opportunity costs of deforestation agents has the potential to increase the efficiency of REDD when it takes the form of a payment for environmental services scheme. However, objectives pursued in REDD projects may vary across policy makers. Within...... objectives in REDD-affected communities, having full information makes no difference to overall welfare as rents remain with agents. The amount of deforestation avoided will at least be as high as under asymmetric information. These results are illustrated with data collected on opportunity costs in Amazonas...

  18. e-Learning in nursing education--Challenges and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kokol, Peter; Blazun, Helena; Micetić-Turk, Dusanka; Abbott, Patricia A

    2006-01-01

    Quick changes on the field of informational communication technologies forces educational and other institutions to think about different ways of teaching and learning in both formal and informal environments. It addition it is well known that due to fast advancement of science and technology the knowledge gained in schools is getting out-of-date rapidly, so life long learning is becoming an essential alternative. As a consequence we are facing a rapid development and use of new educational approaches such as e-learning, simulations, virtual reality, etc. They brought a revolution to learning and instruction. But in general the empirical results of e-learning studies are somewhat disappointing. They cannot prove the superiority of e-learning processes over traditional learning in general, neither in specific areas like nursing. In our international study we proved that e-Learning can have many benefits and that it can enhance learning experience in nursing education, but it has to be provided in correct manner.

  19. Moving beyond the Reflectivity of Post-Lesson Mentoring Conferences in Teacher Education and Creating Learning/development Opportunities for Pre-Service Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciavaldini-Cartaut, Solange

    2015-01-01

    This longitudinal case study suggests ways to move beyond the reflective process usually associated with post-lesson mentoring conferences by describing the modalities likely to generate real learning/development opportunities. Based on cultural-historical activity theories (CHAT) and using methodologies from sociodiscursive interactionism, this…

  20. New York: Expanding Time, Increasing Opportunities for Achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Tiffany D.

    2014-01-01

    New York is poised to take an important step to improve student achievement by expanding learning time for students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools. Recent district- and state-level investments in expanded learning time--a promising strategy to close achievement and opportunity gaps--will give students more time to learn core…

  1. The Relationship between Socioeconomic Status at Age One, Opportunities to Learn and Achievement in Mathematics in Fourth Grade in Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cueto, Santiago; Guerrero, Gabriela; Leon, Juan; Zapata, Mayli; Freire, Silvana

    2014-01-01

    Using Young Lives longitudinal data from Peru, this paper explores the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) measured at the age of one, opportunities to learn (OTL) and achievement in mathematics ten years later. Four variables of OTL were measured: hours of class per year, curriculum coverage, quality of teachers' feedback, and level…

  2. Theories of Learning and Their Implications for On-Line Assesment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Francis UNDERHILL,

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The pedagogy underlying online learning and teaching is being reconceptualised to incorporate the opportunities being offered by the development of online educational settings. The pedagogy of constructivism and in particular socio-constructivism is underpinning much of the online learning and teaching developments currently being developed. The developments in online learning and teaching however are not being matched by developments in computer based assessment. The scope of computers to offer varied, adaptive and unique assessment is still underdeveloped according to Brown, Race and Bull (1999. This paper briefly reviews the theories of learning and their relationship with traditional forms of assessment and seeks to argue for the need to further develop online assessment tools to further facilitate the growth in process based learning activities such as collaborative and cooperative group work consistent with a socio-constructivist pedagogy.

  3. Peer reviewing e-learning: opportunities, challenges, and solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz, Jorge G; Candler, Chris; Teasdale, Thomas A

    2007-05-01

    Peer review is the foundation of academic publication and a necessary step in the scrutiny of any scholarly work. Simply defined, peer review is the attentive, unbiased assessment of any scholarly work that is submitted for formal scrutiny. Although medical school faculty increasingly use technology in clinical teaching, e-learning materials are often not subjected to a rigorous peer review process. The authors contrast peer review of e-learning materials with that of print materials, describe peer review issues regarding e-learning materials, propose approaches to address the challenges of peer review of e-learning materials, and outline directions for refinement of the e-learning peer review process. At its core, the peer review of e-learning materials should not differ substantially from that of traditional manuscripts. However, e-learning introduces new demands that impel reviewers to consider aspects that are unique to educational technology, including pedagogy, format, usability, navigation, interactivity, delivery, ease of updating, distribution, and access. Four approaches are offered to ease the burden and improve the quality of e-learning peer review: develop peer review training, embrace multidisciplinary peer review, develop guidelines, and provide incentives and compensation. The authors conclude with suggestions about peer review research.

  4. Learning in professionally 'distant' contexts: opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mausz, Justin; Tavares, Walter

    2017-08-01

    The changing nature of healthcare education and delivery is such that clinicians will increasingly find themselves practicing in contexts that are physically and/or conceptually different from the settings in which they were trained, a practice that conflicts on some level with socio-cultural theories of learning that emphasize learning in context. Our objective was therefore to explore learning in 'professionally distant' contexts. Using paramedic education, where portions of training occur in hospital settings despite preparing students for out-of-hospital work, fifty-three informants (11 current students, 13 recent graduates, 16 paramedic program faculty and 13 program coordinators/directors) took part in five semi-structured focus groups. Participants reflected on the value and role of hospital placements in paramedic student development. All sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. In this context six educational advantages and two challenges were identified when using professionally distant learning environments. Learning could still be associated with features such as (a) engagement through "authenticity", (b) technical skill development, (c) interpersonal skill development, (d) psychological resilience, (e) healthcare system knowledge and (f) scaffolding. Variability in learning and misalignment with learning goals were identified as potential threats. Learning environments that are professionally distant from eventual practice settings may prove meaningful by providing learners with foundational and preparatory learning experiences for competencies that may be transferrable. This suggests that where learning occurs may be less important than how the experience contributes to the learner's development and the meaning or value he/she derives from it.

  5. Improving Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy through Service Learning: Lessons Learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernadowski, Carianne; Perry, Ronald; Del Greco, Robert

    2013-01-01

    University students have been barraged with service learning opportunities both as course required and as volunteer opportunities in recent years. Currently, many universities now require students to participate in engaged learning as a graduation requirement. Situated in Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, this study examines the effects service…

  6. Improving family medicine resident training in dementia care: an experiential learning opportunity in Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Linda; Weston, W Wayne; Hillier, Loretta; Archibald, Douglas; Lee, Joseph

    2018-06-21

    Family physicians often find themselves inadequately prepared to manage dementia. This article describes the curriculum for a resident training intervention in Primary Care Collaborative Memory Clinics (PCCMC), outlines its underlying educational principles, and examines its impact on residents' ability to provide dementia care. PCCMCs are family physician-led interprofessional clinic teams that provide evidence-informed comprehensive assessment and management of memory concerns. Within PCCMCs residents learn to apply a structured approach to assessment, diagnosis, and management; training consists of a tutorial covering various topics related to dementia followed by work-based learning within the clinic. Significantly more residents who trained in PCCMCs (sample = 98), as compared to those in usual training programs (sample = 35), reported positive changes in knowledge, ability, and confidence in ability to assess and manage memory problems. The PCCMC training intervention for family medicine residents provides a significant opportunity for residents to learn about best clinical practices and interprofessional care needed for optimal dementia care integrated within primary care practice.

  7. [E-Learning--an important contribution to general medical training and continuing education?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruf, D; Berner, M M; Kriston, L; Härter, M

    2008-09-01

    There is increasing activity in the development of e-learning modules for general medical training and continuing education. One of the central advantages of e-learning is flexibility regarding time and place of its use. The quality of the available e-learning opportunities varies quite considerably. For users it is often not easy to assess the quality of e-learning modules or to find offers of high quality. This could be a reason for the fact that despite the huge number of e-learning modules still only few students and physicians are using them. This is although e-learning has proven to be as effective as and even more efficient than learning in the classroom or with paper-based materials. This article summarizes the different models of e-learning, how and where to find offers of high quality, advantages of using e-learning, and the effectiveness and efficiency of such offers. In addition problems of e-learning and possibilities to overcome these problems are shown.

  8. Learning Organizations, Employee Development and Learning Representative Schemes in the UK and New Zealand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Bill; Cassell, Catherine

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: Disparities in learning opportunities endure. This paper aims to investigate whether the learning representative schemes in the UK and New Zealand (NZ) may redress disparate opportunities for learning. Design/methodology/approach: An interview study of UK trade unions' educational officers and an interview study of representatives of…

  9. Improving Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy through Service Learning: Lessons Learned

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carianne Bernadowski

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available University students have been barraged with service learning opportunities both as course required and as volunteer opportunities in recent years. Currently, many universities now require students to participate in engaged learning as a graduation requirement. Situated in Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, this study examines the effects service learning has on students teaching self-efficacy when required to participate in an activity (course connected, compared to when they chose to volunteer in service learning projects. As instructors of preservice teachers it is our commitment to prepare these students to their maximum potential. Identifying best practices for teacher preparation is an overarching goal of this study. A pre/post survey examined students’ self-perceptions for each service opportunity in regards to their perceived teaching self-efficacy. Results indicate that students’ self-efficacy improved when service learning was connected or imbedded in the context of learning and connected to a specific course. These findings indicate course connected service learning has a greater impact on preservice teachers’ perceptions of their ability to be effective future classroom teachers. Therefore course connected service learning can be viewed as a best practice in preservice teaching instruction.

  10. Career opportunities in clinical engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morse, W A

    1992-01-01

    The varied career opportunities open to clinical engineers are described in this paper. Many of these opportunities are within the medical device industry in research, development, manufacturing design, regulatory activities, production, operations, sales, marketing, service, and management. Additional opportunities are available in hospitals, with the Veterans Administration, or working as an entrepreneur or a consultant. Each of these careers requires specific training and skills, and they all require a fundamental scientific knowledge of physical principles and mathematics. Research and management, however, require different educational preparation. The research emphasis should be on theoretical principles and creativity; the management emphasis should be on financial and labor problems. In all clinical engineering careers, the individual is a problem solver.

  11. Corporate governance for trillion dollar opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugh Grove

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Boards of Directors will have to play a key role in the technological survival and development of companies by asking corporate executives about their plans and strategies for these emerging technological changes and challenges. Key challenges and opportunities discussed in this paper, with corresponding corporate governance implications, included Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI with Industry 4.0, AI with the Internet of Things (IoT, Deep Learning, and Neural Networks. Survival should not be the goal, but it may be the necessary first step for today’s companies. Potential winners seizing these trillion dollar opportunities will be company executives and Boards of Directors who can incorporate these technological changes into specific new business models, strategies, and practices. While the awareness on boards regarding risks originating from disruptive innovation, cyber threats and privacy risks has been increasing, Boards of Directors must equally be able to challenge executives and identify opportunities and threats for their companies. This shift for companies is not only about digital technology but also cultural. How can people be managed when digital, virtual ways of working are increasing? What do robotics and Big Data analysis mean for managing people? One way to accelerate the digital learning process has been advocated: the use of digital apprentices for boards. For example, Board Apprentice, a non-profit organization, has already placed digital apprentices on boards for a year-long period (which helps to educate both apprentices and boards in five different countries. Additional plans and strategies are needed in this age of digitalization and lifelong learning. For example, cybersecurity risks are magnified by all these new technology trends, such as Big Data, AI, Industry 4.0, and IoT. Accordingly, the main findings of this paper are analysing the challenges and opportunities for corporate executives, Boards of Directors

  12. Student Trade Missions: An Experiential Learning Opportunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audet, Josée; Marcotte, Geneviève

    2018-01-01

    In response to the criticisms addressed to business schools, teaching formulas that foster experiential learning are increasingly being put forward. The Missions Commerciales de l'Université Laval (MCUL--Université Laval Trade Missions) is a training program designed to foster experiential learning. This program extends over an entire academic…

  13. Opportunities for Socioemotional Learning in Music Classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobi, Bonnie S.

    2012-01-01

    The elementary music class is an ideal setting for building socioemotional skills in children. These skills can assist children in their early music learning through brain development, and they become increasingly important as students reach higher levels of musicianship. Socioemotional learning programs are currently being used to reduce at-risk…

  14. Heuristic for Task-Worker Assignment with Varying Learning Slopes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wipawee Tharmmaphornphilas

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Fashion industry has variety products, so the multi-skilled workers are required to improve flexibility in production and assignment. Generally the supervisor will assign task to the workers based on skill and skill levels of worker. Since in fashion industry new product styles are launched more frequently and the order size tends to be smaller, the workers always learn when the raw material and the production process changes. Consequently they require less time to produce the succeeding units of a task based on their learning ability. Since the workers have both experience and inexperience workers, so each worker has different skill level and learning ability. Consequently, the assignment which assumed constant skill level is not proper to use. This paper proposes a task-worker assignment considering worker skill levels and learning abilities. Processing time of each worker changes along production period due to a worker learning ability. We focus on a task-worker assignment in a fashion industry where tasks are ordered in series; the number of tasks is greater than the number of workers. Therefore, workers can perform multiple assignments followed the precedence restriction as an assembly line balancing problem. The problem is formulated in an integer linear programming model with objective to minimize makespan. A heuristic is proposed to determine the lower bound (LB and the upper bound (UB of the problem and the best assignment is determined. The performance of the heuristic method is tested by comparing quality of solution and computational time to optimal solutions.

  15. Community in Online Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arasaratnam-Smith, Lily A.; Northcote, Maria

    2017-01-01

    Exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with the concepts of community and communication in online higher education, this paper reconsiders the intention to replicate face-to-face learning and teaching strategies in online learning environments. Rather than beginning with the assumption that face-to-face education is the prototype…

  16. E-Learning Change Management: Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlakkilic, Alaattin

    2013-01-01

    The role of e-learning technologies entirely depends on the acceptance and execution of required-change in the thinking and behaviour of the users of institutions. The research are constantly reporting that many e-learning projects are falling short of their objectives due to many reasons but on the top is the user resistance to change according…

  17. Reconstructionist Analysis on the Relevance of Secondary School Learning Opportunities in Promoting National Cohesion among Students in Machakos Town Sub-County, Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mwanzia, Ruth Mutunge; Mwangi, Simon Nyagah

    2016-01-01

    The study investigated the relevance of secondary school learning opportunities in promoting national cohesion. The study was based on the ideals and principles of a school curriculum as advocated by Brameld Theodore on reconstructionism philosophy. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of four hundred and…

  18. Nutrition education in medical school: a time of opportunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kushner, Robert F; Van Horn, Linda; Rock, Cheryl L; Edwards, Marilyn S; Bales, Connie W; Kohlmeier, Martin; Akabas, Sharon R

    2014-05-01

    Undergraduate medical education has undergone significant changes in development of new curricula, new pedagogies, and new forms of assessment since the Nutrition Academic Award was launched more than a decade ago. With an emphasis on a competency-based curriculum, integrated learning, longitudinal clinical experiences, and implementation of new technology, nutrition educators have an opportunity to introduce nutrition and diet behavior-related learning experiences across the continuum of medical education. Innovative learning opportunities include bridging personal health and nutrition to community, public, and global health concerns; integrating nutrition into lifestyle medicine training; and using nutrition as a model for teaching the continuum of care and promoting interprofessional team-based care. Faculty development and identification of leaders to serve as champions for nutrition education continue to be a challenge.

  19. Customer Aggregation: An Opportunity for Green Power?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holt, E.; Bird, L.

    2001-02-26

    We undertook research into the experience of aggregation groups to determine whether customer aggregation offers an opportunity to bring green power choices to more customers. The objectives of this report, therefore, are to (1) identify the different types of aggregation that are occurring today, (2) learn whether aggregation offers an opportunity to advance sales of green power, and (3) share these concepts and approaches with potential aggregators and green power advocates.

  20. Blending Formal and Informal Learning Networks for Online Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czerkawski, Betül C.

    2016-01-01

    With the emergence of social software and the advance of web-based technologies, online learning networks provide invaluable opportunities for learning, whether formal or informal. Unlike top-down, instructor-centered, and carefully planned formal learning settings, informal learning networks offer more bottom-up, student-centered participatory…

  1. Toward Project-based Learning and Team Formation in Open Learning Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spoelstra, Howard; Van Rosmalen, Peter; Sloep, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Open Learning Environments, MOOCs, as well as Social Learning Networks, embody a new approach to learning. Although both emphasise interactive participation, somewhat surprisingly, they do not readily support bond creating and motivating collaborative learning opportunities. Providing project-based

  2. Medical student service learning program teaches secondary students about career opportunities in health and medical fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karpa, Kelly; Vakharia, Kavita; Caruso, Catherine A; Vechery, Colin; Sipple, Lanette; Wang, Adrian

    2015-12-01

    Engagement of academic medical centers in community outreach provides the public with a better understanding of basic terms and concepts used in biomedical sciences and increases awareness of important health information. Medical students at one academic medical center initiated an educational outreach program, called PULSE, that targets secondary students to foster their interest in healthcare and medicine. High school student participants are engaged in a semester-long course that relies on interactive lectures, problem-based learning sessions, mentoring relationships with medical students, and opportunities for shadowing healthcare providers. To date, the curriculum has been offered for 7 consecutive years. To determine the impact that participation in the curriculum has had on college/career choices and to identify areas for improvement, an electronic questionnaire was sent to former participants. Based on a 32% response rate, 81% of former participants indicated that participation in the course influenced their decision to pursue a medical/science-related career. More than half (67%) of respondents indicated intent to pursue a MD/PhD or other postgraduate degree. Based on responses obtained, additional opportunities to incorporate laboratory-based research and simulation sessions should be explored. In addition, a more formalized mentoring component has been added to the course to enhance communication between medical students and mentees. Health/medicine-related educational outreach programs targeting high school students may serve as a pipeline to introduce or reinforce career opportunities in healthcare and related sciences. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

  3. Learning How to Learn

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Karen M.; Lauridsen, Ole

    Ole Lauridsen, Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark Karen M. Lauridsen, Aarhus School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark Learning Styles in Higher Education – Learning How to Learn Applying learning styles (LS) in higher education...... by Constructivist learning theory and current basic knowledge of how the brain learns. The LS concept will thus be placed in a broader learning theoretical context as a strong learning and teaching tool. Participants will be offered the opportunity to have their own LS preferences established before...... teaching leads to positive results and enhanced student learning. However, learning styles should not only be considered a didactic matter for the teacher, but also a tool for the individual students to improve their learning capabilities – not least in contexts where information is not necessarily...

  4. Research opportunities in simulation-based medical education using deliberate practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGaghie, William C

    2008-11-01

    There are many opportunities for the academic emergency medicine (EM) community to engage in simulation-based educational research using deliberate practice (DP). This article begins by defining and giving examples of two key concepts: deliberate practice and mastery learning. The article proceeds to report six lessons learned from a research legacy in simulation-based medical education (SBME). It concludes by listing and amplifying 10 DP research opportunities in academic EM. A coda states that the research agenda is rich and ambitious and should focus on the goal of educating superb, expert clinicians.

  5. Deep learning for healthcare: review, opportunities and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miotto, Riccardo; Wang, Fei; Wang, Shuang; Jiang, Xiaoqian; Dudley, Joel T

    2017-05-06

    Gaining knowledge and actionable insights from complex, high-dimensional and heterogeneous biomedical data remains a key challenge in transforming health care. Various types of data have been emerging in modern biomedical research, including electronic health records, imaging, -omics, sensor data and text, which are complex, heterogeneous, poorly annotated and generally unstructured. Traditional data mining and statistical learning approaches typically need to first perform feature engineering to obtain effective and more robust features from those data, and then build prediction or clustering models on top of them. There are lots of challenges on both steps in a scenario of complicated data and lacking of sufficient domain knowledge. The latest advances in deep learning technologies provide new effective paradigms to obtain end-to-end learning models from complex data. In this article, we review the recent literature on applying deep learning technologies to advance the health care domain. Based on the analyzed work, we suggest that deep learning approaches could be the vehicle for translating big biomedical data into improved human health. However, we also note limitations and needs for improved methods development and applications, especially in terms of ease-of-understanding for domain experts and citizen scientists. We discuss such challenges and suggest developing holistic and meaningful interpretable architectures to bridge deep learning models and human interpretability. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Early Fractions Learning of 3rd Grade Students in SD Laboratorium Unesa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabet Ayunika Permata Sari

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Fractions varied meanings is one of the causes of difficulties in learning fractions. These students  should be given greater opportunities to explore the meaning of fractions before they learn the relationship between fractions and operations on fractions. Although students can shading area represents a fraction, does not mean they really understand the meaning of fractions as a whole. With a realistic approach to mathematics, students are given the contextual issues of equitable distribution and measurements that involve fractions. Keyword:  fraction meaning, relation of fraction, design research,realistic mathematics education, equitable distribution, measurement DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.3.1.617.17-28

  7. The Promise of Process. Learning through Enterprise in Higher Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frederiksen, Signe Hedeboe

    Entrepreneurial process increasingly attracts attention as an opportunity to learn in higher education. Students learn “through” enterprise, when they actively engage in an entrepreneurial process while reflecting on their actions and experiences. In this qualitative field study, I investigate how...... postgraduate students pursued opportunities to learn in a process-driven entrepreneurship module. Drawing on situated learning theory, I find that students tried to access learning opportunities through a constant dynamic of participation which involved contradictory participatory stances. The learning through...... paradigm in enterprise education imposes conditions on the learning environment and involves images of a particular learner, who is able to take advantage of this learning opportunity. The findings indicate a contradictory process of becoming a legitimate entrepreneurial learner which is more uncertain...

  8. LBGTQ Funding Strategies and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Nelson C.

    2004-01-01

    Funding one's dream and making a difference for the LGBTQ community is a journey that involves persistence, learning new skills, rejection, challenges, opportunities and, above all, the willingness to form strategic partnerships. One must identify his grant-writing assets. For the balance of what one needs to get started, one should seek alliances…

  9. Identifying Opportunities for Peer Learning: An Observational Study of Medical Students on Clinical Placements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, Joanna H; Canny, Benedict J; Haines, Terry P; Molloy, Elizabeth K

    2017-01-01

    observation and feedback on the ward; discussion during lunch) situations in clinical education and find it useful. The educator is crucial in fostering PAL through providing opportunities for learners to practice together and in helping to moderate discussions about quality of performance. Student engagement in PAL may reduce passivity commonly reported in clinical rotations. Further directions for research into PAL in clinical education are identified along with potential strategies that may maximize the benefits of peer to peer learning.

  10. Conceptualizing reasoning-and-proving opportunities in textbook expositions : Cases from secondary calculus

    OpenAIRE

    Bergwall, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    Several recent textbook studies focus on opportunities to learn reasoning-and-proving. They typically investigate the extent to which justifications are general proofs and what opportunities exist for learning important elements of mathematical reasoning. In this paper, I discuss how a particular analytical framework for this might be refined. Based on an in-depth analysis of certain textbook passages in upper secondary calculus textbooks, I make an account for analytical issues encountered d...

  11. Understanding, Evaluating, and Supporting Self-Regulated Learning Using Learning Analytics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roll, Ido; Winne, Philip H.

    2015-01-01

    Self-regulated learning is an ongoing process rather than a single snapshot in time. Naturally, the field of learning analytics, focusing on interactions and learning trajectories, offers exciting opportunities for analyzing and supporting self-regulated learning. This special section highlights the current state of research at the intersection of…

  12. E-Learning as an Opportunity for the Public Administration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casagranda, Milena; Colazzo, Luigi; Molinari, Andrea; Tomasini, Sara

    In this paper we will describe the results of a learning project in the Public Administration, highlighting the methodological approach based on a blended training model in a context that has never experienced this type of activities. The observations contained in the paper will be focused on the evaluation results of this experience and the redesign elements in term of alternation between the classroom and distance training, methodologies, the value and use of the e-learning platform and learning evaluation. The elements that emerge will also provide the basis for the design of future teaching actions for this context (in which at this moment we are involved). The objective is to identify a "learning model", related also to the use of technological tools that are able to support lifelong learning and to define dynamics and process relating to facilitating learning activities of teachers and tutors.

  13. Creative and Playful Learning: Learning through Game Co-Creation and Games in a Playful Learning Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kangas, Marjaana

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on a pilot study in which children aged 7-12 (N = 68) had an opportunity to study in a novel formal and informal learning setting. The learning activities were extended from the classroom to the playful learning environment (PLE), an innovative playground enriched by technological tools. Curriculum-based learning was intertwined…

  14. A Case Study of Job-Embedded Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Amanda Nichols

    2016-01-01

    Librarians recognize the importance of professional learning as their roles and responsibilities evolve in the shifting teaching and learning environments of the twenty-first century. However, the literature on meaningful, job-embedded learning opportunities for academic librarians is scant, and opportunities are especially scarce in the fields of…

  15. Customer Aggregation: An Opportunity for Green Power?; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holt, E.; Bird, L.

    2001-01-01

    We undertook research into the experience of aggregation groups to determine whether customer aggregation offers an opportunity to bring green power choices to more customers. The objectives of this report, therefore, are to (1) identify the different types of aggregation that are occurring today, (2) learn whether aggregation offers an opportunity to advance sales of green power, and (3) share these concepts and approaches with potential aggregators and green power advocates

  16. Learning Dynamics in Doctoral Supervision

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kobayashi, Sofie

    investigates learning opportunities in supervision with multiple supervisors. This was investigated through observations and recording of supervision, and subsequent analysis of transcripts. The analyses used different perspectives on learning; learning as participation, positioning theory and variation theory....... The research illuminates how learning opportunities are created in the interaction through the scientific discussions. It also shows how multiple supervisors can contribute to supervision by providing new perspectives and opinions that have a potential for creating new understandings. The combination...... of different theoretical frameworks from the perspectives of learning as individual acquisition and a sociocultural perspective on learning contributed to a nuanced illustration of the otherwise implicit practices of supervision....

  17. Opportunities to Create Active Learning Techniques in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho, Danielle J.; Legare, Jill M.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on active learning techniques. Active learning techniques require students to consider a given set of information, analyze, process, and prepare to restate what has been learned--all strategies are confirmed to improve higher order thinking skills. Active…

  18. Experiential learning in physical therapy education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smith SN

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Susan N Smith, Amy F Crocker School of Physical Therapy, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA Background and purpose: Experiential learning can provide students in entry-level physical therapy (PT education programs the opportunity to practice skills and techniques, learned in the classroom, in a real-world setting. Experiential learning is currently being utilized in all entry-level PT programs in the form of professional practice experiences but may be integrated throughout the curriculum to enhance student engagement and knowledge application and retention. The purpose of this paper is to express the need for increased integration of experiential learning into entry-level PT education curricula. Position and rationale: Experiential learning can effectively replace a portion of in-class laboratory time in entry-level PT education programs. Several methods of experiential learning exist, including simulation, integrated clinical experiences, service learning, community patient resource groups, and professional practice opportunities. Students benefit from the ability to practice hands-on skills in a safe, nonjudgmental environment. Students can still experience consequences of poor decisions but can have multiple opportunities to master the skill without the fear of negative outcomes. Incorporation of high-risk age ranges and diagnoses can be achieved through simulation. Discussion and conclusion: Experiential learning can be integrated into any PT curriculum if faculties are committed and flexible. Experiential learning may be particularly useful in specialty practice areas where there are fewer opportunities for students to practice skills. The practice of reflection upon experiences that is commonly performed in conjunction with experiential learning will help prepare students for the type of reflective practice that is essential to transition from novice to expert practitioners. Keywords: simulation, integrated clinical

  19. Development of an instrument to assess the impact of an enhanced experiential model on pharmacy students' learning opportunities, skills and attitudes: A retrospective comparative-experimentalist study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Collins John B

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pharmacy schools across North America have been charged to ensure their students are adequately skilled in the principles and practices of pharmaceutical care. Despite this mandate, a large percentage of students experience insufficient opportunities to practice the activities, tasks and processes essential to pharmaceutical care. The objective of this retrospective study of pharmacy students was to: (1 as "proof of concept", test the overall educational impact of an enhanced advanced pharmacy practice experiential (APPE model on student competencies; (2 develop an instrument to measure students' and preceptors' experiences; and (3 assess the psychometric properties of the instrument. Methods A comparative-experimental design, using student and preceptor surveys, was used to evaluate the impact of the enhanced community-based APPE over the traditional APPE model. The study was grounded in a 5-stage learning model: (1 an enhanced learning climate leads to (2 better utilization of learning opportunities, including (3 more frequent student/patient consultation, then to (4 improved skills acquisition, thence to (5 more favorable attitudes toward pharmaceutical care practice. The intervention included a one-day preceptor workshop, a comprehensive on-site student orientation and extending the experience from two four-week experiences in different pharmacies to one eight-week in one pharmacy. Results The 35 student and 38 preceptor survey results favored the enhanced model; with students conducting many more patient consultations and reporting greater skills improvement. In addition, the student self-assessment suggested changes in attitudes favoring pharmaceutical care principles. Psychometric testing showed the instrument to be sensitive, valid and reliable in ascertaining differences between the enhanced and traditional arms. Conclusion The enhanced experiential model positively affects learning opportunities and competency

  20. Nutrition education in medical school: a time of opportunity1234

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Horn, Linda; Rock, Cheryl L; Edwards, Marilyn S; Bales, Connie W; Kohlmeier, Martin; Akabas, Sharon R

    2014-01-01

    Undergraduate medical education has undergone significant changes in development of new curricula, new pedagogies, and new forms of assessment since the Nutrition Academic Award was launched more than a decade ago. With an emphasis on a competency-based curriculum, integrated learning, longitudinal clinical experiences, and implementation of new technology, nutrition educators have an opportunity to introduce nutrition and diet behavior–related learning experiences across the continuum of medical education. Innovative learning opportunities include bridging personal health and nutrition to community, public, and global health concerns; integrating nutrition into lifestyle medicine training; and using nutrition as a model for teaching the continuum of care and promoting interprofessional team-based care. Faculty development and identification of leaders to serve as champions for nutrition education continue to be a challenge. PMID:24646826

  1. Anatomy by whole body dissection: a focus group study of students' learning experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgess, Annette; Ramsey-Stewart, George

    2015-01-01

    The social construction of knowledge within medical education is essential for learning. Students' interactions within groups and associated learning artifacts can meaningfully impact learning. Situated cognition theory poses that knowledge, thinking, and learning are located in experience. In recent years, there has been a reported decline in time spent on anatomy by whole body dissection (AWBD) within medical programs. However, teaching by surgeons in AWBD provides unique opportunities for students, promoting a deeper engagement in learning. In this study, we apply situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework to explore students' perceptions of their learning experience within the 2014 iteration of an 8-week elective AWBD course. At the end of the course, all students (n=24) were invited to attend one of three focus groups. Framework analysis was used to code and categorize data into themes. In total, 20/24 (83%) students participated in focus groups. Utilizing situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework, we illustrate students' learning experiences within the AWBD course. Students highlighted opportunities to create and reinforce their own knowledge through active participation in authentic dissection tasks; guidance and clinical context provided by surgeons as supervisors; and the provision of an inclusive learning community. Situated cognition theory offers a valuable lens through which to view students' learning experience in the anatomy dissection course. By doing so, the importance of providing clinical relevance to medical teaching is highlighted. Additionally, the value of having surgeons teach AWBD and the experience they share is illustrated. The team learning course design, with varying teaching methods and frequent assessments, prompting student-student and student-teacher interaction, was also beneficial for student learning.

  2. Big Opportunities and Big Concerns of Big Data in Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yinying

    2016-01-01

    Against the backdrop of the ever-increasing influx of big data, this article examines the opportunities and concerns over big data in education. Specifically, this article first introduces big data, followed by delineating the potential opportunities of using big data in education in two areas: learning analytics and educational policy. Then, the…

  3. Clinical learning environments: place, artefacts and rhythm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehan, Dale; Jowsey, Tanisha; Parwaiz, Mariam; Birch, Mark; Seaton, Philippa; Shaw, Susan; Duggan, Alison; Wilkinson, Tim

    2017-10-01

    Health care practitioners learn through experience in clinical environments in which supervision is a key component, but how that learning occurs outside the supervision relationship remains largely unknown. This study explores the environmental factors that inform and support workplace learning within a clinical environment. An observational study drawing on ethnographic methods was undertaken in a general medicine ward. Observers paid attention to interactions among staff members that involved potential teaching and learning moments that occurred and were visible in the course of routine work. General purpose thematic analysis of field notes was undertaken. A total of 376 observations were undertaken and documented. The findings suggest that place (location of interaction), rhythm (regularity of activities occurring in the ward) and artefacts (objects and equipment) were strong influences on the interactions and exchanges that occurred. Each of these themes had inherent tensions that could promote or inhibit engagement and therefore learning opportunities. Although many learning opportunities were available, not all were taken up or recognised by the participants. We describe and make explicit how the natural environment of a medical ward and flow of work through patient care contribute to the learning architecture, and how this creates or inhibits opportunities for learning. Awareness of learning opportunities was often tacit and not explicit for either supervisor or learner. We identify strategies through which tensions inherent within space, artefacts and the rhythms of work can be resolved and learning opportunities maximised. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  4. E-learning Sudan, formal learning for out-of-school children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stubbé, Hester; Badri, Aiman; Telford, Rebecca; van der Hulst, Anja; van Joolingen, Wouter

    2016-01-01

    E-Learning Sudan (ELS) is a custom-built computer/tablet game that provides alternative learning opportunities to Sudanese children who are excluded from education. Unique in ELS is that children can learn mathematics, in their own remote village, without a teacher. This research study assessed the

  5. Embedding an institution-wide capacity building opportunity around transition pedagogy: First Year Teaching and Learning Network Coordinators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Clark

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available A First Year Teaching and Learning Network was established in a regional university with a strong focus on distance education for a very diverse student cohort.  The purpose of the Network, which consisted of a Coordinator in each of nine schools, was to support staff teaching students transitioning into tertiary education. The paper explores the theoretical bases of the structure, its current method of operation, its impact so far, and future plans. The development of the Network illustrates how a university can consciously embed opportunities for staff to take ownership of transition pedagogy and thus encourage widespread capacity building amongst their peers. The experiences of the Network in its first two years provide a case study of how institutional support for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, in particular scholarship around capacity building, can be used as a mechanism to promote both staff and student engagement with transition pedagogy resulting in a shift from a second generation approach towards a third generation approach to transition.

  6. Organizational Learning in Rare Events

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Kristina Vaarst; Tyler, Beverly; Beukel, Karin

    When organizations encounter rare events they often find it challenging to extract learning from the experience. We analyze opportunities for organizational learning in one such rare event, namely Intellectual Property (IP) litigation, i.e., when organizations take disputes regarding their intell......When organizations encounter rare events they often find it challenging to extract learning from the experience. We analyze opportunities for organizational learning in one such rare event, namely Intellectual Property (IP) litigation, i.e., when organizations take disputes regarding...... the organization little discretion to utilize any learning from past litigation success. Thus, learning appears be to most beneficial in infringement cases. Based on statistical analysis of 10,211 litigation court cases in China, we find support for our hypotheses. Our findings suggest that organizations can learn...

  7. Embracing Service-Learning Opportunities: Student Perceptions of Service-Learning as an Aid to Effectively Learn Course Material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currie-Mueller, Jenna L.; Littlefield, Robert S.

    2018-01-01

    Educators are aware of the benefits of service learning such as retention or application of course concepts. Students enrolled in courses with a service learning assignment may not be aware of the benefits or may not view the assignment as beneficiary. This study examined student perceptions of service learning to determine if students'…

  8. Community Languages in Europe : Challenges and Opportunities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    McPake, J.; Martyniuk, W.; Aarts, R.; Broeder, Peter; Latomaa, Sirkku; Mijares, Laura; Tinsley, Teresa

    2004-01-01

    This paper reviews issues affecting school students’ learning of community languages across Europe, with the aim of identifying both challenges and opportunities inherent in the current context. Language education pol icy has become more inclusive of late, addressing the full range of languages

  9. Race and Academic Achievement in Racially Diverse High Schools: Opportunity and Stratification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muller, Chandra; Riegle-Crumb, Catherine; Schiller, Kathryn S; Wilkinson, Lindsey; Frank, Kenneth A

    2010-04-01

    BACKGROUND/CONTEXT: Brown v Board of Education fundamentally changed our nation's schools, yet we know surprisingly little about how and whether they provide equality of educational opportunity. Although substantial evidence suggests that African American and Latino students who attend these schools face fewer learning opportunities than their White counterparts, until now, it has been impossible to examine this using a representative sample because of lack of data. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE/RESEARCH QUESTION/FOCUS OF STUDY: This study uses newly available data to investigate whether racially diverse high schools offer equality of educational opportunity to students from different racial and ethnic groups. This is examined by measuring the relative representation of minority students in advanced math classes at the beginning of high school and estimating whether and how this opportunity structure limits the level of achievement attained by African American and Latino students by the end of high school. SETTING: This study uses data from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study (AHAA) and its partner study, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a stratified, nationally representative study of students in U.S. high schools first surveyed in 1994-1995. POPULATION/PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: Two samples of racially diverse high schools were used in the analysis: one with African Americans, Whites, and Asians (26 schools with 3,149 students), and the other with Latinos, Whites, and Asians (22 schools with 2,775 students). RESEARCH DESIGN: Quantitative analyses first assess how high schools vary in the extent to which minority students are underrepresented in advanced sophomore math classes. Hierarchical multilevel modeling is then used to estimate whether racial-ethnic differences in representation in advanced math have an impact on African American and Latino students' achievement by the end of high school, relative to the Whites and Asians

  10. Common Mobile Learning Characteristics--An Analysis of Mobile Learning Models and Frameworks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imtinan, Umera; Chang, Vanessa; Issa, Tomayess

    2013-01-01

    Mobile learning offers learning opportunities to learners without the limitations of time and space. Mobile learning has introduced a number of flexible options to the learners across disciplines and at different educational levels. However, designing mobile learning content is an equally challenging task for the instructional designers.…

  11. Learning from the Unfamiliar: How Does Working with People Who Use Mental Health Services Impact on Students' Learning and Development?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asghar, Mandy; Rowe, Nick

    2018-01-01

    Service learning is an experiential pedagogic approach that is predicated on students learning in authentic situations. It is often problem-orientated and provides opportunities for community engagement in ways that enhance a student's capacity as a socially aware individual. There is evidence that such learning opportunities can enhance personal…

  12. ASBO Eagle Institute: A Leadership Opportunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scharff, James

    2012-01-01

    Each summer, ASBO International conducts an Eagle Institute leadership session in the Washington, D.C., area that provides a group of about 25 participants, including Eagle Award recipients, an opportunity to network with and learn from exemplary leaders inside and outside the field of school business management. Each year, the focus of the…

  13. Developing models to predict 8th grade students' achievement levels on timss science based on opportunity-to-learn variables

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitford, Melinda M.

    Science educational reforms have placed major emphasis on improving science classroom instruction and it is therefore vital to study opportunity-to-learn (OTL) variables related to student science learning experiences and teacher teaching practices. This study will identify relationships between OTL and student science achievement and will identify OTL predictors of students' attainment at various distinct achievement levels (low/intermediate/high/advanced). Specifically, the study (a) address limitations of previous studies by examining a large number of independent and control variables that may impact students' science achievement and (b) it will test hypotheses of structural relations to how the identified predictors and mediating factors impact on student achievement levels. The study will follow a multi-stage and integrated bottom-up and top-down approach to identify predictors of students' achievement levels on standardized tests using TIMSS 2011 dataset. Data mining or pattern recognition, a bottom-up approach will identify the most prevalent association patterns between different student achievement levels and variables related to student science learning experiences, teacher teaching practices and home and school environments. The second stage is a top-down approach, testing structural equation models of relations between the significant predictors and students' achievement levels according.

  14. Preventing Learned Helplessness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoy, Cheri

    1986-01-01

    To prevent learned helplessness in learning disabled students, teachers can share responsibilities with the students, train students to reinforce themselves for effort and self control, and introduce opportunities for changing counterproductive attitudes. (CL)

  15. Teaching and Learning: Using Experiential Learning and Reflection for Leadership Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Kathy L.; Jones, Tamara Bertrand

    2012-01-01

    Leadership experiences, arguably some of the most significant developmental opportunities in college, are ripe for helping students move from mere engagement to making meaning of and learning from their leadership experience. The International Learning Association's teaching and learning area asks: "what methods are most appropriate to ensure…

  16. Mobile learning in Malaysian schools: opportunities and challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Mohamad, Mariam; Woollard, John

    2011-01-01

    This study established the emerging themes in implementing mobile learning via mobile phones to support English Language learning in Malaysian schools. The findings were gathered from English subject leaders, ICT subject leaders, head teachers and deputy head teachers from 4 schools in the United Kingdom. In addition, the study also gathered the perspectives from English subject leaders, ICT subject leaders, head teachers, deputy head teachers from 9 schools and the officers in the Ministry o...

  17. Can Technology Help Promote Equality of Educational Opportunities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacob, Brian; Berger, Dan; Hart, Cassandra; Loeb, Susanna

    2016-01-01

    This chapter assesses the potential for several prominent technological innovations to promote equality of educational opportunities. We review the history of technological innovations in education and describe several prominent innovations, including intelligent tutoring, blended learning, and virtual schooling.

  18. Learning during Tourism: The Experience of Learning from the Tourist's Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Winkle, Christine M.; Lagay, Katya

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the research described in the paper was to explore the learning experience that occurs during leisure tourism from the tourist's perspective. Learning throughout the lifespan occurs in diverse contexts and travel presents a unique learning environment enabling both unplanned and planned opportunities. The Husserlian phenomenology…

  19. Gendered learning environments in managerial work

    OpenAIRE

    Gustavsson, Maria; Fogelberg Eriksson, Anna

    2010-01-01

    The aim is to investigate female and male managers’ learning environments with particular focus on their opportunities for and barriers to learning and career development in the managerial work of a male-dominated industrial company. In the case study 42 managers, 15 women and 27 men in the company were interviewed. The findings demonstrate that the male managers were provided with significantly richer opportunities to participate in activities conducive to learning and career development tha...

  20. Opportunities of Continuing Adult Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidija Ušeckienė

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available After becoming the member state of the European Union, Lithuania undertook all the obligations of a member state. One of them is the implementation of The Lisbon Strategy aiming at the worlds most dynamic and competitive knowledge– based economy by 2010. Under the strategy, a stronger economy will drive job creation, sustainable development, and social inclusion. These changes demand the modernisation of education systems in the E U states, Lithuania among them. To achieve this objective, political forces came to an agreement on the future of Lithuanian education. In 2003 The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania approved of National Education Strategy 2003–2012. This strategy is special not only because it is based on the experiences of the reform, addresses current and future world’s challenges and opportunities, maintains links with other strategic national reforms, but also emphasises efforts to ensure quality lifelong education for Lithuanian population and striving to become a partner in modern knowledge-based economy. Therefore, an extensive discussion on lifelong education strategies on individual and institution levels in all spheres of social and personal life has started in the E U and Lithuania. Nowadays lifelong learning is not just one aspect of education and training; it gradually is becoming the most important principle in the continuum of complex learning contexts. Such vision must be implemented this decade. The object of the research: the preconditions for the development of continuing adult education. The aim of the research: to examine the peculiarities of the preconditions for the development of continuing adult education in Pakruojis region. The methods of the research: analysis of references and documents on education; an anonymous survey in written form (a questionnaire; statistical analysis of data. The sample. The research was conducted in Pakruojis region in January-April, 2006. 300 respondents of different age

  1. Social Phenomenon of Community on Online Learning: Digital Interaction and Collaborative Learning Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Magzan, Masha; Juric, Visnja

    2009-01-01

    Digital interaction in e-learning offers great opportunities for education quality improvement in both--the classical teaching combined with e-learning, and distance learning. Zagreb School of Economics & Management (ZSEM) is one of the few higher education institutions in Croatia that systematically uses e-learning in teaching. Systematically…

  2. MOBILE LEARNING IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana COJOCNEAN

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The article focuses on how foreign language teachers could use mobile learning in formal and informal learning environments. One of the key aims of the article is the focus on defining the pedagogy of mobile learning in the context of foreign language teaching and learning through the use of mobile learning tools during the foreign language lessons but also in informal learning contexts, encouraging learner autonomy and involvement in the learning task. Thus, the article presents how language teachers could try mobile learning based activities during foreign language lessons and outside the class, using students’ own devices through the implementation of a Bring Your Own Device Policy (BYOD within foreign language lessons.

  3. From Equal Educational Opportunity to Diversity Advantaged Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawley, Willis D.

    2007-01-01

    The case for desegregation has been based largely on research showing its contributions to the educational opportunities and life chances of students of color. However, this has led to remedies that have placed much of the burden of desegregation on people of color and has failed to develop awareness that there are substantial advantages to all…

  4. Competences for All: Recognizing and Developing Competences of Young People with Fewer Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Usakli, Hakan

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study clarifies opinion of 32 European volunteer youth leaders on concepts of competence, fewer opportunities and enlargement strategies on competence of fewer opportunities. Leaders underline main competencies as follows: tongue, languages, mathematical, digital, learning, social, entrepreneurship, cultural. Key competences are…

  5. Linking Complex Problem Solving to Opportunity Identification Competence within the Context of Entrepreneurship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baggen, Yvette; Mainert, Jakob; Lans, Thomas; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Greiff, Samuel; Mulder, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Today's working life is increasingly characterized by entrepreneurial challenges. Entrepreneurial challenges start at an individual level with the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities, which is acknowledged as one of the key competencies for lifelong learning. Since the identification of entrepreneurial opportunities relies heavily on…

  6. Borderland Spaces for Learning Partnership: Opportunities, Benefits and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Jennifer; Thomas, Greg; Diaz, Anita; Simm, David

    2016-01-01

    This paper uses case studies and secondary literature to critically examine how learning spaces inhabited by geographers might be used productively as borderland spaces for learning partnership. Borderland spaces are novel, challenging, permissive and liminal, destabilizing traditional power hierarchies. In these spaces, students gain confidence…

  7. Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks to Predict Goal-Scoring Opportunities in Soccer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wagenaar, Martijn; Okafor, Emmanuel; Frencken, Wouter; Wiering, Marco

    2017-01-01

    Deep learning approaches have successfully been applied to several image recognition tasks, such as face, object, animal and plant classification. However, almost no research has examined on how to use the field of machine learning to predict goal-scoring opportunities in soccer from position data.

  8. E-Learning in Higher Education--Opportunities & Challenges for Dubai

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gokah, Theophilus K.; Gupta, Namrata; Ndiweni, Esinath

    2015-01-01

    E-Learning is becoming a popular delivery method across various universities and colleges in Dubai as the region is experiencing a rapid growth of e-Learning in higher education. Adequate infrastructure, changes in demographic profile, globalization, government initiatives, outsourcing and increasing demand for IT knowledge based jobs are the…

  9. e-Learning objects in the cloud: SCORM compliance, creation and deployment options

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie Day

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the field of education, cloud computing is changing the way learning is delivered and experienced, by providing software, storage, teaching resources, artefacts, and knowledge that can be shared by educators on a global scale. In this paper, the first objective is to understand the general trends in educational use of the cloud, particularly the provision of large scale education opportunities, use of open and free services, and interoperability of learning objects. A review of current literature reveals the opportunities and issues around managing learning and teaching related knowledge in the cloud. The educational use of the cloud will continue to grow as the services, pedagogies, personalization, and standardization of learning are refined and adopted. Secondly, the paper presents an example of how the cloud can support learning opportunities using SCORM interoperable learning objects. The case study findings show that, while the use of SCORM enables a variety of trackable learning opportunities, the constraints of maintaining the currency of the learning also need to be considered. It is recommended that the SCORM content are combined with cloud based student activities. These learning objects can be used to support alternative learning opportunities within blended and online learning environments.

  10. The Army Learning Organisation Workshop

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-01

    learning • Sharing information • Learning resulting in purposeful action • Creating environments that promote learning • Technology and resources...individual and collective learning • Exploiting and investing in technology to facilitate learning (i.e. blended and E- learning ) • Lifelong or...opportunities provided by training and education programs. More significantly, participants noted the multi-layered nature of informal and formal learning

  11. E-Learning versus Blended Learning in Accounting Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megeid, Nevine Sobhy Abdel

    2014-01-01

    E-learning provides opportunities for developing countries like Egypt that expect a promising future in its educational process from the use of modern information and communication technologies. The aim of this research is to investigate and identify factors that influence the use of e-learning in accounting education and to assess students'…

  12. Similarities and Differences in Barriers and Opportunities Affecting Climate Change Adaptation Action in Four North American Landscapes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lonsdale, Whitney R.; Kretser, Heidi E.; Chetkiewicz, Cheryl-Lesley B.; Cross, Molly S.

    2017-12-01

    Climate change presents a complex set of challenges for natural resource managers across North America. Despite recognition that climate change poses serious threats to species, ecosystems, and human communities, implementation of adaptation measures is not yet happening on a broad scale. Among different regions, a range of climate change trajectories, varying political contexts, and diverse social and ecological systems generate a myriad of factors that can affect progress on climate change adaptation implementation. In order to understand the general versus site-specific nature of barriers and opportunities influencing implementation, we surveyed and interviewed practitioners, decision-makers, and scientists involved in natural resource management in four different North American regions, northern Ontario (Canada), the Adirondack State Park (US), Arctic Alaska (US), and the Transboundary Rocky Mountains (US and Canada). Common barriers among regions related to a lack of political support and financial resources, as well as challenges related to translating complex and interacting effects of climate change into management actions. Opportunities shared among regions related to collaboration, funding, and the presence of strong leadership. These commonalities indicate the importance of cross-site learning about ways to leverage opportunities and address adaptation barriers; however, regional variations also suggest that adaptation efforts will need to be tailored to fit specific ecological, political, social and economic contexts. Comparative findings on the similarities and differences in barriers and opportunities, as well as rankings of barriers and opportunities by region, offers important contextual insights into how to further refine efforts to advance adaptation actions in those regions.

  13. Opportunities and obstacles for deep learning in biology and medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Deep learning describes a class of machine learning algorithms that are capable of combining raw inputs into layers of intermediate features. These algorithms have recently shown impressive results across a variety of domains. Biology and medicine are data-rich disciplines, but the data are complex and often ill-understood. Hence, deep learning techniques may be particularly well suited to solve problems of these fields. We examine applications of deep learning to a variety of biomedical problems—patient classification, fundamental biological processes and treatment of patients—and discuss whether deep learning will be able to transform these tasks or if the biomedical sphere poses unique challenges. Following from an extensive literature review, we find that deep learning has yet to revolutionize biomedicine or definitively resolve any of the most pressing challenges in the field, but promising advances have been made on the prior state of the art. Even though improvements over previous baselines have been modest in general, the recent progress indicates that deep learning methods will provide valuable means for speeding up or aiding human investigation. Though progress has been made linking a specific neural network's prediction to input features, understanding how users should interpret these models to make testable hypotheses about the system under study remains an open challenge. Furthermore, the limited amount of labelled data for training presents problems in some domains, as do legal and privacy constraints on work with sensitive health records. Nonetheless, we foresee deep learning enabling changes at both bench and bedside with the potential to transform several areas of biology and medicine. PMID:29618526

  14. Opportunities and obstacles for deep learning in biology and medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ching, Travers; Himmelstein, Daniel S; Beaulieu-Jones, Brett K; Kalinin, Alexandr A; Do, Brian T; Way, Gregory P; Ferrero, Enrico; Agapow, Paul-Michael; Zietz, Michael; Hoffman, Michael M; Xie, Wei; Rosen, Gail L; Lengerich, Benjamin J; Israeli, Johnny; Lanchantin, Jack; Woloszynek, Stephen; Carpenter, Anne E; Shrikumar, Avanti; Xu, Jinbo; Cofer, Evan M; Lavender, Christopher A; Turaga, Srinivas C; Alexandari, Amr M; Lu, Zhiyong; Harris, David J; DeCaprio, Dave; Qi, Yanjun; Kundaje, Anshul; Peng, Yifan; Wiley, Laura K; Segler, Marwin H S; Boca, Simina M; Swamidass, S Joshua; Huang, Austin; Gitter, Anthony; Greene, Casey S

    2018-04-01

    Deep learning describes a class of machine learning algorithms that are capable of combining raw inputs into layers of intermediate features. These algorithms have recently shown impressive results across a variety of domains. Biology and medicine are data-rich disciplines, but the data are complex and often ill-understood. Hence, deep learning techniques may be particularly well suited to solve problems of these fields. We examine applications of deep learning to a variety of biomedical problems-patient classification, fundamental biological processes and treatment of patients-and discuss whether deep learning will be able to transform these tasks or if the biomedical sphere poses unique challenges. Following from an extensive literature review, we find that deep learning has yet to revolutionize biomedicine or definitively resolve any of the most pressing challenges in the field, but promising advances have been made on the prior state of the art. Even though improvements over previous baselines have been modest in general, the recent progress indicates that deep learning methods will provide valuable means for speeding up or aiding human investigation. Though progress has been made linking a specific neural network's prediction to input features, understanding how users should interpret these models to make testable hypotheses about the system under study remains an open challenge. Furthermore, the limited amount of labelled data for training presents problems in some domains, as do legal and privacy constraints on work with sensitive health records. Nonetheless, we foresee deep learning enabling changes at both bench and bedside with the potential to transform several areas of biology and medicine. © 2018 The Authors.

  15. Adventure Learning: Theory and Implementation of Hybrid Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doering, A.

    2008-12-01

    Adventure Learning (AL), a hybrid distance education approach, provides students and teachers with the opportunity to learn about authentic curricular content areas while interacting with adventurers, students, and content experts at various locations throughout the world within an online learning environment (Doering, 2006). An AL curriculum and online environment provides collaborative community spaces where traditional hierarchical classroom roles are blurred and learning is transformed. AL has most recently become popular in K-12 classrooms nationally and internationally with millions of students participating online. However, in the literature, the term "adventure learning" many times gets confused with phrases such as "virtual fieldtrip" and activities where someone "exploring" is posting photos and text. This type of "adventure learning" is not "Adventure Learning" (AL), but merely a slideshow of their activities. The learning environment may not have any curricular and/or social goals, and if it does, the environment design many times does not support these objectives. AL, on the other hand, is designed so that both teachers and students understand that their online and curriculum activities are in synch and supportive of the curricular goals. In AL environments, there are no disparate activities as the design considers the educational, social, and technological affordances (Kirschner, Strijbos, Kreijns, & Beers, 2004); in other words, the artifacts of the learning environment encourage and support the instructional goals, social interactions, collaborative efforts, and ultimately learning. AL is grounded in two major theoretical approaches to learning - experiential and inquiry-based learning. As Kolb (1984) noted, in experiential learning, a learner creates meaning from direct experiences and reflections. Such is the goal of AL within the classroom. Additionally, AL affords learners a real-time authentic online learning experience concurrently as they

  16. Transition From Peer Review to Peer Learning: Experience in a Radiology Department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Lane F; Dorfman, Scott R; Jones, Jeremy; Bisset, George S

    2017-10-18

    To describe the process by which a radiology department moved from peer review to peer collaborative improvement (PCI) and review data from the first 16 months of the PCI process. Data from the first 16 months after PCI were reviewed: number of case reviews performed, number of learning opportunities identified, percentage yield of learning opportunities identified, type of learning opportunities identified, and comparison of the previous parameters between case randomly reviewed versus actively pushed (issues actively identified and entered). Changes in actively pushed cases were also assessed as volume per month over the 16 months (run chart). Faculty members were surveyed about their perception of the conversion to PCI. In all, 12,197 cases were peer reviewed, yielding 1,140 learning opportunities (9.34%). The most common types of learning opportunities for all reviewed cases included perception (5.1%) and reporting (1.9%). The yield of learning opportunities from actively pushed cases was 96.3% compared with 3.88% for randomly reviewed cases. The number of actively pushed cases per month increased over the course of the period and established two new confidence intervals. The faculty survey revealed that the faculty perceived the new PCI process as positive, nonpunitive, and focused on improvement. The study demonstrates that a switch to PCI is perceived as nonpunitive and associated with increased radiologist submission of learning opportunities. Active entering of identified learning opportunities had a greater yield and perceived value, compared with random review of cases. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Online citizen science games: Opportunities for the biological sciences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Vickie

    2014-12-01

    Recent developments in digital technologies and the rise of the Internet have created new opportunities for citizen science. One of these has been the development of online citizen science games where complex research problems have been re-imagined as online multiplayer computer games. Some of the most successful examples of these can be found within the biological sciences, for example, Foldit, Phylo and EteRNA. These games offer scientists the opportunity to crowdsource research problems, and to engage with those outside the research community. Games also enable those without a background in science to make a valid contribution to research, and may also offer opportunities for informal science learning.

  18. Blended Learning - An Opportunity to Take the Best of Both Worlds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Lapuh Bele

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents theoretical foundations for effective ICT supported learning content development and course design. The practical use of these tools is described in the development of blended learning courses for improvement of computer literacy of unemployed people in Slovenia. The results of the survey about the efficiency of learning within these courses and about user satisfaction in the described courses are also presented. Findings indicate that a great majority of the participants of the courses find blended learning a convenient and efficient approach to learning and that most of them plan to use it for learning in the future.

  19. How do e-book readers enhance learning opportunities for distance work-based learners?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabi Witthaus

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available We report on the incorporation of e-book readers into the delivery of two distance-taught master's programmes in Occupational Psychology (OP and one in Education at the University of Leicester, UK. The programmes attract work-based practitioners in OP and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, respectively. Challenges in curriculum delivery included the need for more flexibility in the curricula, better access to essential readings and maximising the benefit of learners' limited study time. As part of a suite of pilot changes to curriculum design and delivery, 28 Sony PRS-505™ e-book readers were pre-loaded with course materials and sent out to students. The evidence suggests that the students' learning experiences improved as a result of four key benefits afforded by the e-book readers: enhanced flexibility in curriculum delivery to accommodate the mobile lifestyle of our learners, improved efficiency in the use of study time, especially short breaks during the working day, new strategies for reading course materials and cost. We discuss the opportunities and limitations associated with the e-book readers used and the challenges encountered in the study.

  20. Social learning and evolution: the cultural intelligence hypothesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Schaik, Carel P.; Burkart, Judith M.

    2011-01-01

    If social learning is more efficient than independent individual exploration, animals should learn vital cultural skills exclusively, and routine skills faster, through social learning, provided they actually use social learning preferentially. Animals with opportunities for social learning indeed do so. Moreover, more frequent opportunities for social learning should boost an individual's repertoire of learned skills. This prediction is confirmed by comparisons among wild great ape populations and by social deprivation and enculturation experiments. These findings shaped the cultural intelligence hypothesis, which complements the traditional benefit hypotheses for the evolution of intelligence by specifying the conditions in which these benefits can be reaped. The evolutionary version of the hypothesis argues that species with frequent opportunities for social learning should more readily respond to selection for a greater number of learned skills. Because improved social learning also improves asocial learning, the hypothesis predicts a positive interspecific correlation between social-learning performance and individual learning ability. Variation among primates supports this prediction. The hypothesis also predicts that more heavily cultural species should be more intelligent. Preliminary tests involving birds and mammals support this prediction too. The cultural intelligence hypothesis can also account for the unusual cognitive abilities of humans, as well as our unique mechanisms of skill transfer. PMID:21357223

  1. Social learning and evolution: the cultural intelligence hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Schaik, Carel P; Burkart, Judith M

    2011-04-12

    If social learning is more efficient than independent individual exploration, animals should learn vital cultural skills exclusively, and routine skills faster, through social learning, provided they actually use social learning preferentially. Animals with opportunities for social learning indeed do so. Moreover, more frequent opportunities for social learning should boost an individual's repertoire of learned skills. This prediction is confirmed by comparisons among wild great ape populations and by social deprivation and enculturation experiments. These findings shaped the cultural intelligence hypothesis, which complements the traditional benefit hypotheses for the evolution of intelligence by specifying the conditions in which these benefits can be reaped. The evolutionary version of the hypothesis argues that species with frequent opportunities for social learning should more readily respond to selection for a greater number of learned skills. Because improved social learning also improves asocial learning, the hypothesis predicts a positive interspecific correlation between social-learning performance and individual learning ability. Variation among primates supports this prediction. The hypothesis also predicts that more heavily cultural species should be more intelligent. Preliminary tests involving birds and mammals support this prediction too. The cultural intelligence hypothesis can also account for the unusual cognitive abilities of humans, as well as our unique mechanisms of skill transfer.

  2. E-learning benefits nurse education and helps shape students' professional identity

    OpenAIRE

    McKenzie, Karen; Murray, Aja

    2010-01-01

    E-learning is increasingly used in nurse education and practice development. This method can enhance learning opportunities for students and qualified nurses. This article examines the features of this technology and the ways in which it can be harnessed to maximise learning opportunities.

  3. E-learning benefits nurse education and helps shape students' professional identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenzie, Karen; Murray, Aja

    E-learning is increasingly used in nurse education and practice development. This method can enhance learning opportunities for students and qualified nurses. This article examines the features of this technology and the ways in which it can be harnessed to maximise learning opportunities.

  4. Acquiring organizational learning norms: a contingency approach for understanding deutero learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wijnhoven, Alphonsus B.J.M.

    2001-01-01

    'The Learning Organization' is a configuration of learning norms (called a learning prototype here), which is seldom related to varying levels of learning needs. This article assumes that organizational environmental complexity and dynamics define four learning needs levels. Consequently, four

  5. Opportunity to Teach and Learn Standards: Colombian Teachers' Perspectives (Estándares de oportunidad para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje: perspectivas de profesores colombianos)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cárdenas Ramos, Rosalba; Hernández Gaviria, Fanny

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this article is to present the outcomes of an exploration of in-service teachers' perspectives in relation to an opportunity to teach and learn standards in English. A workshop for English teachers from Cali (Colombia) and the neighboring rural sectors was designed and carried out in order to collect the information. Teachers'…

  6. The analysis of mathematics teachers' learning on algebra function limit material based on teaching experience difference

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma'rufi, Budayasa, I. Ketut; Juniati, Dwi

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the analysis of mathematics teachers' learning on algebra function limit material based on teaching experience difference. The purpose of this study is to describe the analysis of mathematics teacher's learning on limit algebraic functions in terms of the differences of teaching experience. Learning analysis focused on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of teachers in mathematics on limit algebraic functions related to the knowledge of pedagogy. PCK of teachers on limit algebraic function is a type of specialized knowledge for teachers on how to teach limit algebraic function that can be understood by students. Subjects are two high school mathematics teacher who has difference of teaching experience they are one Novice Teacher (NP) and one Experienced Teacher (ET). Data are collected through observation of learning in the class, videos of learning, and then analyzed using qualitative analysis. Teacher's knowledge of Pedagogic defined as a knowledge and understanding of teacher about planning and organizing of learning, and application of learning strategy. The research results showed that the Knowledge of Pedagogy on subject NT in mathematics learning on the material of limit function algebra showed that the subject NT tended to describe procedurally, without explaining the reasons why such steps were used, asking questions which tended to be monotonous not be guiding and digging deeper, and less varied in the use of learning strategies while subject ET gave limited guidance and opportunities to the students to find their own answers, exploit the potential of students to answer questions, provide an opportunity for students to interact and work in groups, and subject ET tended to combine conceptual and procedural explanation.

  7. How Do Engineering Attitudes Vary by Gender and Motivation? Attractiveness of Outreach Science Exhibitions in Four Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmi, Hannu; Thuneberg, Helena; Vainikainen, Mari-Pauliina

    2016-01-01

    Outreach activities, like mobile science exhibitions, give opportunities to hands-on experiences in an attractive learning environment. We analysed attitudes, motivation and learning during a science exhibition visit, their relations to gender and future educational plans in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Belgium (N = 1210 sixth-graders). Pupils'…

  8. Cyberlearning for Climate Literacy: Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCaffrey, M. S.; Buhr, S. M.; Gold, A. U.; Ledley, T. S.; Mooney, M. E.; Niepold, F.

    2010-12-01

    Cyberlearning tools provide cost and carbon-efficient avenues for fostering a climate literate society through online engagement with learners. With climate change education becoming a Presidential Priority in 2009, funding for grants from NSF, NASA and NOAA is leading to a new generation of cyberlearning resources that supplement existing online resources. This paper provides an overview of challenges and opportunities relating to the online delivery of high quality, often complex climate science by examining several existing and emerging efforts, including the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN,) a National Science Digital Library Pathway, the development by CIRES Education and Outreach of the Inspiring Climate Education Excellence (ICEE) online course, TERC’s Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET,) DataTools, and EarthLab modules, the NOAA Climate Stewards Education Program (CSEP) that utilizes the NSTA E-Learning Center, online efforts by members of the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), UCAR’s Climate Discovery program, and the Climate Adaptation, Mitigation e-Learning (CAMeL) project. In addition, we will summarize outcomes of the Cyberlearning for Climate Literacy workshop held in Washington DC in the Fall of 2009 and examine opportunities for teachers to develop and share their own lesson plans based on climate-related web resources that currently lack built-in learning activities, assessments or teaching tips.

  9. Games in Language Learning: Opportunities and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godwin-Jones, Robert

    2014-01-01

    There has been a substantial increase in recent years in the interest in using digital games for language learning. This coincides with the explosive growth in multiplayer online gaming and with the proliferation of mobile games for smart phones. It also reflects the growing recognition among educators of the importance of extramural, informal…

  10. Learning through inter- and intradisciplinary problem solving: using cognitive apprenticeship to analyse doctor-to-doctor consultation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pimmer, Christoph; Pachler, Norbert; Nierle, Julia; Genewein, Urs

    2012-12-01

    Today's healthcare can be characterised by the increasing importance of specialisation that requires cooperation across disciplines and specialities. In view of the number of educational programmes for interdisciplinary cooperation, surprisingly little is known on how learning arises from interdisciplinary work. In order to analyse the learning and teaching practices of interdisciplinary cooperation, a multiple case study research focused on how consults, i.e., doctor-to-doctor consultations between medical doctors from different disciplines were carried out: semi-structured interviews with doctors of all levels of seniority from two hospital sites in Switzerland were conducted. Starting with a priori constructs based on the 'methods' underpinning cognitive apprenticeship (CA), the transcribed interviews were analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. The research contributes to three debates: (1) socio-cognitive and situated learning, (2) intra- and interdisciplinary learning in clinical settings, and (3), more generally, to cooperation and problem solving. Patient cases, which necessitate the cooperation of doctors in consults across boundaries of clinical specialisms, trigger intra- as well as interdisciplinary learning and offer numerous and varied opportunities for learning by requesting doctors as well as for on-call doctors, in particular those in residence. The relevance of consults for learning can also be verified from the perspective of CA which is commonly used by experts, albeit in varying forms, degrees of frequency and quality, and valued by learners. Through data analysis a model for collaborative problem-solving and help-seeking was developed which shows the interplay of pedagogical 'methods' of CA in informal clinical learning contexts.

  11. Teachers' Personal Learning Networks (PLNs): Exploring the Nature of Self-Initiated Professional Learning Online

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tour, Ekaterina

    2017-01-01

    In the field of Literacy Studies, online spaces have been recognised as providing many opportunities for spontaneous and self-initiated learning. While some progress has been made in understanding these important learning experiences, little attention has been paid to teachers' self-initiated professional learning. Contributing to the debates…

  12. Professional International Service Learning as an International Service Learning Opportunity Appropriate for Graduate or Professional Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Lee, Hee Yun

    2015-01-01

    Graduate and professional schools are increasingly using short-term international study abroad courses as one way for internationalizing their curriculum. While international service learning can be a means for improving students' engagement in international learning experiences and providing a structure for learning, it is difficult to design…

  13. Social Learning Analytics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckingham Shum, Simon; Ferguson, Rebecca

    2012-01-01

    We propose that the design and implementation of effective "Social Learning Analytics (SLA)" present significant challenges and opportunities for both research and enterprise, in three important respects. The first is that the learning landscape is extraordinarily turbulent at present, in no small part due to technological drivers.…

  14. Inclusive Education for Children with Specific Learning Difficulties: Analysis of Opportunities and Barriers in Inclusive Education in Slovenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marija Kavkler

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Inclusive education allows for universal inclusion, participation and achievement of all children, including children with specific learning difficulties (SpLD. Children with SpLD form a heterogeneous group with diverse cognitive deficits, special educational needs (SEN and strengths, and have a legislated right to the continuum of both assistance and support programmes. Although their intellectual capacity is average or above average, their learning achievements in some learning domains are modest, and they are poorly integrated into their social environment, which often results in their discrimination. Barriers and opportunities in the area of SpLD were analysed with the aid of Ball’s model (1994, with factors and conditions being analysed within the contexts of policy influence, text production and practice. The contexts of policy influence and text production provide the basic conditions for the in clusive education of children with SpLD. The context of influence on in clusive policy for children with SpLD represents a systematic approach to policy initiation and to the prerequisites for its implementation in practice. The context of policy text production focuses on professionals and their impact on the enactment of the rights of children with severe SpLD. The context of practice concerns barriers and opportunities for implementing inclusion in practice. Early identification and diagnosis of pupils’ strengths, deficits and SEN, together with intensified treatment corresponding to the SEN of children with SpLD, could significantly influence the efficiency of the educational process. Barriers, primarily of an immaterial nature, are mainly encountered in those schools that do not implement the five-tier Response to Intervention (RTI approach. This approach enables children with SpLD a continuum of team-based diagnostic evaluation, effective adaptations and assistance. The main reasons for the unfavourable situation concern education

  15. Informal learning in SME majors for African American female undergraduates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ezella McPherson

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This research investigates how eight undergraduate African American women in science, math, and engineering (SME majors accessed cultural capital and informal science learning opportunities from preschool to college. It uses the multiple case study methodological approach and cultural capital as the framework to better understand their opportunities to engage in free-choice science learning. The article demonstrates that African American women have access to cultural capital and informal science learning inside and outside of home and school environments in P-16 settings. In primary and secondary schools, African American girls acquire cultural capital and access to free-choice science learning in the home environment, museums, science fairs, student organizations and clubs. However, in high school African American female teenagers have fewer informal science learning opportunities like those such as those provided in primary school settings. In college, cultural capital is transmitted through informal science learning that consisted of involvement in student organizations, research projects, seminars, and conferences. These experiences contributed to their engagement and persistence in SME fields in K-16 settings. This research adds to cultural capital and informal science learning research by allowing scholars to better understand how African American women have opportunities to learn about the hidden curriculum of science through informal science settings throughout the educational pipeline.

  16. Multimodal Learning Analytics and Education Data Mining: Using Computational Technologies to Measure Complex Learning Tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blikstein, Paulo; Worsley, Marcelo

    2016-01-01

    New high-frequency multimodal data collection technologies and machine learning analysis techniques could offer new insights into learning, especially when students have the opportunity to generate unique, personalized artifacts, such as computer programs, robots, and solutions engineering challenges. To date most of the work on learning analytics…

  17. Educational Opportunities for Clinical Counseling Simulations in Second Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Victoria L.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda

    2009-01-01

    Counseling students must learn and practice basic counseling skills, including attending, listening, empathizing, and demonstrating warmth and respect. For online educators, providing opportunities for students to develop these skills in realistic counseling situations can be difficult. Victoria L. Walker and Amanda Rockinson-Szapkiw describe how…

  18. Experiential Learning in Accounting Work-Integrated Learning: A Three-Way Partnership

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elijido-Ten, Evangeline; Kloot, Louise

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Work-integrated learning (WIL) helps improve the work readiness of accounting graduates. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role played by large and small-to-medium enterprise (SME) employers in providing experiential learning opportunities to accounting students in an Australian higher education context.…

  19. Nurturing Opportunity Identification for Business Sophistication in a Cross-disciplinary Study Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karine Oganisjana

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Opportunity identification is the key element of the entrepreneurial process; therefore the issue of developing this skill in students is a crucial task in contemporary European education which has recognized entrepreneurship as one of the lifelong learning key competences. The earlier opportunity identification becomes a habitual way of thinking and behavior across a broad range of contexts, the more likely that entrepreneurial disposition will steadily reside in students. In order to nurture opportunity identification in students for making them able to organize sophisticated businesses in the future, certain demands ought to be put forward as well to the teacher – the person who is to promote these qualities in their students. The paper reflects some findings of a research conducted within the frameworks of a workplace learning project for the teachers of one of Riga secondary schools (Latvia. The main goal of the project was to teach the teachers to identify hidden inner links between apparently unrelated things, phenomena and events within 10th grade study curriculum and connect them together and create new opportunities. The creation and solution of cross-disciplinary tasks were the means for achieving this goal.

  20. Using online learning networks to promote self-regulated learning in primary teacher education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, Emmy; Bastiaens, Theo; Stijnen, Sjef

    2017-01-01

    Many recent studies have stressed the importance of students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) skills for successful learning. Consequently, teacher educators have begun to increase student teachers’ SRL opportunities in educational pre-service programs. Although primary teacher educators are aware of

  1. Learning paradigms in workplace e-learning research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabella Norén Creutz

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to explore the discourses of learning that are actualized in workplace e-learning. It aims to understand how learning is defined in research within this field. The empirical material consists of academic research articles on e-learning in the workplace, published from 2000 to 2013. The findings are presented as four metaphors highlighting four overlapping time periods with different truth regimes: Celebration, Questioning, Reflection and Dissolution. It is found that learning as a phenomenon tends to be marginalized in relation to the digital technology used. Based on this, we discuss a proposal for a more critical and problematized approach to e-learning, and a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities for employees and organizations to acquire knowledge in the digital age.

  2. Debating Life on Mars: The Knowledge Integration Environment (KIE) in Varied School Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shear, Linda

    Technology-enabled learning environments are beginning to come of age. Tools and frameworks are now available that have been shown to improve learning and are being deployed more widely in varied school settings. Teachers are now faced with the formidable challenge of integrating these promising new environments with the everyday context in which…

  3. Face-to-Face Activities in Blended Learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjærgaard, Annemette

    While blended learning combines online and face-to-face teaching, research on blended learning has primarily focused on the role of technology and the opportunities it creates for engaging students. Less focus has been put on face-to-face activities in blended learning. This paper argues...... that it is not only the online activities in blended learning that provide new opportunities for rethinking pedagogy in higher education, it is also imperative to reconsider the face-to-face activities when part of the learning is provided online. Based on a review of blended learning in business and management...... education, we identify what forms of teaching and learning are suggested to take place face-to-face when other activities are moved online. We draw from the Community of Inquiry framework to analyze how face-to-face activities contribute to a blended learning pedagogy and discuss the implications...

  4. Are Students' Learning Styles Discipline Specific?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Cheryl; Reichard, Carla; Mokhtari, Kouider

    2003-01-01

    This study examines the extent to which community college students' learning style preferences vary as a function of discipline. Reports significant differences in students' learning style preferences across disciplines, but not by gender. Adds that student learning style preferences varied by academic performance as measured by gender. Discusses…

  5. Restrictive Citizenship: Civic-Oriented Service-Learning Opportunities for All Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Jay A.; Dymond, Stacy K.; Bonati, Michelle L.; Neeper, Lance S.

    2015-01-01

    Citizenship education that uses service-learning continues to be implemented in a manner that may restrict many students from full, meaningful participation. The authors contend that much of the literature on civic-oriented service-learning unnecessarily positions successful projects at the extremes: (a) political socialization versus civic…

  6. Supporting Adaptive Learning Pathways through the Use of Learning Analytics: Developments, Challenges and Future Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mavroudi, Anna; Giannakos, Michail; Krogstie, John

    2018-01-01

    Learning Analytics (LA) and adaptive learning are inextricably linked since they both foster technology-supported learner-centred education. This study identifies developments focusing on their interplay and emphasises insufficiently investigated directions which display a higher innovation potential. Twenty-one peer-reviewed studies are…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mace, Jackie, Ed.

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

  8. Lifelong Learning in Colombia and Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Henning Salling

    2004-01-01

    The article examines education and learning opportunities in Colombia against the backdrop of Danish modernisation and reform experiences from second half of 20th Century. The article discusses possibilities to learn from Danish experiences in the development of a Colombian lifelong learning policy...

  9. Effective Team Learning in the Cloud

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spoelstra, Howard; Van Rosmalen, Peter; Sloep, Peter; Van de Vrie, Evert

    2018-01-01

    Learning in the cloud can be a lonely activity for self-directing and self-organizing learners. Lack of sustained learner motivation can lead to less effective, less bond-creating learning experiences. By providing collaborative project-based learning opportunities these shortcomings can be

  10. Learning Strategy Instruction Innovation Configuration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumaker, Jean B.

    2011-01-01

    One way of helping students with learning disabilities and other struggling students to be independent life-long learners is to teach them how to use learning strategies in efficient ways. Learning strategy instruction can provide students the opportunity to succeed in today's schools and meet rigorous standards, transforming ineffective learners…

  11. Test Framing Generates a Stability Bias for Predictions of Learning by Causing People to Discount their Learning Beliefs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariel, Robert; Hines, Jarrod C.; Hertzog, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    People estimate minimal changes in learning when making predictions of learning (POLs) for future study opportunities despite later showing increased performance and an awareness of that increase (Kornell & Bjork, 2009). This phenomenon is conceptualized as a stability bias in judgments about learning. We investigated the malleability of this effect, and whether it reflected people’s underlying beliefs about learning. We manipulated prediction framing to emphasize the role of testing vs. studying on memory and directly measured beliefs about multi-trial study effects on learning by having participants construct predicted learning curves before and after the experiment. Mean POLs were more sensitive to the number of study-test opportunities when performance was framed in terms of study benefits rather than testing benefits and POLs reflected pre-existing beliefs about learning. The stability bias is partially due to framing and reflects discounted beliefs about learning benefits rather than inherent belief in the stability of performance. PMID:25067885

  12. Principal Leadership for Technology-enhanced Learning in Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerard, Libby F.; Bowyer, Jane B.; Linn, Marcia C.

    2008-02-01

    Reforms such as technology-enhanced instruction require principal leadership. Yet, many principals report that they need help to guide implementation of science and technology reforms. We identify strategies for helping principals provide this leadership. A two-phase design is employed. In the first phase we elicit principals' varied ideas about the Technology-enhanced Learning in Science (TELS) curriculum materials being implemented by teachers in their schools, and in the second phase we engage principals in a leadership workshop designed based on the ideas they generated. Analysis uses an emergent coding scheme to categorize principals' ideas, and a knowledge integration framework to capture the development of these ideas. The analysis suggests that principals frame their thinking about the implementation of TELS in terms of: principal leadership, curriculum, educational policy, teacher learning, student outcomes and financial resources. They seek to improve their own knowledge to support this reform. The principals organize their ideas around individual school goals and current political issues. Principals prefer professional development activities that engage them in reviewing curricula and student work with other principals. Based on the analysis, this study offers guidelines for creating learning opportunities that enhance principals' leadership abilities in technology and science reform.

  13. Corporate governance for trillion dollar opportunities

    OpenAIRE

    Hugh Grove; Maclyn Clouse

    2017-01-01

    Boards of Directors will have to play a key role in the technological survival and development of companies by asking corporate executives about their plans and strategies for these emerging technological changes and challenges. Key challenges and opportunities discussed in this paper, with corresponding corporate governance implications, included Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Industry 4.0, AI with the Internet of Things (IoT), Deep Learning, and Neural Networks. Survival should...

  14. Learning in Cultural Context: Developing Destinies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogoff, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    Over more than three decades spent researching cultural aspects of how children learn, the author has had the opportunity to learn about how individuals and cultural communities change and continue. During her research on children's learning by observing and "pitching in" in a Mayan community in Guatemala, the author learned a great deal…

  15. New actualistic data on the ecology and energetics of hominin scavenging opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pobiner, Briana L

    2015-03-01

    For decades, the 'hunting-scavenging debate' has been an important research focus in Plio-Pleistocene hominin behavioral ecology. Here I present new data on potential scavenging opportunities from fresh carnivore kills on a conservancy in central Kenya. This ecosystem is dominated by felids (mainly lions) and has a different carnivore guild than in many earlier studies of scavenging opportunities that took place in areas such as Ngorongoro and Serengeti in Tanzania and Maasai Mara in Kenya, where lions face high levels of inter-specific competition from bone-crunching hyenas. I found that while scavenging opportunities vary among carcasses, most carcasses retained some scavengeable resources. Excluding within-bone resources, even the scavengeable meat on 'defleshed' larger sized prey carcasses is usually substantial enough to meet the total daily caloric requirements of at least one adult male Homo erectus individual. I argue, as others have before me, that scavenging opportunities in a particular ecosystem will vary in part due to carnivore taxon, density and guild composition; prey size, biomass and community structure; and habitat (e.g., vegetation, physiography). We should expect variability in scavenging opportunities in different locales and should focus our research efforts on identifying which variables condition these differences in order to make our findings applicable to the diversity of ecological settings characterizing the past. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. OPTIMAL practice conditions enhance the benefits of gradually increasing error opportunities on retention of a stepping sequence task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levac, Danielle; Driscoll, Kate; Galvez, Jessica; Mercado, Kathleen; O'Neil, Lindsey

    2017-12-01

    Physical therapists should implement practice conditions that promote motor skill learning after neurological injury. Errorful and errorless practice conditions are effective for different populations and tasks. Errorful learning provides opportunities for learners to make task-relevant choices. Enhancing learner autonomy through choice opportunities is a key component of the Optimizing Performance through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning (OPTIMAL) theory of motor learning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between error opportunity frequency and OPTIMAL (autonomy-supportive) practice conditions during stepping sequence acquisition in a virtual environment. Forty healthy young adults were randomized to autonomy-supportive or autonomy-controlling practice conditions, which differed in instructional language, focus of attention (external vs internal) and positive versus negative nature of verbal and visual feedback. All participants practiced 40 trials of 4, six-step stepping sequences in a random order. Each of the 4 sequences offered different amounts of choice opportunities about the next step via visual cue presentation (4 choices; 1 choice; gradually increasing [1-2-3-4] choices, and gradually decreasing [4-3-2-1] choices). Motivation and engagement were measured by the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and the User Engagement Scale (UES). Participants returned 1-3 days later for retention tests, where learning was measured by time to complete each sequence. No choice cues were offered on retention. Participants in the autonomy-supportive group outperformed the autonomy-controlling group at retention on all sequences (mean difference 2.88s, p errorful (4 choice) sequence (p error opportunities over time, suggest that participants relied on implicit learning strategies for this full body task and that feedback about successes minimized errors and reduced their potential information-processing benefits. Subsequent

  17. Studying Language Learning Opportunities Afforded by a Collaborative CALL Task

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leahy, Christine

    2016-01-01

    This research study explores the learning potential of a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) activity. Research suggests that the dual emphasis on content development and language accuracy, as well as the complexity of L2 production in natural settings, can potentially create cognitive overload. This study poses the question whether, and…

  18. Seven Affordances of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: How to Support Collaborative Learning? How Can Technologies Help?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Heisawn; Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.

    2016-01-01

    This article proposes 7 core affordances of technology for collaborative learning based on theories of collaborative learning and CSCL (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning) practices. Technology affords learner opportunities to (1) engage in a joint task, (2) communicate, (3) share resources, (4) engage in productive collaborative learning…

  19. Determining the Effects of LMS Learning Behaviors on Academic Achievement in a Learning Analytic Perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Mehmet FIRAT

    2016-01-01

    Two of the most important outcomes of learning analytics are predicting students’ learning and providing effective feedback. Learning Management Systems (LMS), which are widely used to support online and face-to-face learning, provide extensive research opportunities with detailed records of background data regarding users’ behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of undergraduate students’ LMS learning behaviors on their academic achievements. In line with this pur...

  20. Influence of postnatal glucocorticoids on hippocampal-dependent learning varies with elevation patterns and administration methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claflin, Dragana I; Schmidt, Kevin D; Vallandingham, Zachary D; Kraszpulski, Michal; Hennessy, Michael B

    2017-09-01

    Recent interest in the lasting effects of early-life stress has expanded to include effects on cognitive performance. An increase in circulating glucocorticoids is induced by stress exposure and glucocorticoid effects on the hippocampus likely underlie many of the cognitive consequences. Here we review studies showing that corticosterone administered to young rats at the conclusion of the stress-hyporesponsiveness period affects later performance in hippocampally-mediated trace eyeblink conditioning. The nature and even direction of these effects varies with the elevation patterns (level, duration, temporal fluctuation) achieved by different administration methods. We present new time course data indicating that constant glucocorticoid elevations generally corresponded with hippocampus-mediated learning deficits, whereas acute, cyclical elevations corresponded with improved initial acquisition. Sensitivity was greater for males than for females. Further, changes in hippocampal neurogenesis paralleled some but not all effects. The findings demonstrate that specific patterns of glucocorticoid elevation produced by different drug administration procedures can have markedly different, sex-specific consequences on basic cognitive performance and underlying hippocampal physiology. Implications of these findings for glucocorticoid medications prescribed in childhood are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Opportunity structures for selective exposure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovsgaard, Morten; Shehata, Adam; Strömbäck, Jesper

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The transition from low-choice to high-choice media environments has raised new concerns about selective exposure. In this context, two types of selective media exposure are relevant. One is selectivity based on political ideological preferences, the other selectivity based on political...... interest. Evidence for both has been found primarily in an American context, while there is less research on European countries. This is problematic, as the opportunity structures for different forms of selectivity vary across media environments. Against this background, the purpose of this study...

  2. Advancing medical education: connecting interprofessional collaboration and education opportunities with integrative medicine initiatives to build shared learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Templeman, Kate; Robinson, Anske; McKenna, Lisa

    2016-12-01

    BackgroundImproved teamwork between conventional and complementary medicine (CM) practitioners is indicated to achieve effective healthcare. However, little is known about interprofessional collaboration and education in the context of integrative medicine (IM). MethodsThis paper reports the findings from a constructivist-grounded theory method study that explored and highlighted Australian medical students' experiences and opportunities for linking interprofessional collaboration and learning in the context of IM. Following ethical approval, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 medical students from 10 medical education faculties across Australian universities. Results Medical students recognised the importance of interprofessional teamwork between general medical practitioners and CM professionals in patient care and described perspectives of shared responsibilities, profession-specific responsibilities, and collaborative approaches within IM. While students identified that limited interprofessional collaboration currently occurred in the medical curriculum, interprofessional education was considered a means of increasing communication and collaboration between healthcare professionals, helping coordinate effective patient care, and understanding each healthcare team members' professional role and value. Conclusions The findings suggest that medical curricula should include opportunities for medical students to develop required skills, behaviours, and attitudes for interprofessional collaboration and interprofessional education within the context of IM. While this is a qualitative study that reflects theoretical saturation from a selected cohort of medical students, the results also point to the importance of including CM professionals within interprofessional collaboration, thus contributing to more person-centred care.

  3. Learning from Simulation Design to Develop Better Experiential Learning Initiatives: An Integrative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canhoto, Ana Isabel; Murphy, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    Simulations offer engaging learning experiences, via the provision of feedback or the opportunities for experimentation. However, they lack important attributes valued by marketing educators and employers. This article proposes a "back to basics" look at what constitutes an effective experiential learning initiative. Drawing on the…

  4. Assessment of Emotion States During e-Learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rothkrantz, L.J.M.; Datcu, D.

    2010-01-01

    In recent years many systems for distance learning have been developed. Even though students have access to learning material any time and any place, current tools for e-learning still have their limitations. The main shortcoming, compared to real life learning is the limited opportunity for human

  5. Research and learning opportunities in a reactor-based nuclear analytical laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, L.

    1994-01-01

    Although considered by many to be a mature science, neutron activation analysis (NAA) continues to be a valuable tool in trace-element research applications. Examples of the applicability of NAA can be found in a variety of areas including archaeology, environmental science, epidemiology, forensic science, and material science to name a few. Each stage of NAA provides opportunities to share numerous practical and fundamental scientific principles with high school teachers and students. This paper will present an overview of these opportunities and give a specific example from collaboration with a high school teacher whose research involved the automation of a gamma-ray spectroscopy counting system using a laboratory robot

  6. Lending, Learning, Leading: Developing Results-Based Leaders in Opportunity Finance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2015

    2015-01-01

    This report tells the story of the CDFI Leadership Learning Network, a Casey Foundation initiative to equip leaders of community development finance institutions with the tools of results-based leadership (RBL). The Foundation shares lessons learned from the network, core RBL concepts and profiles of CDFI leaders as they apply RBL skills and tools…

  7. Mobility in Learning: The Feasibility of Encouraging Language Learning on Smartphones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith Barrs

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available With normalised technology in language learning contexts there is an unprecedented opportunity to re-define the nature of learning. Traditional ideas of classroom-based learning are giving way to modern ideas of ‘24/7 anywhere, anytime’ learning which is accessed and managed in part or in whole by the learners themselves, primarily on mobile devices. This is a "work in progress" article detailing the initial stages of a study investigating normalisation of smart phones in a language classroom in Japan.

  8. Learning and Memory

    OpenAIRE

    1999-01-01

    Under various circumstances and in different species the outward expression of learning varies considerably, and this has led to the classification of different categories of learning. Just as there is no generally agreed on definition of learning, there is no one system of classification. Types of learning commonly recognized are: Habituation, sensitization, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, trial and error, taste aversion, latent learning, cultural learning, imprinting, insight ...

  9. E-Learning in Architecture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juvancic, Matevz; Mullins, Michael; Zupancic, Tadeja

    2012-01-01

    the communication abilities of the actors involved, holding their attention, ingraining sustainable principles and getting the messages across the invisible, but perennial expert / non-expert divide. E-learning in and about architecture not only offers opportunities for both sides to learn but also to get to know...

  10. Time-Varying Value of Energy Efficiency in Michigan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mims, Natalie; Eckman, Tom; Schwartz, Lisa C.

    2018-04-02

    Quantifying the time-varying value of energy efficiency is necessary to properly account for all of its benefits and costs and to identify and implement efficiency resources that contribute to a low-cost, reliable electric system. Historically, most quantification of the benefits of efficiency has focused largely on the economic value of annual energy reduction. Due to the lack of statistically representative metered end-use load shape data in Michigan (i.e., the hourly or seasonal timing of electricity savings), the ability to confidently characterize the time-varying value of energy efficiency savings in the state, especially for weather-sensitive measures such as central air conditioning, is limited. Still, electric utilities in Michigan can take advantage of opportunities to incorporate the time-varying value of efficiency into their planning. For example, end-use load research and hourly valuation of efficiency savings can be used for a variety of electricity planning functions, including load forecasting, demand-side management and evaluation, capacity planning, long-term resource planning, renewable energy integration, assessing potential grid modernization investments, establishing rates and pricing, and customer service (KEMA 2012). In addition, accurately calculating the time-varying value of efficiency may help energy efficiency program administrators prioritize existing offerings, set incentive or rebate levels that reflect the full value of efficiency, and design new programs.

  11. Discrimination learning with variable stimulus 'salience'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Treviño Mario

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In nature, sensory stimuli are organized in heterogeneous combinations. Salient items from these combinations 'stand-out' from their surroundings and determine what and how we learn. Yet, the relationship between varying stimulus salience and discrimination learning remains unclear. Presentation of the hypothesis A rigorous formulation of the problem of discrimination learning should account for varying salience effects. We hypothesize that structural variations in the environment where the conditioned stimulus (CS is embedded will be a significant determinant of learning rate and retention level. Testing the hypothesis Using numerical simulations, we show how a modified version of the Rescorla-Wagner model, an influential theory of associative learning, predicts relevant interactions between varying salience and discrimination learning. Implications of the hypothesis If supported by empirical data, our model will help to interpret critical experiments addressing the relations between attention, discrimination and learning.

  12. Student talk and opportunities for mathematical learning in small group interactions

    OpenAIRE

    Wood, M.; Kalinec, C.

    2012-01-01

    Small group interactions are an important tool for mathematical learning and yet researchers have neither examined small group talk across entire lessons nor have they focused on moments of mathematical learning in small groups. We examined such talk and identified kinds of interactions and connections between interactions and mathematical learning. We differentiated talk based upon its focus: mathematical objects (mathematizing), people (subjectifying), or more specifically, people’s attribu...

  13. Quantitative learning strategies based on word networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yue-Tian-Yi; Jia, Zi-Yang; Tang, Yong; Xiong, Jason Jie; Zhang, Yi-Cheng

    2018-02-01

    Learning English requires a considerable effort, but the way that vocabulary is introduced in textbooks is not optimized for learning efficiency. With the increasing population of English learners, learning process optimization will have significant impact and improvement towards English learning and teaching. The recent developments of big data analysis and complex network science provide additional opportunities to design and further investigate the strategies in English learning. In this paper, quantitative English learning strategies based on word network and word usage information are proposed. The strategies integrate the words frequency with topological structural information. By analyzing the influence of connected learned words, the learning weights for the unlearned words and dynamically updating of the network are studied and analyzed. The results suggest that quantitative strategies significantly improve learning efficiency while maintaining effectiveness. Especially, the optimized-weight-first strategy and segmented strategies outperform other strategies. The results provide opportunities for researchers and practitioners to reconsider the way of English teaching and designing vocabularies quantitatively by balancing the efficiency and learning costs based on the word network.

  14. Research opportunities to advance solar energy utilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Nathan S

    2016-01-22

    Major developments, as well as remaining challenges and the associated research opportunities, are evaluated for three technologically distinct approaches to solar energy utilization: solar electricity, solar thermal, and solar fuels technologies. Much progress has been made, but research opportunities are still present for all approaches. Both evolutionary and revolutionary technology development, involving foundational research, applied research, learning by doing, demonstration projects, and deployment at scale will be needed to continue this technology-innovation ecosystem. Most of the approaches still offer the potential to provide much higher efficiencies, much lower costs, improved scalability, and new functionality, relative to the embodiments of solar energy-conversion systems that have been developed to date. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  15. NASA GSFC Opportunities for STEM Professionals Using the Vantage Point of Space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meeson, Blanche W.; Robbins, Geraldine B.

    2012-01-01

    NASA has a variety of learning opportunities for STEM professionals. Three opportunities at GSFC are examined in this chapter: 1) standard summer research and development internship for undergraduates, 2) senior internship for undergraduate and graduate students and 3) a workshop series for informal learning center professionals. We describe these programs, examine their evolution with respect to most effective education practices and their assessment and evaluation, and identify the similarities and differences between them. The internship programs highlight authentic project-based research and development experiences with the senior internship providing a richer, deeper, and more demanding experience that has greater professional value. The workshops for informal learning center professionals on-the-other hand, focus on building knowledge of GSFC s science and engineering strengths among these professionals, and on building enduring partnerships between individuals (participants and GSFC scientist, engineers and educators) and between organizations (GSFC and the informal learning center). Finally, we examine the characteristics of these programs from a design and management perspective. Through this examination we identify a general structure that provides insight into more effective design and management of similar education programs.

  16. Active Learning Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zayapragassarazan, Z.; Kumar, Santosh

    2012-01-01

    Present generation students are primarily active learners with varied learning experiences and lecture courses may not suit all their learning needs. Effective learning involves providing students with a sense of progress and control over their own learning. This requires creating a situation where learners have a chance to try out or test their…

  17. Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: Comparing the Experiences of Adult Foreign Language Learners with Off-the-Shelf and Specialized Games for Learning German

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Grove, Frederik; Van Looy, Jan; Mechant, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Learning opportunities offered by digital games have become an important research topic in recent years. Language learning is one of the areas in which games could prosper but the question then is whether these should be specialized language-learning games or commercial off-the-shelf games for entertainment. The goal of this paper is to compare…

  18. Shakespeare and the Common Core: An Opportunity to Reboot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turchi, Laura; Thompson, Ayanna

    2013-01-01

    The Common Core generally eschews mandating texts in favor of promoting critical analysis and rigor. So it's significant that Shakespeare is the only author invoked in imperatives. His explicit inclusion offers a significant opportunity for educators to rethink how we approach Shakespearean instruction. Rather than the traditional learning of…

  19. Working and Learning Among California Oaks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tietje, B.; Gingg, B.; Zingo, J.; Huntsinger, L.

    2009-04-01

    With tremendous support from collaborators and enthusiastic volunteers, "Learning Among the Oaks" at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch has become a favorite outdoor learning experience for hundreds of Santa Margarita School students, along with their teachers and families. Oaks are at the center of this unique and cost effective public education program. From getting to know local oaks to exploring conservation issues within the context of a historic working cattle ranch, students take pride in expanding their awareness and knowledge of the local oak woodland community. Santa Margarita School families representing the varied demographics of the community come together on the trail. For many, the program provides a first opportunity to get to know those who make a living on the land and to understand that this land around their school is more than a pretty view. "Learning Among the Oaks" also addresses the need for quality, hands-on science activities and opportunities to connect children with the outdoor world. Using a thematic approach and correlating lessons with State Science Standards, we've engaged students in a full-spectrum of exciting outdoor learning adventures. As students progress through the grades, they find new challenges within the oak trail environment. We've succeeded in establishing an internship program that brings highly qualified, enthusiastic university students out to practice their science teaching skills while working with elementary school students. In the future, these university student interns may assist with the development of interpretive displays, after-school nature activities and monitoring projects. We've benefited from proximity to Cal Poly State University and its "learn-by-doing" philosophy. We've also succeeded in building a dedicated network of volunteers and collaborators, each with a special interest satisfied through participation in the oak trail program. While "Learning Among the Oaks" has focused on educating school

  20. A strategic approach to developing e-learning capability for healthcare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Angie; Lewis, Dina; Cole, Ian; Ringrose, Liz

    2005-12-01

    This article examines a strategic approach to developing e-learning capability to enhance learning opportunities for the workforce of a healthcare organization. Emphasis is given to the procurement of a bespoke Managed Learning Environment (MLE). Strategic organizational issues impacting on future e-learning developments are considered. The 2-year implementation plan was evaluated through a two phase external research project. The first phase focused on the effectiveness of a training programme designed to build capacity for e-learning within the Northern area and also included a virtual learning environment usability study which informed the MLE specification. The second phase evaluation is ongoing during 2005 and interim findings are presented. The MLE has been piloted and on-line learning packages have been acquired. There has been a phased take-up of e-learning opportunities and e-tutor training. Some virtual Communities of Practice have been established. Key organizational issues have been identified and ongoing findings are informing strategic planning. The healthcare MLE is offering enhanced learning opportunities and assisting area healthcare providers in training their dispersed workforces. Blended learning strategies are most successful. The need for protected time for e-learning is a key issue, financial savings are available. Progress has been slowed by identified organizational constraints-the MLE's benefits are widely recognized.

  1. The flipped classroom: practices and opportunities for health sciences librarians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youngkin, C Andrew

    2014-01-01

    The "flipped classroom" instructional model is being introduced into medical and health sciences curricula to provide greater efficiency in curriculum delivery and produce greater opportunity for in-depth class discussion and problem solving among participants. As educators employ the flipped classroom to invert curriculum delivery and enhance learning, health sciences librarians are also starting to explore the flipped classroom model for library instruction. This article discusses how academic and health sciences librarians are using the flipped classroom and suggests opportunities for this model to be further explored for library services.

  2. Opportunities and barriers to public health nutrition education in Vietnamese universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Quynh Th; Worsley, Anthony; Lawrence, Mark; Marshall, Bernie

    2017-05-01

    A core challenge for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in combating the negative effects of the nutrition transition is to implement appropriate prevention strategies to halt the increasing prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), against a background of prevailing under nutrition. There have been several proposals for the enhancement of university nutrition education for future health and related professionals who are expected to communicate knowledge of health risks to the broad community. However, little is known about university nutrition education in LMICs. The present study aimed to investigate professional development opportunities and barriers for university nutrition lecturers to teach public health nutrition (PHN). An online survey was conducted among 242 Vietnamese health and education professionals and university nutrition lecturers across Vietnam. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Comparisons of between the groups' responses were examined via SPSS Crosstabs. The structures of the perceived barriers and desired PHN training topics were examined via factor analyses. Multiple linear regression examined the influences on lecturers' learning interests in nutrition areas. The lecturers' learning interests spanned four areas: basic nutrition, basic food, food policy and 'new' trends (e.g. food policy, marketing). Major impediments to nutrition teaching in universities divided into two groups: resource limitations and professional constraints (e.g. lack of relevant training opportunities). The lecturers' perceptions of professional constraints influenced their interest in learning about 'new' trends. The results highlighted the need and opportunities to enhance PHN professional development for nutrition lecturers in Vietnam.

  3. Curriculum Integration in Distance Learning at Primary and Secondary Educational Levels on the Example of eTwinning Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elżbieta Gajek

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Curriculum integration is one of the concepts which has been discussed for years. Telecollaborative projects, which employ elements of distance learning, provide opportunities for putting the idea into practice. Analysis of eTwinning projects undertaken in Polish schools aims at demonstrating the integrative role of distance learning approaches and their contribution to integration of various themes in educational context. As the eTwinning framework is very flexible, allowing for teacher and students autonomy the projects may vary in the topics, age and number of participants, duration scope within curriculum etc. The study shows various levels and perspectives of curriculum integration which take place in eTwinning projects. It also discusses the role of distance learning at primary and secondary educational levels. The challenge is to transform international collaboration of selected schools an everyday practice for all learners and teachers.

  4. Language learning apps or games: an investigation utilizing the RETAIN model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenda A. Gunter

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Combining games with mobile devices can promote learning opportunities at the learners' fingertips and enable ubiquitous learning experiences. As teachers increasingly assign games to reinforce language learning, it becomes essential to evaluate how effective these applications are in helping students learn the content or develop the skills that the games are reinforcing. This article examines two English language learning apps under the RETAIN model (GUNTER; KENNY; VICK, 2008. The findings indicate that although these apps offer some language learning opportunities, they do not present scenario-based quality or gameplay, among other elements, if they are to be considered games.

  5. Ecotourism in an Educational Context: Promoting Learning Opportunities through Travel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coles, Tim; Poland, Roger H. C.; Clifton, Julian

    2015-01-01

    The global expansion and diversification of the travel market has opened up new opportunities to deliver educational programmes through tourism. Applying the principles and practices commonly associated with ecotourism enables students to gain lasting benefits through their active participation in conservation-oriented activities. In many cases,…

  6. Learning Goals and Strategies in the Self-regulation of Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaeta Gonzalez, Martha Leticia

    2013-01-01

    In order to self-regulate their learning, students need to use different strategies to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning activities (meta-cognitive strategies), as well as to control their motivation and emotion (volitional strategies). Students' effectiveness in their self-regulated learning process also varies depending on the academic…

  7. Three visual techniques to enhance interprofessional learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsell, G; Gibbs, T; Bligh, J

    1998-07-01

    Many changes in the delivery of healthcare in the UK have highlighted the need for healthcare professionals to learn to work together as teams for the benefit of patients. Whatever the profession or level, whether for postgraduate education and training, continuing professional development, or for undergraduates, learners should have an opportunity to learn about and with, other healthcare practitioners in a stimulating and exciting way. Learning to understand how people think, feel, and react, and the parts they play at work, both as professionals and individuals, can only be achieved through sensitive discussion and exchange of views. Teaching and learning methods must provide opportunities for this to happen. This paper describes three small-group teaching techniques which encourage a high level of learner collaboration and team-working. Learning content is focused on real-life health-care issues and strong visual images are used to stimulate lively discussion and debate. Each description includes the learning objectives of each exercise, basic equipment and resources, and learning outcomes.

  8. Nurturing Opportunity Identification for Business Sophistication in a Cross-disciplinary Study Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Karine Oganisjana; Tatjana Koke

    2012-01-01

    Opportunity identification is the key element of the entrepreneurial process; therefore the issue of developing this skill in students is a crucial task in contemporary European education which has recognized entrepreneurship as one of the lifelong learning key competences. The earlier opportunity identification becomes a habitual way of thinking and behavior across a broad range of contexts, the more likely that entrepreneurial disposition will steadily reside in students. In order to nurtur...

  9. Improving Accessibility for Seniors in a Life-Long Learning Network: A Usability Study of Learning Websites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Xiaoqing; Ding, Rui; Fu, Shirong

    2011-01-01

    Senior citizens are comparatively vulnerable in accessing learning opportunities offered on the Internet due to usability problems in current web design. In an effort to build a senior-friendly learning web as a part of the Life-long Learning Network in Shanghai, usability studies of two websites currently available to Shanghai senior citizens…

  10. E-Learning in Massachusetts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graziano, April

    2005-01-01

    This document presents some of the many ways schools are using online technologies. The report illustrates how Massachusetts educators are taking advantage of e-learning opportunities to improve student learning. Educators across the state are using online courses and resources, engaging in online events and projects, and showing interest in…

  11. The Future of e-Learning in Medical Education: Current Trend and Future Opportunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Kim

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available A wide range of e-learning modalities are widely integrated in medical education. However, some of the key questions related to the role of e-learning remain unanswered, such as (1 what is an effective approach to integrating technology into pre-clinical vs. clinical training?; (2 what evidence exists regarding the type and format of e-learning technology suitable for medical specialties and clinical settings?; (3 which design features are known to be effective in designing on-line patient simulation cases, tutorials, or clinical exams?; and (4 what guidelines exist for determining an appropriate blend of instructional strategies, including online learning, face-to-face instruction, and performance-based skill practices? Based on the existing literature and a variety of e-learning examples of synchronous learning tools and simulation technology, this paper addresses the following three questions: (1 what is the current trend of e-learning in medical education?; (2 what do we know about the effective use of e-learning?; and (3 what is the role of e-learning in facilitating newly emerging competency-based training? As e-learning continues to be widely integrated in training future physicians, it is critical that our efforts in conducting evaluative studies should target specific e-learning features that can best mediate intended learning goals and objectives. Without an evolving knowledge base on how best to design e-learning applications, the gap between what we know about technology use and how we deploy e-learning in training settings will continue to widen.

  12. El aprendizaje on-line: oportunidades y retos en instituciones politécnicas Apprenticeship Students Learning On-line: Opportunities and Challenges for Polytechnic Institutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Burkle

    2011-10-01

    challenges and opportunities of delivering on-line and virtual content to apprentices in a Polytechnic institution. Due to the current financial recession, apprentices are going back to academia in order to update their skills, but these potential students are not willing to leave their workplace or their personal lives behind to study. In this context on-line delivery represents an opportunity to provide access to content without leaving the work environment. However, in order to be successful in providing on-line materials for apprentices, polytechnics around the world are facing two challenges: How to transform hands-on Learning skills to online Learning material, and how to provide a rich-engaging environment for this group of learners. But not only the learner expectations should be taken when designing on-line learning. Instructors play also a crucial role in this endeavor, as Web 2.0 technologies offer the instructor an entirely new role in teaching: that of a facilitator. In order to analyze apprenticeship students’ on-line learning, 57 on-line surveys were distributed among a group of students registered for on-line apprenticeship programs. The paper presents research findings and a comparison of these with a what the literature states regarding the new generation of learners and their use of technologies, and the behavior (learning preferences, learning styles, use of IT presented by the research sample. Innovative opportunities for learning at the workplace (such as recommendations and future areas of research are suggested.

  13. Active Learning in Engineering Education: A (Re)Introduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Rui M.; Andersson, Pernille Hammar; Saalman, Elisabeth

    2017-01-01

    The informal network "Active Learning in Engineering Education" (ALE) has been promoting Active Learning since 2001. ALE creates opportunity for practitioners and researchers of engineering education to collaboratively learn how to foster learning of engineering students. The activities in ALE are centred on the vision that learners…

  14. Distance Learning Delivery Systems: Instructional Options.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steele, Ray L.

    1993-01-01

    Discusses the availability of satellite and cable programing to provide distance education opportunities in school districts. Various delivery systems are described, including telephones with speakers, personal computers, and satellite dishes; and a sidebar provides a directory of distance learning opportunities, including telecommunications…

  15. Learning Opportunities for Nurses Working within Home Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundgren, Solveig

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore home care nurses' experience of learning in a multicultural environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on qualitative research design. Data were collected through repeated interviews with registered home care nurses working in a multicultural area. The data were analyzed through a…

  16. The WebQuest: constructing creative learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanford, Julie; Townsend-Rocchiccioli, Judith; Trimm, Donna; Jacobs, Mike

    2010-10-01

    An exciting expansion of online educational opportunities is occurring in nursing. The use of a WebQuest as an inquiry-based learning activity can offer considerable opportunity for nurses to learn how to analyze and synthesize critical information. A WebQuest, as a constructivist, inquiry-oriented strategy, requires learners to use higher levels of thinking as a means to analyze and apply complex information, providing an exciting online teaching and learning strategy. A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all of the information learners work with comes from the web. This article provides an overview of the WebQuest as a teaching strategy and provides examples of its use. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

  17. Towards collaboration as learning: evaluation of an open CPD opportunity for HE teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chrissi Nerantzi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Flexible, Distance and Online Learning (FDOL is an open online course offered as an informal cross-institutional collaboration based on a postgraduate module in the context of teacher education in higher education. The second iteration, FDOL132, was offered in 2013 using a problem-based learning (PBL design (FISh to foster collaborative learning. How this was experienced by participants and how it affected learning within facilitated small groups are explored in this paper. Findings show that authentic learning in groups can be applied directly to practice, and greater flexibility and a focus on the process of collaborative learning has the potential to increase engagement and learning.

  18. Physiotherapy students' perceptions about the learning ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The clinical education introductory module provided valuable opportunities, where students learnt productively in a non-threatening learning environment. Junior students linked theoretical and practical concepts to clinical implementation. Peer mentoring and progressive mastering were valuable learning strategies.

  19. Opportunities for learning about animal welfare from online courses to graduate degrees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegford, Janice M; Cottee, Stephanie Yue; Widowski, Tina M

    2010-01-01

    Knowledge of animal welfare has become essential for veterinarians. However, there is no clear consensus about how to provide veterinarians and students with this critical information. The challenges associated with finding qualified instructors and fitting additional courses into an already full curriculum mean that options for learning about animal welfare beyond the veterinary school classroom must be explored. Online courses can be excellent ways for veterinary students and graduate veterinarians to become familiar with current animal-welfare science, assessment schemes, and regulations while removing geographical barriers and scheduling difficulties. Faculty at Michigan State University have created an online animal-welfare course with lecture material from experts in welfare-related social and scientific fields that provides an overview of the underlying concepts as well as opportunities to practice assessing welfare. However, to develop expertise in animal welfare, veterinarians need more than a single course. Graduate degrees can be a way of obtaining additional knowledge and scientific expertise. Traditional thesis-based graduate programs in animal-welfare science are available in animal-science departments and veterinary colleges throughout North America and offer students in-depth research experience in specific areas or species of interest. Alternatively, the University of Guelph offers a year-long Master of Science degree in which students complete a series of courses with a specialization in animal behavior and welfare along with a focused research project and paper. In summary, a range of options exist that can be tailored to provide graduate veterinarians and veterinary students with credible education regarding animal welfare beyond the veterinary curriculum.

  20. Deep Learning through Concept-Based Inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donham, Jean

    2010-01-01

    Learning in the library should present opportunities to enrich student learning activities to address concerns of interest and cognitive complexity, but these must be tasks that call for in-depth analysis--not merely gathering facts. Library learning experiences need to demand enough of students to keep them interested and also need to be…

  1. A Social Learning Space Grid for MOOCs: Exploring a FutureLearn Case

    OpenAIRE

    Manathunga, Kalpani; Hernández-Leo, Davinia; Sharples, Mike

    2017-01-01

    Collaborative and social engagement promote active learning through knowledge intensive interactions. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are dynamic and diversified learning spaces with varying factors like flexible time frames, student count, demographics requiring higher engagement and motivation to continue learning and for designers to implement novel pedagogies including collaborative learning activities. This paper looks into available and potential collaborative and social learning sp...

  2. Learning and Communicative Rationality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Palle

    The paper is an attempt to outline Habermas' contributions to a theory of learning. Such contributions are found in his work on individual learning and socialization, the constitution and reproduction of lifeworlds, the character of social evolution, the processes of public delibearation...... and democracy and the idea and role of universities. A "theory of learning" is not taken in a very formalised sense, rather the idea is to identify themes where Habermas' theoretical framework provide the opportunity for locating important aspects of learning in modern society....

  3. Building Learning Communities: Foundations for Good Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Alison; Ramsay, Jill; Lindfield, Helen; Couperthwaite, John

    2005-01-01

    The School of Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham provided opportunities for the development of student learning communities and online resources within the neurological module of the BSc Physiotherapy degree programme. These learning communities were designed to facilitate peer and independent learning in core aspects underpinning…

  4. Effective post-literacy learning: A question of a national human resource strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Manzoor

    1989-12-01

    Initial literacy courses must be followed by opportunities for consolidating the mechanics of literacy skills and practical application of three skills in life. Experience has shown that these `post-literacy' objectives can be achieved, not by a second stage of the literacy course, but by a range of opportunities for learning and application of learning through a network of continuing education opportunities geared to the diverse needs and circumstances of different categories of neo-literates. A taxonomy of learner categories and learning needs is seen as a basis for planning and supporting the network of post-literacy learning. Examples from China, India and Thailand demonstrate the importance of recognizing the continuity of literacy and post-literacy efforts, the need for commitment of resources for this continuum of learning, the role of an organizational structure to deal with this continuum in a coordinated way, and the value of a comprehensive range of learning opportunities for neo-literates. A necessary condition for success in building a network of continuing learning opportunities and contributing to the creation of a `learning society' is to make human resource development the core of national development. It is argued that the scope and dimensions of post-literacy continuing education are integrally linked with the goal of mass basic education and ultimately with the vision of a `learning society'. Such a vision can be a reality only with a serious human resource development focus in national development that will permit the necessary mobilization of resources, the coordination of sectors of government and society and the generation of popular enthusiasm. A radical or an incremental approach can be taken to move towards the primacy of a human resource strategy in national development. In either case, a functioning coordination and support mechanism has to be developed for the key elements of mass basic education including post-literacy learning.

  5. Learning in later life: Universities, teaching, intergenerational learning and community cohesion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keith Percy

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available There are no settled concepts in the field of learning in later life. The paper begins by suggesting that generalised statements about older people’s learning are suspect and that the way in which we talk about it shifts over time. In particular, there is a range of claims about methods of learning and teaching appropriate to older people but most have little support from empirical research. The paper then focuses on the evaluation of a small innovation project, funded by national government, at Lancaster University, 2009-10. The project sought to involve members of a local University of the Third age group in learning activity on the nearby university campus, partly using undergraduate teaching provision. It aimed to test ideological reservations within the U3A group about association with a public institution of higher education and about mixing the ‘purity’ of self-help learning for older adults, in the British U3A tradition, with more formal methods of learning. The outcomes of the project evaluation suggested that most older learners participating valued their opportunity to use university learning resources and that the British U3A ideology did not inhibit them from doing so. It also suggests that the University benefited from the presence of the older learners and that the surrounding community potentially might have done. A brief discussion of implications for intergenerational learning, community cohesion and marginalised older people follows. The paper concludes that British universities should and, perhaps, could relate more dynamically and emphatically with the provision of opportunities for learning in later life.

  6. E-service learning: A pedagogic innovation for healthcare management education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malvey, Donna M; Hamby, Eileen F; Fottler, Myron D

    2006-01-01

    This paper proposes an innovation in service learning that we identify as e-service learning. By adding the "e" to service learning, we create a service learning model that is dynamic, mediated by technology, and delivered online. This paper begins by examining service learning, which is a distinct learning concept. Service learning furnishes students with opportunities for applied learning through participation in projects and activities in community organizations. The authors then define and conceptualize e-service learning, including the anticipated outcomes of implementation such as enhanced access, quality, and cost effectiveness of healthcare management education. Because e-service learning is mediated by technology, we identify state of the art technologies that support e-service learning activities. In addition, possible e-service learning projects and activities that may be included in healthcare management courses such as finance, human resources, quality, service management/marketing and strategy are identified. Finally, opportunities for future research are suggested.

  7. Mobile Learning: Challenges for Teachers of Indian Open Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awadhiya, Ashish Kumar; Miglani, Anshu

    2016-01-01

    "Mobile Learning" (m-Learning) has emerged as a trend in the field of Open and Distance Learning (ODL). It is removing the time and geographical barriers for learning by placing learning opportunities at the fingertips of learners. ODL institutes in India are also adopting m-learning in different forms; however, it is not fully…

  8. Constructivism and Learning in the Age of Social Media: Changing Minds and Learning Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schrader, Dawn E.

    2015-01-01

    Social media provide new means and opportunities for learning that are consistent with major tenets of both social and cognitive constructivism, and extend the process of learning and meaning construction to more diverse communities and universally accessible shared activities that are jointly and concurrently engaged in by both peers and experts.

  9. Learning from Somaliland? Transferability of learning from volunteering to national health service practice in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tillson, Esther; van Wees, Sibylle Herzig; McGowan, Charlotte; Franklin, Hannah; Jones, Helena; Bogue, Patrick; Aliabadi, Shirin; Baraitser, Paula

    2016-03-22

    Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions have the potential to benefit both partners particularly in staff development. Previous research suggests that volunteering can contribute to professional development but there is little evidence on how learning is acquired, the barriers and facilitators to learning in this context or the process of translation of learning to the home environment. Volunteers from a healthcare partnership between the UK and Somaliland reported learning in communication, interdisciplinary working, teaching, management, leadership and service development. This learning came from observing familiar practices in unfamiliar environments; alternative solutions to familiar problems; learning about Somali culture; opportunities to assume higher levels of responsibility and new professional relationships. There was variability in the extent of translation to NHS practice. Time and support available for reflection and mentoring were important facilitators of this process. The professional development outcomes documented in this study came directly from the experience of volunteering. Experiential learning theory suggests that this requires a complex process of critical reflection and new knowledge generation, testing and translation for use in new contexts. This process benefits from identification of learning as an important element of volunteering and support for reflection and the translation translation of learning to UK contexts. We suggest that missed opportunities for volunteer learning will remain until the volunteering process is overtly framed as part of continuing professional development.

  10. Candlestick and Faces: Aspects of Lifelong Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Cheryl

    1999-01-01

    Government policies view lifelong learning in terms of economic development. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of the environment of British community education councils revealed other views of lifelong learning: it takes time and political expediency and national policy can adversely affect what and how people learn.…

  11. Opportunity Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Louise Møller; Lassen, Astrid Heidemann; Tollestrup, Christian

    2012-01-01

    Creating and growing new businesses is basically about turning an entrepreneurial opportunity into future business. In literature the emergence of opportunities is often described as opportunity recognition or opportunity discovery, which points to the understanding that opportunities are out the...

  12. Mobile Learning: Can Students Really Multitask?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coens, Joke; Reynvoet, Bert; Clarebout, Geraldine

    2011-01-01

    The advent of mobile learning offers opportunities for students to do two things at once in an educational context: learning while performing another activity. The main aim of the reported studies is to address the effect of multitasking on learning with a mobile device. Two experiments were set up to examine the effect of performing a secondary…

  13. A Generational Opportunity: A 21st Century Learning Content Delivery System

    Science.gov (United States)

    McElroy, Patrick

    2007-01-01

    This paper describes a collaboratively developed, open marketplace for network-based learning and research content for the higher education community. It explores how available technologies and standards can facilitate a new knowledge creation industry for higher education learning content that engages all stakeholders in new ways. The Advisory…

  14. Student Talk and Opportunities for Mathematical Learning in Small Group Interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Marcy B.; Kalinec, Crystal A.

    2012-01-01

    Small group interactions are an important tool for mathematical learning and yet researchers have neither examined small group talk across entire lessons nor have they focused on moments of mathematical learning in small groups. We examined such talk and identified kinds of interactions and connections between interactions and mathematical…

  15. Machine learning, social learning and the governance of self-driving cars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stilgoe, Jack

    2018-02-01

    Self-driving cars, a quintessentially 'smart' technology, are not born smart. The algorithms that control their movements are learning as the technology emerges. Self-driving cars represent a high-stakes test of the powers of machine learning, as well as a test case for social learning in technology governance. Society is learning about the technology while the technology learns about society. Understanding and governing the politics of this technology means asking 'Who is learning, what are they learning and how are they learning?' Focusing on the successes and failures of social learning around the much-publicized crash of a Tesla Model S in 2016, I argue that trajectories and rhetorics of machine learning in transport pose a substantial governance challenge. 'Self-driving' or 'autonomous' cars are misnamed. As with other technologies, they are shaped by assumptions about social needs, solvable problems, and economic opportunities. Governing these technologies in the public interest means improving social learning by constructively engaging with the contingencies of machine learning.

  16. Integrating Opportunities: Applied Interdisciplinary Research in Undergraduate Geography and Geology Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viertel, David C.; Burns, Diane M.

    2012-01-01

    Unique integrative learning approaches represent a fundamental opportunity for undergraduate students and faculty alike to combine interdisciplinary methods with applied spatial research. Geography and geoscience-related disciplines are particularly well-suited to adapt multiple methods within a holistic and reflective mentored research paradigm.…

  17. Professional Development Opportunities for Two-Year College Geoscience Faculty: Issues, Opportunities, and Successes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baer, E. M.; Macdonald, H.; McDaris, J. R.; Granshaw, F. D.; Wenner, J. M.; Hodder, J.; van der Hoeven Kraft, K.; Filson, R. H.; Guertin, L. A.; Wiese, K.

    2011-12-01

    materials aimed at K-12 or at faculty teaching geoscience majors tend not to attract 2YC faculty. Conducting a needs assessment and including 2YC faculty in workshop planning helps ensure that the outcomes of professional development opportunities for 2YC faculty are achieved. Financial support for travel seems to be important, although typically it is not necessary to compensate 2YC faculty beyond expenses. 2YC faculty availability varies significantly during the summer as well as during the academic year, so offering multiple opportunities throughout the year and/or virtual events is important. The Geo2YC website at SERC is a resource for geoscience education at two-year colleges and the associated Geo2YC mailing has facilitated the targeted marketing of opportunities for this important group of educators.

  18. Using social media to enhance career development opportunities for health promotion professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roman, Leah A

    2014-07-01

    For health promotion professionals, social media offers many ways to engage with a broader range of colleagues; participate in professional development events; promote expertise, products, or services; and learn about career-enhancing opportunities such as funding and fellowships. Previous work has recommended "building networking into what you are already doing." This article provides updated and new social media resources, as well as practical examples and strategies to promote effective use of social media. Social media offers health promotion professionals cost-effective opportunities to enhance their career by building communities of practice, participating in professional development events, and enriching classroom learning. Developing the skills necessary to use social media for networking is important in the public health workforce, especially as social media is increasingly used in academic and practice settings. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

  19. Bootcamp EMMA MOOC Assessment for learning in practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Firssova, Olga; Brouns, Francis

    2016-01-01

    Formative assessment or assessment for learning is a relevant theme for teachers and educationalists. Formative assessment is a valuable tool for supporting the learning process. It is applied during learning and offers you more and better opportunities to guide your students. Formative assessment

  20. Heutagogy: An alternative practice based learning approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhoyrub, John; Hurley, John; Neilson, Gavin R; Ramsay, Mike; Smith, Margaret

    2010-11-01

    Education has explored and utilised multiple approaches in attempts to enhance the learning and teaching opportunities available to adult learners. Traditional pedagogy has been both directly and indirectly affected by andragogy and transformational learning, consequently widening our understandings and approaches toward view teaching and learning. Within the context of nurse education, a major challenge has been to effectively apply these educational approaches to the complex, unpredictable and challenging environment of practice based learning. While not offered as a panacea to such challenges, heutagogy is offered in this discussion paper as an emerging and potentially highly congruent educational framework to place around practice based learning. Being an emergent theory its known conceptual underpinnings and possible applications to nurse education need to be explored and theoretically applied. Through placing the adult learner at the foreground of grasping learning opportunities as they unpredictability emerge from a sometimes chaotic environment, heutagogy can be argued as offering the potential to minimise many of the well published difficulties of coordinating practice with faculty teaching and learning. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Immigrant Capital and Entrepreneurial Opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malavika Sundararajan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The main objective of this study is to define and operationalize the concept of immigrant capital, a key factor that differentiates immigrant from host country entrepreneurs in how they recognize and start new ventures. Research Design & Methods: A detailed analysis of contemporary immigrant entrepreneurship and opportunity recognition literature was carried out. Using grounded theory, we synthesized the outcomes from the analysis of eight Canadian and U.S. case studies of successful immigrant entrepreneurs with the key findings from the literature to define and develop a model of immigrant capital. Findings: Based on our grounded theory development process we show that the concept of immigrant capital as a distillate of human, cultural, economic and social capital that goes beyond expected opportunity recognition (OR drivers like prior knowledge and prior experience to differentiate and enhance the immigrant entrepreneur’s ability to recognize business opportunities compared to host country entrepreneurs. We found immigrant capital to be a consequence of being boundary spanners in host and home country networks. Implications & Recommendations: Understanding a unique resource like immigrant capital, will help immigrant as well as host country entrepreneurs further develop their opportunity recognition ability by bridging gaps and fulfilling the needs for both, immigrant and host country consumers. Contribution & Value Added: The main contribution is the theoretical development, identification and definition of the immigrant capital model and propositions that will articulate the factors that lead to the conceptualization and operationalization of immigrant capital. Furthermore, the immigrant capital model can serve host country entrepreneurs to develop cross-cultural networks and jump-start entrepreneurial activities in their home countries as well as learn how to expand their operations into global markets.

  2. Elementary teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and professional development challenges and opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Kathleen M.

    Inquiry science, including a focus on evidence-based discourse, is essential to spark interest in science education in the early grades and maintain that interest throughout children's schooling. The researcher was interested in two broad areas: inquiry science in the elementary classroom and the need/desire for professional development opportunities for elementary teachers related to science education, and specifically professional development focused on inquiry science. A cross sectional survey design was prepared and distributed in May 2005 and usable responses were received from 228 elementary teachers from the south-central area of Pennsylvania which was a representative sample of socio-economical and geographical factors. Areas of particular interest in the results section include: (1) The use of Science Kits which is popular, but may not have the desired impact since they are "adjusted" by teachers often removing the opportunity for evidence-based discourse by the students. This may be partly based on the lack of time dedicated to science instruction and, secondly, the teachers' lack of comfort with the science topics. Another issue arising from science kits is the amount of preparation time required to utilize them. (2) Teachers demonstrated understanding of the high qualities of professional development but, when it came to science content professional development, they were more inclined to opt for short-term opportunities as opposed to long-term learning opportunities. Since elementary teachers are generalists and most schools are not focusing on science, the lack of attention to a subject where they are least comfortable is understandable, but disappointing. (3) There is a great need for more training in evidence--based discourse so teachers can implement this needed skill and increase students' understanding of science content so they are more able to compete in the international science and math measurements. (4) Professional development, especially

  3. Relations between blended learning possibilities and teachers' approaches to blended learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stenalt, Maria Hvid; Nielsen, Tobias Alsted; Bager-Elsborg, Anna

    Higher Education has embraced blended learning as a way of enhancing quality in teaching and helping students to learn. This presentation addresses relations between blended learning possiblities presented to teachers in a teacher training project and teachers’ approaches to blended learning. We...... suggest that in order to identify the level of impact of integrating technologies in teaching and learning, we need to understand the factors influencing approaches to design of courses for blended contexts. Participants in the teacher training project come from the Department of Law at Aarhus University......: • Optain locally-embedded knowledge about blended learning • Develop opportunities for law students to receive (more) feedback • Comply with strategic aims The results so far suggest that teachers provide a disciplinary perspective on the key dimensions of blended learning, which influences...

  4. Meeting the challenge of continuing education with eLearning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levesque, David R; Kelly, Gina

    2002-01-01

    For many of us, the concept of "e" anything invokes a sense of skepticism and even dread. However, the Web and all it has to offer is certainly an integral part of modern life and, once reconciled, offers great opportunities for commerce and knowledge building. One particular area of promise is that of online learning or "eLearning" as it is referred to in the literature. Particularly for sonographers and technologists, the ability to travel to seminars and conferences on hospital budgets and time is a distant memory. Conversely, the pressure to stay current with CE requirements is greater than ever. With the growing phenomena of accreditation and the use of that as standard for quality care, these staff members are under more pressure than ever to maintain their certification. There is also the issue of accountability. What is being done to track employee training and assist in on-going development? How do we know that the program was appropriate for that particular employee and that an adequate ROI was achieved from a learning perspective? With eLearning, the opportunity to track the employee's progress, scores and areas of interest are possible. This can assist the administrator in "managing" the learning within the group and taking an active role in the development of the staff. The ultimate eLearning experience provides the right content at the right time. It motivates people to learn and apply their knowledge and skills to improve their individual and organizational performance. This is achieved by providing learners with easy and immediate access to the content. The design elements of the site should include a friendly format that facilitates easy navigation through the content. Other helpful features are: book-marking that allows the student to return to the last page studied, interactivity, visualization technologies, and feedback throughout the learning experience. The opportunities for the utilization of eLearning in the global medical community are

  5. Frontal Neurons Modulate Memory Retrieval across Widely Varying Temporal Scales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wen-Hua; Williams, Ziv M.

    2015-01-01

    Once a memory has formed, it is thought to undergo a gradual transition within the brain from short- to long-term storage. This putative process, however, also poses a unique problem to the memory system in that the same learned items must also be retrieved across broadly varying time scales. Here, we find that neurons in the ventrolateral…

  6. Reflections from Graduate Adult Learners about Service Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alston, Geleana Drew; Clegg, T. E.; Clodfelter, Roy J., Jr.; Drye, Kimberly C.; Farrer, J. V.; Gould, Derek; Mohsin, Nidhal M.; Rankin, Tomiko N.; Ray, Sherri L.

    2016-01-01

    Adult education is grounded in responding to the needs of others, and the field places emphasis on adult learning theories such as transformative learning and experiential learning. Service learning is an educational approach that balances formal instruction and direction with the opportunity for adult learners to serve in the community as a…

  7. Hydrogen and fuel cells: threat or opportunity to power company core business?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grant, A.

    2004-01-01

    'Full text:' It is noted that many utilities at this conference will discuss the problems with fuel cells (and the hydrogen economy) that revolve around interconnection of fuel cells as distributed generation resources. Interconnection details, both commercial and technical, are a major market barrier and a key problem for electric utilities as these technologies come to market. However, I would like to offer an opportunity to examine a broader subject area. Specifically, I would submit that one key issue is the need to look at the hydrogen and fuel cell market as a new opportunity for electric utilities. At BC Hydro we see that both the hydrogen market and the fuel cells market are potential threats and potential opportunities for our core business. We therefore believe it is prudent to learn more about these markets and 'learn by doing' by participating in demonstration projects with other partners where we can leverage our investments and spread the risk. In my talk I would like to explore the various elements of the BC Hydro fuel cell activities within this context of an evolving business model for a power utility. (author)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shuang; Tang, Qi; Zhang, Yanxia

    2016-01-01

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

  9. The Opportunities Map at Cornell University: finding direction in dairy production medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Hilda M; Nydam, Daryl V; Reyher, Kristen; Gilbert, Robert O

    2004-01-01

    Discussion between faculty and interested students revealed the existence of a multitude of opportunities in dairy production medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Many of these were not well known to students, or even to some of the faculty, and the means of accessing specific learning experiences were sometimes obscure. Together, an informal group of faculty, students, and alumni set about cataloging available educational opportunities, resulting in a 31-page publication referred to as the "Opportunities Map." Essentially a student handbook for production medicine students, the Opportunities Map at Cornell helps guide the travel of food animal-interested students through the curriculum without missing the important highlights along the way. The map was originally developed to chronicle the opportunities and resources available to students, but it has also been used to foster face-to-face communications between students and faculty, to welcome incoming students with production animal interests, and to provide a baseline description for further discussion about the curriculum.

  10. Building a future full of opportunity for blind youths in science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck-Winchatz, B.; Riccobono, M. A.

    Like their sighted peers many blind students in elementary middle and high school are naturally interested in space This interest can motivate them to learn fundamental scientific quantitative and critical thinking skills and sometimes even lead to careers in SMET disciplines However these students are often at a disadvantage in science because of the ubiquity of important graphical information that is generally not available in accessible formats the unfamiliarity of teachers with non-visual teaching methods lack of access to blind role models and the low expectations of their teachers and parents In this presentation we will describe joint efforts by NASA and the National Federation of the Blind s NFB Center for Blind Youth in Science to develop and implement strategies to promote opportunities for blind youth in science These include the development of tactile space science books and curriculum materials science academies for blind middle school and high school students internship and mentoring programs as well as research on non-visual learning techniques This partnership with the NFB exemplifies the effectiveness of collaborations between NASA and consumer-directed organizations to improve opportunities for underserved and underrepresented individuals Session participants will also have the opportunity to examine some of the recently developed tactile space science education materials themselves

  11. The development of automaticity in short-term memory search: Item-response learning and category learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Rui; Nosofsky, Robert M; Shiffrin, Richard M

    2017-05-01

    In short-term-memory (STM)-search tasks, observers judge whether a test probe was present in a short list of study items. Here we investigated the long-term learning mechanisms that lead to the highly efficient STM-search performance observed under conditions of consistent-mapping (CM) training, in which targets and foils never switch roles across trials. In item-response learning, subjects learn long-term mappings between individual items and target versus foil responses. In category learning, subjects learn high-level codes corresponding to separate sets of items and learn to attach old versus new responses to these category codes. To distinguish between these 2 forms of learning, we tested subjects in categorized varied mapping (CV) conditions: There were 2 distinct categories of items, but the assignment of categories to target versus foil responses varied across trials. In cases involving arbitrary categories, CV performance closely resembled standard varied-mapping performance without categories and departed dramatically from CM performance, supporting the item-response-learning hypothesis. In cases involving prelearned categories, CV performance resembled CM performance, as long as there was sufficient practice or steps taken to reduce trial-to-trial category-switching costs. This pattern of results supports the category-coding hypothesis for sufficiently well-learned categories. Thus, item-response learning occurs rapidly and is used early in CM training; category learning is much slower but is eventually adopted and is used to increase the efficiency of search beyond that available from item-response learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. Positive Beliefs about Errors as an Important Element of Adaptive Individual Dealing with Errors during Academic Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulis, Maria; Steuer, Gabriele; Dresel, Markus

    2018-01-01

    Research on learning from errors gives reason to assume that errors provide a high potential to facilitate deep learning if students are willing and able to take these learning opportunities. The first aim of this study was to analyse whether beliefs about errors as learning opportunities can be theoretically and empirically distinguished from…

  13. Learning on the Fingertips: The Opportunities and Challenges of Educational Apps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jinlong; Liao, Boqin

    2015-01-01

    Today, using spare time to learn is the key demands of mobile education field. With the characteristics of portability, educational Apps highly fit for this kind of demands, and contribute to the learning style on the fingertip, it becoming the new growth direction and growing point of mobile education. The understanding of the present situation…

  14. Teaching Social Media Journalism: Challenges and Opportunities for Future Curriculum Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bor, Stephanie E.

    2014-01-01

    In response to the growing demand for digitally competent employees in the news media industry, journalism schools are cautiously integrating social media reporting into their curriculum. This study explores techniques for teaching news reporting on social media platforms focusing on challenges and opportunities for learning engagement that…

  15. Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Southernwood, Julie

    2008-10-01

    The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

  16. Learning through Teaching: A Microbiology Service-Learning Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ginny Webb

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Service learning is defined as a strategy in which students apply what they have learned in the classroom to a community service project. Many educators would agree that students often learn best through teaching others. This premise was the motivation for a new service-learning project in which undergraduate microbiology students developed and taught hands-on microbiology lessons to local elementary school children. The lessons included teaching basic information about microbes, disease transmission, antibiotics, vaccines, and methods of disease prevention. This service-learning project benefitted the college students by enforcing their knowledge of microbiology and provided them an opportunity to reach out to children within their community. This project also benefitted the local schools by teaching the younger students about microbes, infections, and handwashing. In this paper, I discuss the development and implementation of this new microbiology service-learning project, as well as the observed impact it had on everyone involved.

  17. Machine Learning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chikkagoudar, Satish; Chatterjee, Samrat; Thomas, Dennis G.; Carroll, Thomas E.; Muller, George

    2017-04-21

    The absence of a robust and unified theory of cyber dynamics presents challenges and opportunities for using machine learning based data-driven approaches to further the understanding of the behavior of such complex systems. Analysts can also use machine learning approaches to gain operational insights. In order to be operationally beneficial, cybersecurity machine learning based models need to have the ability to: (1) represent a real-world system, (2) infer system properties, and (3) learn and adapt based on expert knowledge and observations. Probabilistic models and Probabilistic graphical models provide these necessary properties and are further explored in this chapter. Bayesian Networks and Hidden Markov Models are introduced as an example of a widely used data driven classification/modeling strategy.

  18. Online Collaborative Learning in Health Care Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westbrook, Catherine

    2012-01-01

    At our University, the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education has delivered a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses via flexible distance learning for many years. Distance learning can be a lonely experience for students who may feel isolated and unsupported. However e-learning provides an opportunity to use technology to…

  19. Supporting Professional Learning in a Massive Open Online Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milligan, Colin; Littlejohn, Allison

    2014-01-01

    Professional learning, combining formal and on the job learning, is important for the development and maintenance of expertise in the modern workplace. To integrate formal and informal learning, professionals have to have good self-regulatory ability. Formal learning opportunities are opening up through massive open online courses (MOOCs),…

  20. A Blended Learning Approach to the Teaching of Professional Practice in Architecture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murray Lane

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on a number of blended learning activities conducted in two subjects of a Master of Architecture degree at a major Australian university. The subjects were related to “professional practice” and as such represent a little researched area of architectural curriculum. The research provides some insight into the student perceptions of learning opportunity and engagement associated with on-line delivery modes. Students from these two subjects were surveyed for their perceptions about the opportunity for learning afforded by the on-line components, and also for their perceived level of engagement. Responses to these perceptions of traditional and on-line modes of delivery are compared and analysed for significant differences. While students were generally positive in response to the learning experiences, analysis of the results shows that students found the traditional modes to assist in their learning significantly more than on-line modes. Students were neutral regarding the opportunity for engagement that on-line modes provided. Analysis of the students’ gender, age and hours of paid work was also conducted to ascertain any relationship with attitudes to the flexibility of on-line delivery; no significant relationship was detected. This study has shown that students were generally resistant to on-line engagement opportunities and their ability to support learning.

  1. An Invitation to Look at Enhancement in Technology-Enhanced Learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gauttier, Stéphanie Emilie Joëlle; Arnedillo-Sanchez, Inmaculada

    2016-01-01

    The Internet, e-learning and now mobile learning are seen as opportunities for individual to access information and engage in learning anytime, anywhere. However, digital devices and technologies are also perceived as detrimental for learning (Dror, 2007), memory and attention (The Telegraph, 2015).

  2. Customization of Education through Online Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rayburn, Kalim

    2011-01-01

    The educational opportunities provided through connectivity to the internet that did not previously exist make way for many opportunities to expand curricular options. Through the use of technology and the internet students are able to receive education through a tailored learning approach delivered via online resources. The purpose of this study…

  3. Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction: Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auerbach, A J; Higgins, M; Brickman, P; Andrews, T C

    2018-01-01

    Active-learning strategies can improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates' abilities to learn fundamental concepts and skills. However, the results instructors achieve vary substantially. One explanation for this is that instructors commonly implement active learning differently than intended. An important factor affecting how instructors implement active learning is knowledge of teaching and learning. We aimed to discover knowledge that is important to effective active learning in large undergraduate courses. We developed a lesson-analysis instrument to elicit teacher knowledge, drawing on the theoretical construct of teacher noticing. We compared the knowledge used by expert ( n = 14) and novice ( n = 29) active-learning instructors as they analyzed lessons. Experts and novices differed in what they noticed, with experts more commonly considering how instructors hold students accountable, topic-specific student difficulties, whether the instructor elicited and responded to student thinking, and opportunities students had to generate their own ideas and work. Experts were also better able to support their lesson analyses with reasoning. This work provides foundational knowledge for the future design of preparation and support for instructors adopting active learning. Improving teacher knowledge will improve the implementation of active learning, which will be necessary to widely realize the potential benefits of active learning in undergraduate STEM. © 2018 A. J. Auerbach et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  4. Clinical Learning Environment at Shiraz Medical School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sedigheh Ebrahimi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Clinical learning occurs in the context of a dynamic environment. Learning environment found to be one of the most important factors in determining the success of an effective teaching program. To investigate, from the attending and resident's perspective, factors that may affect student leaning in the educational hospital setting at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS. This study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to determine factors affecting effective learning in clinical setting. Residents evaluated the perceived effectiveness of the university hospital learning environment. Fifty two faculty members and 132 residents participated in this study. Key determinants that contribute to an effective clinical teaching were autonomy, supervision, social support, workload, role clarity, learning opportunity, work diversity and physical facilities. In a good clinical setting, residents should be appreciated and given appropriate opportunities to study in order to meet their objectives. They require a supportive environment to consolidate their knowledge, skills and judgment.

  5. Clinical learning environment at Shiraz Medical School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezaee, Rita; Ebrahimi, Sedigheh

    2013-01-01

    Clinical learning occurs in the context of a dynamic environment. Learning environment found to be one of the most important factors in determining the success of an effective teaching program. To investigate, from the attending and resident's perspective, factors that may affect student leaning in the educational hospital setting at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). This study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to determine factors affecting effective learning in clinical setting. Residents evaluated the perceived effectiveness of the university hospital learning environment. Fifty two faculty members and 132 residents participated in this study. Key determinants that contribute to an effective clinical teaching were autonomy, supervision, social support, workload, role clarity, learning opportunity, work diversity and physical facilities. In a good clinical setting, residents should be appreciated and given appropriate opportunities to study in order to meet their objectives. They require a supportive environment to consolidate their knowledge, skills and judgment. © 2013 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

  6. A reflexive evaluation of technology-enhanced learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzanne Young

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution who have embedded digital learning approaches within their curriculum delivery. Achieving student excellence can be impeded by a lack of engagement and sense of identity on large courses. Digital learning strategies can offer opportunities to overcome these challenges by empowering students to engage self-confidently. Through an evaluation of the authors’ own experiences of using social media, polling and web-conferencing software, the article shows how interacting with students via a range of learning technologies can create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Including feedback from students within this article provides evidence that diversification of communication within teaching and learning practice gives students more choice and opportunity to interact with both their peers and teaching staff. The article concludes with recommendations for embedding technology, whilst acknowledging the well-established value of face-to-face interaction.

  7. Personal Competencies/Personalized Learning: Reflection on Instruction. A Peer-to-Peer Learning and Observation Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twyman, Janet; Redding, Sam

    2015-01-01

    This publication and its companion, "Personal Competencies/Personalized Learning: Lesson Plan Reflection Guide," were created in response to a request for further development of the practical application of personalized learning concepts by teachers. Personalized learning varies the time, place, and pace of learning for each student, and…

  8. Learning experiences of physiotherapy students during primary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Primary healthcare (PHC) is necessary to address the health needs of communities. It creates the opportunity for the attainment of curricular outcomes through community-based education. Appropriate learning opportunities are needed to enable students to develop the necessary skills to attain these outcomes ...

  9. Promoting a Culture of Scholarship among Educational Developers: Exploring Institutional Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Fay

    2014-01-01

    Educational developers tend to be located in centres and units of teaching and learning outside the academic mainstream. They have little opportunity to engage in scholarship. Through an overview of the literature on educational development and educational professional roles and responsibilities, the author suggests that promoting a culture of…

  10. Uniting Community and University through Service Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arney, Janna B.; Jones, Irma

    2006-01-01

    At its core, service-learning is about creating opportunities for students to apply theory they learn in the classroom to real-world problems and real-world needs. A service-learning project was initiated with the CEO of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. The project required 2nd-year business communication students to interview community…

  11. THE USE OF BLENDED LEARNING MODELS IN THE PROCESS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oleksandra Bezverkha

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In the article, the acute problem of implementation of pedagogical innovations and online technologies into the educational process is analyzed. The article explores the advantages of blended learning as a latter-day educational program in comparison with traditional campus learning. Blended learning is regarded worldwide as the combination of classroom face-to-face sessions with interactive learning opportunities created online. The purpose of the article is to identify blended learning transformational potential impacting students and teachers by ensuring a more personalized learning experience. The concept of blended learning, as a means to enhance foreign language teaching and learning in the classroom during the traditional face-to-face interaction between a teacher and a student, combined with computer-mediated activities, is examined. In the article, the main classification of blended learning models is established. There are four main blended learning models which include both face-to-face instruction time and online learning: Rotation Model, Flex Model, A La Carte Model, and Enriched Virtual Model. Once implemented successfully, a blended model can take advantage of both brick-and-mortar and digital worlds, providing significant benefits for the educational establishments and learners. To integrate any of the blended learning models, a teacher can create online activities that enable learners to explore the topic online at home, and then develop face-to-face interactions to dig deeper into the subject matter at the lesson. The use of blended learning models in order to expand educational opportunities for students while the foreign language acquisition, by increasing the availability and flexibility of education, taking into account student individual learning needs, with some element of student control over time, place and pace, is explored. The realization of blended learning models in regards to age and physiological peculiarities of

  12. Nigerian Dental Students' Assessment of their Clinical Learning ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Clinical learning in medical and dental education provides students with ... clinical learning opportunities and environment, level of patient care experience and ... the stress of fulfilling procedural requirements were identified as weaknesses of ...

  13. Blended Learning at the Boundary: Designing a New Internship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heckman, Robert; Østerlund, Carsten S.; Saltz, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    This paper explores how blended learning can enhance learning at the boundary between academia and industry, and make possible the design of a new kind of internship. Boundary theory proposes that socio-cultural discontinuities between different environments create opportunities for learning. Blended learning pedagogy makes it possible to make the…

  14. Motivation, students' needs and learning outcomes: a hybrid game-based app for enhanced language learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berns, Anke; Isla-Montes, José-Luis; Palomo-Duarte, Manuel; Dodero, Juan-Manuel

    2016-01-01

    In the context of European Higher Education students face an increasing focus on independent, individual learning-at the expense of face-to-face interaction. Hence learners are, all too often, not provided with enough opportunities to negotiate in the target language. The current case study aims to address this reality by going beyond conventional approaches to provide students with a hybrid game-based app, combining individual and collaborative learning opportunities. The 4-week study was carried out with 104 German language students (A1.2 CEFR) who had previously been enrolled in a first-semester A1.1 level course at a Spanish university. The VocabTrainerA1 app-designed specifically for this study-harnesses the synergy of combining individual learning tasks and a collaborative murder mystery game in a hybrid level-based architecture. By doing so, the app provides learners with opportunities to apply their language skills to real-life-like communication. The purpose of the study was twofold: on one hand we aimed to measure learner motivation, perceived usefulness and added value of hybrid game-based apps; on the other, we sought to determine their impact on language learning. To this end, we conducted focus group interviews and an anonymous Technology Acceptance Model survey (TAM). In addition, students took a pre-test and a post-test. Scores from both tests were compared with the results obtained in first-semester conventional writing tasks, with a view to measure learning outcomes. The study provides qualitative and quantitative data supporting our initial hypotheses. Our findings suggest that hybrid game-based apps like VocabTrainerA1-which seamlessly combine individual and collaborative learning tasks-motivate learners, stimulate perceived usefulness and added value, and better meet the language learning needs of today's digital natives. In terms of acceptance, outcomes and sustainability, the data indicate that hybrid game-based apps significantly improve

  15. Using Online Learning for At-Risk Students and Credit Recovery. Promising Practices in Online Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, John; Gemin, Butch

    2008-01-01

    Online learning programs are designed to expand high-quality educational opportunities and to meet the needs of diverse students. While the primary reason online courses are offered in school districts is to expand offerings to courses that would otherwise be unavailable, the second most commonly cited reason for offering online learning is to…

  16. Business and Industry for Continuous Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiswell, Albert K.

    1990-01-01

    Witting and unwitting contributions to the learning community by business and industry include learning opportunities for employees and nonemployees, involvement in educational partnerships, corporate museums, trade shows and exhibitions, and support for the arts. Although the company intent may be public relations or marketing, making use of…

  17. Homework through a network: designing technologies to support learning activities within the home and between home and school

    OpenAIRE

    Fraser, Katie C.

    2009-01-01

    Government policy and academic research both talk about transforming learning through networked technologies – sharing newly available information about the learning context with new partners to support lifelong learning activities, and giving learners increased power and autonomy. This thesis examines how such learning opportunities might be supported. In order to ground these learning opportunities in current educational activity it studies homework, which is an example of a learning activi...

  18. Strategic value assessment and explorative learning opportunities with customers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijssen, E.J.; Hillebrand, B.; Jong, de J.P.J.; Kemp, R.G.M.

    2012-01-01

    This study recognizes that collaboration with customers for new product development may bring important financial benefits to firms, but at the same time may seriously hamper explorative learning. Many firms are approached by customers with requests to develop new products for them. While such

  19. Strategic Value Assessment and Explorative Learning Opportunities with Customers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijssen, E.J.; Hillebrand, B.; Jong, de J.P.J.; Kemp, R.G.M.

    2012-01-01

    This study recognizes that collaboration with customers for new product development may bring important financial benefits to firms, but at the same time may seriously hamper explorative learning. Many firms are approached by customers with requests to develop new products for them. While such

  20. Working Together: Librarian and Student Collaboration for Active Learning in a Library Eclassroom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcie Lynne Jacklin

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Active learning strategies based on several learning theories were incorporated during instruction sessions for second year Biological Sciences students. The instructional strategies described in this paper are based primarily on sociocultural and collaborative learning theory, with the goal being to expand the relatively small body of literature currently available that discusses the application of these learning theories to library instruction. The learning strategies employed successfully involved students in the learning process ensuring that the experiences were appropriate and effective. The researchers found that, as a result of these strategies (e.g. teaching moments based on the emerging needs of students students’ interest in learning information literacy was increased and students interacted with information given to them as well as with their peers. Collaboration between the Librarians, Co-op Student and Senior Lab Instructor helped to enhance the learning experience for students and also revealed new aspects of the active learning experiences. The primary learning objective, which was to increase the students’ information skills in the Biological Sciences, was realized. The advantages of active learning were realized by both instructors and students. Advantages for students attained during these sessions include having their diverse learning styles addressed; increased interaction with and retention of information; increased responsibility for their own learning; the opportunity to value not only the instructors, but also themselves and their peers as sources of authority and knowledge; improved problem solving abilities; increased interest and opportunities for critical thinking, as a result of the actively exchanging information in a group. The primary advantage enjoyed by the instructors was the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to reduce the preparation required to create effective library instruction sessions

  1. Digital Production and Students as Learning Designers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Birgitte Holm; Levinsen, Karin

    2014-01-01

    Today’s digitalization allows users to interact, collaborate, communicate and create user-generated content. The technology is intuitive and easy to use even for young children, and new learning opportunities emerge. Particularly, students’ production as a learning form benefits from digitalization...

  2. High-Quality Learning Environments for Engineering Design: Using Tablet PCs and Guidelines from Research on How People Learn

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Palou

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available A team of several faculty members and graduate students at Universidad de las Amricas Puebla is improving engineering design teaching and learning by creating richer learning environments that promote an interactive classroom while integrating formative assessment into classroom practices by means of Tablet PCs and associated technologies. Learning environments that are knowledge-, learner-, community-, and assessment-centered as highlighted by the How People Learn framework, have been developed. To date, the redesign of the undergraduate course entitled Introduction to Engineering Design has signicantly (p<0.05 increased student participation; formative assessment and feedback are more common and rapid; and instructors are utilizing the information gained through real-time formative assessments to tailor instruction to meet student needs. Particularly important have been opportunities to make student thinking visible and to give them chances to revise, as well as opportunities for "what if" thinking.

  3. Concurrent schedules of wheel-running reinforcement: choice between different durations of opportunity to run in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belke, Terry W

    2006-02-01

    How do animals choose between opportunities to run of different durations? Are longer durations preferred over shorter durations because they permit a greater number of revolutions? Are shorter durations preferred because they engender higher rates of running? Will longer durations be chosen because running is less constrained? The present study reports on three experiments that attempted to address these questions. In the first experiment, five male Wistar rats chose between 10-sec and 50-sec opportunities to run on modified concurrent variable-interval (VI) schedules. Across conditions, the durations associated with the alternatives were reversed. Response, time, and reinforcer proportions did not vary from indifference. In a second experiment, eight female Long-Evans rats chose between opportunities to run of equal (30 sec) and unequal durations (10 sec and 50 sec) on concurrent variable-ratio (VR) schedules. As in Experiment 1, between presentations of equal duration conditions, 10-sec and 50-sec durations were reversed. Results showed that response, time, and reinforcer proportions on an alternative did not vary with reinforcer duration. In a third experiment, using concurrent VR schedules, durations were systematically varied to decrease the shorter duration toward 0 sec. As the shorter duration decreased, response, time, and reinforcer proportions shifted toward the longer duration. In summary, differences in durations of opportunities to run did not affect choice behavior in a manner consistent with the assumption that a longer reinforcer is a larger reinforcer.

  4. Flexible Demand Management under Time-Varying Prices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yong

    optimization problem when the objective is to minimize the expected total cost and discomfort, then since the decision maker is likely to be risk-averse, and she wants to protect herself from price spikes, we study the robust optimization problem to address the risk-aversion of the decision maker. We conduct numerical studies to evaluate the price of robustness. Next, we present a detailed model that manages multiple types of flexible demand in the absence of knowledge regarding the distributions of related stochastic processes. Specifically, we consider the case in which time-varying prices with general structures are offered to users, and an energy management system for each household makes optimal energy usage, storage, and trading decisions according to the preferences of users. Because of the uncertainties associated with electricity prices, local generation, and the arrival processes of demand, we formulate a stochastic dynamic programming model, and outline a novel and tractable ADP approach to overcome the curses of dimensionality. Then, we perform numerical studies, whose results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ADP approach. At last, we propose another approximation approach based on Q-learning. In addition, we also develop another decentralization-based heuristic. Both the Q-learning approach and the heuristic make necessary assumptions on the knowledge of information, and each of them has unique advantages. We conduct numerical studies on a testing problem. The simulation results show that both the Q-learning and the decentralization based heuristic approaches work well. Lastly, we conclude the paper with some discussions on future extension directions.

  5. E-Learning, State and Educational System in Middle East Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashidi, Hamid; Arani, Abbas Madandar; Kakia, Lida

    2012-01-01

    E-learning has provided men with new opportunities in teaching-learning procedures. A historical review of educational systems literature reveals that e-learning has spread out among people much faster than any other learning methods. E-learning as a state-of-the-art technology, has caused great innovations in materials development in those…

  6. Behavioral tactics of male sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) under varying operating sex ratios

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Thomas P.; Adkison, Milo D.; Ward, Michael B.

    1996-01-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated several reproductive-behavior patterns in male salmon, including competitive and sneaking tactics, the formation of hierarchies, and non-hierarchical aggregations around ripe females. Through behavioral observations at varying spatial and temporal scales, we examined the hypothesis that operational sex ratio (OSR) determines male sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) distribution and breeding tactics. Patterns of male distribution and behavior varied over both coarse and fine scales, associated with apparent shifts in reproductive opportunities, the physical characteristics of the breeding sites, and the deterioration of the fish as they approached death. Females spawned completely within a few days of arriving on the spawning grounds, whereas males courted the available ripe females from the date of their arrival on the spawning ground until their death. This difference in reproductive lifespans tended to elevate late-season OSRs but was partially counterbalanced by male departures and the arrival of other ripe females. The proportion of males able to dominate access to ripe females decreased and the number of large courting groups increased over the course of the season, apparently related to both increasing OSR and the deteriorating physical condition of males. However, great variation in OSR was observed within the spawning sites on a given day. OSRs were generally higher in shallow than in deep water, perhaps because larger females or more desirable breeding sites were concentrated in shallow water. The aggregations of males courting females were not stable (i.e. many arrivals and departures took place) and male aggression varied with group size. Aggression was most frequent at low OSRs and in groups of intermediate size (2–4 males per female), and much less frequent in larger groups, consistent with the needs of maximizing reproductive opportunities while minimizing unproductive energy expenditure. These results indicate

  7. Nursing Students' Clinical Learning Environment in Norwegian Nursing Homes: Lack of Innovative Teaching and Learning Strategies

    OpenAIRE

    Berntsen, Karin; Bjørk, Ida Torunn; Brynildsen, Grethe

    2017-01-01

    Background: Nursing students hesitate to choose aged care as a career, and the aged care sectors are on an edge regarding nursing positions. Clinical learning environments may influence nursing students’ career choices. Few studies have explored learning environments in nursing homes, although students increasingly have placements there. Objectives: The aim was to produce information for developing nursing students’ learning opportunities in nursing homes. Design: A cross-sectional survey des...

  8. The Management of eLearning at University of KKU, Abha

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatimah Al-Saif

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available e-Learning, of late, has been witnessing an unprecedented expansion as an opportunity for higher education. This expanding alternative mode calls for ensuring and imparting a sound and qualitative education. So the present case study made an attempt to discuss key aspects of a quality management model for eLearning currently operating at the University of KKU and illustrates the issues related to the quality dimensions of e-learning. Some of these dimensions are: learning process, administrative processes, teaching materials, resources and SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats analysis etc. This study reiterates the relevance of imparting qualitative education through e-learning for quality improvement in ways that facilitate how staff are empowered and supported to develop meaningful eLearning resources for students, how quality improvement is managed, and how organizational learning takes place. The findings of the study further demonstrate that if the concept of e-learning is imparted with a better approach and perspective, the reach will be phenomenal.

  9. Learning in the real place: medical students' learning and socialization in clerkships at one medical school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Heeyoung; Roberts, Nicole K; Korte, Russell

    2015-02-01

    To understand medical students' learning experiences in clerkships: learning expectations (what they expect to learn), learning process (how they learn), and learning outcomes (what they learn). Using a longitudinal qualitative research design, the authors followed the experiences of 12 participants across their clerkship year (2011-2012) at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Interview data from each participant were collected at three points (preclerkship, midclerkship, and postclerkship) and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Additionally, the authors observed participants through a full clerkship day to augment the interviews. Before clerkships, students expected to have more hands-on experiences and become more knowledgeable by translating textbook knowledge to real patients and practicing diagnostic thinking. During clerkships, students experienced ambiguity and subjectivity of attending physicians' expectations and evaluation criteria. They perceived that impression management was important to ensure that they received learning opportunities and good evaluations. After clerkships, students perceived that their confidence increased in navigating the health care environments and interacting with patients, attendings, and residents. However, they felt that there were limited opportunities to practice diagnostic thinking. Students could not clearly discern the decision-making processes used by attending physicians. Although they saw many patients, they perceived that their learning was at the surface level. Students' experiential learning in clerkships occurred through impression management as a function of dynamic social and reciprocal relationships between students and attendings or residents. Students reported that they did not learn comprehensive clinical reasoning skills to the degree they expected in clerkships.

  10. Service-Learning from the Perspective of Community Organizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petri, Alexis

    2015-01-01

    As a central construct in the theory of service-learning, reciprocity for community partners is not often the subject of scholarship, especially scholarship that seeks to understand the benefits and opportunity costs of service-learning. This article explores how reciprocity works in higher education service-learning from the perspective of…

  11. How do general practice registrars learn from their clinical experience? A critical incident study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmwood, C

    1997-01-01

    This preliminary study of RACGP registrars in the period of subsequent general practice experience examines the types of clinical experiences from which registrars learn, what they learn from the experiences and the process of learning from such experiences. A critical incident method was used on a semi structured interview process. Registrars were asked to recall clinical incidents where they had learnt something of importance. Data were sorted and categorised manually. Nine registrars were interviewed before new categories of data ceased to develop. Registrars learnt from the opportunity to follow up patients. An emotional response to the interaction was an important part of the learning process. Learning from such experiences is haphazard and unstructured. Registrars accessed human resources in response to their clinical difficulties rather than text or electronic based information sources. Registrars should be aware of their emotional responses to interactions with patients; these emotional responses often indicate important learning opportunities. Clinical interactions and resultant learning could be made less haphazard by structuring consultations with patients with specific problems. These learning opportunities should be augmented by the promotion of follow up of patients.

  12. Student Learning Opportunities in Traditional and Computer-Mediated Internships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayerlein, Leopold; Jeske, Debora

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a student learning outcome focussed assessment of the benefits and limitations of traditional internships, e-internships, and simulated internships to evaluate the potential of computer-mediated internships (CMIs) (e-internships and simulated internships) within higher education from a student…

  13. Fostering Learning Opportunities through Employee Participation amid Organizational Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valleala, Ulla Maija; Herranen, Sanna; Collin, Kaija; Paloniemi, Susanna

    2015-01-01

    Health care organizations are facing rapid changes, frequently involving modification of existing procedures. The case study reported here examined change processes and learning in a health care organization. The organizational change in question occurred in the emergency clinic of a Finnish central hospital where a new action model for…

  14. Sequencing learning experiences to engage different level learners in the workplace: An interview study with excellent clinical teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, H Carrie; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Teherani, Arianne; Fogh, Shannon; Kobashi, Brent; ten Cate, Olle

    2015-01-01

    Learning in the clinical workplace can appear to rely on opportunistic teaching. The cognitive apprenticeship model describes assigning tasks based on learner rather than just workplace needs. This study aimed to determine how excellent clinical teachers select clinical learning experiences to support the workplace participation and development of different level learners. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with medical school faculty identified as excellent clinical teachers teaching multiple levels of learners. We explored their approach to teach different level learners and their perceived role in promoting learner development. We performed thematic analysis of the interview transcripts using open and axial coding. We interviewed 19 clinical teachers and identified three themes related to their teaching approach: sequencing of learning experiences, selection of learning activities and teacher responsibilities. All teachers used sequencing as a teaching strategy by varying content, complexity and expectations by learner level. The teachers initially selected learning activities based on learner level and adjusted for individual competencies over time. They identified teacher responsibilities for learner education and patient safety, and used sequencing to promote both. Excellent clinical teachers described strategies for matching available learning opportunities to learners' developmental levels to safely engage learners and improve learning in the clinical workplace.

  15. Informal learning in SME majors for African American female undergraduates

    OpenAIRE

    Ezella McPherson

    2014-01-01

    This research investigates how eight undergraduate African American women in science, math, and engineering (SME) majors accessed cultural capital and informal science learning opportunities from preschool to college. It uses the multiple case study methodological approach and cultural capital as the framework to better understand their opportunities to engage in free-choice science learning. The article demonstrates that African American women have access to cultural capital and informal sci...

  16. Bringing authentic service learning to the classroom: benefits and lessons learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamberlain, Leslie C.

    2016-06-01

    Project-based learning, which has gained significant attention within K-12 education, provides rich hands-on experiences for students. Bringing an element of service to the projects allow students to engage in a local or global community, providing an abundance of benefits to the students’ learning. For example, service projects build confidence, increase motivation, and exercise problem-solving and communication skills in addition to developing a deep understanding of content. I will present lessons I have learned through four years of providing service learning opportunities in my classroom. I share ideas for astronomy projects, tips for connecting and listening to a community, and helpful guidelines to hold students accountable in order to ensure a productive and educational project.

  17. Developing leadership as a trainee- opportunities, barriers and potential improvements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doherty, Rachel; Lawson, Sara; Mc Laughlin, Laura; Donaghy, Grainne; Courtney, Julia; Gardiner, Keith

    2018-05-01

    The General Medical Council explicitly state that doctors completing training should demonstrate capabilities in leadership and teamwork. 1 However, most trainees receive little formal training in leadership. In March 2017, at the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM) Northern Ireland Regional Conference, a workshop on developing leadership skills as a trainee was hosted and the views of doctors in training regarding current opportunities, potential barriers and improvements were sought. In Northern Ireland presently there are a number of opportunities available for trainees to gain experience in leadership - both by learning through observation and learning through experience. These range from informal activities which do not require significant time commitment to focused, immersive leadership experiences such as ADEPT (Achieve Develop Explore Programme for Trainees) 2 , and the Royal College of Physicians' Chief Registrar scheme. 3 Several barriers to developing leadership have been identified, including limited understanding of what constitutes leadership, a lack of senior support and little formal recognition for trainees leading teams. Time pressures, frequently rotating jobs, limited resources and difficulty upscaling can also undermine the sustainability of improvement and other leadership projects. Incorporating awareness of and training in leadership skills, as well as greater engagement with senior leaders and managers, at an early stage in training could promote understanding and encourage trainees. Formalising leadership roles within training posts may improve experience. Deaneries and Trusts can also enable leadership opportunities by facilitating study leave, raising awareness amongst supervisors, and providing career enhancing incentives for interested trainees.

  18. Academic and professional excellence: enhancing internship opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A. Perez

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In building upon the World Health Organization’s definition of public health for entire populations, opportunities for public health internships have emerged as one of the ten essential public health services in developing a collaborative and competent workforce.  Academic institutions of higher learning play an important role in preparing and maintaining structures for student success, allowing capacity building through public health internships.  The Directors of Public Health Education (DPHE document that nearly all (95% of internship respondents reported that participation in internship programs provided the necessary skills to be effective on the job.  Through the development of strong internship programs, academic institutions of higher learning and public health programs are fulfilling their mission to educate and train a competent workforce. Descriptors:Public health internships;Academic institutions; Public health programs. 

  19. Opportunities to Learn Scientific Thinking in Joint Doctoral Supervision

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Sofie; Grout, Brian W.; Rump, Camilla Østerberg

    2015-01-01

    Research into doctoral supervision has increased rapidly over the last decades, yet our understanding of how doctoral students learn scientific thinking from supervision is limited. Most studies are based on interviews with little work being reported that is based on observation of actual supervision. While joint supervision has become widely…

  20. Increasing Student Engagement Using Asynchronous Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Northey, Gavin; Bucic, Tania; Chylinski, Mathew; Govind, Rahul

    2015-01-01

    Student engagement is an ongoing concern for educators because of its positive association with deep learning and educational outcomes. This article tests the use of a social networking site (Facebook) as a tool to facilitate asynchronous learning opportunities that complement face-to-face interactions and thereby enable a stronger learning…

  1. Book Review ~ Advancing Online Learning in Asia. Editors: David Murphy, Namin Shin, and Weiyuan Zhang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Insung Jung

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available The Internet, high-speed electronic communications, and computers have transformed the way we teach and learn. With the development of these new information and communication technologies, the idea of online education has been adopted in many developed, and more recently in developing countries, to bring wider opportunities to people in the form of increased access to flexible and interactive, open and distance learning systems. As stated in the Introduction of “Advancing Online Learning in Asia” edited by Murphy, Shin, and Zhang, online education is now everywhere and it “is changing the ways in which educational institutions interact with their students, for both traditional and distance education universities.” By examining recent developments of online education in Asia from multiple perspectives, this book has a potential to be an invaluable resource to educators. Taking cases from the Asian region in which online learning was introduced, implemented, and experienced, this book presents the cases from a number of perspectives, especially from student perspectives, and addresses pedagogical and technical issues faced by online educators. The breadth of the articles in this book provides a wide range of online learning cases and varied perspectives, which should clearly appeal to educators, researchers, administrators, and policy makers in online education.

  2. Educating All Learners for the New Economy: Region Needs More Varied Range of Learning Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Cecilia; Kazis, Richard

    2009-01-01

    New England's population and labor force growth have slowed considerably in recent years. What relatively little growth that has occurred has been concentrated in immigrant and other populations that have not been well-served historically by its educational and economic institutions. In an economy that is demanding ever more advanced skills from…

  3. Lifelong Learning in Architectural Design Studio: The Learning Contract Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  4. The performance of the backpropagation algorithm with varying slope of the activation function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai Yanping; Zhang Haixia; Hao Yilong

    2009-01-01

    Some adaptations are proposed to the basic BP algorithm in order to provide an efficient method to non-linear data learning and prediction. In this paper, an adopted BP algorithm with varying slope of activation function and different learning rates is put forward. The results of experiment indicated that this algorithm can get very good performance of training. We also test the prediction performance of our adopted BP algorithm on 16 instances. We compared the test results to the ones of the BP algorithm with gradient descent momentum and an adaptive learning rate. The results indicate this adopted BP algorithm gives best performance (100%) for test example, which conclude this adopted BP algorithm produces a smoothed reconstruction that learns better to new prediction function values than the BP algorithm improved with momentum.

  5. The Role of Peripherality in Students' Entrepreneurial Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubberød, Elin; Pettersen, Inger Beate

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to expand on the entrepreneurial learning literature and situated learning theory to explore how students with different educational backgrounds learn to recognise opportunities at the periphery of an entrepreneurial practice. The authors theoretically outline factors that may influence students'…

  6. The ICCE Framework: Framing Learning Experiences Afforded by Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Aroutis; Shah, Mamta

    2015-01-01

    There is a need for game-based learning frameworks that provide a lens for understanding learning experiences afforded in digital games. These frameworks should aim to facilitate game analyses, identification of learning opportunities, and support for learner experiences. This article uses the inquiry, communication, construction, and expression…

  7. Collective Learning from Success as Perceived by School Superintendents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schechter, Chen

    2011-01-01

    School superintendents' role has shifted from the traditional emphasis on managerial aspects to one on instructional leadership (on teaching and learning issues) achieved by generating collaborative learning opportunities at the both school and district levels. Whereas collaborative learning processes in schools have generally been associated with…

  8. How School Districts Can Support Deeper Learning: The Need for Performance Alignment. Executive Summary. Deeper Learning Research Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honig, Meredith I.; Rainey, Lydia R.

    2015-01-01

    School district leaders nationwide aspire to help their schools become vibrant places for learning--where students have meaningful academic opportunities "and" develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the ability to communicate effectively, and other deeper learning capacities that are essential to success in later life.…

  9. Science Learning for ALL Young Scientists: Exploring, Investigating, Learning, and Growing Together with Ramps and Pathways in Diverse Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Counsell, Shelly L.; Wright, Brian L.

    2016-01-01

    Physical science activities provide multiple and varied opportunities for young children to actively observe, engage in, interact with, and interpret experiences in the physical world within diverse, inclusive settings. If all learners are to gain access to, fully participate in, and achieve maximum profit from early science opportunities,…

  10. Extending the experiences of learning games

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Thomas Duus

    2008-01-01

    The article addresses the question on whether learning games should be thought as realistic, content-rich and fun, based on the disadvantages that these follows these understandings, as well as addressing the advantages of their alternatives. From a discourse analytical perspective......, the opportunities held by other appraoches to 'participatory incentives, understanding of the learning process, and finally the quality of the experience offered by the game-based learning setting....

  11. Personal Learning Environments for Language Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panagiotis Panagiotidis

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The advent of web 2.0 and the developments it has introduced both in everyday practice and in education have generated discussion and reflection concerning the technologies which higher education should rely on in order to provide the appropriate e-learning services to future students. In this context, the Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs, which are widely used in universities around the world to provide online courses to every specific knowledge area and of course in foreign languages, have started to appear rather outdated. Extensive research is under progress, concerning the ways in which educational practice will follow the philosophy of web 2.0 by adopting the more learner-centred and collaborative approach of e-learning 2.0 applications, without abandoning the existing investment of the academic institutions in VLEs, which belong to the e-learning 1.0 generation, and, thus, serve a teacher- or coursecentred approach. Towards this direction, a notably promising solution seems to be the exploitation of web 2.0 tools in order to form Personal Learning Environments (PLEs. These are systems specifically designed or created by the combined use of various external applications or tools that can be used independently or act as a supplement to existing VLE platforms, creating a personalized learning environment. In a PLE, students have the opportunity to form their own personal way of working, using the tools they feel are most appropriate to achieve their purpose. Regarding the subject of foreign language, in particular, the creation of such personalized and adaptable learning environments that extend the traditional approach of a course seems to promise a more holistic response to students’ needs, who, functioning in the PLE, could combine learning with their daily practice, communicating and collaborating with others, thus increasing the possibilities of access to multiple sources, informal communication and practice and eventually

  12. Personal Learning Environments for Language Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panagiotis Panagiotidis

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The advent of web 2.0 and the developments it has introduced both in everyday practice and in education have generated discussion and reflection concerning the technologies which higher education should rely on in order to provide the appropriate e-learning services to future students.In this context, the Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs, which are widely used in universities around the world to provide online courses to every specific knowledge area and of course in foreign languages, have started to appear rather outdated. Extensive research is under progress, concerning the ways in which educational practice will follow the philosophy of web 2.0 by adopting the more learner-centred and collaborative approach of e-learning 2.0 applications, without abandoning the existing investment of the academic institutions in VLEs, which belong to the e-learning 1.0 generation, and, thus, serve a teacher- or coursecentred approach.Towards this direction, a notably promising solution seems to be the exploitation of web 2.0 tools in order to form Personal Learning Environments (PLEs. These are systems specifically designed or created by the combined use of various external applications or tools that can be used independently or act as a supplement to existing VLE platforms, creating a personalized learning environment. In a PLE, students have the opportunity to form their own personal way of working, using the tools they feel are most appropriate to achieve their purpose.Regarding the subject of foreign language, in particular, the creation of such personalized and adaptable learning environments that extend the traditional approach of a course seems to promise a more holistic response to students’ needs, who, functioning in the PLE, could combine learning with their daily practice, communicating and collaborating with others, thus increasing the possibilities of access to multiple sources, informal communication and practice and eventually acquiring

  13. Older Adults, in Lebanon, Committed to Learning: Contextualizing the Challenges and the Benefits of Their Learning Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hachem, Hany; Vuopala, Essi

    2016-01-01

    The University for the Third Age, a relatively new concept in Lebanon, provides educational and social opportunities for older adults. The goal of later-life educational institutions supposedly covers more than a mere provision of learning. This being said, highlighting the significance of rewards associated with older adult learning--and the…

  14. Horses fail to use social learning when solving spatial detour tasks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rørvang, Maria Vilain; Peerstrup Ahrendt, Line; Christensen, Janne Winther

    2015-01-01

    Social animals should have plenty of opportunities to learn from conspecifics, but most studies have failed to document social learning in horses. This study investigates whether young Icelandic horses can learn a spatial detour task through observation of a trained demonstrator horse of either...... the same age (Experiments 1 and 2, n = 22) or older (Experiment 3, n = 24). Observer horses were allowed to observe the demonstrator being led three times through the detour route immediately before being given the opportunity to solve the task themselves. Controls were allowed only to observe...

  15. Older People with Learning Disabilities:Workforce issues

    OpenAIRE

    Hussein, S; Manthorpe, J

    2005-01-01

    The life expectancy of people with learning disabilities has increased substantially. Services for older people with learning disabilities are provided by various sectors and practitioners (generic health and social care, or specialist learning disability or old age). The literature suggests that practitioners do not feel well-equipped to support people with learning disabilities as they grow older, and older people's services do not always have the opportunity to share experiences and skills...

  16. Blended Learning as an Effective Pedagogical Paradigm for Biomedical Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartfield, Perry

    2013-01-01

    Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication…

  17. Individual Differences and Learning Performance in Computer-based Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-02-01

    learning style theories (e.g., Kolb , 1984) are often enthusiastic devotees. There is a thriving industry publishing learning -styles instruments and...and understanding (pp. 31–64). Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum. Kolb , D. A. (1984). Experiential learning : experience as the source of learning and...opportunities to have control over their learning experience than traditional classroom instruction (Sitzmann et al., 2006), using self-regulation theories

  18. The opportunities and rewards of distance learning programs offered by the university of Newcastle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyall, D.

    2002-01-01

    Full text: The University of Newcastle offers, via the distance learning mode of study, three innovative postgraduate programs designed for Nuclear Medicine Scientists and Practitioners. The Graduate Diploma in Nuclear Medicine is designed for Nuclear Medicine Scientists who have been absent from the work force for an extended period of time or have completed a qualification in medical imaging, who are currently working as a Nuclear Medicine Scientist. The Graduate Diploma fosters and encourages a greater depth of knowledge of Nuclear Medicine through the understanding and application of clinical skills. The Master of Nuclear Medicine is designed to develop within Nuclear Medicine Scientists and Practitioners a greater depth of knowledge of Nuclear Medicine through the acquisition and application of research skills. The Master of Applied Management (Health) is designed for Nuclear Medicine Scientists, practitioners, health managers and administrators who desire to acquire essential management skills while expanding their clinical skills. Graduates of the Graduate Diploma are eligible to sit the certification examination for the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board in the United States of America. They may also eligible to apply to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Accreditation Board for interim accreditation. Graduates of the Masters of Nuclear Medicine enjoy the same opportunities as per the Graduate Diploma. They also enjoy a greater success with promotion and have the skills necessary to develop a rewarding career in research. Copyright (2002) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

  19. Boundaries and Bricolage: Examining the Roles of Universities and Schools in Student Teacher Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchinson, Steven Andrew

    2011-01-01

    The literature shows that an active exploration of difference between university- and school-based perspectives can provide important opportunities for student teacher learning in initial teacher education. This paper presents a study that looks at the learning opportunities presented to student teachers as they talk about teaching and learning…

  20. Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Laabidi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays learning technologies transformed educational systems with impressive progress of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT. Furthermore, when these technologies are available, affordable and accessible, they represent more than a transformation for people with disabilities. They represent real opportunities with access to an inclusive education and help to overcome the obstacles they met in classical educational systems. In this paper, we will cover basic concepts of e-accessibility, universal design and assistive technologies, with a special focus on accessible e-learning systems. Then, we will present recent research works conducted in our research Laboratory LaTICE toward the development of an accessible online learning environment for persons with disabilities from the design and specification step to the implementation. We will present, in particular, the accessible version “MoodleAcc+” of the well known e-learning platform Moodle as well as new elaborated generic models and a range of tools for authoring and evaluating accessible educational content.

  1. How Organizations Provide Learning Opportunities for Children and Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caspe, Margaret; Lopez, M. Elena

    2014-01-01

    Today we know much more about how children learn than ever before, including the types of motivation and support they need to thrive, the ways that digital media and technology enhance their creativity, and the ways that families and educators, both within and outside of school settings, can share responsibility to facilitate new knowledge and…

  2. Global telecom opportunities : lessons learned and new battles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bird, R.

    1998-01-01

    The new opportunities available in the telecommunications and electrical industry were discussed. The events which have recently taken place in the industry have been primarily a result of technological improvements, regulatory change, customer choice, new entrants and increasing demand. Future developments were categorized into three areas called chaotic confusion, cataclysmic change, and customer competence. Customer competence was considered to be the dominant factor in the future success of any industry. It was suggested that in order to become customer competent, knowing what the consumer wants will be critical, therefore the dollars spent on research and development of customer needs and wants will have to be increased. One reason for Nortel's success is the fact that it went global to provide the company with a revenue base large enough to finance the large research and development budget required to turn customer demand into saleable products

  3. Mobile-Assisted Second Language Learning: Developing a Learner-Centered Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leow, Choy Khim; Yahaya, Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan; Samsudin, Zarina

    2014-01-01

    The Mobile Assisted Language Learning concept has offered infinite language learning opportunities since its inception 20 years ago. Second Language Acquisition however embraces a considerably different body of knowledge from first language learning. While technological advances have optimized the psycholinguistic environment for language…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2016-08-24

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

  5. Learning in Later Life: Benefits and Challenges for Volunteers and Agencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Findsen, Brian

    2016-01-01

    Older adults in most societies are keen volunteers in a myriad of contexts for the betterment of individuals and for the agencies in which they volunteer. This article discusses how volunteerism among older adults may enhance their learning and the kinds of benefits and challenges they encounter in their work for employing authorities. It also considers how agencies can be better attuned to the lifelong learning aspirations of older volunteers. Research related to older adults, lifelong learning and the character of volunteerism is reviewed with examples provided from New Zealand and Australia of older adults' participation in volunteerism and consequential impact. While volunteerism is normally viewed as a "win-win" situation for the volunteers and the organisations in which knowledge is further developed for varied purposes (economic sufficiency; personal development; active citizenship; social inclusion), there are nevertheless challenges for both parties. The article explores salient factors which function as enhancers or limitations for older volunteers in their work and learning. It is important that the motives of volunteers for participation are fully transparent and understood by the older adults themselves and by the relevant agencies. Organisations can provide considerable opportunities for older people to engage in continuing learning/ education but they need to be aware of effective recruitment and retention strategies; older people can provide a much needed labour resource where their previous life experiences can be drawn upon and they should be fully cognisant of the organisation's mission and how they can help to enhance it.

  6. A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCutcheon, Karen; Lohan, Maria; Traynor, Marian; Martin, Daphne

    2015-02-01

    To determine whether the use of an online or blended learning paradigm has the potential to enhance the teaching of clinical skills in undergraduate nursing. The need to adequately support and develop students in clinical skills is now arguably more important than previously considered due to reductions in practice opportunities. Online and blended teaching methods are being developed to try and meet this requirement, but knowledge about their effectiveness in teaching clinical skills is limited. Mixed methods systematic review, which follows the Joanna Briggs Institute User guide version 5. Computerized searches of five databases were undertaken for the period 1995-August 2013. Critical appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute tools for experimental/observational studies and interpretative and critical research. A narrative synthesis was used to report results. Nineteen published papers were identified. Seventeen papers reported on online approaches and only two papers reported on a blended approach. The synthesis of findings focused on the following four areas: performance/clinical skill, knowledge, self-efficacy/clinical confidence and user experience/satisfaction. The e-learning interventions used varied throughout all the studies. The available evidence suggests that online learning for teaching clinical skills is no less effective than traditional means. Highlighted by this review is the lack of available evidence on the implementation of a blended learning approach to teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of this teaching methodology. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Machine learning in healthcare informatics

    CERN Document Server

    Acharya, U; Dua, Prerna

    2014-01-01

    The book is a unique effort to represent a variety of techniques designed to represent, enhance, and empower multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional machine learning research in healthcare informatics. The book provides a unique compendium of current and emerging machine learning paradigms for healthcare informatics and reflects the diversity, complexity and the depth and breath of this multi-disciplinary area. The integrated, panoramic view of data and machine learning techniques can provide an opportunity for novel clinical insights and discoveries.

  8. Improving Student Reflection in Experiential Learning Reports in Post-Secondary Institutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiessen, Rebecca

    2018-01-01

    Work-integrated learning options--or experiential learning--(such as co-operative education, practicum placements, and community service learning/volunteer placements) offer much scope for enhancing educational opportunities for post-secondary students to learn about the workplace and to develop skills that may contribute to their future…

  9. Impact of E-Learning on Teacher Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Rajesh M.; Krishna Kumar, R.

    2010-01-01

    Technology offers tremendous opportunities for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of education. Students, faculty and administrators now use technology extensively in their daily activities and have become technologically literate. The trend of using e-learning as learning and teaching tool is now rapidly expanding into education. Many…

  10. Globalising Service-Learning in the Social Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limoncelli, Stephanie A.

    2017-01-01

    The increasing internationalisation of social science curricula in undergraduate education along with the growth of service-learning has provided new opportunities to join the two. This article offers a refection and discussion of service-learning with placements in international nongovernmental organisations (INGOs), drawing from its application…

  11. Transforming Children's Health Spaces into Learning Places

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisselle, Amy; Green, Julie; Scrimshaw, Chantel

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Chronic health conditions can cause children extended school absences, creating significant barriers for continued education. Out-of-school learning environments, such as hospitals, provide opportunities to maintain children's learning identities during school absences. This paper seeks to present an example of hospital-based teaching and…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sariyasa

    2017-04-01

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

  13. Older Adults' Training Courses: Considerations for Course Design and the Development of Learning Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    du Plessis, Karin; Anstey, Kaarin J.; Schlumpp, Arianne

    2011-01-01

    Demographic trends indicate that older adults live longer and maintain active lifestyles. The majority are educated and many enjoy the stimulation that ongoing learning opportunities present. In order for these older adults to benefit from learning opportunities, circumstances specific to these individuals (e.g. age-related decline) need to be…

  14. Learning Competencies Used In the U.S. Navy’s Virtual Schoolhouse Learning Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    system for which they are receiving training. Self -paced practice on newly-learned skills is also typically unavailable in a Navy classroom setting... communication and collaborative skills by using virtual learning applications. We must understand these differences and opportunities in order to design... self - esteem , and ability to control his or her own destiny. Students who are confident in their own abilities are more likely to succeed

  15. The learning potentials and challenges when integrating Web 2.0 in a problem-based learning approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buus, Lillian

    The research makes a triple co-construction between problem-based learning (PBL), learning design and action research within the area of networked learning. The complexity this creates in the research can lead it in many different directions, because it builds on collaboration, interaction...... and “elements” in motion. The authors' assumption is built on the perspective that knowledge is constructed in social collaborative interactions between people. Furthermore, she claims that the ideology of Web 2.0 provides research opportunities to study phenomena also found in PBL and networked learning...

  16. PENGGUNAAN MODEL PROBLEM BASED LEARNING BERBANTUAN E-LEARNING TERHADAP KEMANDIRIAN BELAJAR MAHASISWA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jusep Saputra

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Self-regulated learning of learners can be achieved, if in the process of learning mathematics provides an open opportunity for students to learn independently. This research is a mixed method type embedded design, which aims to do studies focused on the use of the Problem Based Learning (PBL model assisted e-learning to student self-regulated learning. Sample selection is done on the purposive sampling and was taken 2 class contracting courses of school math III. Class A numbered 50 members, 24 the superior group and 26 the low group, given the treatment with PBL models assisted e-learning and class B numbered 50, 27 the superior group and 23 the low group, with expository. Instruments used in this research is self-regulated learning questionnaire with Likert scale. Based on data analysis we concluded that (1 Self-regulated learning of superior and low student who obtains aided PBL models assisted e-learning is better than self-regulated learning of superior and low superior students who obtain expository.

  17. Phenotypic selection varies with pollination intensity across populations of Sabatia angularis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emel, Sarah L; Franks, Steven J; Spigler, Rachel B

    2017-07-01

    Pollinators are considered primary selective agents acting on plant traits, and thus variation in the strength of the plant-pollinator interaction might drive variation in the opportunity for selection and selection intensity across plant populations. Here, we examine whether these critical evolutionary parameters covary with pollination intensity across wild populations of the biennial Sabatia angularis. We quantified pollination intensity in each of nine S. angularis populations as mean stigmatic pollen load per population. For female fitness and three components, fruit number, fruit set (proportion of flowers setting fruit) and number of seeds per fruit, we evaluated whether the opportunity for selection varied with pollination intensity. We used phenotypic selection analyses to test for interactions between pollination intensity and selection gradients for five floral traits, including flowering phenology. The opportunity for selection via fruit set and seeds per fruit declined significantly with increasing pollen receipt, as expected. We demonstrated significant directional selection on multiple traits across populations. We also found that selection intensity for all traits depended on pollination intensity. Consistent with general theory about the relationship between biotic interaction strength and the intensity of selection, our study suggests that variation in pollination intensity drives variation in selection across S. angularis populations. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  18. Opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for higher education: the European perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Robert Schuwer; Ines Gil Jaurena; Cengiz Hakan Aydin; Eamon Costello; Christian Dalsgaard; Mark Brown; Darco Jansen; Antonio Teixeira

    2017-01-01

    The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement is the latest ‘big thing’ in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) which threatens to transform Higher Education. Both opportunities and threats are extensively discussed in literature, comprising issues on opening up education for the whole world, pedagogy

  19. Gendered Learning Environments in Managerial Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustavsson, Maria; Eriksson, Anna Fogelberg

    2010-01-01

    The aim is to investigate female and male managers' learning environments with particular focus on their opportunities for and barriers to learning and career development in the managerial work of a male-dominated industrial company. In the case study 42 managers, 15 women and 27 men in the company were interviewed. The findings demonstrate that…

  20. Investigating Students' Self-Efficacy and Attitudes towards the Use of Mobile Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yorganci, Serpil

    2017-01-01

    Nowadays, mobile learning (m-learning) presents new and powerful opportunities for effective teaching and learning. Two significant factors that serve in understanding if students accept m-learning technology are self-efficacy and attitudes towards m-learning usage. For this purpose, the present study investigated vocational college students'…

  1. E-learning. A New Environment for Engagement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olesen, Mogens; K. Logan, Robert

    2012-01-01

    scaffold interactive learning and make it more engaging. The article analyzes e-learning, first by defining four aspects that are affected by it, and finally we sketch four levels of e-learning. On the basis of this analysis, we use a case topic (World War 2) to demonstrate how e-learning in practice can...... in their learning methods, i.e. e-learning. There are at least two strong arguments for e-learning: 1) it will help schools staying in tune with the rest of the society. 2) digital media offer opportunities to learn in new, activating ways. We use Andy Clark’s extended mind thesis to argue how technologies can...

  2. Integrated Authoring Tool for Mobile Augmented Reality-Based E-Learning Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, Marcos Fermin; Álvarez García, Víctor Manuel; del Puerto Paule Ruiz, María

    2013-01-01

    Learning management systems are increasingly being used to complement classroom teaching and learning and in some instances even replace traditional classroom settings with online educational tools. Mobile augmented reality is an innovative trend in e-learning that is creating new opportunities for teaching and learning. This article proposes a…

  3. Assessing Opportunities for Student Pharmacist Leadership Development at Schools of Pharmacy in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feller, Tara T; Doucette, William R; Witry, Matthew J

    2016-06-25

    Objective. To summarize student pharmacist leadership development opportunities delivered by pharmacy programs, to describe selected opportunities, and to assess how these opportunities meet leadership development competencies. Methods. A multi-method study was conducted that comprised a systematic content analysis of pharmacy education journals, pharmacy program websites, and telephone interviews with key informants, which included open-ended questions and scaled responses. Results. Review of six articles, 37 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Annual Meeting abstracts, and 138 websites resulted in the identification of 191 leadership development opportunities. These consisted of courses, projects/programs, and events/speaker series. Interviews with 12 key informants detailed unique events that developed leadership competencies. Formal assessments of student leadership development were limited and primarily focused on informal feedback and course evaluations. Conclusion. Most US pharmacy programs offer their students an array of opportunities to develop leadership abilities. Pharmacy programs should consider expanding opportunities beyond elective courses, learn from the successes of others to implement new leadership development opportunities, and bolster the assessment of student leadership competencies and outcomes.

  4. In the Margins of Training and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvennoinen, Heikki; Nori, Hanna

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the distribution of learning and training opportunities in the Finnish workforce. It will concentrate on the sectors of the workforce that lack these opportunities. Design/Methodology/Approach: The Working Conditions Barometer (WCB) data from 2008, 2009 and 2010 are used (N = 3,326) in this…

  5. The Day-to-Day Work of Primary School Teachers: A Source of Professional Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambler, Trudy Belinda

    2016-01-01

    Teachers are an important influence on students' learning, and therefore the opportunity for teachers to learn and develop is something of interest to educators internationally. This article reports on a research project involving six primary school teachers who participated in one-on-one and small group interviews to explore the opportunities for…

  6. Active Learning in Engineering Education: a (re)introduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lima, Rui M.; Andersson, Pernille Hammar; Saalman, Elisabeth

    2017-01-01

    The informal network ‘Active Learning in Engineering Education’ (ALE) has been promoting Active Learning since 2001. ALE creates opportunity for practitioners and researchers of engineering education to collaboratively learn how to foster learning of engineering students. The activities in ALE...... were reviewed by the European Journal of Engineering Education community and this theme issue ended up with eight contributions, which are different both in their research and Active Learning approaches. These different Active Learning approaches are aligned with the different approaches that can...

  7. Promoting Science Learning and Scientific Identification through Contemporary Scientific Investigations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Horne, Katie

    This dissertation investigates the implementation issues and the educational opportunities associated with "taking the practice turn" in science education. This pedagogical shift focuses instructional experiences on engaging students in the epistemic practices of science both to learn the core ideas of the disciplines, as well as to gain an understanding of and personal connection to the scientific enterprise. In Chapter 2, I examine the teacher-researcher co-design collaboration that supported the classroom implementation of a year-long, project-based biology curriculum that was under development. This study explores the dilemmas that arose when teachers implemented a new intervention and how the dilemmas arose and were managed throughout the collaboration of researchers and teachers and between the teachers. In the design-based research of Chapter 3, I demonstrate how students' engagement in epistemic practices in contemporary science investigations supported their conceptual development about genetics. The analysis shows how this involved a complex interaction between the scientific, school and community practices in students' lives and how through varied participation in the practices students come to write about and recognize how contemporary investigations can give them leverage for science-based action outside of the school setting. Finally, Chapter 4 explores the characteristics of learning environments for supporting the development of scientific practice-linked identities. Specific features of the learning environment---access to the intellectual work of the domain, authentic roles and accountability, space to make meaningful contributions in relation to personal interests, and practice-linked identity resources that arose from interactions in the learning setting---supported learners in stabilizing practice-linked science identities through their engagement in contemporary scientific practices. This set of studies shows that providing students with the

  8. Self-Entrustment: How Trainees' Self-Regulated Learning Supports Participation in the Workplace

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sagasser, Margaretha H.; Kramer, Anneke W. M.; Fluit, Cornelia R. M. G.; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

    2017-01-01

    Clinical workplaces offer postgraduate trainees a wealth of opportunities to learn from experience. To promote deliberate and meaningful learning self-regulated learning skills are foundational. We explored trainees' learning activities related to patient encounters to better understand what aspects of self-regulated learning contribute to…

  9. Empowering Learners with Mobile Open-Access Learning Initiatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Michael, Ed.; Wake, Donna, Ed.

    2017-01-01

    Education has been progressing at a rapid pace ever since educators have been able to harness the power of mobile technology. Open-access learning techniques provide more students with the opportunity to engage in educational opportunities that may have been previously restricted. "Empowering Learners with Mobile Open-Access Learning…

  10. Effects of cooperative and problem-solving learning strategies on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Learning is internalised faster and better when students are given opportunity to interact with one another in small groups; when topics are structured to solve real life problems, studying becomes fun and learning is facilitated and internalised; students learn better when a problem is used as a starting point for new ...

  11. Analysis of live cell images: Methods, tools and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nketia, Thomas A; Sailem, Heba; Rohde, Gustavo; Machiraju, Raghu; Rittscher, Jens

    2017-02-15

    Advances in optical microscopy, biosensors and cell culturing technologies have transformed live cell imaging. Thanks to these advances live cell imaging plays an increasingly important role in basic biology research as well as at all stages of drug development. Image analysis methods are needed to extract quantitative information from these vast and complex data sets. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of available image analysis methods for live cell imaging, in particular required preprocessing image segmentation, cell tracking and data visualisation methods. The potential opportunities recent advances in machine learning, especially deep learning, and computer vision provide are being discussed. This review includes overview of the different available software packages and toolkits. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. THE ROLE AND PLACE OF DISTANCE LEARNING IN E-LEARNING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladyslav Velychko

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the role and place of distance education in electronic learning. The implementation of such important components as e-learning and e-education in the education system is an important tool to achieve the objectives of global education and requires specific knowledge. Teaching staff of educational institutions must learn new teaching tools such as cloud, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, mobile technology, Internet technology, designing distance learning courses, etc., or increase the level of this category. We consider the relevance and benefits of the use of distance education in electronic learning, and the need of its implementation at all levels of the educational process and basic steps for it. Distance learning courses have several types that differ in the degree of farness, individualization and its efficiency: "educational institution → Internet" (includes full-time training using Internet resources, videlicet to find things on the Internet and communicate with other network users; "educational institution → Internet → educational institution" (used in the full-time study, but has occasional problem with the mandatory use of the Internet; "the one who learns → Internet → the one who teaches" (distance learning complements the full-time education, it has an episodic format as consultations in a case of need; "the one who learns → Internet → Center" (full-time complement of training and has additional opportunities to strengthen the disclosure of a special creativity; "the one who learns → Internet" (it can serve as an additional training to full-time education, but can also be transformed into an independent "institution" that takes into account individual needs and capabilities of the individual and a flexible adjustment under her needs and interests using the educational resources on the Internet . There has been proved the necessity of mastering of the teaching staff of educational institutions

  13. The Development of Blended-Learning Teaching Portfolio Course Using TBL Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardamean, Bens; Prabowo, Harjanto; Muljo, Hery Harjono; Suparyanto, Teddy; Masli, Eryadi K.; Donovan, Jerome

    2017-01-01

    This article was written to develop a teaching portfolio that helps lecturers maximize the benefits of blended learning, a combination of in-person and online learning, through the use of Team-Based Learning (TBL) teaching and learning approach. Studies show that TBL can provide opportunities in developing teamwork capabilities and enhancing…

  14. Realising Potential: Helping Homeless and Disenchanted Young People Back into Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxted, Peter

    This guide shows how "Foyers" (safe residences for working/learning youth) and other organizations provide routes back into learning for young people. Chapter 1, "Young People and the Current Learning Agenda," provides a summary of encouraging developments from government, ushering in new learning opportunities for young people. Chapter 2,…

  15. Learning and digital inclusion: the ELAMP project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate D'Arcy

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The Electronic Learning and Mobility Project (ELAMP was a nationally funded project by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which ran from 2004 to 2010. The main aim of ELAMP was to improve the education of Traveller children, particularly highly mobile learners. ELAMP focussed upon the use of mobile technology and distance learning to support, enhance and extend young Travellers’ educational and vocational opportunities. This article will reflect upon the learning and technological experiences and opportunities that the ELAMP project provided for Traveller children, young people and their families. In doing so it will critically consider the value of information technology in working with Traveller communities and advancing their educational opportunities. Reviewing ELAMP work will also demonstrate how the use of mobile technology can improve educational outcomes and Traveller families’ digital inclusion. Now that the project has ended, this article will question why we are not using what we learnt from ELAMP to move forward. The author was a tutor on the project who also evaluated the Strand B, Wider Key Skills element of ELAMP for The University of Sheffield between 2008 and 2010, which is the main focus of this particular article.

  16. Large-scale deployment of the Global Trigger Tool across a large hospital system: refinements for the characterisation of adverse events to support patient safety learning opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Good, V S; Saldaña, M; Gilder, R; Nicewander, D; Kennerly, D A

    2011-01-01

    The Institute for Healthcare Improvement encourages use of the Global Trigger Tool to objectively determine and monitor adverse events (AEs). Baylor Health Care System (BHCS) is an integrated healthcare delivery system in North Texas. The Global Trigger Tool was applied to BHCS's eight general acute care hospitals, two inpatient cardiovascular hospitals and two rehabilitation/long-term acute care hospitals. Data were collected from a monthly random sample of charts for each facility for patients discharged between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2007 by external professional nurse auditors using an MS Access Tool developed for this initiative. In addition to the data elements recommended by Institute for Healthcare Improvement, BHCS developed fields to permit further characterisation of AEs to identify learning opportunities. A structured narrative description of each identified AE facilitated text mining to further characterise AEs. INITIAL FINDINGS: Based on this sample, AE rates were found to be 68.1 per 1000 patient days, or 50.8 per 100 encounters, and 39.8% of admissions were found to have ≥1 AE. Of all AEs identified, 61.2% were hospital-acquired, 10.1% of which were associated with a National Coordinating Council - Medical Error Reporting and Prevention harm score of "H or I" (near death or death). To enhance learning opportunities and guide quality improvement, BHCS collected data-such as preventability and AE source-to characterise the nature of AEs. Data are provided regularly to hospital teams to direct quality initiatives, moving from a general focus on reducing AEs to more specific programmes based on patterns of harm and preventability.

  17. [Clip Sheets from BOCES. Opportunities. Health. Careers. = Oportunidades. Salud. Una Camera En...

    Science.gov (United States)

    State Univ. of New York, Geneseo. Coll. at Geneseo. Migrant Center.

    This collection of 83 clip sheets, or classroom handouts, was created to help U.S. migrants learn more about health, careers, and general "opportunities" including education programs. They are written in both English and Spanish and are presented in an easily understandable format. Health clip-sheet topics include the following: Abuse; AIDS;…

  18. Knowledge Brokers in the Making: Opportunities to Connect Researchers and Stakeholders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennell, K. G.; Pennell, M. C.

    2014-12-01

    Environmental science and engineering graduate students often lack training on how to communicate with policy decision makers who are grappling with questions to which research is responding. They communicate directly with mutual experts, but are many times unable to engage with non-experts about their research, thereby limiting the reach and impact of their findings. This presentation highlights opportunities within environmental science and engineering research to create opportunities for researchers to hone skills as knowledge brokers, so they learn ways to meaningfully engage with a range of stakeholders. A knowledge broker is an individual who connects scientific experts and relevant stakeholders with meaningful and useable information. Recognizing that information must flow in multiple directions, the knowledge broker must quickly and effectively translate needs and questions using established relationships. It is these relationships, as well as the synthesis of scientific knowledge into useable information, on which the success of the knowledge broker lies. Using lessons learned, as well as communication science theory related to knowledge brokering, this presentation highlights training opportunities for knowledge brokers who are primarily educated in science and engineering fields, yet seek to engage with societally relevant stakeholders. We present case study examples of knowledge brokering within two large multi-disciplinary research centers. These centers provide unique experiences for researchers to build relationships with stakeholders, so that the scientific experts not only create novel research within their specific discipline, but also inform policy decision makers, community members and regulatory officials.

  19. A Reflexive Evaluation of Technology-Enhanced Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Suzanne; Nichols, Helen

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution who have embedded digital learning approaches within their curriculum delivery. Achieving student excellence can be impeded by a lack of engagement and sense of identity on large courses. Digital learning strategies can offer opportunities to overcome…

  20. Creating a Public Space through Service-Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brigham, Erin

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, I suggest that community-based learning can act as a "public space" for the exchange of religious and non-religious identities. By providing a space for the collaboration between religiously-affiliated Universities and non-religiously affiliated community partners, community-based learning offers the opportunity for the negotiation…

  1. The E-Learning Component of a Blended Learning Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olejarczuk, Edyta

    2014-01-01

    Using new technologies in the academic field has become more and more visible in Poland in the recent years. In the past, digital learning resources were used as supplementary materials helping to support face-to-face instruction. Nowadays, we have the opportunity not only to apply "traditional" methods but also to use more sophisticated…

  2. Beyond Access and Supply: Youth-Led Strategies to Captivate Young People's Interest in and Demand for Youth Programs and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saito, Rebecca N.

    2006-01-01

    Most people would probably agree that participation in quality youth programs and neighborhood-based, informal relationships and opportunities is a good thing for young people. The problem is that not nearly enough children and youth are engaged in these growth-enhancing opportunities. What can educators learn from young people about designing…

  3. Learning morphological phenomena of Modern Greek an exploratory approach

    OpenAIRE

    Kotsanis, Y.; Dimitrios, A. Kokkinos; Manousopoulou, A.G.; Papakonstantinou, G.

    1996-01-01

    Educational technology is influenced by and closely related to the fields of generative epistemology, Artificial Intelligence, and the learning sciences. Relevant research literature refers to the term constructionism (Papert, 1993) and exploratory learning (diSessa et al, 1995). Constructionism and exploratory learning are a synthesis of the constructivist theory of Piaget and the opportunities offered by technology to education on thinking concretely, on learning while constructing intellig...

  4. Public libraries and lifelong learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Bo Gerner; Borlund, Pia

    2015-01-01

    society as a result of easy and free access to information. A basic understanding of the concept is ‘learning throughout life, either continuously or periodically’. This implies that learning is not restricted to educational institutions, but can also take place in for example the public library. Public...... libraries thus may play an important role in supporting the learning process not the least because lifelong learning is characterised by the inclusion of informal elements of learning, flexible learning opportunities, and a shift towards selfdirected learning. This self-directed learning promotes active...... at teaching? The study reports on data from 12 interviews of purposely selected public librarians and a large-scale e-mail survey (questionnaire). The e-mail survey contained 28 questions and was sent to all staff members in public libraries in Denmark, and resulted in 986 responses. The results show...

  5. Developing scholarship of teaching and learning through a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A growing interest in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in higher education requires the seeking of opportunities for its development within and across disciplines and institutions. However, rewards for individual competitiveness in research publications, including the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning ...

  6. A Java-Web-Based-Learning Methodology, Case Study ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A Java-Web-Based-Learning Methodology, Case Study : Waterborne diseases. The recent advances in web technologies have opened new opportunities for computer-based-education. One can learn independently of time and place constraints, and have instantaneous access to relevant updated material at minimal cost.

  7. Learning to Map and Mapping to Learn Our Students' Worlds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubel, Laurie H.; Chu, Haiwen; Shookhoff, Lauren

    2011-01-01

    The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), through its Connections Standard, highlights the importance of "the opportunity for students to experience mathematics in a context." Seeing how mathematics can be used to describe real-world phenomena can motivate students to learn more mathematics. Connecting mathematics to the real world…

  8. MLnet report: training in Europe on machine learning

    OpenAIRE

    Ellebrecht, Mario; Morik, Katharina

    1999-01-01

    Machine learning techniques offer opportunities for a variety of applications and the theory of machine learning investigates problems that are of interest for other fields of computer science (e.g., complexity theory, logic programming, pattern recognition). However, the impacts of machine learning can only be recognized by those who know the techniques and are able to apply them. Hence, teaching machine learning is necessary before this field can diversify computer science. In order ...

  9. Considering Peer Support for Self-Access Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig Manning

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper briefly examines if and how peer support can be implemented as an appropriate means to improve self-access learning. The potential for further alignment with the higher aims common among self-access learning centers will be examined. Opportunities for increasing interdependence, purpose, and level of challenge to foster student engagement will also be explored. Finally, future directions in self-access learning will be discussed.

  10. Collaborative Tasks in Wiki-Based Environment in EFL Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Bin; Wang, Dongshuo; Xing, Minjie

    2016-01-01

    Wikis provide users with opportunities to post and edit messages to collaborate in the language learning process. Many studies have offered findings to show positive impact of Wiki-based language learning for learners. This paper explores the effect of collaborative task in error correction for English as a Foreign Language learning in an online…

  11. Student-Generated Instructional Videos Facilitate Learning through Positive Emotions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirhonen, Juhani; Rasi, Päivi

    2017-01-01

    The central focus of this study is a learning method in which university students produce instructional videos about the content matter as part of their learning process, combined with other learning assignments. The rationale for this is to promote a more multimodal pedagogy, and to provide students opportunities for a more learner-centred,…

  12. Move, Stop, Learn: Illustrating Mitosis through Stop-Motion Animation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamp, Brandi L.; Deaton, Cynthia C. M.

    2013-01-01

    Learning about microscopic things, such as cells, can often be mundane to students because they are not able to see or manipulate what they are learning about. Students often recall learning about cell division through memorization--thus they find it tedious and dull. Few opportunities exist that allow students to explore and manipulate cells or…

  13. Blended learning as an effective pedagogical paradigm for biomedical science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perry Hartfield

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication technologies and, concomitantly, accommodate a broad range of student learning styles. This study critically reviews the potential benefits of blended learning as a progressive educative paradigm for the teaching of biomedical science and evaluates the opportunities that blended learning offers for the delivery of accessible, flexible and sustainable teaching and learning experiences. A central tenet of biomedical science education at the tertiary level is the development of comprehensive hands-on practical competencies and technical skills (many of which require laboratory-based learning environments, and it is advanced that a blended learning model, which combines face-to-face synchronous teaching and learning activities with asynchronous online teaching and learning activities, effectively creates an authentic, enriching, and student-centred learning environment for biomedical science. Lastly, a blending learning design for introductory biochemistry will be described as an effective example of integrating face-to-face and online teaching, learning and assessment activities within the teaching domain of biomedical science.   DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i4.169

  14. Learning leadership skills in practice through quality improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, James; Vaux, Emma

    2014-02-01

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

  15. Teaching new media composition studies in a lifelong learning context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jill Jameson

    2000-12-01

    Full Text Available The government 'spin' on lifelong learning, as expressed in the Green Paper, The Learning Age (DfEE, 1998, and taken forward in the White Paper, Learning to Succeed (DfEE, 1999, emphasizes knowledge acquisition, skills development and student-centred flexible education and training. The aim of the government, as expressed in the summary document, Education and Training Development Agenda 2000-2001, is to 'help develop a "learning society" in which everyone, in whatever circumstances, routinely expects to learn and upgrade skills throughout life' (DfEE, 1998. Central to this idealistic notion is the view that continuous updating in ICT skills will play a vital part in the self-empowerment of individual learners. In support of this vision the government is funding ventures such as the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT Learning Centres initiative - 'a new programme designed to help bridge the gap between those in society who have access to ICT and those who do not' (DfEE, 1999. Community Access to Lifelong Learning is a parallel New Opportunities Fund programme which is designed to encourage adult learning. It focuses on improving access to learning opportunities through the use of ICT.

  16. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Radiology: Opportunities, Challenges, Pitfalls, and Criteria for Success.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thrall, James H; Li, Xiang; Li, Quanzheng; Cruz, Cinthia; Do, Synho; Dreyer, Keith; Brink, James

    2018-03-01

    Worldwide interest in artificial intelligence (AI) applications, including imaging, is high and growing rapidly, fueled by availability of large datasets ("big data"), substantial advances in computing power, and new deep-learning algorithms. Apart from developing new AI methods per se, there are many opportunities and challenges for the imaging community, including the development of a common nomenclature, better ways to share image data, and standards for validating AI program use across different imaging platforms and patient populations. AI surveillance programs may help radiologists prioritize work lists by identifying suspicious or positive cases for early review. AI programs can be used to extract "radiomic" information from images not discernible by visual inspection, potentially increasing the diagnostic and prognostic value derived from image datasets. Predictions have been made that suggest AI will put radiologists out of business. This issue has been overstated, and it is much more likely that radiologists will beneficially incorporate AI methods into their practices. Current limitations in availability of technical expertise and even computing power will be resolved over time and can also be addressed by remote access solutions. Success for AI in imaging will be measured by value created: increased diagnostic certainty, faster turnaround, better outcomes for patients, and better quality of work life for radiologists. AI offers a new and promising set of methods for analyzing image data. Radiologists will explore these new pathways and are likely to play a leading role in medical applications of AI. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. M3-learning - Exploring mobile multimedia microblogging learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Holotescu

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In the context in which the new frontier of Web 2.0 is marked out by the use of mobile devices anywhere, anytime, by anyone and anything, our paper aims at valorizing the mobility parameters of the Cirip.eu platform in order to integrate the microblogging technology in higher education, for the purpose of increasing knowledge and learning in authentic mobile learning environments. As an innovation for the mobile learning through microblogging, we mention the following elements:•On a technological level: localize / join mobile groups, access content and OERs, share opinions, work collaboratively on multimedia objects, participate in polls / quizzes, receive / send updates via SMS, create / manage mobile PLEs, recover password via SMS;On a pedagogical level: develop multimedia educational resources / learning objects by using mobile technologies specific for different subject areas to be teached with microblogging.Thus, the aim of our experiment is not only to provide a general overview / a framework for using microblogging through mobile technologies, but also a way to enhance teaching and learning in formal university courses and to present mobile microblogging learning benefits, opportunities, limits and risks.

  18. Leveraging e-learning in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Kadriye O; Cidon, Michal J; Seto, Teresa L; Chen, Haiqin; Mahan, John D

    2014-07-01

    e-Learning has become a popular medium for delivering instruction in medical education. This innovative method of teaching offers unique learning opportunities for medical trainees. The purpose of this article is to define the present state of e-learning in pediatrics and how to best leverage e-learning for educational effectiveness and change in medical education. Through addressing under-examined and neglected areas in implementation strategies for e-learning, its usefulness in medical education can be expanded. This study used a systematic database review of published studies in the field of e-learning in pediatric training between 2003 and 2013. The search was conducted using educational and health databases: Scopus, ERIC, PubMed, and search engines Google and Hakia. A total of 72 reference articles were suitable for analysis. This review is supplemented by the use of "e-Learning Design Screening Questions" to define e-learning design and development in 10 randomly selected articles. Data analysis used template-based coding themes and counting of the categories using descriptive statistics.Our search for pediatric e-learning (using Google and Hakia) resulted in six well-defined resources designed to support the professional development of doctors, residents, and medical students. The majority of studies focused on instructional effectiveness and satisfaction. There were few studies about e-learning development, implementation, and needs assessments used to identify the institutional and learners' needs. Reviewed studies used various study designs, measurement tools, instructional time, and materials for e-learning interventions. e-Learning is a viable solution for medical educators faced with many challenges, including (1) promoting self-directed learning, (2) providing flexible learning opportunities that would offer continuous (24h/day/7 days a week) availability for learners, and (3) engaging learners through collaborative learning communities to gain

  19. Cases on Challenges Facing E-Learning and National Development: Institutional Studies and Practices. e-Learning Practices. Volume II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demiray, Ugur, Ed.

    2010-01-01

    E-Learning offers many opportunities for individuals and institutions all over the world. Individuals can access to education they need almost anytime and anywhere they are ready to. Institutions are able to provide more cost-effective training to their employees. E-learning context is very important. It is common to find educators who perceive…

  20. Learning to wait

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dungey, Claire Elisabeth; Meinert, Lotte

    2017-01-01

    enforced through discipline, prepare young people to expect that waiting and enduring hardship will pay off in the end. This expectation makes the status of adulthood particularly vulnerable because the jobs and opportunities that young men learn to wait for often do not come into being by waiting....

  1. Interprofessional Education: Opportunities and Challenges for Psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Wendy; Zagoloff, Alexandra; Rieck, Cortney; Robiner, William

    2018-02-16

    This manuscript is an outgrowth of an invited panel presentation at the national Association for Psychologists in Academic Health Centers Conference in 2017 on Interprofessional Education (IPE). IPE is a structured and transformative educational strategy designed to provide active learning experiences where trainees from diverse healthcare professions gain shared content knowledge plus collaboration skills as they learn about, from, and with each other. Collaboration skills include understanding professional role distinctions and overlap, effective team-based communication, shared values/ethics and respect for each other's expertise, and teamwork dynamics. It is increasingly important to expand training beyond the intraprofessional activities in which psychology trainees engage to prepare them to participate in interprofessional collaborative care. As healthcare systems move to team-based collaborative practice and value-based reimbursement models, the profession of psychology needs leaders at every academic health center to facilitate the design and/or implementation of IPE activities. The panel of psychologists presented roles that psychologists play in IPE institutional program design and implementation, graduate training programs, and the perspectives of an early career psychologist and psychology trainee. Opportunities and challenges are highlighted, culminating in a call to action. Psychologists must embrace their identity as health professionals and engage their learners in IPE so that the emerging cognitive schemata of healthcare that is developed includes the profession of psychology. Otherwise, healthcare teams and health professionals will not understand the value, roles, or potential contributions of psychologists in enhancing patient care outcomes, ultimately jeopardizing psychologists' referrals, involvement in healthcare delivery, and career opportunities.

  2. Individual differences in learning to perceive length by dynamic touch : Evidence for variation in perceptual learning capacities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Withagen, Rob; van Wermeskerken, Margot

    Recent studies of perceptual learning have explored and commented on variation in learning trajectories. Although several factors have been suggested to account for this variation, thus far the idea that humans vary in their perceptual learning capacities has received scant attention. In the present

  3. Web 2.0 in e-Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Tariq Banday

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Web 2.0 tools have created fresh opportunities for governments, education, businesses and individuals to enhance efficiency and improve effectiveness while executing respective professional duties. The key features of these tools include online character and access through a web browser, supportive for open content licenses, open sharing and social interaction, and often free to use or support free features. These have created novel prospects for teachers to combine face-to-face teaching and online materials via social media such as discussion forums, blogs and wikis. The web 2.0 educational design is based on socio-cultural learning theories such as interaction, joint creation of content, critical thinking, learning by doing and collaboration. This paper makes an appraisal of ICT adoption in education, emergence of Web, improvements in Web and its effect on the e-Learning. It explains gradual integration of ICT into education through various stages. The paper presents the content and communication dimensions of e-learning for its classification. It discusses various opportunities created by Web 2.0 tools in education for effective teacher-learner, learner-learner and teacher-teacher communication, interaction and collaboration. It presents various cases and projects involving use of some Web 2.0 tools for enhancing learning. Furthermore, it lists some challenges for successful implementation of e-learning through Web 2.0 tools and discusses some possible solutions for its control.

  4. Within- and trans-generational plasticity affects the opportunity for selection in barbed goatgrass (Aegilops triuncialis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espeland, Erin K; Rice, Kevin J

    2012-12-01

    Environments are composed of selective agents, and environments may also modify the efficacy of these agents. Environments affect the rate of maximum evolutionary change by influencing variation in relative fitness (i.e., the opportunity for selection, or I). Within- and transgenerational plastic environmental responses may affect I, speeding or slowing processes of local adaptation. • We determined whether environmental factors affected the opportunity for selection (I) in Aegilops triuncialis (barbed goatgrass) by measuring I as a within- and transgenerational plastic response to two maternal glasshouse environments (serpentine/dry and loam/moist). We also determined whether this species' two most common genetic lineages (determined by DNA microsatellite length polymorphism) varied in response to glasshouse treatments. • Opportunity for selection was less for plants grown in the dry serpentine environment than for plants grown in the moist loam environment. This response varied between genetic lineages. The east lineage exhibited a within-generation response to the dry serpentine environment. For both seed mass and average seed weight in this lineage, the opportunity for selection was lower in dry serpentine than in moist loam. The west lineage had a transgenerational response to the dry serpentine such that the opportunity for selection for seed number and seed mass was lower for plants produced by mothers grown in dry serpentine than for plants produced by mothers in moist loam. • Phenotypic variation in relative fitness is constrained by the dry serpentine environment, which leads to lower evolvability in this environment. Within- and transgenerational effects of the environment may slow local adaptation to serpentine soils.

  5. Achieving HBSE Competencies through Service-learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah E. Twill

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Service-learning pedagogy allows social work educators to create meaningful learning opportunities for students and better prepare them for practicum, while at the same time, meeting a community need. This paper outlines the relevance of incorporating service-learning into the social work curriculum, specifically the human behavior and the social environment (HBSE area. Using Bloom’s taxonomy as a guide, the authors propose how the CSWE competencies and practice behaviors specific to HBSE may be assessed using service-learning pedagogy. An example is reviewed to illustrate how service-learning can assist faculty and students achieve the HBSE competencies and practice behaviors. Finally, implications for service-learning as a pedagogical strategy for social work education are discussed.

  6. Volunteer Service and Service Learning: Opportunities, Partnerships, and United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalmida, Safiya George; Amerson, Roxanne; Foster, Jennifer; McWhinney-Dehaney, Leila; Magowe, Mabel; Nicholas, Patrice K; Pehrson, Karen; Leffers, Jeanne

    2016-09-01

    This article explores approaches to service involvement and provides direction to nurse leaders and others who wish to begin or further develop global (local and international) service or service learning projects. We review types of service involvement, analyze service-related data from a recent survey of nearly 500 chapters of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), make recommendations to guide collaborative partnerships and to model engagement in global and local service and service learning. This article offers a literature review and describes results of a survey conducted by the STTI International Service Learning Task Force. Results describe the types of service currently conducted by STTI nursing members and chapters, including disaster response, service learning, and service-related responses relative to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The needs of chapter members for information about international service are explored and recommendations for promoting global service and sustainability goals for STTI chapters are examined. Before engaging in service, volunteers should consider the types of service engagement, as well as the design of projects to include collaboration, bidirectionality, sustainability, equitable partnerships, and inclusion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. STTI supports the learning, knowledge, and professional development of nurses worldwide. International service and collaboration are key to the advancement of the nursing profession. Culturally relevant approaches to international service and service learning are essential to our global organization, as it aims to impact the health status of people globally. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  7. Interprofessional education in mental health: An opportunity to reduce mental illness stigma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maranzan, K Amanda

    2016-05-01

    Mental illness stigma is a common problem in healthcare students and professionals in addition to the general public. Stigma is associated with numerous negative outcomes and hence there is an urgent need to address it. This article explores the potential for interprofessional education (IPE) to emerge as a strategy to reduce mental illness stigma amongst healthcare students and professionals. Most anti-stigma strategies use a combination of knowledge and contact (with a person with lived experience) to change attitudes towards mental illness. Not surprisingly interprofessional educators are well acquainted with theory and learning approaches for attitude change as they are already used in IPE to address learners' attitudes and perceptions of themselves, other professions, and/or teamwork. This article, through an analysis of IPE pedagogy and learning methods, identifies opportunities to address mental illness stigma with application of the conditions that facilitate stigma reduction. The goal of this article is to raise awareness of the issue of mental illness stigma amongst healthcare students and professionals and to highlight interprofessional education as an untapped opportunity for change.

  8. Bootcamp EMMA MOOC Assessment for learning in practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Firssova, Olga; Brouns, Francis

    2016-01-01

    At the EDEN Conference an introduction to the EMMA platform will be combined with learning activities relevant to the topic of Formative Assessment. EDEN conference participants will have an opportunity to join the MOOC prior to the conference or at the conference. A range of learning activities

  9. Geology Museum-Based Learning in Soil Science Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhailova, E. A.; Tennant, C. H.; Post, C. J.; Cicimurri, C.; Cicimurri, D.

    2013-01-01

    Museums provide unique learning opportunities in soil science. The Bob Campbell Geology Museum in Clemson, SC, features an exhibit of minerals and rocks common in the state and in its geologic history. We developed a hands-on laboratory exercise utilizing an exhibit that gives college students an opportunity to visualize regional minerals and…

  10. Exploring Self-Regulated Learning Choices in a Customisable Learning Pathway MOOC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosslin, Matt

    2018-01-01

    Open online courses provide a unique opportunity to examine learner preferences in an environment that removes several pressures associated with traditional learning. This mixed methods study sought to examine the pathways that learners will create for themselves when given the choice between an instructor-directed modality and learner-directed…

  11. Blended learning as an effective pedagogical paradigm for biomedical science

    OpenAIRE

    Perry Hartfield

    2013-01-01

    Blended learning combines face-to-face class based and online teaching and learning delivery in order to increase flexibility in how, when, and where students study and learn. The development, integration, and promotion of blended learning in frameworks of curriculum design can optimize the opportunities afforded by information and communication technologies and, concomitantly, accommodate a broad range of student learning styles. This study critically reviews the potential benefits of blende...

  12. Using Webquests to Create Online Learning Opportunities in Physical Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Marianne L.; Karp, Grace Goc; Shimon, Jane M.; Jensen, Karla

    2004-01-01

    Teachers in all academic disciplines face increasing expectations to integrate technological applications into their lessons. These applications can be used to supplement face-to-face instruction or as stand-alone learning modules. Either way, technological applications can facilitate student-centered, inquiry-based instructional approaches.…

  13. Opportunities of education in of environmental law in the form of e-learning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jurik, L.

    2005-01-01

    The environmental laws were originated as a result of endeavour about solving of unfavourable anthropogenic influences on the environment. In this presentation author presents system of e-learning of environmental laws. Historical aspects and principles of e-learning are discussed

  14. Opportunistic maintenance considering non-homogenous opportunity arrivals and stochastic opportunity durations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Truong Ba, H.; Cholette, M.E.; Borghesani, P.; Zhou, Y.; Ma, L.

    2017-01-01

    Many systems and manufacturing processes undergo intermittent operation due to external factors (e.g. weather, low market prices), offering opportunities to conduct maintenance with reduced production losses. Making use of appropriate opportunities can thus lead to significant reduction in the total cost of maintenance and improvement in productivity. In this paper, an opportunistic maintenance (OM) model is developed considering two critical properties of real world opportunities: (i) non-homogeneous opportunity arrivals and (ii) stochastic opportunity duration. The model enables exploiting downtime cost savings from “partial” opportunities (stops shorter than the required maintenance time) thus extending the potential benefit of OM. The criteria for accepting maintenance opportunities are found by minimizing the single-cycle total cost. A closed form expression of the single-cycle total cost is derived for a given PM/OM policy and then a Genetic Algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem. Numerical results are presented to assess the benefit of opportunistic maintenance and the marginal benefit of considering partial opportunities. Results indicate that significant savings can be achieved by considering OM. Moreover, it is shown that the novel consideration of partial opportunities significantly increase the benefit of OM. - Highlights: • Opportunistic and time-based preventive maintenance jointly optimized. • Non-homogeneous opportunity arrivals and stochastic durations considered. • “Partial” opportunities considered for the first time. • Opportunity duration thresholds used as a decision criterion. • Numerical study conducted to evaluate benefit of optimized policy.

  15. A cognitive perspective on technology enhanced learning in medical training: great opportunities, pitfalls and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dror, Itiel; Schmidt, Pascal; O'connor, Lanty

    2011-01-01

    As new technology becomes available and is used for educational purposes, educators often take existing training and simply transcribe it into the new technological medium. However, when technology drives e-learning rather than the learner and the learning, and when it uses designs and approaches that were not originally built for e-learning, then often technology does not enhance the learning (it may even be detrimental to it). The success of e-learning depends on it being 'brain friendly', on engaging the learners from an understanding of how the cognitive system works. This enables educators to optimize learning by achieving correct mental representations that will be remembered and applied in practice. Such technology enhanced learning (TEL) involves developing and using novel approaches grounded in cognitive neuroscience; for example, gaming and simulations that distort realism rather than emphasizing visual fidelity and realism, making videos interactive, training for 'error recovery' rather than for 'error reduction', and a whole range of practical ways that result in effective TEL. These are a result of e-learning that is built to fit and support the cognitive system, and therefore optimize the learning.

  16. Hospitals as learning organizations: fostering innovation through interactive learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Casimiro; Escoval, Ana

    2015-01-01

    The article aims to provide an analytical understanding of hospitals as "learning organizations." It further analyzes the development of learning organizations as a way to enhance innovation and performance in the hospital sector. The article pulls together primary data on organizational flexibility, innovation, and performance from 95 administrators from hospital boards in Portugal, collected through a survey, interviews with hospital's boards, and a nominal group technique with a panel of experts on health systems. Results show that a combination of several organizational traits of the learning organization enhances its capacity for innovation development. The logistic model presented reveals that hospitals classified as "advanced learning organizations" have 5 times more chance of developing innovation than "basic learning organizations." Empirical findings further pointed out incentives, standards, and measurement requirements as key elements for integration of service delivery systems and expansion of the current capacity for structured and real-time learning in the hospital sector. The major implication arising from this study is that policy needs to combine instruments that promote innovation opportunities and incentives, with instruments stimulating the further development of the core components of learning organizations. Such a combination of policy instruments has the potential to ensure a wide external cooperation through a learning infrastructure.

  17. Teachers' experiences of teaching in a blended learning environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jokinen, Pirkko; Mikkonen, Irma

    2013-11-01

    This paper considers teachers' experiences of teaching undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment. The basic idea of the study programme was to support students to reflect on theory and practice, and provide with access to expert and professional knowledge in real-life problem-solving and decision making. Learning was organised to support learning in and about work: students worked full-time and this provided excellent opportunities for learning both in practice, online and face-to-face sessions. The aim of the study was to describe teachers' experiences of planning and implementing teaching and learning in a blended-learning-based adult nursing programme. The research method was qualitative, and the data were collected by three focus group interviews, each with four to six participants. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show that the blended learning environment constructed by the combination of face-to-face learning and learning in practice with technology-mediated learning creates challenges that must be taken into consideration when planning and implementing blended teaching and learning. However, it provides good opportunities to enhance students' learning in and about work. This is because such programmes support student motivation through the presence of "real-life" and their relevance to the students' own places of work. Nevertheless, teachers require knowledge of different pedagogical approaches; they need professional development support in redesigning teaching and learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Predicting the Continued Use of Internet-Based Learning Technologies: The Role of Habit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limayem, Moez; Cheung, Christy M. K.

    2011-01-01

    The proliferation and advance of Internet-based technologies create expanded opportunities for educators to provide students with better learning experiences. Although current studies focus mostly on the learning processes and learning outcomes, this article examines the students' usage behaviour with Internet-based learning technologies across…

  19. Learning, Work, and Language Games

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weber, Kirsten

    2013-01-01

    The article provides an example of psycho-societal analysis of work related learning. Initially a conceptual framework of learning and life experience is established drawing on Alfred Lorenzer and Oskar Negt, and the interactional development of psychoanalysis. A case of learning experience from...... process, which is related to a career shift enforced by labor market transition requiring male workers to retrain for a social work profession which used to be female, and more widely to a reconfiguration of the societal relation between work and gender. The final section discusses the methodological...... framework for analyzing learning processes by means of interpreting language use. The notion of language game connects the level of unconscious social engagements and level of formal learning and knowledge, and the opportunity for a deeper understanding of professional learning and identity is indicated...

  20. Online Case Studies as a Professional Development Opportunity for Teachers of Elementary Reading

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vereb, Anita; Carlisle, Joanne F.; Mihocko-Bowling, Emily

    2015-01-01

    This study explores teachers' response to a professional development program called Case Studies of Reading Lessons (CSRL) that uses case studies of reading instruction to provide opportunities for elementary teachers to learn to analyze features that affect the quality of reading lessons. One important question is whether analyzing others'…

  1. Children's Faithfulness in Imitating Language Use Varies Cross-culturally, Contingent on Prior Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinger, Jörn; Mayor, Julien; Bannard, Colin

    2016-01-01

    Despite its recognized importance for cultural transmission, little is known about the role imitation plays in language learning. Three experiments examine how rates of imitation vary as a function of qualitative differences in the way language is used in a small indigenous community in Oaxaca, Mexico and three Western comparison groups. Data from…

  2. Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies: An Opportunity for Seamless Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Kathy L.; Bovio, Becka

    2014-01-01

    In working to develop undergraduate student leadership capacity, Florida State University created the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies. This program, grounded in leadership theory and framed by a seamless learning model, has been influential in development of student leadership perceptions and capacity. This article addresses the…

  3. Toward an Integration of Deep Learning and Neuroscience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marblestone, Adam H.; Wayne, Greg; Kording, Konrad P.

    2016-01-01

    Neuroscience has focused on the detailed implementation of computation, studying neural codes, dynamics and circuits. In machine learning, however, artificial neural networks tend to eschew precisely designed codes, dynamics or circuits in favor of brute force optimization of a cost function, often using simple and relatively uniform initial architectures. Two recent developments have emerged within machine learning that create an opportunity to connect these seemingly divergent perspectives. First, structured architectures are used, including dedicated systems for attention, recursion and various forms of short- and long-term memory storage. Second, cost functions and training procedures have become more complex and are varied across layers and over time. Here we think about the brain in terms of these ideas. We hypothesize that (1) the brain optimizes cost functions, (2) the cost functions are diverse and differ across brain locations and over development, and (3) optimization operates within a pre-structured architecture matched to the computational problems posed by behavior. In support of these hypotheses, we argue that a range of implementations of credit assignment through multiple layers of neurons are compatible with our current knowledge of neural circuitry, and that the brain's specialized systems can be interpreted as enabling efficient optimization for specific problem classes. Such a heterogeneously optimized system, enabled by a series of interacting cost functions, serves to make learning data-efficient and precisely targeted to the needs of the organism. We suggest directions by which neuroscience could seek to refine and test these hypotheses. PMID:27683554

  4. At the Core of the Apple Store: Images of Next Generation Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washor, Elliot; Mojkowski, Charles; Newsom, Loran

    2009-01-01

    The physical, psychological, cultural, social, and organizational elements of a learning environment are as important as the learning opportunities themselves. The Apple Store blends retail and school into a new type of learning environment that lets the customer learn anything, at any time, at any level, from experts, expert practitioners, and…

  5. Collaborative learning through advanced Web2.0 practices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tambouris, Efthimios; Panopoulou, Eleni; Tarabanis, Konstantinos

    2010-01-01

    Latest advances in ICT have started impacting also the field of education and training. Social computing and Web2.0 technologies have brought vigorous opportunities for learning and have realised a shift of the web‟s role in learning from an information carrier to a facilitator for the creation...

  6. Power to the People: The Case for Personal Learning Accounts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Learning and Work Institute, 2016

    2016-01-01

    Learning is central to a fair and prosperous society. The links between learning throughout life and national prosperity, business success, societal cohesion, and individual opportunity and life chances are clear and well established. Learning helps you earn more, live healthier and play a fuller role in society. It is equally well established…

  7. Women at CERN: the Laboratory's Equal Opportunities Policy in numbers

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    On 16 March, eight days after International Women's Day, CERN is organizing a discussion on its Equal Opportunities Policy. This is a new chance for all at CERN to find out about the programme, and to get up to date with the position of women at CERN. This year CERN will mark International Women's Day with a special event on Friday 16 March: a chance for all at CERN to meet members of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Panel. You have probably already heard about the Panel, but you may have wondered what the Equal Opportunities Programme actually does to ensure fair treatment in the recruitment and career development of men and women, and to allow all to work in an atmosphere of safety, dignity, and mutual respect. Daniella Moraes of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro at work on electronics for the LHCb experiment. By attending this meeting CERN people will have the chance to learn about the work of the Panel, its recommendations to Management, and the subsequent actions taken by the Organization. The m...

  8. Blended learning: strengths, challenges, and lessons learned in an interprofessional training program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotrecchiano, G R; McDonald, P L; Lyons, L; Long, T; Zajicek-Farber, M

    2013-11-01

    This field report outlines the goals of providing a blended learning model for an interdisciplinary training program for healthcare professionals who care for children with disabilities. The curriculum blended traditional face-to-face or on-site learning with integrated online interactive instruction. Credit earning and audited graduate level online coursework, community engagement experiences, and on-site training with maternal and child health community engagement opportunities were blended into a cohesive program. The training approach emphasized adult learning principles in different environmental contexts integrating multiple components of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program. This paper describes the key principles adopted for this blended approach and the accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned. The discussion offers examples from training content, material gathered through yearly program evaluation, as well as university course evaluations. The lessons learned consider the process and the implications for the role of blended learning in this type of training program with suggestions for future development and adoption by other programs.

  9. Challenges and Opportunities for Learning Biology in Distance-Based Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallyburton, Chad L.; Lunsford, Eddie

    2013-01-01

    The history of learning biology through distance education is documented. A review of terminology and unique problems associated with biology instruction is presented. Using published research and their own teaching experience, the authors present recommendations and best practices for managing biology in distance-based formats. They offer ideas…

  10. Aversive Learning and Trait Aggression Influence Retaliatory Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molapour, Tanaz; Lindström, Björn; Olsson, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    In two experiments (n = 35, n = 34), we used a modified fear-conditioning paradigm to investigate the role of aversive learning in retaliatory behavior in social context. Participants first completed an initial aversive learning phase in which the pairing of a neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; i.e., neutral face) with a naturally aversive unconditioned stimulus (US; electric shock) was learned. Then they were given an opportunity to interact (i.e., administer 0-2 shocks) with the same faces again, during a Test phase. In Experiment 2, we used the same paradigm with the addition of online trial-by-trial ratings (e.g., US expectancy and anger) to examine the role of aversive learning, anger, and the learned expectancy of receiving punishment more closely. Our results indicate that learned aversions influenced future retaliation in a social context. In both experiments, participants showed largest skin conductance responses (SCRs) to the faces paired with one or two shocks, demonstrating successful aversive learning. Importantly, participants administered more shocks to the faces paired with the most number of shocks when the opportunity was given during test. Also, our results revealed that aggressive traits (Buss and Perry Aggression scale) were associated with retaliation only toward CSs associated with aversive experiences. These two experiments show that aggressive traits, when paired with aversive learning experiences enhance the likelihood to act anti-socially toward others.

  11. Mixed Methods Study Using Constructive Learning Team Model for Secondary Mathematics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritter, Kristy L.

    2010-01-01

    The constructive learning team model for secondary mathematics teachers (CLTM) was created to provide students with learning opportunities and experiences that address deficiencies in oral and written communication, logical processes and analysis, mathematical operations, independent learning, teamwork, and technology utilization. This study…

  12. Opportunity's 'Rub al Khali' Panorama

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-01-01

    [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on the image for Opportunity's 'Rub al Khali' Panorama (QTVR) This panoramic image, dubbed 'Rub al Khali,' was acquired by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on the plains of Meridiani during the period from the rover's 456th to 464th sols on Mars (May 6 to May 14, 2005). Opportunity was about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) south of 'Endurance Crater' at a place known informally as 'Purgatory Dune.' The rover was stuck in the dune's deep fine sand for more than a month. 'Rub al Khali' (Arabic translation: 'the empty quarter') was chosen as the name for this panorama because it is the name of a similarly barren, desolate part of the Saudi Arabian desert on Earth. The view spans 360 degrees. It consists of images obtained in 97 individual pointings of the panoramic camera. The camera took images with five camera filters at each pointing. This 22,780-by-6,000-pixel mosaic is an approximately true-color rendering generated using the images acquired through filters admitting light wavelengths of 750, 530, and 480 nanometers. Lighting varied during the nine sols it took to acquire this panorama, resulting in some small image seams within the mosaic. These seams have been smoothed in sky parts of the mosaic to better simulate the vista that a person would see if able to view it all at the same time on Mars. Opportunity's tracks leading back to the north (center of the panorama) are a reminder of the rover's long trek from Endurance Crater. The deep ruts dug by Opportunity's wheels as it became stuck in the sand appear in the foreground. The crest and trough of the last ripple the rover crossed before getting stuck is visible in the center. These wind-formed sand features are only about 10 to 15 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) tall. The crest of the actual ripple where the rover got stuck can be seen just to the right of center. The tracks and a few other places on and near ripple crests can be seen in this color image to

  13. The learning conference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, Ib

    little support amongst serious students of learning. The professional conference as a forum for knowledge sharing is in dire need of a new learning theory and a more enlightened practice. The notion of human flourishing is offered as basis for theory, and four simple design principles for the so......The typical one-day conference attended by managers or professionals in search of inspiration is packed with PowerPoint presentations and offers little opportunity for involvement or knowledge sharing. Behind the conventional conference format lurks the transfer model of learning, which finds......-called “learning conference” are proposed: People go to conferences to 1. get concise input, 2. interpret it in the light of their ongoing concerns, 3. talk about their current projects and 4. meet the other attendees and be inspired by them. Six practical techniques that induce attendees to do these things...

  14. Individual and Social Requirement Aspects of Sustainable eLearning Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Alharthi, Ahmed D.; Spichkova, Maria

    2017-01-01

    Internationalization of the higher education has created the so-called borderless university, which provides better opportunities for learning and increases the human and social sustainability. eLearning systems are a special kind of software systems, developed to provide a platform for accessible teaching and learning, including also online access to learning materials and online support for learning and teaching. The aim of our current work is to extract, analyse, and combine the results fr...

  15. Workshop on Learning Technology for Education in Cloud

    CERN Document Server

    Rodríguez, Emilio; Santana, Juan; Prieta, Fernando

    2012-01-01

    Learning Technology for Education in Cloud investigates how cloud computing can be used to design applications to support real time on demand learning using technologies. The workshop proceedings provide opportunities for delegates to discuss the latest research in TEL (Technology Enhanced Learning) and its impacts for learners and institutions, using cloud.   The Workshop on Learning Technology for Education in Cloud (LTEC '12) is a forum where researchers, educators and practitioners came together to discuss ideas, projects and lessons learned related to the use of learning technology in cloud, on the 11th-13th July at Salamanca in Spain.

  16. Experiential Learning: A Process for Teaching Youth Entrepreneurship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen Biers

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Youth of all ages are indicating an interest in starting a business. However, few classes on business start-up and management are available. Young people who are actively engaged in learning business management concepts also develop life skills such as decision making, communicating, and learning to learn. Studies have shown that youth who are in participatory, entrepreneurship classes develop a positive attitude toward starting a business. This article addresses how the experiential learning model provides an opportunity for youth to develop entrepreneurial skills. The entrepreneurial learning model is a learning process of doing, reflecting, and then applying.

  17. Impacts of Sustained Institutional Participation in Service-Learning: Perspectives from faculty, staff and administrators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda L. Vogel

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The movement for greater civic engagement in higher education in the United States has taken hold across the core academic missions of teaching, research and service. One manifestation of this movement has been growing participation in service-learning, a teaching method grounded in community-university partnerships in which students provide services that simultaneously address community-identified concerns and meet key learning objectives. In order to assess the benefits of long-term sustained institutional involvement in service-learning, in 2007–2008 we interviewed 23 faculty members, staff and administrators from 16 academic institutions that had participated in a national demonstration program for service-learning, which ended in 1998. We found that 15 of these institutions had sustained service-learning to some degree and 12 had integrated service-learning into the curriculum, with varying degrees of institutional support. Interview participants described five main impacts of their institutions’ sustained participation in service-learning: 1 increased community engagement and community-engaged scholarship, and increased valuation of both, among participating faculty members; 2 greater capacity for community-university partnerships among academic and community partners; 3 improved community-university relations; 4 diffusion of service-learning and/or principles of community-university partnerships to other departments and schools; and 5 recruitment of students seeking community engagement opportunities. This study provides evidence that sustained institutional participation in service-learning can foster an understanding of the scholarly value of community-engaged teaching and research among participating faculty, and increase community-engaged activities at participating academic institutions. These findings suggest that funding agencies, faculty members and academic administrators can use service-learning as a strategy to foster a

  18. Multimodal sequence learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemény, Ferenc; Meier, Beat

    2016-02-01

    While sequence learning research models complex phenomena, previous studies have mostly focused on unimodal sequences. The goal of the current experiment is to put implicit sequence learning into a multimodal context: to test whether it can operate across different modalities. We used the Task Sequence Learning paradigm to test whether sequence learning varies across modalities, and whether participants are able to learn multimodal sequences. Our results show that implicit sequence learning is very similar regardless of the source modality. However, the presence of correlated task and response sequences was required for learning to take place. The experiment provides new evidence for implicit sequence learning of abstract conceptual representations. In general, the results suggest that correlated sequences are necessary for implicit sequence learning to occur. Moreover, they show that elements from different modalities can be automatically integrated into one unitary multimodal sequence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Implementing Active Learning Reform in the Maldives: Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Biase, Rhonda

    2009-01-01

    Many countries are adopting child-centered active learning reforms as they strive to improve the quality of primary education. Consistent challenges can be found in the implementation of similar, global reforms. These issues are discussed here within the following framework: the cultural appropriateness of such reforms; the extent to which active…

  20. Informal Learning and Identity Formation in Online Social Networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenhow, Christine; Robelia, Beth

    2009-01-01

    All students today are increasingly expected to develop technological fluency, digital citizenship, and other twenty-first century competencies despite wide variability in the quality of learning opportunities schools provide. Social network sites (SNSs) available via the internet may provide promising contexts for learning to supplement…