scholarly journals Rethinking the Traditional Textbook

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna Cozart ◽  
Erin Maria Horan ◽  
Gavin Frome
Keyword(s):  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
College Costs ◽  
Foundations Of Education ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Student Academic Performance ◽  
Course Outcomes ◽  
Academic Year

As college costs have continued to rise, textbooks now average more than $1,200 per student per academic year as of 2020. Traditional textbooks are not only expensive, but also have fixed and frequently outdated content. In this study, we compared pre-service teacher-student outcomes and perceptions of a traditional textbook versus no-cost, online materials such as open educational resources (OER) in an undergraduate Foundations of Education course. Outcomes were measured by comparison of final course grades. Perceptions were determined through quantitative and qualitative survey questions added to existing end-of-course evaluations. Results revealed students found OER and no-cost online materials more useful to their success in the course and more engaging than a traditional textbook. Qualitative analysis further revealed that while students appreciated there was no cost for the online materials, they preferred them to a traditional textbook because of the customized content. Results suggest students find instructor-curated, no-cost online readings more useful and preferable to a traditional textbook without compromising student academic performance.  

STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO SPEAK IN A GROUP DISCUSSION

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fajar Maulana ◽  
Ikhsanudin Ikhsanudin ◽  
Luwandi Suhartono
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Education ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Study Program ◽  
Class A ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
Integrative Motivation ◽  
Academic Year

This research was done to know the factors’ influencing students’ motivation to speak in a group discussion. This research is qualitative survey, in which the subjects are the Third-Semester Students of English Education Study Program of Tanjungpura University in Academic Year 2018/2019. The subjects of this research were 25 students in class A. The data were collected through observation and survey. Based on the data the students are motivated enough in speaking class and the motivation are relatively high across the students but most of the students faced several speaking problems such as afraid of making mistakes, lack of confidence, and lack of motivation. In summary, the factors that influenced the students’ motivation to speak in a group discussion are the students' interest to the materials of learning, the students’ interest to the culture of the target language, and lastly the reinforced that the students receive inside/outside the teaching and learning process. All of the factors are related to types of motivation, such as, intrinsic, extrinsic, instrumental, and integrative motivation. The writer claimed that knowing and understand sorts of motivation is essential with the intention of making a better teaching and learning environment

scholarly journals Embedded Peer Inquiry Specialists: A Gateway to Information Literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Salomon ◽  
Julia Glassman ◽  
Simon Lee ◽  
Alicia Reiley
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Combined Model ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Information Literacy Skills ◽  
Academic Year

Peer-assisted learning has been embraced by higher education as a way to boost student success. At the same time, academic librarians have found embedded librarianship to be an effective way to develop students' information literacy skills. The embedded librarianship model, however, is difficult to scale. The UCLA Library is testing a program that combines embedded librarianship with peer learning to solve some of the challenges associated with those models.The program works by embedding a student who has completed a General Education (GE) lecture course back into the current year's course to help students with research and writing assignments. The embedded student, called an "Inquiry Specialist,” is nominated by that course's faculty. The program launched in 2015 in five courses that serve a total of 830 students. Assessment is ongoing and includes: 1. IRB-approved study that will compare data (grades, retention, first-generation status, etc.) from students who connected with an Inquiry Specialist with those who did not; 2. Information literacy pre- and post-assessments; 3. Analysis of course evaluations; 4. Student survey.Results indicate that the combined model is an effective and scalable gateway to information literacy. During the first six weeks of Fall, 830 students (15% of the freshman class) attended a 40-minute library orientation. Approximately 20% of the 830 students subsequently sought additional help from the Inquiry Specialists. An analysis of course evaluations demonstrated that students in courses with an Inquiry Specialist rated their improvement in library and research skills 25% and 19% higher, respectfully, than students in courses without an Inquiry Specialist. Student scores on the information literacy quiz increased by an average of 9%. When surveyed, 68% of students said the Inquiry Specialists were “Very Helpful” (36%) or “Helpful” (34%). Plans are underway to double the size of the program in the 2016-17 academic year.

scholarly journals СОЦІАЛЬНІ МЕРЕЖІ ЯК ЕФЕКТИВНЕ СЕРЕДОВИЩЕ ВИКЛАДАЦЬКО-СТУДЕНТСЬКОЇ КОМУНІКАЦІЇ В НАВЧАЛЬНОМУ ПРОЦЕСІ

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Nataliia M. Shulska ◽  
Nataliia M. Matviichuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
National University ◽  
Independent Work ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Communicative Role

Within the article the authors analyze the feasibility of using social network «Vkontakte» as an effective environment for teacher-student communication on the example of teaching discipline «Editorial craftsmanship» (2015-2016 academic year). It was investigated the communicative role of the teacher and students during teaching / mastering course using a community «Editorial craftsmanship». Based on results of the survey community members – students training direction «Publishing and Editing» Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University it was found that this form of organization of educational process in extracurricular time is effective for students. Proved that it extends the communication component, is convenient at performance of independent work on course, provides additional consultations, makes learning accessible, informal, interactive and creative.

scholarly journals Kanji Workbook: A Writing-Based Intelligent Tutoring System for Learning Proper Japanese Kanji Writing Technique with Instructor-Emulated Assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (08) ◽  
pp. 13382-13389
Author(s):  
Paul Taele ◽  
Jung In Koh ◽  
Tracy Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Writing Assessment ◽  
Intelligent Tutoring ◽  
Intelligent Tutoring System ◽  
Tutoring System ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
University Courses ◽  
Educational Applications ◽  
Direct Feedback ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Academic Year

Kanji script writing is a skill that is often introduced to novice Japanese foreign language students for achieving Japanese writing mastery, but often poses difficulties to students with primarily English fluency due to their its vast differences with written English. Instructors often introduce various pedagogical methods—such as visual structure and written techniques—to assist students in kanji study, but may lack availability providing direct feedback on students' writing outside of class. Current educational applications are also limited due to lacking richer instructor-emulated feedback. We introduce Kanji Workbook, a writing-based intelligent tutoring system for students to receive intelligent assessment that emulates human instructor feedback. Our interface not only leverages students' computing devices for allowing them to learn, practice, and review the writing of prompted characters from their course's kanji script lessons, but also provides a diverse set of writing assessment metrics—derived from instructor interviews and classroom observation insights—through intelligent scoring and visual animations. We deployed our interface onto novice- and intermediate-level university courses over an entire academic year, and observed that interface users on average achieved higher course grades than their peers and also reacted positively to our interface's various features.

scholarly journals Maths Advice and Revision for Chemistry (MARC)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Paschke ◽  
Shazia Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Project ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Mathematical Concepts ◽  
Mathematical Skills ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Mathematics Student ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
Academic Year

It has been recognised for some time by Science and Engineering departments that students are entering Higher Education ill-equipped in terms of their mathematical skills, despite having in many cases, attained good grades at Higher/A level (The Engineering Council 2000; Fry, Ketteridge & Marshall 1999; Score Education 2009). In an attempt, therefore, to ensure that all students progressing on to Chemistry degrees are equally prepared (in terms of ability and confidence) to attempt the more mathematical aspects of our courses, the School of Chemistry has over recent years been sequentially introducing   mathematics support into the curriculum.  As part of the School’s ongoing mathematical support provision, the aim of this project was two-fold:  1)    to assess the popularity and effectiveness of tailored maths support sessions and 2)    in relation to the teaching of mathematical concepts to science students, collate examples of existing appropriate open educational resources to provide additional support to facilitate student learning such as RSC Discover Maths for Chemistry and Math Centre (Royal Society of Chemistry; MathCentre 2016). A pilot project has been carried out during the academic year 2015-2016, where support sessions were delivered in tutorial format by the Maths Adviser. Although the sessions were open to all 3rd year students studying on chemistry degree programmes, the expectation was that they would mainly be attended by students with little formal mathematics training and those who are less confident about their abilities.  Keywords:  Chemistry, Mathematics, Student Support, Maths Support 

scholarly journals Can a Floral Design Lab Course Be Taught Effectively Using Web-Based Delivery?

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 809A-809
Author(s):  
Sharon Henss* ◽  
Jayne Zajicek ◽  
R. Daniel Lineberger
Keyword(s):  
Survey Design ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Delivery Method ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Demographic Survey ◽  
Distance Learning Environment ◽  
The Web

The performance and satisfaction of students enrolled in a traditionally structured lecture/lab floral design course and a Web-based version of the same course were compared. Students were assigned randomly to course sections by available seating. Data collected included a demographic survey, design and course evaluations, and test grades. Significant differences were noted in class grades, with students in the traditionally taught course outperforming the Web-based students in both lecture and lab grades. Results from a survey instrument designed to determine whether students were suited to the distance learning environment (given only to the Web-based students) indicated a direct correlation between distance preparedness and course grades. A higher level of distance course preparedness correlated with a higher grade in the course. There was also a direct correlation between grades and whether the student was in the course with the delivery method they preferred. Students who were assigned to the course they preferred had significantly higher grades than students who did not. These results indicate that overall, a course such as floral design may be more effectively taught through traditional teaching techniques. However, certain students with adequate computer skills and a preference for Web-based courses may be successful in courses such as floral design.

scholarly journals Individual Differences in Task-Unrelated Thought in University Classrooms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Kane ◽  
Nicholas Carruth ◽  
John Lurquin ◽  
Paul Silvia ◽  
Bridget Anne Smeekens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Situational Interest ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Media Multitasking ◽  
Final Grade ◽  
Multiple Group ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Thought Probes ◽  
Course Outcomes

This study investigated what academic traits, attitudes, and habits predict individual differences in task-unrelated thought (TUT) during lectures, and whether this TUT propensity mediates associations between academic individual differences and course outcomes (final grade and situational interest evoked by material). Undergraduates (N=851) from 10 psychology classes at two U.S. universities responded to thought probes presented during two early-course lectures; they also indicated sitting in the front, middle, or back of the classroom. At each probe, students categorized their thought content, such as indicating on-task thought or TUT. Students also completed online, academic-self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the course and a situational interest questionnaire at the end. Average TUT rate was 24% but individuals’ rates varied widely (SD=18%). TUT rates also increased substantially from the front to back of the classroom, and modestly from the first to second half of class periods. Multiple-group analyses (with 10 classroom groups) indicated that: (a) classroom media-multitasking habits, initial interest in the course topic, and everyday propensity for mind-wandering and boredom accounted for unique variance in TUT rate (beyond other predictors); (b) TUT rate accounted for unique (modest) variance in course grades and situational interest; and (c) classroom media multitasking and propensity for mind-wandering and boredom had indirect associations with course grades via TUT rate, and these predictor variables, along with initial interest, had indirect associations with end-of-term situational interest via TUT rate. Some academic traits and behaviors predict course outcomes in part because they predict off-task thought during class.

scholarly journals Group simulation for “authentic” assessment in a maternal-child lecture course

2014 ◽  
pp. 61-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desiree Hensel ◽  
Leah Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Authentic Assessment ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Scoring Rubrics

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore student perceptions and outcomes surrounding the use of a labor and delivery simulation as a midterm exam in a maternal-newborn lecture course.  An exploratory case study design was used to gain a holistic view of the simulation experience.  Data from focus groups, written debriefings, simulation scoring rubrics, student course evaluations, and other course exams were analyzed using Stake’s case study method.  Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: confidence, fairness, reliability, and team effort.  Students were able to accurately grade the performance of their group as a whole and complete a group self-debriefing, but quantitative analysis showed that the group scores were significantly higher than other individual course grades. The findings suggested that the group simulation was an authentic assessment of teamwork, but not individual performance. Future research is needed to determine what role simulation and collaborative testing should play in pre-licensure education. 

scholarly journals COMMUNICATIVE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM INTERACTION (A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ON THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS IN MAN 3 TULUNGAGUNG IN THE 2016/2017 ACADEMIC YEAR)

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Anis Azimah
Keyword(s):  
Video Recording ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Tenth Grade ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Descriptive Method

This research aims at observing how the process of communicative learning occurred in the classroom interaction and identifying the types of interaction in the classroom. To meet the purposes of the research, this research raised the questions related to the principal features of Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) scheme proposed by Nunan (1992). MAN 3 Tulungagung was taken as the setting of the research. The interaction between English teacher and students of Acceleration (X-10) class in the 2016/2017 academic year were recorded as the subject of the analysis. To examine the learning process and interaction, this research used qualitative approach in the form of descriptive method. In collecting the data, the researcher employed video recording. The data obtained through the observation was in the form of transcribed interaction. It was also found that the types of interaction occurred in the classroom are Teacher-Class (T - C), Teacher-Group (T-G), Teacher-Student(s) (T-S), and Student-Student (S-S) interactions. Each of this interaction is influential in the classroom. Regarding the findings of the research, the researcher concludes that these communicative analysis can be used as self-monitoring for English teacher to create communicative classroom. Therefore, this study is useful to introspect teacher’s and learner’s performance in the classroom. Key words: communicative Learning, Classroom Interaction.

scholarly journals Cognitive Returns to Having Better Educated Teachers: Evidence from the China Education Panel Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Ji Liu
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Bachelor's Degree ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Panel Survey ◽  
International Debate ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Capital Development ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Class Assignment

Teachers’ own level of human capital development is commonly believed to be deterministic for the quality and effectiveness of their instruction and management in the classroom. Yet, there still exists an international debate on whether better educated teachers contribute to students’ cognitive development. Leveraging a random class-assignment subsample (N = 3436) from a nationally representative teacher-student linked dataset in China, this study reassesses the ongoing contention regarding the value of teacher education. By linking differences in teachers’ own educational attainment levels across different subjects of instruction to variation in seventh grade students’ Chinese, Math and English test scores using student fixed-effect models, this study quantifies the cognitive returns attributable to better educated teachers, in student learning terms. Findings show that teachers with at least a bachelor’s degree contribute substantially to student learning compared to those who are less qualified, by as much as 0.069 SDs or about two additional months of learning over a typical academic year. Additional sensitivity analyses suggest that this observed effect is robust to model specifications, and is consistent for students from different backgrounds.

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