Design and Use of Static Scaffolding Techniques to Support Java Programming on a Mobile Phone

Most learners in resource-constrained environments own mobile phones that they could use to learn programming while outside the classroom. However, limitations of mobile phones, such as small screens and small keypads, impede their use as typical programming environments. This study proposed that programming environments on mobile phones could include scaffolding techniques specifically designed for mobile phones, and designed based on learners' needs. Scaffolding should be designed with some essential techniques that are mandatory for learners to use. Hence, one type of scaffolding technique that was designed to support programming on the mobile phone is static scaffolding that does not fade. Experiments were conducted with 64 learners of programming from three universities in Kenya and South Africa in order to investigate how they used the designed static scaffolding techniques to construct Java programs on a mobile phone. The results show that programming on mobile phones can be supported by providing scaffolding techniques that never fade, in order to address the limitations of mobile phones and to meet learners' needs

Scaffolding Java Programming on a Mobile Phone for Novice Learners

The ubiquity of mobile phones provides an opportunity to use them for learning programming beyond the classroom. This would be particularly useful for novice learners of programming in resource-constrained environments. However, limitations of mobile phones, such as small screens and small keypads, impede their use as typical programming environments. This study proposed that mobile programming environments could include scaffolding techniques specifically designed for mobile phones, and designed based on learners’ needs. A six-level theoretic framework was used to design scaffolding techniques to support construction of Java programs on a mobile phone. The scaffolding techniques were implemented on an Android platform. Using the prototype, three experiments were conducted with 182 learners of programming from four universities in South Africa and Kenya. Evaluation was conducted to investigate: (i) which scaffolding techniques could support the construction of Java programs on a mobile phone; and (ii) the effect on learners of using these scaffolding techniques to construct Java programs on a mobile phone. Data was collected using computer logs, questionnaires, and image and video recordings. It was found that static scaffolding, such as a program overview and constructing a program one part at a time, supported the construction of programs on a mobile phone. It was also found that automatic scaffolding, such as error prompts and statement dialogs, and user-initiated scaffolding, such as viewing of the full program while creating parts of a program, supported learners to construct programs on the mobile phone. The study also found that the scaffolding techniques enabled learners to attempt and complete more tasks than a non-scaffolded environment. Further, the scaffolding techniques enabled learners to complete programs efficiently, and captured syntactical errors early during program creation. The results also indicated that after the initial familiarization with the scaffolded environment, the scaffolding techniques could enable faster completion of programs. Learners’ feedback indicated that they found the scaffolding techniques useful in supporting programming on a mobile phone and in meeting learners’ needs. This study provides empirical evidence that scaffolding techniques specifically designed for mobile phones and designed based on learners’ needs could support the construction of programs on a mobile phone

Constructions and justifications of a generalization of Viviani's theorem.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.This qualitative study actively engaged a group of eight pre-service mathematics teachers (PMTs) in an evolutionary process of generalizing and justifying. It was conducted in a developmental context and underpinned by a strong constructivist framework. Through using a set of task based activities embedded in a dynamic geometric context, this study firstly investigated how the PMTs experienced the reconstruction of Viviani’s theorem via the processes of experimentation, conjecturing, generalizing and justifying. Secondly, it was investigated how they generalized Viviani’s result for equilateral triangles, further across to a sequence of higher order equilateral (convex) polygons such as the rhombus, pentagon, and eventually to ‘any’ convex equi-sided polygon, with appropriate forms of justifications. This study also inquired how PMTs experienced counter-examples from a conceptual change perspective, and how they modified their conjecture generalizations and/or justifications, as a result of such experiences, particularly in instances where such modifications took place. Apart from constructivsm and conceptual change, the design of the activities and the analysis of students’ justifications was underpinned by the distinction of the so-called ‘explanatory’ and ‘discovery’ functions of proof. Analysis of data was grounded in an analytical–inductive method governed by an interpretive paradigm. Results of the study showed that in order for students to reconstruct Viviani’s generalization for equilateral triangles, the following was required for all students: *experimental exploration in a dynamic geometry context; *experiencing cognitive conflict to their initial conjecture; *further experimental exploration and a reformulation of their initial conjecture to finally achieve cognitive equilibrium. Although most students still required the aforementioned experiences again as they extended the Viviani generalization for equilateral triangles to equilateral convex polygons of 4 sides (rhombi) and five sides (pentagons), the need for experimental exploration gradually subsided. All PMTs expressed a need for an explanation as to why their equilateral triangle conjecture generalization was always true, and were only able to construct a logical explanation through scaffolded guidance with the means of a worksheet. The majority of the PMTs (i.e. six out of eight) extended the Viviani generalization to the rhombus on empirical grounds using Sketchpad while two did so on analogical grounds but superficially. However, as the PMTs progressed to the equilateral pentagon (convex) problem, the majority generalized on either inductive grounds or analogical grounds without the use of Sketchpad. Finally all of them generalized to any convex equi-sided polygon on logical grounds. In so doing it seems that all the PMTs finally cut off their ontological bonds with their earlier forms or processes of making generalizations. This conceptual growth pattern was also exhibited in the ways the PMTs justified each of their further generalizations, as they were progressively able to see the general proof through particular proofs, and hence justify their deductive generalization of Viviani’s theorem. This study has also shown that the phenomenon of looking back (folding back) at their prior explanations assisted the PMTs to extend their logical explanations to the general equi-sided polygon. This development of a logical explanation (proof) for the general case after looking back and carefully analysing the statements and reasons that make up the proof argument for the prior particular cases (i.e. specific equilateral convex polygons), namely pentagon, rhombus and equilateral triangle, emulates the ‘discovery’ function of proof. This suggests that the ‘explanatory’ function of proof compliments and feeds into the ‘discovery’ function of proof. Experimental exploration in a dynamic geometry context provided students with a heuristic counterexample to their initial conjectures that caused internal cognitive conflict and surprise to the extent that their cognitive equilibrium became disturbed. This paved the way for conceptual change to occur through the modification of their postulated conjecture generalizations. Furthermore, this study has shown that there exists a close link between generalization and justification. In particular, justifications in the form of logical explanations seemed to have helped the students to understand and make sense as to why their generalizations were always true, but through considering their justifications for their earlier generalizations (equilateral triangle, rhombus and pentagon) students were able to make their generalization to any convex equi-sided polygon on deductive grounds. Thus, with ‘deductive’ generalization as shown by the students, especially in the final stage, justification was woven into the generalization itself. In conclusion, from a practitioner perspective, this study has provided a descriptive analysis of a ‘guided approach’ to both the further constructions and justifications of generalizations via an evolutionary process, which mathematics teachers could use as models for their own attempts in their mathematics classrooms

Building Data and Information Literacy in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum

The Literature and Seminar sequence at James Madison University has been used to develop the chemistry information literacy skills of chemistry majors for over four decades. These courses have been continually updated to emphasize information literacy skills for the twenty-first century. This chapter describes the methods that have been developed to improve chemical, data and general information literacy at a large, public, primarily undergraduate institution. The focus of the first semester course, described in this chapter, is on skill building rather than teaching specific resources. It is a model of integration and collaboration between chemistry faculty and chemistry librarians. Changes in information resources, disciplinary standards, and assessment are used to inform and refine course instruction. While implementation of a course is always unique because of the size, curricular structure, culture, and students associated with an institution, we think that the approach described herein will be applicable to other programs

Effects of Universal Design For Learning on Faculty and Student Outcomes in Postsecondary Online Courses

As diversity of student enrollment increases, postsecondary institutionsmust address the inclusiveness of physical and virtual learning environments.Doing so requires engaging faculty in a conversation about their online pedagogyand course design. This study employs Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as ameans for faculty to reflect on and solve instructional problems in their courses. Itfollows a sequential, exploratory, quasi-experimental, mixed-methods approach.Instructor-focused, in-depth interviews capture the experience of instructors asthey reflect on their personal history that led them to teaching. They identified aportion of one of their online courses to improve and selected modificationsinspired by the UDL framework. They also reflect on the subsequent interactionswith their students with a focus on changes they have observed in relation to themodified portion of their course. The student-focused portion of the studyexamines the effect these modifications have on student outcomes throughquantitative and qualitative analysis of their responses to a survey. The student-provided data were compared across control and treatment sections for eachcourse. This study demonstrates how the UDL framework and guidelines can beused as a tool for qualitative research in addition to its traditional role as aprescriptive model. The synthesis of all data from the study providespostsecondary educators with an empirical account of UDL’s utility and attemptsto address barriers to adoption

Rationale for user oriented design technique selection

This paper analyzes a set of guidelines for selecting a user oriented design technique. A fictional case study is used to illustrate the application of the guidelines

Exploring Cognitive Complexity Development in a Hybrid Counseling Theories Course Designed Using the Recursive Superstructure

The purpose this research was to explore how an intentionally scaffolded hybrid counseling theories course facilitated cognitive complexity development for counselors in training (CITs). A qualitative portraiture case study design was utilized to illuminate CITs experiences regarding the impact of face to face and online learning on the development of cognitive complexity in the context of theoretical application. Data were collected in five ways: (1) pre, mid, and post questionnaires; (2) online reflection journals and discussion responses; (3) case study and treatment plan; (4) final reflection paper; and (5) individual or dyadic qualitative interviews. Developmental portraits were constructed from the data for each of the 15 participants. Three clusterings of case based themes emerged across participant portraits. Participants demonstrated cognitive complexity development through increased ability to monitor personal reactions, increased awareness of multiple valid perspectives, increased attempts to correct for biases and limitations, and increasingly accurate appraisals of personal strengths and limitations. Implications related to the use of critical and contextual constructivist pedagogy to foster development of cognitive complexity in relation to multicultural and social justice advocacy competencies are discussed. Recommendations for counselor educators who wish to design hybrid or flipped learning environments designed to foster cognitive complexity are provided

CREATIVITY AND CONFORMITY IN FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY

A mixed-methods scholarship of teaching and learning case study was conducted in two parts with midshipmen enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy to determine if writing error propensity could be decreased over the course of a single-semester first-year composition (FYC) class. During the needs assessment, information provided by 55 midshipmen showed an average errors per 100 words rate of .29 for formal mistakes and .65 for citation errors per essay. Qualitative information collected via survey instruments emphasized the need for an andragogy-centered approach for improvement and real-world applicability. As an intervention, cognitive apprenticeship adjustments to the FYC class syllabus allowed for including a professionally-relevant text, a scaffolded approach to writing projects, and multiple reflective writing activities. Across three writing assignments with different documentation styles, 50 midshipmen decreased their formal (.58 to .23) and citation (.77 to .62) errors per 100 words rates by the conclusion of the semester. The implications of these results are examined for the purposes of practice and future research

A new direction for public understanding of science: toward a participant-centered model of science engagement.

Engaging the public with science is not an easy task. When presented, scientific findings, public health recommendations, and other scientific information filter through the personal values, beliefs, and biases of members of the public. Science communicators must contend with these differences in order to be effective in cultivating a public understanding of science. Given the importance of scientific understanding for living well in a complex world, increasing science understanding through science engagement is imperative. The field of public engagement with science is dichotomized by a public information deficit approach and a contextualist approach. The deficit approach prizes the factual content of science, its epistemic authority, and its communication to the public while the contextualist approach recognizes the sociocultural embeddedness of science in society, how science is received by publics, and how local knowledges intersect with science. I contend both approaches are incomplete, and I put forth a synthesis. My approach, the participant-centered model of science engagement, incorporates the factual content of science and its epistemic authority, but in a way that is sensitive to context. I argue for a deliberative democratic approach to public engagement with science and articulate a model inspired by learner-centered approaches to teaching in the formal education literature. I outline and assess six participant-centered strategies along with recommendations for particular practices associated with each

Google Glass App for Displaying ASL Videos for Deaf Children – The Preliminary Race

Glass Vision 3D is a grant-funded project focused on the goal of developing and researching the feasibility & usability of a Google Glass app that will allow young Deaf children to look at an object in the classroom and see an augmented reality projection that displays an American Sign Language (ASL) related video. Session will show the system (Glass app) that was developed and summarize feedback gathered during focus-group testing of the prototype