Modeling Student Affective State Patterns during Self-Regulated Learning in Physics Playground

This dissertation research focuses on investigating the incidence of student self-regulated learning behavior, and examines patterns in student affective states that accompany such self-regulated behavior. This dissertation leverages prediction models of student affective states in the Physics Playground educational game platform to identify common patterns in student affective states during use of self-regulated learning behavior. In Study 1, prediction models of student affective states are developed in the context of the educational game environment Physics Playground, using affective state observations and computer log data that had already been collected as part of a larger project. The performances of student affective state prediction models generated using a combination of the computer log and observational data are then compared against those of similar prediction models generated using video data collected at the same time. In Study 2, I apply these affective state prediction models to generate predictions of student affective states on a broader set of data collected from students participants playing Physics Playground. In parallel, I define aggregated behavioral features that represent the self-observation and strategic planning components of self-regulated learning. Affective state predictions are then mapped to playground level attempts that contain these self-regulated learning behavioral features, and sequential pattern mining is applied to the affective state predictions to identify the most common patterns in student emotions. Findings from Study 1 demonstrate that both video data and interaction log data can be used to predict student affective states with significant accuracy. Since the video data is a direct measure of student emotions, it shows better performance across most affective states. However, the interaction log data can be collected natively by Physics Playground and is able to be generalized more easily to other learning environments. Findings from Study 2 suggest that self-regulatory behavior is closely associated with sustained periods of engaged concentration and .self-regulated learning behaviors are associated with transitions from negative affective states (confusion, frustration, and boredom) to the positive engaged concentration state. The results of this dissertation project demonstrate the power of measuring student affective states in real time and examining the temporal relationship to self-regulated learning behavior within an unstructured educational game platform. These results thus provide a building block for future research on the real-time assessment of student emotions and its relationship with self-regulated learning behaviors, particularly within online student-centered and self-directed learning contexts

Who learns better. Achieving long-term knowledge retention by programming-based learning

In this paper we describe the experience of a year-long experiment devoted to understanding if retention of knowledge acquired by students while learning a specific subject can be improved by letting them build by themselves interactive models of that knowledge by means of a visual programming language based on the block metaphor. What we propose is along the lines of active learning and learning-by-teaching. Students build an interactive model that tests the knowledge of a specific topic and it is assumed that the topic will be better memorized and understood than using standard learning strategies. To test this hypothesis, we run an experiment on the students of two 5th grade classes, split in three groups. One group learned the topic by both following standard explanations and by creating by themselves multimedia interactive projects by means of a block language. A second group learned by following standard explanations and by playing with multimedia interactive projects created by their peers in the first group. A third group learned by only following standard explanations. The experiment outcome shows that there is a significant improvement in the retention rate after several months for those students that build their digital tools by themselves with respect to both students that use digital tools built by others and students that do not use digital tools at all. It is our opinion that this strategy can be applied to topics of all disciplines, providing the bases of what we can define as programming-based learning, a general learning methodology based on computer programming

The Art of Sketchnoting in a High School Language Arts Classroom

This case study addressed how visual note-taking (sketchnotes) impacted students\u27 learning in an English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze if sketchnoting was a useful tool that students could use to deepen their understanding of concepts learned in ELA. Data from student examination of their own sketchnotes, teacher/researcher examination of the sketchnotes, and interviews were analyzed by identifying quality of work, themes, and assessment questions. The interview questions focused on student experiences with sketchnotes, test score outcomes, and student emotions towards sketchnotes. The examination was a document analysis of sketchnotes parallel to student assessment questions. This was to analyze visual items either presented or not presented on the sketchnote to what the assessment question was asking. Case study research is an analysis of a single or collective case, intended to capture the complexity of the object of study. The object of this study was sketchnoting and how sketchnoting helped or impacted student learning. Through this research, I presented my key elements of this study. The results of this study could help educators understand the benefits of sketchnoting in their classroom. It may also improve student learning and education

Naturalistic decision-making frameworks in multiprofessional assessment of early childhood disability

Young children with complex developmental difficulties are often referred for\ud assessment by multiprofessional groups run by health or education services.\ud The purpose of this research is to identify and describe the frameworks within\ud which such groups make their judgements and decisions in real work settings.\ud This study adopted an exploratory, multiple-case research design. It involved\ud two tertiary multiprofessional groups in London. Each assessed two preschool\ud children whose difficulties were suspected to lie within the autistic spectrum.\ud One group consisted of a paediatric senior registrar, a clinical psychologist and\ud a speech therapist working within a neurodisability centre attached to a\ud hospital (Site M); the other group was multi-agency, managed by an\ud Educational Psychology Service and included educational psychologists, a\ud psychotherapist and the deputy head of a special school (Site E). Each child\ud was assessed by all the professionals simultaneously in the presence of the\ud parents over a morning session. All discussions were audio-recorded. Postassessment\ud interviews were held with each participant. Data were subjected\ud to verbal protocol analysis and discourse and conversation analysis.\ud The major finding of the study was that professionals made use of four types\ud of interlinked decision-making frameworks, activated either concurrently or in\ud close alternation. Firstly, a common procedural framework included\ud hypothesis testing and diagnosis carried out in three cycles of decision\ud making, with varying characteristics related to the different institutional\ud contexts of each Site. Secondly, knowledge frameworks were mainly within\ud the 'disease' model at Site M, and the 'psychodynamic' and 'behavioural'\ud models at Site E. Thirdly, goal structures were related to which client and\ud purpose each assessment was intended to serve. Finally, negotiation\ud frameworks consisted of inter-professional collaboration and power-game\ud structures, and professional-parent interaction structures for negotiating the\ud bad news. These findings have implications for research on decision making\ud in assessment of children with disability, as well as for professional practice\ud and training

March 25, 2004

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Educating children presenting with autistic spectrum disorder: exploring parents' experiences

According to Pienaar and Raymond (2013, p.10) learners with disabilities have historically experienced the most serious exclusion from learning. The worldwide call for inclusive education prompted South Africa to develop the White Paper 6 (WP6) (2001, p.18) which clearly states that for Inclusive Education to be successfully implemented in South Africa, there has to be an acknowledgement that all children and youth can learn. The implementation of WP6 therefore not only benefits learners with special educational needs, but all South African learners by implementing "a more flexible system of education that focuses on removing barriers to learning and creating learning-friendly environments" (Pienaar and Raymond, 2013, pp. 10-11). However, a great disparity exists in what is proposed in official documents such as WP6 and what parents of children with barriers to learning actually experience within schools. This phenomenological study employed memory work, drawings and focus group discussions with four purposively selected parents to explore parents’ experiences of the education of their children who are on the Autistic Spectrum. Bronfenbrenner’s Eco-systemic perspective was used to make meaning of the data. The findings show that parents find the education of their autistic children as a stressful and isolating experience because of an unprepared education system. Despite the challenges, the participants also find their experiences to be a journey of personal growth and fulfilment. The study therefore recommends that schools should engage parents of autistic children more actively in order to make inclusion of such children effective. Teachers who are expected to practice inclusivity in schools should be adequately prepared to work with children presenting with ASD through a collaborative effort of the Department of Health and the Department of Education

The Effect of Story Narrative in Multimedia Learning

abstract: ELearning, distance learning, has been a fast-developing topic in educational area. In 1999, Mayer put forward “Cognitive Theory of Multimedia learning” (Moreno, & Mayer, 1999). The theory consisted of several principles. One of the principles, Modality Principle describes that when learners are presented with spoken words, their performance are better than that with on-screen texts (Mayer, R., Dow, & Mayer, S. 2003; Moreno, & Mayer, 1999).It gave an implication that learners performance can be affected by modality of learning materials. A very common tool in education in literature and language is narrative. This way of storytelling has received success in practical use. The advantages of using narrative includes (a) inherent format advantage such as simple structure and familiar language and ideas, (b) motivating learners, (c) facilitate listening, (d) oral ability and (e)provide schema for comparison in comprehension. Although this storytelling method has been widely used in literature, language and even moral education, few studies focused it on science and technology area. The study aims to test the effect of narrative effect in multimedia setting with science topic. A script-based story was applied. The multimedia settings include a virtual human with synthetic speech, and animation on a solar cell lesson. The experiment design is a randomized alternative- treatments design, in which participants are requested to watch a video with pedagogical agent in story format or not. Participants were collected from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Result of transfer score and retention score showed that no significant difference between narrative and non-narrative condition. Discussion was put forward for future study.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Engineering 201

The Effects of Roundhouse Diagram Construction and Use on Meaningful Science Learning in the Middle School Classroom.

This research explored the effects of Roundhouse diagram construction and use on meaningful learning of science concepts in a 6th-grade science classroom. This investigation examined the transformation of students\u27 science concepts as they became more proficient in constructing Roundhouse diagrams, what problems students encountered while constructing Roundhouse diagrams, and how choices of iconic images affected their progress in meaningfully learning science concepts as they constructed a series of Roundhouse diagrams. The process of constructing a Roundhouse diagram involved recognizing the learner\u27s relevant existing concepts, evaluating the central concepts for a science lesson and breaking them down into their component parts, reconstructing the learner\u27s conceptual framework by reducing the amount of detail efficiently, reviewing the reconstruction process, and linking each key concept to an iconic image. The researcher collected and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data to determine the effectiveness of the Roundhouse diagram. Data included field notes, observations, students\u27 responses to Roundhouse diagram worksheets, students\u27 perceptions from evaluation sheets, students\u27 mastery of technique sheets, tapes and transcripts of students\u27 interviews, student-constructed Roundhouse diagrams, and documentation of science grades both pre- and post-Roundhouse diagramming. This multiple case study focused on six students although the whole class was used for statistical purposes. Stratified purposeful sampling was used to facilitate comparisons as well as week-by-week comparisons of students\u27 science grades and Roundhouse diagram scores to gain additional insight into the effectiveness of the Roundhouse diagramming method. Through participation in constructing a series of Roundhouse diagrams, middle school students gained a greater understanding of science concepts. Roundhouse diagram scores improved over time during the 10-week Roundhouse diagramming session. Students\u27 science scores improved as they became more proficient in constructing the Roundhouse diagrams. The major problems associated with constructing Roundhouse diagrams were extracting the main ideas from the textbook, understanding science concepts in terms of whole/part relationships, paraphrasing sentences effectively, and sequencing events in an accurate order. A positive relationship existed for the case study group based on students\u27 choices and drawings of iconic images and the meaningful learning of science concepts