Hacking the Non-Technical Brain: Maximizing Retention in a Core Introductory IT Course

Maximizing student retention of, and ability to apply, technical material in introductory information technology courses is a complex task, especially with respect to the general student population. This population struggles with the application of programming concepts in the time-constrained testing environment. Our study considers the implementation of daily quizzes in a core-curriculum information technology and programming course as a means to improve student concept retention and application. Between the first and second exams, the instructors implemented a series of high-frequency, no-risk quizzes. Of the four sections of the course that each instructor taught, two sections each were provided with the quizzes as the experimental group and two remained with the standard curriculum as the control. The results demonstrate the benefits of frequent, effortful recall on student performance in a core-curriculum information technology and programming course

CUE RECOGNITION DEVELOPMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS

Clinical judgment among nurses is imperative to assure quality, safe healthcare to all. The licensure exam for registered nurses has been criticized for not adequately measuring the clinical judgment needed by entry-level nurses. The National Board of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) responded to this criticism by developing a new Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM) with measurable cognitive processes, including cue recognition, to be used as a framework for item development on the new licensure exam. Nursing programs must evaluate current teaching and evaluation modalities for alignment with the new CJMM measurable cognitive processes to prepare entry-level nurses for successful completion of the licensure exam and practice. A concept analysis of cue recognition determined the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences most commonly depicted medical, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy literature. Cue recognition was more clearly defined resulting in an operational definition of cue recognition. The operational definition of cue recognition informs nurse educator of specific measurable criteria to include on student evaluations in areas such as clinical and simulation. In addition, question items on exams can be created on cue recognition using cue recognition defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences. The second paper investigated the effect of using classroom quizzing on the short and long-term cue recognition retrieval of previously learned client cues. Classroom quizzing, a retrieval-based learning strategy, was given to baccalaureate nursing students prior to watching a simulated patient scenario. The posttest scores of the group receiving the classroom quizzing scored lower than the group whom did not receive the classroom quizzing. There was no significant difference in long-term cue recognition ability as measure by retention questions one week after the intervention. The final study examined nurse educators’ knowledge of cue recognition and factors that affect the knowledge of cue recognition. The results revealed a knowledge deficit among nurse educators. Factors that affected the cue recognition knowledge level included years in the educator role, age, and confidence in using cue recognition as a teaching strategy

Technologies of online learning (elearning)

This chapter includes an examination of some of the most exciting technologies and features used in online instruction today, and those we may use tomorrow. Education is one of the fastestgrowing economic and social sectors in the world, and the use of new technologies is an integral and driving component of that growth

Three-Dimensional Visualization Technology in the Medical Curriculum: Exploring Faculty Use in Preclinical, Clinical, and Postgraduate Anatomy Education

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Background: The advancement of three-dimensional visualization technology provides exciting new opportunities in medical education, including new methods for teaching complex anatomical relationships and promising tools for the training of postgraduate physicians. Information on how faculty use three-dimensional visualization technology for anatomy education is essential for informed discussions surrounding their effectiveness as a teaching tool and use in the medical curriculum, yet the current literature lacks necessary contextual details on how faculty integrate these technologies into actual medical curricula. Methods: Fifteen medical educators from North American medical schools and teaching hospitals completed semi-structured interviews and discussed how they use three-dimensional visualization technology for teaching in preclinical courses, clinical clerkships, and postgraduate programs. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method and resulting themes were used to inform the creation of a questionnaire. Results: The resulting themes of analysis were organized according to a curricular framework that describes how faculty use these technologies as an instructional resource and how this use is related to the purposes, content, sequence, instructional processes and evaluation of medical curricula. The results demonstrate how three-dimensional visualization technology is being is implemented in a variety of ways in the curriculum and revealed numerous similarities of use across the levels of medical education. Analyses revealed minimal use of three-dimensional visualization technology for assessment and indicated faculty face significant challenges in designing such assessment. Conclusions: Results suggest continuing assessment of the effectiveness of these technologies as a teaching tool needs to encompass broader aspects of use, such as those described in this study. Additionally, results showing similarities of use across levels suggest that educators and administrators should consider how threedimensional visualization technology can be thoughtfully integrated to address the changing needs of learners as they progress through medical education. Findings also suggest that administrators who want to support the integration of three-dimensional visualization technology into the curriculum need to provide adequate support and training to help faculty overcome time limitations and difficulties designing assessment methods

Assessing the Effects of the Smartphone as a Learning Tool on the Academic Achievement and Motivation of High School Agriculture Students in Louisiana

Perhaps the most influential device in modern society is the smartphone. Over 90% of Americans aged 18-29 own a smartphone and 74% of teenagers reported using a smartphone as their primary internet connection. Students perceived that using smartphones in the classroom aided learning. However, two-thirds of American high schools ban students from using phones in the classroom. Secondary science curriculum focuses on subjects that regard the biodiversity of plant and animal species, but disregard the student’s ability to identify species. Consequently, secondary students in general are very poor at identifying species of trees. Previous research supports the idea that advanced smartphone applications in student centered learning environments can improve achievement and motivation. There is little in the agricultural education literature pertaining to smartphone enhanced learning among secondary agriculture students. Further, no research has focused on the use of smartphone applications in forestry education at the secondary level. This dual-purpose study compared achievement levels between two groups of students in a forestry curriculum learning with smartphones or printed materials and determined motivational differences between groups. Specifically, one group of students used the smartphone apps Leafsnap, V-Tree, Tree Book, and Quizlet to identify leaf samples while a comparison group utilized Leaf Key to Common Trees of Louisiana (Dozier & Mills, 2005), Important Forest Trees of the Eastern United States (Brockman & Merrilees, 1991), and Louisiana Trees (Hodges, Evans & Garnett, 2015). A non-equivalent comparison group design was employed. Secondary agricultural students (n = 263) from 13 schools across Louisiana completed a criterion referenced pretest and post-test created by the researcher via Test Generator Web©. Motivation was measured using the Course Interest Survey (Keller, 2010). Data were analyzed using Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM) for fixed effects with maximum likelihood estimation to determine if any statistically significant differences existed between the groups in achievement or motivation. HLM accounted for differences between individual students in schools and prior knowledge. The analysis rendered no statistically significant differences between the groups in achievement or motivation. It was concluded that smartphones do not reduce learning and should be considered a learning enabler in agricultural education where policy permits

Apply Small Teaching Tactics in an Introductory Programming Course: Impact on Learning Performance

Small teaching approaches are well-structured, incremental teaching improvement techniques supported by research in cognitive science, memory, and learning. I systematically implement a series of small teaching activities in an introductory programming course to tackle the teaching and learning challenges faced by instructors and students. The small teaching activities are designed to promote effective learning strategies such as knowledge retrieval, spacing-out practice, and interleaving learning. I examine the impact of such approaches on students’ performance through comparative analyses. The test results indicate that small teaching approaches are effective in improving students’ lower- and higher-level thinking skills and help boost students’ long-term knowledge retention. Because the small teaching approaches are flexible and easy to implement, instructors teaching technical information systems topics can quickly integrate at least some small teaching activities into their classes

Olivet Nazarene University Biennial Catalog 1992-1994

https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/acaff_catalog/1072/thumbnail.jp

Olivet Nazarene University Biennial Catalog 1992-1994

https://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/acaff_catalog/1072/thumbnail.jp

M-learning in the middle east: The case of Bahrain

The introduction of e-learning in higher education has brought radical changes in the way undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are designed and delivered. University students now have access to their courses anytime, anywhere, which makes e-learning and m-learning popular and fashionable among university students globally. Nevertheless, instructors are now challenged, as they have to adopt new pedagogies in learning and teaching. This chapter explores the adoption of m-learning at universities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as the relevant current developments and challenges related to the major stakeholders (educators and students) in higher education. It mainly investigates the educators' views and perceptions of m-learning, as well as its future potential in higher education. Most of the educators use m-learning tools to some limited extent, and there is still opportunity to reach full integration with curriculum and the blended learning approach. Further, it is proposed that professional development should be provided to instructors to enable them to use the available new technologies in an appropriate and effective way