Modelling Dependency Structures Produced by the Introduction of a Flipped Classroom

Teaching processes have been changing in the lasts few decades from a traditional lecture-example-homework format to more active strategies to engage the students in the learning process. One of the most popular methodologies is the flipped classroom, where traditional structure of the course is turned over by moving out of the classroom, most basic knowledge acquisition. However, due to the workload involved in this kind of methodology, an objective analysis of the results should be carried out to assess whether the lecturer’s workload is worth the effort or not. In this paper, we compare the results obtained from two different methodologies: traditional lecturing and flipped classroom methodology, in terms of some performance indicators and an attitudinal survey, in an introductory statistics course for engineering students. Finally, we analysed the changes in the relationships among variables of interest when the traditional teaching was moved to a flipped classroom by using Bayesian networks

TEACHING AND LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT THE UNIVERSITY COURSES ON THE WAY TO LIFELONG LEARNING

Modern theories and practical issues of developing learner autonomy as a prerequisite for life long learning are in the focus of this article. Special attention is drawn to developing learning strategies and reflection, in particular. The most effective ways of developing learning to learn skills at EFL university courses are identifie

Personalised trails and learner profiling within e-learning environments

This deliverable focuses on personalisation and personalised trails. We begin by introducing and defining the concepts of personalisation and personalised trails. Personalisation requires that a user profile be stored, and so we assess currently available standard profile schemas and discuss the requirements for a profile to support personalised learning. We then review techniques for providing personalisation and some systems that implement these techniques, and discuss some of the issues around evaluating personalisation systems. We look especially at the use of learning and cognitive styles to support personalised learning, and also consider personalisation in the field of mobile learning, which has a slightly different take on the subject, and in commercially available systems, where personalisation support is found to currently be only at quite a low level. We conclude with a summary of the lessons to be learned from our review of personalisation and personalised trails

Exploring participatory design for SNS-based AEH systems

The rapidly emerging and growing social networking sites (SNS) offer an opportunity to improve adaptive e-learning experience by introducing a social dimension, connecting users within the system. Making connections and providing communication tools can engage students in creating effective learning environment and enriching learning experiences. Researchers have been working on introducing SNS features into adaptive educational hypermedia systems. The next stage research is centered on how to enhance SNS facilities of AEH systems, in order to engage students’ participation in collaborative learning and generating and enriching learning materials. Students are the core participants in the adaptive e-learning process, so it is essential for the system designers to consider students’ opinions. This paper aims at exploring how to apply participatory design methodology in the early stage of the SNS-based AEH system design process

The impact on values and learning behaviours of engineering students from an authentic learning environment: preliminary analysis and observations

Cochrane & Goh (2008) explore a librarian's and course examiner's reflections on an information literacy experiment in a third year Materials Engineering course. Following this experiment, the course was restructured using authentic project-based learning and information literacy strategies. Authentic learning environments open up opportunities to help students learn about the value of research skills and the importance of professional sources. The research is framed around relational and constructivist pedagogy in that if students are immersed in a rich and authentic professional environment with real-time input from industry practitioners, they are more engaged with the learning experience as designed. This paper proposes that authentic learning environments designed around scaffolded learning opportunities have the ability to change the values and behaviours of engineering students. This paper provides additional research data that was not previously presented at the preliminary stage of the investigation. The observations and analysis presented are of a preliminary nature, hence, the suggested findings are provided with limitations on its reliability and validity

INQUIRE: a case study in evaluating the potential of online MCQ tests in a discursive subject

There has been a wealth of investigation into the use of online multiple-choice questions as a means of summative assessment, however the research into the use of formative MCQs by the same mode of delivery still remains patchy. Similarly, research and implementation has been largely concentrated within the Sciences and Medicine rather than the more discursive subjects within the Humanities and Social Sciences. The INQUIRE (Interactive Questions Reinforcing Education) Evaluation Project was jointly conducted by two groups at the University of Oxford-the Said Business School and the Academic Computing Development Team to evaluate the use of online MCQs as a mechanism to reinforce and extend student learning. This initial study used a small set of highly focused MCQ tests that were designed to complement an introductory series of first-year undergraduate management lectures. MCQ is a simple and well-established technology, and hence the emphasis was very much on situating the tests within the student experience. The paper will cover how the online MCQs are intended to fit into the Oxford Undergraduate study agenda, and how a simple evaluation was executed and planned to investigate their usage and impact. The chosen method of evaluation was to combine focus groups with automated online methods of tracking, and the paper discusses the findings of both of these

The Effect of Student Learning Styles on the Learning Gains Achieved When Interactive Simulations Are Coupled with Real-Time Formative Assessment via Pen-Enabled Mobile Technology

This paper describes results from a project in an undergraduate engineering physics course that coupled classroom use of interactive computer simulations with the collection of real-time formative assessment using pen-enabled mobile technology. Interactive simulations (free or textbook-based) are widely used across the undergraduate science and engineering curriculia to help actively engaged students increase their understanding of abstract concepts or phenomena which are not directly or easily observable. However, there are indications in the literature that we do not yet know the pedagogical best practices associated with their use to maximize learning. This project couples student use of interactive simulations with the gathering of real-time formative assessment via pen-enabled mobile technology (in this case, Tablet PCs). The research question addressed in this paper is: are learning gains achieved with this coupled model greater for certain types of learners in undergraduate STEM classrooms? To answer this, we correlate learning gains with various learning styles, as identified using the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) developed by Felder and Soloman. These insights will be useful for others who use interactive computer simulations in their instruction and other adopters of this pedagogical model; the insights may have broader implications about modification of instruction to address various learning styles.Comment: 6 pages 2 tables and 1 figur

Learning from Digital Natives: Bridging Formal and Informal Learning. Final Report

Overview This report suggests that students are increasingly making use of a variety of etools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) to support their informal learning within formalised educational settings, and that they use the tools that they have available if none are provided for them. Therefore, higher education institutions should encourage the use of these tools. Aims and background This study aimed to explore how e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) and the processes that underpin their use can support learning within educational institutions and help improve the quality of students’ experiences of learning in higher education (pgs 9-11). Methodology The study entailed: (i) desk research to identify related international research and practice and examples of integration of e-tools and learning processes in formal educational settings; (ii) a survey of 160 engineering and social work students across two contrasting Scottish universities (pre- and post-1992) – the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University – and follow-up interviews with eight students across the two subject areas to explore which technologies students were using for both learning and leisure activities within and outside the formal educational settings and how they would like to use such technologies to support their learning in both formal and informal settings; and (iii) interviews with eight members of staff from across the institutions and two subject areas to identify their perceptions of the educational value of the e-tools. (pgs 24-27). Key findings • Students reported making extensive use of a variety of both e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras) and social networking tools (such as Bebo, MySpace, Wikipedia and YouTube) for informal socialisation, communication, information gathering, content creation and sharing, alongside using the institutionally provided technologies and learning environments. • Most of the students owned their own computer or had access to a sibling or parent’s computer. Many students owned a laptop but preferred not to bring it onto campus due to security concerns and because they found it too heavy to carry about. • Ownership of mobile phones was ubiquitous. • Whilst the students’ information searching literacy seemed adequate, the ability of these students to harness the power of social networking tools and informal processes for their learning was low. Staff reported using a few Web 2.0 and social software tools but they were generally less familiar with how these could be used to support learning and teaching. There were misconceptions surrounding the affordances of the tools and fears expressed about security and invasion of personal space. Considerations of the costs and the time it would take staff to develop their skills meant that there was a reluctance to take up new technologies at an institutional level. • Subject differences emerged in both staff and student perceptions as to which type of tools they would find most useful. Attitudes to Web 2.0 tools were different. Engineers were concerned with reliability, using institutional systems and inter-operability. Social workers were more flexible because they were focused on communication and professional needs. • The study concluded that digital tools, personal devices, social networking software and many of the other tools explored all have a large educational potential to support learning processing and teaching practices. Therefore, use of these tools and processes within institutions, amongst staff and students should be encouraged. • The report goes on to suggest ways in which the use of such technologies can help strengthen the links between informal and formal learning in higher education. The recommendations are grouped under four areas – pedagogical, socio-cultural, organisational and technological

The influences of holmium on the solidification, microstructure and mechanical properties of elektron 21 magnesium alloy

The solidification parameter of Elektron 21 magnesium alloys with various Ho concentrations were investigated using computer-aided cooling curve thermal analysis system, and the solidification microstructure and phase constitution of the investigated alloys were characterized by SEM, EDX, and XRD. The mechanical properties were also investigated comparatively. The Ho was selected due to the ability to develop new intermetallic phases together with Mg and have a positive potential to reflect the properties of Mg alloys. As the outcome from this study, the cooling parameter of Elektron 21 with lower addition Ho content, the nucleation and growth temperature of α-Mg in Elektron 21 magnesium alloy decreased, where the Ho changed the solution degree of Zn, which resulted in refinement of microstructure. The results of solidification parameters showed the addition of 0.083 and 0.16 wt. % Ho cause a decrease of the solidification temperature alloys, which lead to the grain size about 64.0 %, which being a most effective addition. The microstructure of the result indicated that the intermetallic phases in the Elektron 21 cast alloy consisted mainly of α-Mg matrix, Mg12Nd, Mg41Nd5, Mg3Gd and Mg3Nd phase. The lower addition of Ho consists of Mg-Zn-Ho phase appears in the cast alloys. However, after adding 0.5 to 3.0 wt. % Ho, the Mg-Zn-Ho phase was suppressed and the phase has earlier been mixed Mg2Ho and Mg3Ho phase. Moreover, the addition of 0.083 wt. % of Ho exhibited an excellent improvement of ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and hardness of 139.7 MPa, 105.62 MPa and 103.52 Hv, respectively. The solidification, microstructure and mechanical properties of Elektron 21 magnesium alloys influenced by the Ho concentration in the magnesium alloys; Elektron 21 with 0.083 wt.% Ho exhibited the refinement of microstructure and displayed the best properties compared to other alloys