TELMA Cross Experiment Guidelines

Cerulli, M., Pedemonte, B., Robotti, E. (eds.). Internal Report, R.I. 01/07, I.T.D. - C.N.R., GenovaThis document contains the guidelines developed by members of TELMA as a means for planning, conducting, and analysing a cross experiment aimed at contributing to the construction of a shared research perspective among TELMA teams . This is the product of the PhD students and young researchers that brought forward the whole activity. The actual experimental phase was proceeded by a reflective phase in which an agreement was achieved on what research questions to address during the experiment. On this basis the first version of the guidelines document was built, containing all the research questions to be addressed, but also the experimental plans for each team. This included the employed didactical functionalities of the considered ICT tools, indications of the experimental settings, and the methods of data collection and analysis. During the whole experimental phase, the document was constantly updated, and shared among the involved persons which were periodically required to compare the different activities and reflections brought forward by all the teams

Curriculum integration connecting academic and career and technical education

The purpose of this project was to develop a curriculum that will help integrate Academic, Career, and Technical Education. The basic purpose of curriculum integration is to help student make connections between academic and technical information, to help them discover the answer to Why do I have to learn this? In 1990, the federal government mandated the integration of Academic and Career and Technical Education through amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocation Education Act of 1984

Dimensions of learning mathematics via technology

Mathematics is a comprehensive, even esthetical experience, affecting a person intellectually, emotionally and physically. The purpose of this study is to determine and examine the dimensions of technology-enhanced mathematics learning. The three learning domains cognitive, psychomotor and affective, ranging from uncomplicated to more complex learning outcomes, as defined by Bloom, have been used a great deal in mathematics pedagogy (Krathwohl, Bloom, & Masia, 1964). This study goes deeper and also examines motivation theory and learning theories when applying technology to the teaching of mathematics. To get a broad picture of the impact of these dimensions on mathematics learning via technology, research was conducted in an array of contexts, including South Af-rica, Mozambique, Germany and Finland. The cross-cultural and cross-countries ap-proach was chosen to ensure wider generalizability of the research. The study invol-ved an action design research (ADR) approach of creating and evaluating artifacts; (i) a novel pedagogical INBECOM model for mathematics learning advocating both behavioristic and constructivist perspectives, and (ii) a newly designed and created story-based UFractions mobile game for learning of fractions incorporating tangible manipulatives. In particular, the affective domain of participants in the study was being studied throughout a ten-year research process from 2009 to 2019. The INBECOM pedagogical model was tested by organizing a fraction course for 21 grade 10 students. The development and evaluation of the pedagogical INBECOM model gives a concrete example of how two learning approaches, constructivism and behaviourism, can be combined in teaching fractions. Furthermore, the results of the qualitative evaluation confirm the view that successful instructional practices have features that are supported by both constructivism and behaviorism. The UFractions mobile game was evaluated with 305 grade 8 students and 12 teachers. Empirical tests indicate that combining concrete manipulatives and mobile phones is a meaningful way to learn the abstract concept of fractions, increasing active student participation. On the basis of the collected data, I initiated a taxonomy for the variety of play motivations in the UFractions game. The dynamics between game motivations and disturbance factors (DF) was analysed. Each motivation relates to a set of DFs typically affecting the player motivation negatively. By becoming aware of these relations, we are able to design more motivating educational games and give guidelines for game developers, users and educators. To explore the affective learning experiences of the three groups of research participants, the qualitative data was derived from the interviews with researchers, teachers and students, as well as from learning diaries, feelings blogs, observations (311 documents) and quantitized (Saldaña, 2009). All the data was explored from the affective perspective, by labelling the feelings the participants experienced according to the affective levels of the Krathwohl et al. (1964) framework. I concluded that affective learning at all five levels was recognized among the three groups of participants. However, the results show that affective learning mostly took place at the receiving level, indicating that the participants received more than they responded, valued, organized or internalized. There was also a significant effect of research participants pertaining to receive; students’ affective learning occurred more at the receiving level than that of the teachers; and teachers’ affective learning emerged more at the value level. Moreover, I define a dimension taxonomy of learning to be used as a framework in the design and implementation of technology-enhanced mathematics teaching and learning including the following three dimensions: (i) Domains of learning, (ii) Orientation of learning, and (iii) Motivation of learning. More precisely, the five domains of learning are cognitive, psychomotor, affective, interpersonal, and intra-personal. Considering orientation of learning, combining behaviorism and constructivism, would lead to more motivating and meaningful teaching and learning strategies. Furthermore, the level of technology integration, the level of students’ cognitive process, and the level of teachers’ knowledge, are intertwined. Motivational fac-tors are an essential part of learning, and it is important to acknowledge connections between motivations and disturbances, when using technology.--- Matematiikka on moniulotteinen kokemus vaikuttaen henkilöön älyllisesti ja tunnetasolla samalla kytkeytyen myös fyysiseen ulottuvuuteen. Tämä tutkimus määrittää ja tarkastelee teknologia-avusteisen matematiikan oppimisen dimensioita. Bloomin määrittämät kolme oppimisen osa-aluetta, kognitiivinen, psykomotorinen ja affektiivinen, jotka etenevät yksinkertaisista monimutkaisempiin oppimisen tasoihin, ovat olleet laajasti käytössä matematiikan pedagogiikassa (Krathwohl, Bloom & Masia, 1964). Tämä tutkimus laajentaa käsitystä oppimisesta tutkimalla motivaatio ja oppimisteorioita sekä niiden käytännön soveltamista matematiikan opetuksessa teknologian avulla. Laajan ymmärryksen saavuttamiseksi siitä, miten nämä tekijät vaikuttavat matematiikan oppimiseen teknologian avulla, tutkimusta toteutettiin monissa eri ympäristöissä, mukaan lukien EteläAfrikka, Mosambik, Saksa ja Suomi. Tutkimuksessa huomioitiin kulttuuriset ja kansainväliset näkökulmat tulosten laajemman yleistettävyyden varmistamiseksi. Tutkimus hyödynsi suunnittelutoimintatutkimuksen (Action Design Research, ADR) menetelmää artefaktien luomiseksi ja evaluoimiseksi: (i) uudenlaista behavioristisia ja konstruktivistisia näkökulmia yhdistävää pedagogista INBECOM-mallia matematiikan oppimiseen, ja (ii) käsinkosketeltavia matematiikan apuvälineitä hyödyntävää UFractions-mobiilipeliä murtolukujen oppimiseen. Erityisesti osallistujien affektiivista oppimista tutkittiin kymmenen vuoden tutkimusprosessin aikana vuosina 2009–2019. INBECOM-pedagogista mallia testattiin järjestämällä murtolukukurssi kansanopiston 10luokalle, jolla oli 21 oppilasta. Pedagogisen INBECOMmallin kehitys ja arviointi antavat konkreettisen esimerkin siitä, miten kahden oppimisteorian, konstruktivismin ja behaviorismin, voi yhdistää murtolukujen opetuksessa. Lisäksi laadullisen arvioinnin tulokset vahvistavat käsitystä siitä, että menestyksellisillä opetusmenetelmillä on piirteitä, jotka hyödyntävät sekä konstruktivistisia että behavioristisia periaatteita. UFractions-mobiilipeli arvioitiin 305 8-luokan opiskelijan ja 12 opettajan avulla. Empiiriset testit osoittavat, että konkreettisten apuvälineiden ja matkapuhelimien yhdistäminen on mielekäs tapa oppia abstrakti murtoluvun käsite ja edistää opiskelijoiden aktiivista osallistumista. Kerätyn datan perusteella kehitettiin taksonomia UFractions-pelin pelimotivaatioista. Pelimotivaatioiden ja häiriötekijöiden (Disturbance Factors, DF) välistä dynamiikkaa analysoitiin. Jokainen motivaatio liittyy tiettyihin häiriötekijöihin, jotka yleensä vaikuttavat pelaajan motivaatioon negatiivisesti. Näiden suhteiden tiedostaminen auttaa suunnittelemaan motivoivampia opetuspelejä ja antaa suuntaviivoja pelikehittäjille, käyttäjille ja opettajille. Affektiivisen oppimisen kokemusten tutkimiseksi tutkimukseen osallistuneiden kolmen ryhmän dataa tarkasteltiin laadullisen tutkimuksen keinoin; tutkijoiden, opettajien ja opiskelijoiden haastattelut, oppimispäiväkirjat, tunneblogi sekä havainnot (311 asiakirjaa) kvantifioitiin (Saldaña, 2009). Kaikki data analysoitiin affektiivisesta näkökulmasta merkitsemällä osallistujien kokemat tunteet Krathwohlin ym. (1964) viitekehyksen affektiivisten tasojen mukaisesti. Tutkimus osoitti, että affektiivista oppimista tunnistettiin kolmen osallistujaryhmän keskuudessa kaikilla viidellä tasolla. Tulokset osoittavat kuitenkin, että affektiivinen oppiminen tapahtui pääasiassa vastaanottotasolla, mikä viittaa siihen, että osallistujat vastaanottivat enemmän kuin he vastasivat, arvostivat, järjestivät tai sisäistivät. Myös osallistujaryhmien affektiivista oppimista koskevat tulokset vaihtelivat merkittävästi: opiskelijoiden affektiivinen oppiminen tapahtui enemmän matalammalla vastaanottotasolla kuin opettajien, ja opettajien affektiivinen oppiminen ilmeni enemmän korkeamman, arvotason oppimisena. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa määritellään oppimisen ulottuvuuksien taksonomia, jota käytetään teknologia-avusteisen matematiikan opetuksen ja oppimisen suunnittelussa ja toteutuksessa. Tähän kuuluu seuraavat kolme ulottuvuutta: (i) Oppimisen osa-alueet, (ii) Oppimisen orientaatio ja (iii) Oppimisen motivaatio. Tarkemmin sanottuna viisi oppimisen osa-aluetta ovat kognitiivinen, psykomotorinen, affektiivinen, interpersonaalinen ja intrapersonaalinen. Yhdistämällä behavioristisia ja konstruktivistisia elementtejä saadaan innostavia ja merkityksellisiä opetus ja oppimisstrategioita. Motivaatiotekijät ovat olennainen osa oppimista, ja teknologiaa käytettäessä on tärkeää tunnistaa yhteydet motivaation ja erilaisten häiriötekijöiden välillä. Lisäksi teknologian integraation taso, opiskelijoiden kognitiivinen prosessi ja opettajien tietotaso ovat kietoutuneet toisiinsa

Investigation of possible causes for human-performance degradation during microgravity flight

The results of the first year of a three year study of the effects of microgravity on human performance are given. Test results show support for the hypothesis that the effects of microgravity can be studied indirectly on Earth by measuring performance in an altered gravitational field. The hypothesis was that an altered gravitational field could disrupt performance on previously automated behaviors if gravity was a critical part of the stimulus complex controlling those behaviors. In addition, it was proposed that performance on secondary cognitive tasks would also degrade, especially if the subject was provided feedback about degradation on the previously automated task. In the initial experimental test of these hypotheses, there was little statistical support. However, when subjects were categorized as high or low in automated behavior, results for the former group supported the hypotheses. The predicted interaction between body orientation and level of workload in their joint effect on performance in the secondary cognitive task was significant for the group high in automatized behavior and receiving feedback, but no such interventions were found for the group high in automatized behavior but not receiving feedback, or the group low in automatized behavior

Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Abstracts 2006

Proceedings of the Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Regional Conference held at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2006

Undergraduate difficulties: algebraic skills and mathematical comprehension.

Many first year university students struggle with mathematics. Observations in senior mathematics classes in four New Zealand secondary schools highlighted potential undergraduate problems, especially with algebraic and mathematical reading skills. In this thesis, these two areas are investigated further. In the first part of the thesis, an analysis is done of algebraic tests given to first year university mathematics students. From the results there emerged five main categories of common consistent algebraic difficulties. These categories not only emerged the following year with a similar group, but senior secondary school and second year undergraduate mathematics students also displayed them. Overall, the conclusion was that these categories of algebraic difficulties formed from the research did not appear to improve with higher mathematical learning. A second area for the investigation of undergraduate difficulties was in the field of reading to learn mathematics. The results of a questionnaire survey confirmed that students were not only resistant to reading mathematical text, but they did not appear to have the skills to read expository text. Many students used a narrative, surface approach to mathematical reading that resulted in very little of a topic being understood. Further analysis using a variety of extracts, case studies, interviews and written answers led to the formation of a mathematical reading model based on generative comprehension research by Wittrock (1990) and interactive reading research by Dechant (1991). For mathematical text, critical linkages were often symbol-symbol linkages requiring a higher level of comprehension than narrative text. These critical linkages were predominantly located at an inner text layer. A major deterrent to reading mathematical text for students is the difficulty in locating these critical linkages in hard-copy text. Further investigations compared hard copy text with various types of software designed for self-study purposes. Some of the software was found to be better at directing students to these critical linkages while others were not so successful

Community College Basic Skills Math Instructors Experiences With Universal Design for Learning

Multiple approaches have been used in U.S. community colleges to address the learning needs of postsecondary students who are underprepared in basic skills math. The purpose of this exploratory interview study was to gain a deeper understanding of community college basic skills math learning through instructors\u27 lived experiences using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach and its technology tool, a computerized pen. The conceptual framework for this study used Knowles\u27s adult learning and Kolb\u27s experiential learning theories with UDL principles. The central research questions investigated the professional development and teaching experiences of community college basic skills math instructors in their basic skills math curriculum in the California Community College system using a Smartpen. Interviews were conducted with 4 instructors, 2 of whom also participated in the 2011-2012 community college pilot project of the approach. The analysis consisted of coding and theme development in relation to the experiential learning process and the instructors\u27 andragogy practices. This study identified 4 themes for use in understanding the instructors\u27 experiences teaching with a Smartpen: instructor preparation, technology use and savvy, student needs, and instructor flexibility/adaptability. The study findings are of interest to community college basic math skills instructors, who can use these findings to inform their teaching preparation and teaching approaches, improving pedagogy and helping their students successfully complete their math courses