Exploring resilience for effective learning in computer science education

Background and context: Many factors have been shown to be important for supporting effective learning and teaching – and thus progression and success – in formal educational contexts. While factors such as key introductory-level computer science knowledge and skills, as well as pre-university learning and qualifications, have been extensively explored, the impact of measures of positive psychology are less well understood for the discipline of computer science. This preliminary work investigates the relationships between effective learning and success, and two measures of positive psychology, Grit (Duckworth’s 12-item Grit scale) [6] and the Nicolson McBride Resilience Quotient (NMRQ) [3], in success in first-year undergraduate computer science to provide insight into the factors that impact on the transition from secondary education into tertiary education

Professional Development of Computer Studies Teachers for Effective Implementation of Computer Education Curriculum in Secondary Schools

The study determined professional development of Computer Studies teachers for effective implementation of Computer Education curriculum in secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone, Enugu State. Three research questions guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population for the study was 182 Computer Studies teachers. There was no sampling as the population size was manageable. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire titled “Strategies for Enhancing Professional Development of Computer Studies Teachers’ Questionnaire (SEPDCSTQ)”. Three experts validated the instrument and an overall reliability correlation co-efficient of 0.94 was obtained using Cronbach’s Alpha. Mean ratings and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The study revealed that educational supervision, mentoring services and in-service training enhances the professional development of Computer Studies teachers for effective implementation of Computer Education curriculum in secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone, Enugu State to a high extent.  The study concludes that educational supervision, mentoring services and in-service training are strategies for enhancing the professional development of Computer Studies teachers. The study recommended that in-service training via workshops, seminars and so on should be regularly organized for teachers of Computer Studies so as to enhance their professional development for effective implementation of Computer Education curriculum in secondary schools and to help them develop experiences in the teaching field. Keywords: Professional Development, Computer Studies, Teachers, Implementation, Computer Education, Curriculum. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-20-01 Publication date:July 31st 201

Possible versus desirable in instructional systems: Who's driving?

This paper takes a pragmatic stance that the key to successful application of technology in education is good teaching: using technology only when it is a cost‐effective servant of pedagogy. The paper discusses some fundamental issues in the production of computer‐based materials, and considers them in the context of an on‐going evaluation of an Internet courseware project

Student Nurse Perceptions of Effective Medication Administration Education

Nursing faculty strive to educate students in a manner that prevents errors, promoting quality, patient-centered care. This endeavor is dependent upon meaningful and effective education that incorporates educational experiences reflective of the service sector. Anecdotal reports from clinical faculty and student nurses suggest that academic medication administration education may not optimally prepare students for safe entry into clinical practice. The aim of this phenomenologic qualitative research is to understand student nurse perceptions regarding teaching strategies and learning activities that prepared them for safe medication administration in acute care clinical settings. Focus group interviews resulted in two broad themes that are identified as Effective Education and Gaps in Education. Within these broad themes, findings revealed that students value faculty demonstrations, peer-learning opportunities, and repetitive practice with timely feedback. Study findings also pointed to educational gaps. Students reported needing to learn communication and conflict resolution strategies that would help them manage real-world interruptions, distractions, and computer generated alerts. Study findings recommend implementing relevant decision-support technology within academic lab learning activities

Computational sense: the role of technology in the education of digital librarians

The rapid progress of digital library technology from research to implementation has created a force for change in the curricula of library schools. The education of future librarians has always had to adapt to new technologies but the pace, complexity and implications of digital libraries pose considerable challenges. In this article we explore how we might successfully blend elements of computer science and library science to produce effective educational experiences for the digital librarians of tomorrow. We first outline the background to current digital librarian education and then propose the concept of computational sense as an appropriate meeting point for these two disciplines

Computers and Student Learning:Bivariate and Multivariate Evidence on the Availability and Use of Computers at Home and at School

We estimate the relationship between computers and students’ educational achievement in the international student-level PISA database. Bivariate analyses show a positive correlation between achievement and computer availability both at home and at school. However, once we control extensively for family background and school characteristics, the relationship gets negative for home computers and insignificant for school computers. Thus, mere availability of computers at home seems to distract students from effective learning. But achievement shows a positive conditional relationship with computer use for education and communication at home and an inverted U-shaped relationship with computer and internet use at school.Computers at home, computers at school, student achievement, educational production, PISA.

The integration of computer use in education

There is an increasing awareness that disappointing experiences with the introduction of computers in education are a consequence of insufficiently taking into account factors that are crucial when introducing change in educational settings. Many of the problems in the literature show great similarity with the kind of problems often experienced in curriculum implementation. In this context the endeavors to make computer use an integrated part of classroom activities are analyzed. Emphasis will be laid on the interaction between teachers and courseware; elements for a more effective strategy for the integration of computer use in educational practice will be presented, with special attention to the design of support materials as an essential part of courseware

A Study of Educational Simulations Part I - Engagement and Learning

Interactive computer simulations with complex representations and sophisticated graphics are a relatively new addition to the classroom, and research in this area is limited. We have conducted over 200 individual student interviews during which the students described what they were thinking as they interacted with simulations. These interviews were conducted as part of the research and design of simulations for the Physics Education Technology (PhET) project. PhET is an ongoing project that has developed over 60 simulations for use in teaching physics, chemistry, and physical science. These interviews are a rich source of information about how students interact with computer simulations and what makes an educationally effective simulation. We have observed that simulations can be highly engaging and educationally effective, but only if the student's interaction with the simulation is directed by the student's own questioning. Here we describe our design process, what features are effective for engaging students in educationally productive interactions and the underlying principles which support our empirically developed guidelines. In a companion paper we describe in detail the design features used to create an intuitive simulation for students to use