6,370 research outputs found
Impact of Traditional Education and Learner-Centered Education on Standardized Tests
There is a current shortage of approximately 45,000 nurses and nursing faculty to train student nurses, a number that is projected to grow. One proposed method to combat the shortage is to transition from traditional lecture-based classrooms to a learner-centered approach. Asking or requiring faculty to transition an entire nursing program from one teaching method to another without supporting data could be a waste of valuable time and resources. It could also prove detrimental to a program if students were unable to pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and a program was forced to close. The current study examined whether there was a link between teaching and learning model and student performance using the lens of Piagetâs theory of constructivism. Archived student test data from four graduated classes of approximately 239 students were used from both a traditional four-year baccalaureate nursing program and an accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing program. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that students who were enrolled in the learner-centered nursing program performed similarly to traditional program students on most courses on the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) proctored exams; students in the traditional program passed the NCLEX-RN at a higher rate. Findings may be used by educators for positive social change by moving toward learner-centered models in nursing instruction; this can help graduate more nurses, alleviate the nursing shortage, and provide care for more people
Impact of Traditional Education and Learner-Centered Education on Standardized Tests
There is a current shortage of approximately 45,000 nurses and nursing faculty to train student nurses, a number that is projected to grow. One proposed method to combat the shortage is to transition from traditional lecture-based classrooms to a learner-centered approach. Asking or requiring faculty to transition an entire nursing program from one teaching method to another without supporting data could be a waste of valuable time and resources. It could also prove detrimental to a program if students were unable to pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and a program was forced to close. The current study examined whether there was a link between teaching and learning model and student performance using the lens of Piagetâs theory of constructivism. Archived student test data from four graduated classes of approximately 239 students were used from both a traditional four-year baccalaureate nursing program and an accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing program. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that students who were enrolled in the learner-centered nursing program performed similarly to traditional program students on most courses on the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) proctored exams; students in the traditional program passed the NCLEX-RN at a higher rate. Findings may be used by educators for positive social change by moving toward learner-centered models in nursing instruction; this can help graduate more nurses, alleviate the nursing shortage, and provide care for more people
In their own voices: a nationwide study of studentsâ attitudes towards the implementation of smart learning environments in UAE schools
A smart learning environment (SLE) encompasses the use of advanced technology and smart pedagogical teaching skills tailored to suit students with diverse learning needs. In recent years, some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have formulated policies to implement SLE in their education systems. Since students are the intended beneficiaries of SLE policy, it is crucial to explore their perceptions of its implementation in a novel context. Therefore, this study explored the attitudes of students towards the implementation of SLE in the UAE. To conduct this investigation, 1857 secondary school students (grades 7 and 12) were recruited nationwide. A newly developed instrument was employed to collect data, which were then subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to understand its dimensions and validate the factor structure, respectively. Subsequently, the mean scores were calculated and multivariate variance analysis, structural equation modelling, and moderation analysis were conducted to test three specific hypotheses. The results identified ambivalence among students regarding the implementation of SLE and significant differences between them based on their school location and study grade. Additionally, this study discussed the need for nationwide stakeholder engagement to deliberate on the scope, innovation of technological devices and necessary teacher development for efficient SLE implementation
DEVELOPING COMPETENCE FOR INNOVATION IN KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE: an exploration of the sustainability science-policy interface
This thesis is motivated by institutional claims for a ânew type of knowledgeâ in the sustainability science-policy interface. It thus explores the thinking and practice of experts in the field about professional competencies necessary to induce required innovations in their knowledge practice.
The thesis proposes a novel conceptual framework, synthesising (1) five key features informing claimed innovations in knowledge practice of science-policy sustainability âboundary organisationsâ, (2) a set of ten differentiating individual competencies deemed critical to induce such type of innovations and (3) required approaches to effective development of such competencies. In doing so, this thesis suggests an operative framework to engage with a competence-based approach in response to the need for innovations in knowledge practice within boundary organisations.
Under the conceptual framework above, the thesis engages in an empirical work exploring the thinking and praxis of experts in the field, around three key questions: (1) How do practitioners in the field perceive the need for and the pertinence of such type of innovations, (2) How do they relate to the notion of individual competence and the need for different types of competencies to induce innovations in their own knowledge practice and (3) How can professionals working in the science-policy interface most effectively learn and develop such new set of competences, given their specific organisational / institutional contexts?
Methodologically, this thesis engaged a combined set of empirical research instruments, mostly including semi-structured interviews with professionals operating in the sustainability sciencepolicy interface, three focus-groups in The Netherlands, Portugal and the UK, with actors operating within the remit of sustainability boundary organizations, and participatory observation within the European Environment Agency.
Outcomes of this research indicate that, while the need for a new type of knowledge is clearly acknowledged by practitioners in âboundary organisationsâ, notions associated with required innovations in knowledge practice â such as co-creation, systems thinking, transdisciplinarity, reflexivity and action-orientated knowledge â are still subject to ambiguity and controversy within the institutional context they operate. As practitioners struggle to engage the notion of individual competence in this debate, the type of competencies deemed critical to induce required innovations in their knowledge practice resonates with their own experience. Experts in boundary organisations identify though a lack of institutional frameworks to support their efforts to generate innovations in knowledge practice. While this research synthetises and presents existing examples of learning programmes and approaches to help develop such type of competencies, practitioners in the field manifest scepticism on the extent to which such learning approaches are feasible in their given institutional settings
E-learning usage from a social constructivist learning approach: perspectives of Iraqi Kurdistan students in social studies classrooms
Background: Many schools in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region have incorporated information and communication technologies (ICT) into their environments. However, the results have shown that computer usage has had only a minimal effect on the classroom environment and learning outcomes. This minimal effect could be attributed to the teaching and learning of social studies subjects, which often rely on a traditional vision of teaching and an excessive inclusion of facts and dates in school textbooks. Consequently, students feel compelled to memorize all the information to pass tests. Yet, merely employing technology alongside traditional teaching and assessment approaches, such as lecturing or having students study in isolation without any form of collaborative learning, does not foster the development of students' higher-order thinking skills. It's time to revitalize school curricula and teaching practices to embrace a more contemporary, open-minded approach to social science education. This approach should incorporate a social constructivist perspective with technology to better instill international moral values such as democracy, respect for differences, and learning to live harmoniously with others. Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the impact of a social constructivist learning approach on the acceptance of technology and its influence on perceived e-learning outcomes among students in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Additionally, this study examines the differences in the effects of the social constructivist learning approach and dimensions of technology acceptance on perceived e-learning outcomes between students studying social studies in Arabic and those studying social studies in English. Setting and participants: Data were gathered from both public and private schools in Erbil governorate, situated in northern Iraq and affiliated with the Ministry of Education-Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government. To select participants, a random sampling technique was employed, encompassing students in grades 8 through 12 of both genders. The data were obtained through a self-administered paper-based questionnaire. Instruments: Data were collected using a social constructivist learning environment survey (personal relevance, critical voice, shared control, uncertainty, student negotiation), dimensions of the attitude toward technology (attitude toward technology use, perceived usefulness, feeling ease of use, learning facility condition, and subjective norms), some additional external variables (investigation, respect for difference, student economic ability, and perceived e-learning outcomes), and socio-demographic data. Conclusion: This study is intended to emphasize the significance of employing constructivist pedagogy to enhance the technology acceptance model and improve learning outcomes. The findings of the study showed that a social constructivist learning environment had a favorable influence on perceived e-learning outcomes as well as ease of use, perceived usefulness, investigation, and respect for difference. Attitude towards technology use and perceived usefulness are contributory factors to the positive perceived e-learning outcomes. Furthermore, feeling ease of use technology has a positive effect on both attitude towards technology use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness also has a direct positive impact on attitudes towards technology use. Finally, studentsâ technological experience is positively correlated with feeling ease of use but not with perceived usefulness. Additionally, regarding the comparison between students studying social studies in Arabic and those in English, the findings demonstrated that students studying social studies in English showed stronger positive effects from the social constructivist learning environment on their perceived e-learning outcomes. Conversely, students studying social studies in Arabic demonstrated a more potent positive effect of perceived usefulness on their attitudes towards technology. Moreover, the positive impact of an attitude towards technology use on perceived e-learning outcomes was more pronounced among the Arabic students compared to their English counterparts. Additionally, the influence of the learning facility on the perceived ease of use, as well as the perceived usefulness of technology, differed between the two groups. The English group experienced a more substantial positive impact. However, there was no significant difference observed in the effect of feeling ease of use on attitudes towards technology use between the English and Arabic student groups. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the effect of perceived usefulness on the social constructivist learning environment for either group. The findings from this research are expected to contribute to the development of effective and efficient counseling and support intervention programs. These programs can play a crucial role in transforming teachers
Face Emotion Recognition Based on Machine Learning: A Review
Computers can now detect, understand, and evaluate emotions thanks to recent developments in machine learning and information fusion. Researchers across various sectors are increasingly intrigued by emotion identification, utilizing facial expressions, words, body language, and posture as means of discerning an individual's emotions. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the first three methods may be limited, as individuals can consciously or unconsciously suppress their true feelings. This article explores various feature extraction techniques, encompassing the development of machine learning classifiers like k-nearest neighbour, naive Bayesian, support vector machine, and random forest, in accordance with the established standard for emotion recognition. The paper has three primary objectives: firstly, to offer a comprehensive overview of effective computing by outlining essential theoretical concepts; secondly, to describe in detail the state-of-the-art in emotion recognition at the moment; and thirdly, to highlight important findings and conclusions from the literature, with an emphasis on important obstacles and possible future paths, especially in the creation of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms for the identification of emotions
Breaking Virtual Barriers : Investigating Virtual Reality for Enhanced Educational Engagement
Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that has regained popularity in recent years. In the field of education, VR has been introduced as a tool to enhance learning experiences. This thesis presents an exploration of how VR is used from the context of educators and learners. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveying and interviewing educators, and conducting empirical studies to examine engagement, usability, and user behaviour within VR. The results revealed educators are interested in using VR for a wide range of scenarios, including thought exercises, virtual field trips, and simulations. However, they face several barriers to incorporating VR into their practice, such as cost, lack of training, and technical challenges. A subsequent study found that virtual reality can no longer be assumed to be more engaging than desktop equivalents. This empirical study showed that engagement levels were similar in both VR and non-VR environments, suggesting that the novelty effect of VR may be less pronounced than previously assumed. A study against a VR mind mapping artifact, VERITAS, demonstrated that complex interactions are possible on low-cost VR devices, making VR accessible to educators and students. The analysis of user behaviour within this VR artifact showed that quantifiable strategies emerge, contributing to the understanding of how to design for collaborative VR experiences. This thesis provides insights into how the end-users in the education space perceive and use VR. The findings suggest that while educators are interested in using VR, they face barriers to adoption. The research highlights the need to design VR experiences, with understanding of existing pedagogy, that are engaging with careful thought applied to complex interactions, particularly for collaborative experiences. This research contributes to the understanding of the potential of VR in education and provides recommendations for educators and designers to enhance learning experiences using VR
The Lived Experiences of African American Undergraduate Students with Formative and Summative Assessments at a Predominantly White Institution: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Qualitative Study
The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the lived experiences of African American undergraduate students who have taken formative and summative assessments while attending a predominantly white institution. The theory guiding this study is Albert Banduraâs social cognitive theory as it relates to its main three elements of person, behavior, and environment. The research framework for this qualitative study was hermeneutic phenomenology, which focuses on obtaining, describing, and interpreting lived experiences of individuals. The central research question asks, âWhat are the experiences of African American undergraduate students attending a predominantly white institution (PWI) taking summative and formative assessments?â The setting was a predominantly white institution in Virginia. The sample was twelve African American undergraduate students between the ages of 18 to 21 who were members of the organization centered around multicultural student services, specifically the multicultural Greek council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC). Data collection was conducted through three methods, individual interviews, focus group, and a journal prompt. The data analysis approach was accomplished through thematic analysis. The thematic findings for this study were performance anxiety with sub-themes being on edge, high expectations, and feeling not wanted, lack of cultural competence with sub-themes racial discrimination and need to assimilate, marginalization with sub-themes loneliness and misunderstood, multifaceted with sub-themes authenticity in minority spaces, ambiguous relationships, lack of external culture, and political environment, university confliction with sub-themes lack of university intercultural and global awareness, university intercultural and global awareness, and division in minority
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