Personalizing the Fitting of Hearing Aids by Learning Contextual Preferences From Internet of Things Data

The lack of individualized fitting of hearing aids results in many patients never getting the intended benefits, in turn causing the devices to be left unused in a drawer. However, living with an untreated hearing loss has been found to be one of the leading lifestyle related causes of dementia and cognitive decline. Taking a radically different approach to personalize the fitting process of hearing aids, by learning contextual preferences from user-generated data, we in this paper outline the results obtained through a 9-month pilot study. Empowering the user to select between several settings using Internet of things (IoT) connected hearing aids allows for modeling individual preferences and thereby identifying distinct coping strategies. These behavioral patterns indicate that users prefer to switch between highly contrasting aspects of omnidirectionality and noise reduction dependent on the context, rather than relying on the medium “one size fits all” program frequently provided by default in hearing health care. We argue that an IoT approach facilitated by the usage of smartphones may constitute a paradigm shift, enabling continuous personalization of settings dependent on the changing context. Furthermore, making the user an active part of the fitting solution based on self-tracking may increase engagement and awareness and thus improve the quality of life for hearing impaired users

Improving School Improvement

PREFACEIn opening this volume, you might be thinking:Is another book on school improvement really needed?Clearly our answer is yes. Our analyses of prevailing school improvement legislation, planning, and literature indicates fundamental deficiencies, especially with respect to enhancing equity of opportunity and closing the achievement gap.Here is what our work uniquely brings to policy and planning tables:(1) An expanded framework for school improvement – We highlight that moving from a two- to a three-component policy and practice framework is essential for closing the opportunity and achievement gaps. (That is, expanding from focusing primarily on instruction and management/government concerns by establishing a third primary component to improve how schools address barriers to learning and teaching.)(2) An emphasis on integrating a deep understanding of motivation – We underscore that concerns about engagement, management of behavior, school climate, equity of opportunity, and student outcomes require an up-to-date grasp of motivation and especially intrinsic motivation.(3) Clarification of the nature and scope of personalized teaching – We define personalization as the process of matching learner motivation and capabilities and stress that it is the learner's perception that determines whether the match is a good one.(4) A reframing of remediation and special education – We formulate these processes as personalized special assistance that is applied in and out of classrooms and practiced in a sequential and hierarchical manner.(5) A prototype for transforming student and learning supports – We provide a framework for a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system designed to address barriers to learning and teaching and re-engage disconnected students and families.(6) A reworking of the leadership structure for whole school improvement --We outline how the operational infrastructure can and must be realigned in keeping with a three component school improvement framework.(7) A systemic approach to enhancing school-community collaboration – We delineate a leadership role for schools in outreaching to communities in order to work on shared concerns through a formal collaborative operational infrastructure that enables weaving together resources to advance the work.(8) An expanded framework for school accountability – We reframe school accountability to ensure a balanced approach that accounts for a shift to a three component school improvement policy.(9) Guidance for substantive, scalable, and sustainable systemic changes –We frame mechanisms and discuss lessons learned related to facilitating fundamental systemic changes and replicating and sustaining them across a district.The frameworks and practices presented are based on our many years of work in schools and from efforts to enhance school-community collaboration. We incorporate insights from various theories and the large body of relevant research and from lessons learned and shared by many school leaders and staff who strive everyday to do their best for children.Our emphasis on new directions in no way is meant to demean current efforts. We know that the demands placed on those working in schools go well beyond what anyone should be asked to do. Given the current working conditions in many schools, our intent is to help make the hard work generate better results. To this end, we highlight new directions and systemic pathways for improving school outcomes.Some of what we propose is difficult to accomplish. Hopefully, the fact that there are schools, districts, and state agencies already trailblazing the way will engender a sense of hope and encouragement to those committed to innovation.It will be obvious that our work owes much to many. We are especially grateful to those who are pioneering major systemic changes across the country. These leaders and so many in the field have generously offered their insights and wisdom. And, of course, we are indebted to hundreds of scholars whose research and writing is a shared treasure. As always, we take this opportunity to thank Perry Nelson and the host of graduate and undergraduate students at UCLA who contribute so much to our work each day, and to the many young people and their families who continue to teach us all.Respectfully submitted for your consideration,Howard Adelman & Linda Taylo

Ontology-based personalisation of e-learning resources for disabled students

Students with disabilities are often expected to use e-learning systems to access learning materials but most systems do not provide appropriate adaptation or personalisation to meet their needs.The difficulties related to inadaptability of current learning environments can now be resolved using semantic web technologies such as web ontologies which have been successfully used to drive e-learning personalisation. Nevertheless, e-learning personalisation for students with disabilities has mainly targeted those with single disabilities such as dyslexia or visual impairment, often neglecting those with multiple disabilities due to the difficulty of designing for a combination of disabilities.This thesis argues that it is possible to personalise learning materials for learners with disabilities, including those with multiple disabilities. This is achieved by developing a model that allows the learning environment to present the student with learning materials in suitable formats while considering their disability and learning needs through an ontology-driven and disability-aware personalised e-learning system model (ONTODAPS). A disability ontology known as the Abilities and Disabilities Ontology for Online LEarning and Services (ADOOLES) is developed and used to drive this model. To test the above hypothesis, some case studies are employed to show how the model functions for various individuals with and without disabilities and then the implemented visual interface is experimentally evaluated by eighteen students with disabilities and heuristically by ten lecturers. The results are collected and statistically analysed.The results obtained confirm the above hypothesis and suggest that ONTODAPS can be effectively employed to personalise learning and to manage learning resources. The student participants found that ONTODAPS could aid their learning experience and all agreed that they would like to use this functionality in an existing learning environment. The results also suggest that ONTODAPS provides a platform where students with disabilities can have equivalent learning experience with their peers without disabilities. For the results to be generalised, this study could be extended through further experiments with more diverse groups of students with disabilities and across multiple educational institutions

A Phenomenological Investigation of Selected Teachers’ Informal and Incidental Technology-Related Learning

Although many researchers have examined the ways teachers learn about technology integration along formal pathways, much less is understood about teachers’ informal and incidental technology-related learning. In this study, I examined selected teachers’ technology-related learning, focusing on their informal learning, which is planned learning that happens along unstructured routes, and incidental learning, which is unplanned learning that occurs by happenstance (Marsick & Watkins, 2001). Using a phenomenological research approach (Vagle, 2014), I generated data through observing, surveying, and interviewing seven teachers. I then analyzed the data, coding by discrete idea, memo-writing, reflexive journaling, and, during later stages, charting emerging results. Participants varied in years of teaching experience (4 years to more than 30 years); certifications held (special, elementary, and gifted education; secondary math; world languages; and Career and Technical Education); and grade levels taught (pre-K through 12th). Three taught in schools with active professional learning communities. All were integrating technology in classroom-based teaching and learning, at least to some extent. These teachers’ experiences suggested several tentative conclusions related to the phenomenon of informal and incidental technology-related learning. Namely, it is: frequent and happens both within and across grade levels, content areas, and teaching contexts; sensitive to the pressures of time; fostered by formal organizational supports; influenced by teaching contexts, including physical spaces and professional learning cultures; and driven by teachers’ learning preferences, in that both technology-avoidant and technology-savvy teachers might avoid technology-related learning that does not align with perceived learning needs and preferences. I have also included a series of recommendations for educational leaders at the building and district level and in the field of educational technology, relative to these findings

A Qualitative Descriptive Case Study of Special Education Teachers\u27 Experiences Utilizing Interactive Whiteboards for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Elementary Self-Contained Classrooms

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to describe the experiences of special education teachers who use Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) to instruct students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in elementary self-contained special education classrooms. The theoretical framework for this study includes the persuasive technology theory and the social learning theory. Ten special education teachers from two elementary schools in a suburb of north Georgia will be asked to participate in this study. Data collection included an individual interview, and participant letters, followed by a focus group. Data analysis consisted of categorical aggregation, development of naturalistic generalizations, and development of themes. The methodology for this qualitative study followed the recommendation of Yin (2014) and has four stages: design the case study, conduct the case study, analyze the evidence, and develop the conclusion, recommendations, and implications

IMPACT OF PODCASTING ON LEARNING OUTCOMES IN ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING STUDENTS

The dawn of the Information Age has provided rapid advances in technology that have improved lives and produced better tools for caring for each other. Nursing has begun to employ many of these new technologies and nurses are at the forefront of deciding how these innovations might best help patients. New technologies have made their way into schools of nursing and students are benefitting from improved learning experiences. Nursing faculty are leading the way in providing new learning opportunities to students through a multitude of technological advances. One of these advances is podcasting. Podcasting provides students the ability to listen, watch, download and manipulate content in ways that best serve their learning needs. The purpose of this program of study was to examine how technology impacts nursing practice and education. A state-of-the-science paper explored the use of wearable technology as well as provided guidance into how nurses can develop more of these devices. This data ignited a desire to learn about how technology, specifically podcasting, is used in nursing education through the experiences of faculty as well as students. Results from this analysis led to a quasi-experimental research study delving into the use of podcasting for Associate Degree Nursing students. While the results did not reveal a statistically significant improvement in outcomes, a close analysis of the data suggests that further research is warranted to determine if the use of podcasting as a learning supplement may benefit future generations of nursing students