29,096 research outputs found

    Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum

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    The field of specialization known as the science of learning is not, in fact, one field. Science of learning is a term that serves as an umbrella for many lines of research, theory, and application. A term with an even wider reach is Learning Sciences (Sawyer, 2006). The present book represents a sliver, albeit a substantial one, of the scholarship on the science of learning and its application in educational settings (Science of Instruction, Mayer 2011). Although much, but not all, of what is presented in this book is focused on learning in college and university settings, teachers of all academic levels may find the recommendations made by chapter authors of service. The overarching theme of this book is on the interplay between the science of learning, the science of instruction, and the science of assessment (Mayer, 2011). The science of learning is a systematic and empirical approach to understanding how people learn. More formally, Mayer (2011) defined the science of learning as the “scientific study of how people learn” (p. 3). The science of instruction (Mayer 2011), informed in part by the science of learning, is also on display throughout the book. Mayer defined the science of instruction as the “scientific study of how to help people learn” (p. 3). Finally, the assessment of student learning (e.g., learning, remembering, transferring knowledge) during and after instruction helps us determine the effectiveness of our instructional methods. Mayer defined the science of assessment as the “scientific study of how to determine what people know” (p.3). Most of the research and applications presented in this book are completed within a science of learning framework. Researchers first conducted research to understand how people learn in certain controlled contexts (i.e., in the laboratory) and then they, or others, began to consider how these understandings could be applied in educational settings. Work on the cognitive load theory of learning, which is discussed in depth in several chapters of this book (e.g., Chew; Lee and Kalyuga; Mayer; Renkl), provides an excellent example that documents how science of learning has led to valuable work on the science of instruction. Most of the work described in this book is based on theory and research in cognitive psychology. We might have selected other topics (and, thus, other authors) that have their research base in behavior analysis, computational modeling and computer science, neuroscience, etc. We made the selections we did because the work of our authors ties together nicely and seemed to us to have direct applicability in academic settings

    Some philosophical enquiries on E-learning: preparing the tomorrow business school

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    Emerging digital technologies and increasing interest in the computerized delivery of higher education have led to e-learning through electronic mail, the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), and multimedia. The major objective of this research outlet is to examine the e-learning evolution in business schools. Our research intentions are to investigate: 1. if universities understand the market dynamics (regarding to segmentation and crossing the chasm); 2. mapping the s-curve to student needs and 3. how business schools will change the value map. From the analysis of existing empirical evidence and our research results from 140 business students of the University of Ioannina (Greece) and 50 business students of the University of Winchester (UK), we can summarize that: a. value is created when new technology is matched to student need; b. but student needs change: as the technology evolves existing students develop new needs and in addition the technology may appeal to new kinds of students, with new kinds of needs and c. understanding the structure of student needs may be particularly important at times of potential discontinuity, when existing students may reject new technologies (for excellent reasons!).  The authors suggest that business schools interested in being productive should invest in implementing performance tools for all educational methods in order to accomplish the educational objectives. Further research in this crucial field of the evolution of e-learning in business schools is the examination of anticipated benefits and the experiences by early e-learning adopters, return on investment and expectations for the future

    Improving teaching tools and techniques of teaching graduate engineering courses based on students’ learning styles and multiple intelligences

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    © ASEE 2009Our study proposes to improve teaching tools and techniques of teaching graduate engineering courses using students’ Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences (MI). Thirty volunteers answered commercially available Learning Style and MI tests in our Electrical Engineering department. Learning styles are grouped as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (VAK) and are determined by the VAK learning style test. Learning styles are reflected in different academic strengths, weaknesses, and skills. Studies show that the differences between learning styles will affect both a person’s choice of profession and their success in this profession, both in education and in the world of business. People who work at something that fits their learning style have a better chance of becoming successful in it

    Chapter 1 : Learning Online

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    The OTiS (Online Teaching in Scotland) programme, run by the now defunct Scotcit programme, ran an International e-Workshop on Developing Online Tutoring Skills which was held between 8–12 May 2000. It was organised by Heriot–Watt University, Edinburgh and The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. Out of this workshop came the seminal Online Tutoring E-Book, a generic primer on e-learning pedagogy and methodology, full of practical implementation guidelines. Although the Scotcit programme ended some years ago, the E-Book has been copied to the SONET site as a series of PDF files, which are now available via the ALT Open Access Repository. The editor, Carol Higgison, is currently working in e-learning at the University of Bradford (see her staff profile) and is the Chair of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT)

    Motivational Social Visualizations for Personalized E-Learning

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    A large number of educational resources is now available on the Web to support both regular classroom learning and online learning. However, the abundance of available content produces at least two problems: how to help students find the most appropriate resources, and how to engage them into using these resources and benefiting from them. Personalized and social learning have been suggested as potential methods for addressing these problems. Our work presented in this paper attempts to combine the ideas of personalized and social learning. We introduce Progressor + , an innovative Web-based interface that helps students find the most relevant resources in a large collection of self-assessment questions and programming examples. We also present the results of a classroom study of the Progressor +  in an undergraduate class. The data revealed the motivational impact of the personalized social guidance provided by the system in the target context. The interface encouraged students to explore more educational resources and motivated them to do some work ahead of the course schedule. The increase in diversity of explored content resulted in improving students’ problem solving success. A deeper analysis of the social guidance mechanism revealed that it is based on the leading behavior of the strong students, who discovered the most relevant resources and created trails for weaker students to follow. The study results also demonstrate that students were more engaged with the system: they spent more time in working with self-assessment questions and annotated examples, attempted more questions, and achieved higher success rates in answering them

    The Science of Learning

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    This report summarizes the existing research on the cognitive science of how children learn, and then connects it to the practical implications for teaching and learning. It explores questions such as, "how do students understand new ideas?" and "what motivates them to learn?"Deans for Impact believes that every aspiring teacher should grapple with -- and be able to answer -- these questions as part of their teacher-training program, and that all educators should be able to connect these principles to classroom practice. The document notes that the entire endeavor should be guided by the growing body of research on basic cognitive principles

    A mixed methods study of secondary distance-learning students: Exploring learning styles

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    Public education in the United States has experienced an increase in distance-learning (DL) opportunities. Because research has focused on student achievement in post-secondary DL programs, little is known about secondary students\u27 experiences. The purpose of the current study was to explore DL applicability within secondary education. Specific research questions addressed by the concurrent mixed methods nested study included examining students\u27 opinions and experiences in a secondary DL course and determining whether individual learning styles were addressed. Structured interviews, group discussions, and a survey were used to gather data over 2 months from 14 students in grades 9 through 12 participating in a state wide Alabama DL program. Surveys were used to assess and match DL activities to Gardner\u27s 8 learning styles. Interviews and discussions explored students\u27 opinions about activities and components and perceptions of their academic achievement. Quantitative data indicated that students reported some activities related to all learning styles with the greatest coverage observed for linguistic methods. Qualitative data were open and axial coded within each research question and the coded data was analyzed to define common DL practices used to meet specific styles and emergent themes related to student perceptions. Triangulation of results showed DL students felt successful based on their participation in a spectrum of activities including interactive video, e-mail, online discussion boards and tutoring sessions, and self-directed learning. The study contributes to positive social change by documenting a variety of strategies employed to successfully engage secondary DL students who present a variety learning styles and challenges related to DL curricular content and modes of delivery

    Curriculum Integration: The Use Of Technology To Support Learning

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    Our understanding of how people learn is continually changing. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences revolutionized the field education, because it accounts for a broader range of human potential in children and adults and suggests that individuals learn in a multitude of ways. Gardner’s theory suggests there are a variety of possibilities to facilitate learning. People with heightened verbal, linguistic skills are often referred to as word smart. Verbal, linguistic students learn best through the comprehension of language which includes speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Students with verbal linguistic intelligences can easily access information through worldwide databases and computer networks. Any subject content can be enhanced, enriched, and updated from a variety of easily accessed sources which allow students to master the use of technology to access and share information. Students with logical mathematical intelligence are individuals who are number smart and have innate skills which involve logical, problem solving abilities, creative and manipulative skills, and are adept visual learners. Educators can enhance logical-mathematical intelligence through challenging and innovative multimedia technology. With innovative multimedia technology, students learn at all levels and effectively gain knowledge through a variety of different software programs that offer immediate feedback. Learners with visual-spatial intelligence are aesthetically oriented and may have a greater capacity for learning certain sciences like anatomy or topology. They are skillful when it comes to visualization and memory, but may be challenged with auditory memory. Learning for visual-spatial students takes place all at once, with large chunks of information grasped in intuitive leaps. Many people have an innate kinesthetic ability, as well as a natural sense of how their body should react in physical situations. Students with bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence learn best through tactile learning experiences. Bodily-kinesthetic proficiency can be enhanced for students through the use of the whole body to express ideas and feelings. Gardner proposed that musical intelligence almost parallels linguistic intelligence. The person with interpersonal is able to collaborate, understand and work effectively with others. They are aware of their interactions with others and usually take notice of and react to the feelings of others. The interpersonal learner learns best in group situations and structured class settings. Learners with intrapersonal intelligence have accurate self-understanding and are skilled in problem-solving. There is a multitude of different ways to integrate technology into our classrooms and all should focus on learning theory and educational practices. The use of technology should not occur without thinking about how people learn best. To actively engage diverse learners in higher education, the instructor should have a good understanding of the overall nature and purpose of the group, as well as the ability to interact well within the learner’s unique world. The instructor must also be able to structure learning activities to meet their learning needs. The use of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, coupled with an understanding of how effective technology can enhance the learning community, can meet the diverse learning needs of all students.  &nbsp
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