How to design for persistence and retention in MOOCs?

Design of educational interventions is typically carried out following a design cycle involving phases of investigation, conceptualization, prototyping, implementation, execution and evaluation. This cycle can be applied at different levels of granularity e.g. learning activity, module, course or programme. In this paper we consider an aspect of learner behavior that can be critical to the success of many MOOCs i.e. their persistence to study, and the related theme of learner retention. We reflect on the impact that consideration of these can have on design decisions at different stages in the design cycle with the aim of en-hancing MOOC design in relation to learner persistence and retention, with particular attention to the European context

All-Subset Regression As A Means For Selection Of Self-Regulated Learning Processes Measured Using Think Aloud Protocol Data

During the 1990s computers were placed into most educational classrooms; however, they sat underused or not used at all. One reason for this is students lacked the skills to use computers effectively. One set of skills that can help students make use of computers is self-regulated learning. By using think aloud protocol analysis while students complete a task on the computer, a trace of their cognition, metacognition, and behavior can be created. Analyzing these traces, however, has proven difficult due to the high number of variables compared to the typical number of participants. A solution to dealing with this problem is to analyze all possible combinations of variables. In this thesis, I compared the results of two pre-existing variable reduction methods and Best All Subset Regression. It was found that Best All Subset Regression outperformed the existing methods, by fitting better models without diagnostic problems or extensive time demands. Best All Subset Regression also retained more information than the prior methods, so I suggest using it moving forward instead of the aggregation-based methods used previously

Specialised Languages and Multimedia. Linguistic and Cross-cultural Issues

none2noThis book collects academic works focusing on scientific and technical discourse and on the ways in which this type of discourse appears in or is shaped by multimedia products. The originality of this book is to be seen in the variety of approaches used and of the specialised languages investigated in relation to multimodal and multimedia genres. Contributions will particularly focus on new multimodal or multimedia forms of specialised discourse (in institutional, academic, technical, scientific, social or popular settings), linguistic features of specialised discourse in multimodal or multimedia genres, the popularisation of specialised knowledge in multimodal or multimedia genres, the impact of multimodality and multimediality on the construction of scientific and technical discourse, the impact of multimodality/multimediality in the practice and teaching of language, the impact of multimodality/multimediality in the practice and teaching of translation, new multimedia modes of knowledge dissemination, the translation/adaptation of scientific discourse in multimedia products. This volume contributes to the theory and practice of multimodal studies and translation, with a specific focus on specialized discourse.Rivista di Classe A - Volume specialeopenManca E., Bianchi F.Manca, E.; Bianchi, F