Uso de manipuladores por parte de niños pequeños para representar el concepto de adición

One of the first fundamental arithmetic concepts that young children learn in school is addition. This article explores how young children use manipulatives while working on tasks relating to number and addition. The study employed case study research design and involved six children (aged six years) in one preschool center. Observation of children’s work during mathematical tasks revealed children’s early understanding of the addition concept. Hence, it is important that educators value and support the early development of children’s mathematical representations to facilitate their successful use in learning and understanding mathematics concepts.Uno de los primeros conceptos aritméticos fundamentales que los niños pequeños aprenden en la escuela es la suma. Este artículo explora cómo los niños pequeños usan manipulativos mientras trabajan en tareas relacionadas con el número y la suma. El estudio empleó un diseño de investigación de estudio de caso e involucró a seis niños (de seis años) en un centro preescolar. La observación del trabajo de los niños durante las tareas matemáticas reveló la comprensión temprana de los niños del concepto de suma. Por lo tanto, es importante que los educadores valoren y apoyen el desarrollo temprano de las representaciones matemáticas de los niños para facilitar su uso exitoso en el aprendizaje y la comprensión de los conceptos matemáticos

Pembangunan instrumen penerimaan e-pembelajaran pelajar pascasiswazah menggunakan analisis Rasch

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menguji kesahan dan kebolehpercayaan instrumen penerimaan e-pembelajaran bagi pelajar pascasiswazah dengan menggunakan analisis Rasch. Objektif kajian ini adalah mengukur instrumen dengan menggunakan ujian-ujian dalam analisis Rasch seperti polariti item, varians reja terpiawai, kebolehpercayaan dan juga peta taburan individu-item. Instrumen ini mengandungi 16 item yang menggunakan skala Likert lima mata dan berasaskan Model UTAUT. Soal selidik ini ditadbir atas 97 orang pelajar pascasiswazah Fakulti Pendidikan UKM Bangi. Program Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) versi 23.0 telah digunakan untuk memasukkan data dan membuat analisis statistik deskriptif sebelum dianalisis menggunakan program Winstep v3.68.2 untuk analisis Rasch. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan kesemua 16 item yang telah dibina memenuhi keperluan Model Rasch dan sesuai digunakan untuk mengukur penerimaan e-pembelajaran. Namun begitu, pembaikan item dari sudut pelarasan bahasa dan struktur ayat serta penambahan bilangan sampel yang lebih besar perlu dilakukan bagi meningkatkan lagi kesahan dan kebolehpercayaan item-item soal selidik ini di masa akan datang. Kajian ini juga menunjukkan bahawa analisis Rasch boleh membantu penyelidik memperbaiki soal selidik yang dibina secara telus dan sistematik

Prácticas universitarias estratégicas en el desarrollo de la alfabetización informacional del alumno

This study aimed to examine the role of university practice in student information literacy development. The study employed qualitative research design and involved 31 lecturers, librarians and students in a public research university. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative data analysis approach. The study found that student information literacy development is a discursive practice of information searching, organizing, analyzing, and synthesizing embedded in learning orientation that focuses on building, validating and disseminating knowledge and its mediating artefacts. The practice is influenced by multiple practices of communities within the institutions, namely the lecturers, librarians, students, and management. The study implicated student information literacy development could be supported by strategic partnerships between lecturers and librarians at the department level with lecturers holding an extra responsibility to stage the practice in the context of knowledge discipline so that students would develop, validate and disseminate knowledge and its mediating artefacts.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar el papel de la práctica universitaria en el desarrollo de la alfabetización informacional de los estudiantes. El estudio empleó un diseño de investigación cualitativa e involucró a 31 profesores, bibliotecarios y estudiantes en una universidad pública de investigación. Los datos se recopilaron mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas y se analizaron mediante el enfoque de análisis de datos cualitativos. El estudio encontró que el desarrollo de la alfabetización informacional de los estudiantes es una práctica discursiva de búsqueda, organización, análisis y síntesis de información incrustada en la orientación del aprendizaje que se enfoca en construir, validar y diseminar conocimiento y sus artefactos mediadores. La práctica está influenciada por múltiples prácticas de comunidades dentro de las instituciones, a saber, los profesores, bibliotecarios, estudiantes y directivos. El estudio implicaba que el desarrollo de la alfabetización informacional de los estudiantes podría estar respaldado por alianzas estratégicas entre profesores y bibliotecarios a nivel de departamento con los profesores que tienen la responsabilidad adicional de organizar la práctica en el contexto de la disciplina del conocimiento para que los estudiantes desarrollen, validen y difundan el conocimiento y sus artefactos mediadores

iPads in the foreign language classroom: a learner’s perspective

This research paper presents the findings from the pilot study of a project exploring the potential of tablet computers in the foreign language classroom in a Malaysian public university. This article focuses on the technical amazements and challenges as experienced by a learner discovering her iPad 2 over four weeks. In-depth knowledge about the device’s user-friendliness and language learning potential was gathered through a narrative qualitative approach using classroom observations, field notes and interviews. The objectives were to unveil the learner’s perceptions toward the device as a novice user and to discover her strategies when handling the device for language learning. This study describes the learner’s intentions for adopting the iPad as a learning tool and how she overcame technological obstacles. It provides educators with hints on the learner’s tools and strategies for learning languages with the iPad as well as insights and recommendations to educators willing to venture into teaching languages with tablet computers

Kualiti peribadi kaunselor kaunseling keluarga: implikasi pendidikan di institut pengajian tinggi

Kualiti peribadi kaunselor kanseling keluarga adalah elemen yang penting dalam penawaran perkhidmatan kaunseling keluarga secara profesional kepada masyakat. Maka pendidikan yang ditawarkan di peringkat IPT turut memberikan kesan kepada pembentukan kualiti peribadi kaunselor kaunseling keluarga. Artikel ini bertujuan meneroka kualiti peribadi kaunselor yang diperlukan di dalam menjalankan proses kaunseling keluarga. Kajian pendekatan kualitatif dengan reka bentuk kajian kes. Meneroka pandangan dan pengalaman 12 orang kaunselor yang menjalankan kaunseling keluarga di tiga agensi kerajaan yang sedia ada menawarkan perkhidmatan kaunseling keluarga kepada masyarkat di Malaysia. Kaedah temu bual mendalam dengan menggunakan soalan separa struktur sebanyak 2 hingga 3 pusingan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa terdapat 10 personaliti yang membentuk kualiti peribadi kaunselor iaitu i. Kesediaan belajar, ii. Motivasi tinggi, iii. Genuine, iv. Keyakinan dan keterampilan diri, v. Proaktif, vi. Humanistik vii. Sedia membantu, viii. Jalinan Hubungan Kerja, ix. Jalinan hubungan sosial dan x. Minat. Maka kesepuluh trait kualiti peribadi ini telah menunjukkan kaunselorkaunseling keluarga telah dapat menjalankan tugas secara profesional dan berwibawa kepada keluarga (klien) di dalam proses kaunseling keluarga. Justeru itu pendidikan di IPT di peringkat ijazah pertama dan peringkat sarjana sewajarnya mengambilkira pembinaan dan pembentukan elemen kualiti peribadi. Latihan berterusan peningkatan kualiti peribadi sewajarnya turut dijalankan kepada kaunselor yang sedia ada di agensi kerajaan agarperkhidmatan kaunseling keluarga dapat dilestarikan

Development and validation of meaningful hybrid e-training model for computer education

Meaningful hybrid e-training experience provides a coherent purpose for strategic educational change through lifelong education and the creation of a knowledge society. A close examination of new hybrid e-training programs however, has indicated a critical gap between rapidly developing technology and sound pedagogical models to determine program quality. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop, generate, test and validate a 2 stage model for a new meaningful hybrid e-training program. The early framework of the model guided development of a questionnaire to measure meaningfulness of a hybrid e-training. Data collected from 213 ICT trainers were tested with confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 7.0 to obtain three best-fit measurement models from the three latent variables. Overall reliability analyses using Cronbach’s Alpha, items and persons reliability using the Rasch Model and content validation by experts suggested that the questionnaire is reliable and valid to measure a meaningful hybrid e-training program. Subsequently, the structural equation modeling was applied to test the hypotheses. The results showed that there is a positive strong relationship between hybrid e-training and meaningful e-training; a positive weak relationship between learning style preference and hybrid e-training and a negative relationship between learning style preference and meaningful learning. In brief the study showed a substantial effect of hybrid e-training towards achieving meaningful learning. As such, future training regarding the use of hybrid e-training should include all five components of a meaningful hybrid e-training instead of merely focusing on content. With results showing weak relationship between learning style and hybrid etraining and negative relationship between learning style and meaningful e-training, instructional media designers and developers should now focus on integrating all five etraining components to ensure meaningful learning. It would be interesting to further investigate as to whether or not learning style is a mediating or a moderating factor towards achieving meaningful learning via the use of hybrid e-training programs as modeled in the final results

Meaningful hybrid e-training model for web-based computer education

The main purpose of this study was to develop a model for meaningful hybrid e-training. Data collected from 213 ICT trainers were tested with confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 7.0 to obtain two best-fit measurement models for the two latent variables. Overall reliability using Alpha-Cronbach test, items and persons reliability using the Rasch Model and content validation by experts suggested that the questionnaire is reliable and valid to measure a meaningful hybrid e-training program. The results showed that there is a positive strong relationship between hybrid e-training and meaningful e training. In brief the study showed a substantial effect of hybrid e-training towards achieving meaningful learning. In conclusion, the study suggested that, future training regarding the use of hybrid e-training should include all five components of a meaningful hybrid e-training instead of merely focusing on content

Exploring student learning of information skills in Malaysian higher education

In line with the Malaysian Qualification Framework, student learning of information skills in Malaysian higher education is currently integrated into classroom learning as opposed to previous stand-alone programmes run by the university library. However, Malaysian research indicates that there is an ongoing ambiguity with regard to the outcomes of the student learning of information skills in Malaysian universities that seems to suggest there is a conflict between the student learning run in the universities and the western standards for information skills in higher education. Moreover, previous Malaysian studies revealed that the Malaysian cultural context had led to different social roles of teachers, librarians and students which adversely influenced student learning. On the other hand, previous studies indicated that student learning of information skills is influenced by the various personal attributes of university teachers, librarians and students. Therefore, in order to understand student learning of information skills in the context of Malaysian higher education, there is a need to examine the interplay of social and personal factors in the outcomes of student learning of information skills in the light of the unique social and personal influencing factors in Malaysian higher education rather than assuming that western information skills standards are effective and desirable in every context. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine student learning of information skills as experienced and perceived by Malaysian university teachers, librarians and students engaged in student information skills programmes. Using the lens of communities of practice to guide the design of the study, this study explores: (1) features of student learning of information skills; (2) the interplay of social factor in student learning of information; and (3) the interplay of personal and interpersonal factors in student learning of information skills. This study employed a qualitative research design that involved five teachers, four librarians and 22 students in a Malaysian public university and incorporated several methods of data collection: observation of student information skills programmes; examination of documents related to the programmes; and semi- xi structured interviews with the teachers, librarians and students involved in the programmes. The major findings of the study are: (1) Student learning of information skills was about engaging students in knowledge-building activity instead of student learning about information-related skills as was originally assumed; (2) The outcome of the knowledge-building activity was students’ creation of new public knowledge and its mediating artefacts instead of their acquisition of a set of predetermined information-related skills as assumed at the beginning of the study; (3) Classroom learning emerged as the immediate context for the knowledge-building activity instead of the community of student learning of information skills as was assumed at the study’s inception; (4) Through participating in the activity of student learning with information, students engaged in the processes for becoming knowledge creators rather than in a socialization process (becoming full members of the community of student learning of information skills) as was initially assumed; (5) There were multiple influencing factors for students’ engagement in the development processes that were interrelated reciprocally with each other—personal, immediate and multiple external contexts, indicating that the proximal development processes operated within a nested or ecological learning system. In this sense, the findings differed from the original framework that assumed an independent interrelationship between personal, interpersonal and social influencing factors for student learning of information skills. The findings of my research result in an understanding of the processes for developing students into knowledge creators within a nested or ecological system of higher learning and further locating student learning of information skills in the development processes from the viewpoints of Malaysian university teachers, librarians and students who engaged in student information skills programmes, distinguishing the student learning of information skills in other regional or institutional contexts. The research generates possible significant insights for other institutions of learning in Asian countries into developing and integrating student learning of information skills across classroom learning in order to support the processes for developing students into knowledge creators. The findings of this study suggest various communities in higher education—teachers, librarians and students—should be more aware of the role of knowledge-building activities in classroom learning for developing students into knowledge creators. Moreover, they should consider the reciprocal interaction between the multiple layers of higher learning systems in which the development processes operate in order to collaboratively and dialogically create classroom learning that facilitates these development processes

Pembinaan dan Pelaksanaan Kit Pengajaran untuk Meningkatkan Kemahiran Penambahan dan Penolakan Nombor Integer Murid Tingkatan 1

Nombor integer merupakan suatu topik baharu bagi murid peralihan daripada sekolah rendah kepada tingkatan 1. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membina sebuah kit pengajaran bagi meningkatkan kemahiran murid tingkatan 1 menjalankan operasi tambah dan tolak menggunakan nombor integer dengan mengaplikasikan teori pembelajaran behaviorisme dan strategi pengajaran deduktif. Kajian ini adalah kajian Reka Bentuk Pembangunan (DDR) yang melibatkan fasa analisis, perancangan dan pembangunan, pelaksanaan dan penilaian. Peserta kajian yang terlibat dalam kajian ini adalah murid tingkatan 1 dan guru matematik sekolah menengah rendah. Data telah dikutip dengan menggunakan soalan temu bual separa berstruktur bagi mendapatkan data temu bual dan set soalan penilaian untuk mendapatkan data skor penilaian murid. Data temu bual yang diperoleh dianalisis secara bertema manakala skor penilaian murid dianalisis secara statistik deskriptif dengan mengambil kira peratusan dan frekuensi skor tersebut. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa terdapat beberapa faktor yang menyebabkan topik integer sukar iaitu topik baharu, kurang pemahaman, kekeliruan simbol dan persekitaran pembelajaran. Tambahan itu, kajian mendapati 88.47% murid mencatatkan peningkatan skor penilaian setelah menggunakan kit pengajaran dalam proses pembelajaran topik integer. Kajian ini mencadangkan penggunaan teori atau strategi pengajaran yang lain serta membuat perbandingan dengan teori behaviorisme dan strategi deduktif yang digunakan dalam kajian ini