A qualitative examination of connections between learner-centered teaching and past significant learning experiences

Learner-centered teaching is a collection of instructional practices that shift the emphasis of courses from the instructors’ goals and methods of delivery to the knowledge and skills that the students develop. This study examined potential commonalities between features of learner-centered teaching and the past significant learning experiences of current faculty. A phenomenological analysis of written essays revealed eight dominant themes: 1) Student responsibility for learning, 2) Learning through direct experience or example, 3) Responsive instructors, 4) Difficult activities that took time, 5) Connections to previous knowledge and experiences, 6) Direct research experience, 7) Challenging initial ideas and assumptions, and 8) Rich in content. These themes are discussed in terms of their connections to features of learner-centered teaching and potential implications for educators

Parent Perceptions of Service Animals Impacts on the Language Skills of Their Children with Autism

This study found multiple areas within the broad field of pragmatics in which a therapy dog can benefit the child that they are partnered with. In general, it appears that having a trained service dog for individuals with ASD may be a good tool to support the developmental of a variety of skills. Specifically, within the areas of socializing and use of language, the dog can provide the child with opportunities for conversations, as well as topics to discuss and experiences to share

Students’ Responses to Application Quests: A Case-based Learning Activity

TApplication Quests are case-based learning activities that emphasize issues in professional practice and are given as part of the classroom learning process. This qualitative investigation examined students’ views regarding the perceived impacts that Application Quests had on their learning. A phenomenological analysis of written assignments from 44 undergraduate students revealed six prevalent themes. The Application Quests were described as being unlike previous experiences, difficult and time consuming, and an emotive process. They were further identified as helpful for learning and integrating course material, improving learning across courses, and increasing readiness for professional practice. These themes are discussed in relation to Astin’s input-environment-outcome model of student development during college and potential improvements to future Application Quests

Applying item-response theory to the development of a screening adaptation of the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2

PURPOSE: Item Response Theory (IRT) is a psychometric approach to measurement that uses latent trait abilities (e.g., speech sound production skills) to model performance on individual items that vary by difficulty and discrimination. An IRT analysis was applied to preschooler’s productions of the words on the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-2 (GFTA-2) to identify candidates for a screening measure of speech sound production skills. METHOD: The phoneme accuracies from 154 preschoolers, with speech skills on the GFTA-2 ranging from the 1st to above the 90th percentile, were analyzed with a two-parameter logistic model. RESULTS: A total of 108 of the 232 phonemes from stimuli in the sounds-in-words subtest fit the IRT model. These phonemes, and subgroups of the most difficult of these phonemes, correlated significantly with the children’s overall percentile scores on the GFTA-2. Regression equations calculated for the five and ten most difficult phonemes predicted overall percentile score at levels commensurate with other screening measures. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that speech production accuracy can be screened effectively with a small number of sounds. They motivate further research towards the development of a screening measure of children’s speech sound production skills whose stimuli consist of a limited number of difficult phonemes

Practice in Child Phonological Disorders: Tackling some Common Clinical Problems

Goal of presentation is to identify areas of child phonology that clinicans have difficulty with

Student Impressions of Syllabus Design: Engaging Versus Contractual Syllabus

This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students. This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students

Pharmacological and nutritional targeting of voltage-gated sodium channels in the treatment of cancers

International audienc

Students’ Responses to Application Quests: A Case-based Learning Activity

TApplication Quests are case-based learning activities that emphasize issues in professional practice and are given as part of the classroom learning process. This qualitative investigation examined students’ views regarding the perceived impacts that Application Quests had on their learning. A phenomenological analysis of written assignments from 44 undergraduate students revealed six prevalent themes. The Application Quests were described as being unlike previous experiences, difficult and time consuming, and an emotive process. They were further identified as helpful for learning and integrating course material, improving learning across courses, and increasing readiness for professional practice. These themes are discussed in relation to Astin’s input-environment-outcome model of student development during college and potential improvements to future Application Quests