Student Engagement, Self-Regulation, Satisfaction, and Success in Online Learning Environments

An increasing number of higher education institutions are seeking to widen access to education using online learning environments. Transitioning to this learning modality requires institutions to focus on factors related to the constructs of student engagement, self-regulation practices, and student satisfaction as predictors of student academic success. Little research has been conducted on the 3 constructs and perceptions of student success in the English-speaking Caribbean. This quantitative cross-sectional study explored the relationship of the constructs and student success using the theoretical frameworks of Knowles’ adult learning theory, self-regulation theory, and constructivism. An enhanced Moore interaction model was used to design a new instrument to measure the self-reported responses of learners and faculty. This instrument was determined to be valid by content experts and reliable using statistic methods. Using the convenience sampling strategy, 385 students and 61 faculty from a regional Caribbean institution were selected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation relationship between pairs of the constructs, and multiple linear regression relationship between the constructs and perceptions of student success. The findings showed that the construct pairs correlated significantly with each other. The findings also showed that student engagement, self-regulation, and satisfaction significantly predicted perceptions of student success. The potential findings could lead to positive social change in how universities approach the process of learning and instruction in online learning environments. The instrument might also be used as a preliminary model in higher education institutions in the Caribbean for predicting student success

Cyclo­benzaprinium chloride

In the title mol­ecular salt [systematic name: 3-(5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclo­hepten-5-yl­idene)-N,N-dimethyl­propan­aminium chloride], C20H22N+·Cl−, two cation–anion pairs make up the asymmetric unit. The dihedral angles between the mean planes of the two fused benzene rings of the cation are 49.5 (1) and 50.9 (1)°. The cystal packing is stabilized by N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds and weak C—H⋯Cl inter­actions

[3-(5-Hy­droxy-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclo­hepten-5-yl)prop­yl]dimethyl­ammonium 3-carboxyprop-2-enoate

In the cation of the title salt, C20H24NO+·C4H3O4 −, the N atom in the dimethyl­ammonium group is protonated. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the two six-membered rings fused to the cyclo­hepten-5-yl ring is 54.4 (1)°. An intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs in the anion. The crystal packing is stabilized by inter­molecular O—H⋯O and N—H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bonds and weak C—H⋯O inter­actions, forming a two-dimensional network

Cyclo­benzaprinium salicylate

In the title mol­ecular salt [systematic name: 3-(5H-di­benzo[a,d]cyclo­hepten-5-yl­idene)-N,N-dimethyl-1-propanaminium 2-hy­droxy­benzoate], C20H22N+·C7H5O3 −, the benzene rings of the cyclo­benzaprinium cation are inclined with a dihedral angle of 61.66 (7)°. An intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs within the salicylate anion, generating an S(6) ring. In the crystal, the cation and anion are linked by an N—H⋯O inter­action

Transforming Growth Factor β Promotes Neuronal Cell Fate of Mouse Cortical and Hippocampal Progenitors In Vitro and In Vivo: Identification of Nedd9 as an Essential Signaling Component

Transforming Growth Factor β (Tgfβ) and associated signaling effectors are expressed in the forebrain, but little is known about the role of this multifunctional cytokine during forebrain development. Using hippocampal and cortical primary cell cultures of developing mouse brains, this study identified Tgfβ-regulated genes not only associated with cell cycle exit of progenitors but also with adoption of neuronal cell fate. Accordingly, we observed not only an antimitotic effect of Tgfβ on progenitors but also an increased expression of neuronal markers in Tgfβ treated cultures. This effect was dependent upon Smad4. Furthermore, in vivo loss-of-function analyses using Tgfβ2−/−/Tgfβ3−/− double mutant mice showed the opposite effect of increased cell proliferation and fewer neurons in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Gata2, Runx1, and Nedd9 were candidate genes regulated by Tgfβ and known to be involved in developmental processes of neuronal progenitors. Using siRNA-mediated knockdown, we identified Nedd9 as an essential signaling component for the Tgfβ-dependent increase in neuronal cell fate. Expression of this scaffolding protein, which is mainly described as a signaling molecule of the β1-integrin pathway, was not only induced after Tgfβ treatment but was also associated with morphological changes of the Nestin-positive progenitor pool observed upon exposure to Tgfβ