The Utility of Storytelling Strategies in the Biology Classroom

Conveying scientific information with high intrinsic cognitive load to students is a challenge. Often, students do not have the existing schema to incorporate the information in a comprehensive manner. One method that has shown promise is storytelling. Storytelling has been successfully used to convey public health information to non-experts. Therefore, it was of interest to determine whether storytelling could be used in the classroom to present information with high intrinsic load to students in a meaningful manner. This study used a post-test only quasi-experimental study design to explore the utility of storytelling as an instructional strategy in anatomy and physiology classes at a community college. Students in the treatment group received instruction that used storytelling to present examples of application. Both control and experimental groups were assessed through the use of a proximal formative quiz, distal multiple-choice questions, and a novel critical thinking exercise administered after the instruction. Results suggest that storytelling was as effective as the instructional methods delivered to the control group. These findings suggest that storytelling may be used as a means to convey complex scientific information in the classroom

Effectiveness of Drafting Models for Engineering Technology Students and Impacts on Spatial Visualization Ability: An Analysis and Consideration of Critical Variables

Results from a number of studies indicate that the use of drafting models can positively influence the spatial visualization ability for engineering technology students. However, additional variables such as light, temperature, motion and color can play an important role but research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a set of 5 quasi-experimental studies, was conducted to identify additional critical variables. According to the results, a dynamic, 3Dprinted drafting model, presented with a blue background under lighting conditions between 500–750 lux had the highest impact on spatial visualization ability of engineering technology students

An Exploration of Student Experiences with Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies

In this exploratory study, we examined how undergraduate students experience learning in a learner-centered teaching environment and their perceptions of motivation towards learning material in an introductory public speaking communications course. Six faculty members participated in a semester-long study where their teaching strategies were observed. Three faculty members participated in a cognitive apprenticeship where they were taught how to implement learner-centered instructional strategies into their coursework. Participants were 109 students who were enrolled in an introductory public speaking course. Data was collected by means of classroom observations, interviews, and the administration of a survey. Our findings indicated that students who were engaged in learner-centered activities within the communications course demonstrate higher levels of motivation towards the course and are more actively engaged in their learning

A Multidisciplinary Examination of the Decision-Making Process Used by Designers

Design-thinking is an abductive and participatory process in which designers are required to manage constraints, generate solutions, and follow project timelines in order to complete project goals. This exploration study sought to look at how designers in various disciplinary fields approach design projects. Designers were asked to describe a project and a decision that they had to make. Decisions were analyzed to determine whether they were ready-made versus custommade solutions and the process by which the designers arrived at the decisions was categorized as idea-imposition or discovery. Results indicated that designers work with multiple constraints while designing and the majority used a custom-made solution following a discovery process

MPATI: The Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction (1959-1971)

It is 1964 and high in the sky, flying in a figure-eight formation over a 200-mile radius and six Midwestern states, is a plane with a large 24-foot antennae hanging from its belly. Transmitting 24 separate courses recorded ahead of time then played back to member schools in six states, the Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction (MPATI) was designed to meet the need of providing educational television to a wider audience. In the late 1950s, the FCC decided that certain channels would be allocated for non-commercial educational use. Schools were bursting with students; teachers were in high demand and educators wanted television classroom instruction to ease their burden. Offering simultaneous programs to schools across the country similar to commercial networks seemed impossible. Hence, the Midwest Program on Airborne Television Instruction, a not-for-profit consortium of educational institutions and television producers, was born

The Design of a Cognitive Apprenticeship to Facilitate Storytime Programming for Librarians

The majority of research that has been conducted on structuring mentorship programs has been on career support in terms of transferring tacit and explicit knowledge from the supervisor to the protégé. While the instructional design literature touts that cognitive apprenticeships provide a great framework for constructivist and situated learning environments, little research has been done examining how much time should be allocated to the various phases of the apprenticeship framework. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the use of a cognitive apprenticeship framework could be used to mentor new librarians. Data was collected and analyzed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a needs assessment to determine the skills necessary for programmers to deliver a curriculum based storytime. Phase 2 data collected during the implementation of the cognitive apprenticeship included observation and reflective journals. Data collected during Phase 3 consisted of participant interviews immediately following the implementation of the cognitive apprenticeship, and three months after the conclusion of the study. All data was coded and analyzed using a phenemonological approach. The researchers found the need for flexibility when utilizing a cognitive apprenticeship model, based on participant prior knowledge and experience, the importance of the modeling and coaching stages of the model, participant desire for working with other programmers being trained

The Use Of Cognitive Apprenticeships To Teach Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies In An Undergraduate Learning Environment

Educators are in a never-ending search for identifying instructional strategies as technological resources and support for the classroom continue to evolve. In order to optimize learning results and mastery of the learning material, faculty must present instructional content in a manner that supports cognitive processing strategies, and is sequenced in an order that enables the learner to build upon prior knowledge. The primary role of the educator in higher education is to guide students through the acquisition of new skills and promote self-directed learning. Educators must continue to pursue areas for improvement in current teaching structures with a view to identify instructional strategies that are learner-centered. Designing instruction methodologies that take into consideration cognitive learning theory and how the brain processes information can assist in selecting strategies that are learner-centered for disseminating educational content to the learning audience. The purpose of this study was to take an ethnographic approach to observe what instructional strategies educators currently use in undergraduate classroom settings. Instructional strategies that were observed through direct observation included the sequencing of course materials, interactions between educators and students, and opportunities for students to engage in active learning. Interviews were conducted with educators to discuss the various challenges that they encountered while teaching. Students were interviewed to provide information pertaining to challenges that they encountered while learning. Educators participated in a cognitive apprenticeship that provided them with tools to incorporate instructional strategies that aligned with the premises associated with cognitive learning and conditions-based theories. Observations and extensive field notes were completed to document how faculty members taught at the outset of the cognitive apprenticeship and subsequently, during the cognitive apprenticeship intervention to determine whether there was any significant change resulting from their teaching strategies. Interviews were conducted with faculty and students to gauge their perceptions regarding the instructional strategies utilized within the classroom. Faculty participants enrolled in the experimental group participated in a semester-long cognitive apprenticeship. The researcher worked closely with faculty participants on an individual basis following a cognitive apprenticeship framework to train them on how to incorporate more learner-centered instructional methods into their course. Surveys were administered to students enrolled in the second semester course to measure their perceptions of motivation with regards to learning the course material. Surveys were administered to the faculty to measure their perceptions of motivation with regards to teaching the course material. Interviews were held with each faculty participant and a sample of their students inquiring about the instructional strategies used in class, the sequencing of content, and the overall learning environment. Exploration as to how learner-centered instructional strategies can be incorporated within higher education was also discussed

Inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway augments nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy effects in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer

Nab-paclitaxel (NPT) combination with gemcitabine (Gem) represents the standard chemotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Genetic alterations of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathway yielding constitutive activation of the ERK cascade have been implicated as drivers of PDAC. Inhibition of downstream targets in the RAS-MAPK cascade such as MEK remains a promising therapeutic strategy. The efficacy of trametinib (Tra), a small molecule inhibitor of MEK1/2 kinase activity, in combination with nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy was evaluated in preclinical models of PDAC. The addition of trametinib to chemotherapy regimens showed a trend for an additive effect on tumor growth inhibition in subcutaneous AsPC-1 and Panc-1 PDAC xenografts. In a peritoneal dissemination model, median animal survival compared to controls (20 days) was increased after therapy with NPT (33 days, a 65% increase), Tra (31 days, a 55% increase), NPT+Tra (37 days, a 85% increase), NPT+Gem (39 days, a 95% increase) and NPT+Gem+Tra (49 days, a 145% increase). Effects of therapy on intratumoral proliferation and apoptosis corresponded with tumor growth inhibition. Trametinib effects were specifically accompanied by a decrease in phospho-ERK and an increase in cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP-1 proteins. These findings suggest that the effects of nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy can be enhanced through specific inhibition of MEK1/2 kinase activity, and supports the clinical application of trametinib in combination with standard nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy in PDAC patients

Evaluation of bioactivity of fucoidan from laminaria with in vitro human cell cultures (THP-1)

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked FilesBackground: Seaweeds represent one of the few remaining food sources available globally which are not being fully utilized or even over utilized. Kelps (Laminaria spp.) are one of the numerous species of brown seaweeds, a popular marine vegetable, which has been used as a source of iodine and minerals for centuries. Kelps contain anionic polysaccharides called fucoidans heteroglycans with L-fucose units. Their monosaccharide composition, physicochemical and bioactive properties vary between seaweed species. The objective of this work was to evaluate the bioactive properties of laminaria fucoidan (L. digitata and L. hyperborea) toward THP-1 macrophages, a human macrophage like cell line, and investigate its potential antioxidant and immunomodulatory characteristics. Methods: THP-1 macrophages were incubated with five fucoidan concentrations. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay was determined for cell lysates and for the fucoidan extract, in addition to Total Polyphenol Content (TPC). Cytotoxicity of fucoidan was assessed by light microscopy, followed by XTT proliferation assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA) were performed to determine concentrations of the secreted tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 10 (IL-10). Results: Fucoidan did not affect macrophage ability to scavenge oxygen radicals (ORAC) confirming its antioxidant properties toward activated macrophages. The laminaria fucoidan extract at 100 mu g/ml concentration lowered macrophage viability. Lower concentrations of laminaria fucoidan did not have impact on cell viability. Very low concentration of fucoidan at 0.1 mu g/ml triggered secretion of TNF-alpha. However, IL-6 and interleukin IL-10 were expressed when concentration of applied fucoidan was 10 mu g/ml indicating bioactivity of laminaria fucoidan through immunomodulatory actions. Conclusions: The study demonstrated how laminaria fucoidan may have bioactive properties towards THP-1 macrophages. Changes in cytokine secretion between pro-inflammatory (TNF-alpha, and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines confirmed bioactivity of the laminaria fucoidan extracts.University of Iceland Research Fun