Effects of differently sequenced classroom scripts on transformative and regulative processes in inquiry learning

Kooperatives Forschendes Lernen hat sich empirisch als ein effektiver Instruktionsansatz für die Förderung des naturwissenschaftlichen Denkens bewährt. Obwohl Forschung zur Orchestrierung von Sozialformen im Unterricht zeigt, dass diese einen wichtigen Einfluss auf die Qualität von Lernprozessen, wie Kommunikations- und Interaktionsprozessen, und damit auf die Lernergebnisse von Gruppe und einzelnen Lernenden hat, wurde im Bereich des Forschenden Lernens die Verteilung und Abfolge von individuellen und kooperativen Lernaktivitäten bislang jedoch kaum untersucht. Basierend auf Erkenntnissen zu Scaffolding, Fading, Productive Failure und dem ICAP-Rahmenmodell wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Einfluss zweier Unterrichtsskripts auf die transformativen und regulativen Prozesse des forschenden Lernens bei Individuen und Gruppen untersucht. Das eine Unterrichtsskript sieht die Abfolge „Plenum-Kleingruppe-Individuum“ vor (PKI-Skript), das andere wechselt vom Plenum über die individuelle Ebene zur Kleingruppenebene (PIK-Skript). Transformationsprozesse beziehen sich dabei auf wissensgenerierende Prozesse, während regulative Prozesse meta-kognitive Prozesse darstellen. Deskriptiv zeigten sich unterschieden zwischen den beiden Bedingungen: Lernende mit dem PKI-Skript zeigten mehr und intensivere individuelle transformative Prozesse, z.B. während bei der Datenauswertung und beim wissenschaftlichen Schlussfolgern. Lernende mit dem PIK-Skript zeigten hingegen mehr transformative und regulative Prozessen auf der Gruppenebene. Lernende, die mit diesem Skript arbeiteten, zeigten mehr und intensivere Grounding-Aktivitäten, die das gemeinsame Verständnis und das Entstehen eines Common Ground förderten. Dementsprechend zeigten sich hier auch häufiger intensivere transformative Prozesse auf der Gruppenebene.Collaborative inquiry learning has been empirically proven to be an effective instructional approach to foster students’ scientific literacy. However, there is little research on the coordination of individual and collaborative activities during inquiry learning which could shape the quality of communication and interaction, and consequentially, individual and group learning outcomes. Research has indicated that classroom orchestration (i.e., distribution and sequencing of activities) could have profound effect on learning processes and outcomes. Premised on theories of scaffolding, fading, productive failure and the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active and passive) framework on different activity types, this study investigates the effects of two differently sequenced classroom scripts on the individual and group transformative and regulative processes in inquiry learning. Transformative processes refers to processes that yield knowledge and regulative processes are meta-cognitive processes. Descriptive statistics suggest that the Plenary-Small Group-Individual (PSI) script transition facilitated better individual engagement in transformative processes such as generating of evidence and the drawing of conclusions, whereas the Plenary-Individual-Small Group (PIS) script condition fostered better transformative and regulative processes for the group. Establishing shared understanding and forging common grounds through grounding and high-level grounding was more prevalent in this script condition, which also accounted for more occurrences of high-level transformative processes at the group level

The Prevalence And The Molecular Patterns Of Rotaviruses In Calves

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of rota virus in calves in Malaysia. A total of 977 faecal specimens were collected over a four-month period from calves starting from 48 hours. The faeces were collected from diarrhoeic as well as non-diarrhoeic calves. Four hundred samples were collected from calves in Kluang, Johore Bahru and Selangor whilst another 577 were from 23 calves from the Beef Unit, Universiti Pertanian M alaysia. The faecal specimens were analysed for the presence of rotavirus by several methods, that is, electron microscopy (EM), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit - Rotazyme II. Bacteriological examination was also carried out on these specimens. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated rotaviruses in 69 (7. 1 %) of the total faecal specimens of 977, 50 from loose and 19 from non-diarrhoeic faeces. Seventy two percent of these were detected in calves less than three months old. Parvovirus or enteroviruses were also observed in 32 other diarrhoeic faecal samples. However, no coronavirus or pathogenic bacteria were detected. Studies by PAGE showed that 97 (9.9%) specimens contained rotaviruses. Thirty two percent (72%) of the positive specimens were from non-diarrhoeic and the remaining percentage (28%) were from loose specimens. All of the rotavirus isolates belonged to the group A "long" electrophoretic pattern. None had unusual segment rearrangement or possessed extra segments. Majority (62%) of the genome electropherotypes belonged to the class of Ib lIa IlIb IVa. Two isolates were found to have a variant of the 11 th segment. A total of 82 specimens (8. 4%) were found to be positive for rotavirus by ELISA. Fifty five percent of the loose calves gave strong reactions whereas 10% of the non-diarrhoeic animals gave similar reactions. These diagnostic tests revealed that there was an association between diarrhoeic specimens and higher amounts ' of rotavirus antigen. The detection of rotaviruses in the non-diarrhoeic animals indicated that sub-clinical infections were present

Students’ Use of Knowledge Resources in Environmental Interaction on an Outdoor Learning Trail

This study examined how students leveraged different types of knowledge resources on an outdoor learning trail. We positioned the learning trail as an integral part of the curriculum with a pre- and post-trail phase to scaffold and to support students’ meaning-making process. The study was conducted with two classes of secondary two students. We coded two groups’ discourse to examine the use of knowledge resource types in the meaning-making process in an outdoor learning setting: contextual resource, new conceptual resource, prior knowledge resource, as well as the relationship among these knowledge resource types. Next, we also examined environmental interaction and integration in the students’ use of these knowledge resource types. Analysis showed that contextual resources are chiefly instrumental in fostering students’ capacity to harness new conceptual resource and to activate prior knowledge resource in interacting with and integrating the outdoor learning environment in the meaning-making process.This research is supported by the FutureSchools@Singapore project under the Singapore National Research Foundation’s (NRF) Interactive and Digital Media (IDM) in Education Research and Development (R&D) Programme

Effects of differently sequenced classroom scripts on transformative and regulative processes in inquiry learning

Kooperatives Forschendes Lernen hat sich empirisch als ein effektiver Instruktionsansatz für die Förderung des naturwissenschaftlichen Denkens bewährt. Obwohl Forschung zur Orchestrierung von Sozialformen im Unterricht zeigt, dass diese einen wichtigen Einfluss auf die Qualität von Lernprozessen, wie Kommunikations- und Interaktionsprozessen, und damit auf die Lernergebnisse von Gruppe und einzelnen Lernenden hat, wurde im Bereich des Forschenden Lernens die Verteilung und Abfolge von individuellen und kooperativen Lernaktivitäten bislang jedoch kaum untersucht. Basierend auf Erkenntnissen zu Scaffolding, Fading, Productive Failure und dem ICAP-Rahmenmodell wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Einfluss zweier Unterrichtsskripts auf die transformativen und regulativen Prozesse des forschenden Lernens bei Individuen und Gruppen untersucht. Das eine Unterrichtsskript sieht die Abfolge „Plenum-Kleingruppe-Individuum“ vor (PKI-Skript), das andere wechselt vom Plenum über die individuelle Ebene zur Kleingruppenebene (PIK-Skript). Transformationsprozesse beziehen sich dabei auf wissensgenerierende Prozesse, während regulative Prozesse meta-kognitive Prozesse darstellen. Deskriptiv zeigten sich unterschieden zwischen den beiden Bedingungen: Lernende mit dem PKI-Skript zeigten mehr und intensivere individuelle transformative Prozesse, z.B. während bei der Datenauswertung und beim wissenschaftlichen Schlussfolgern. Lernende mit dem PIK-Skript zeigten hingegen mehr transformative und regulative Prozessen auf der Gruppenebene. Lernende, die mit diesem Skript arbeiteten, zeigten mehr und intensivere Grounding-Aktivitäten, die das gemeinsame Verständnis und das Entstehen eines Common Ground förderten. Dementsprechend zeigten sich hier auch häufiger intensivere transformative Prozesse auf der Gruppenebene.Collaborative inquiry learning has been empirically proven to be an effective instructional approach to foster students’ scientific literacy. However, there is little research on the coordination of individual and collaborative activities during inquiry learning which could shape the quality of communication and interaction, and consequentially, individual and group learning outcomes. Research has indicated that classroom orchestration (i.e., distribution and sequencing of activities) could have profound effect on learning processes and outcomes. Premised on theories of scaffolding, fading, productive failure and the ICAP (interactive, constructive, active and passive) framework on different activity types, this study investigates the effects of two differently sequenced classroom scripts on the individual and group transformative and regulative processes in inquiry learning. Transformative processes refers to processes that yield knowledge and regulative processes are meta-cognitive processes. Descriptive statistics suggest that the Plenary-Small Group-Individual (PSI) script transition facilitated better individual engagement in transformative processes such as generating of evidence and the drawing of conclusions, whereas the Plenary-Individual-Small Group (PIS) script condition fostered better transformative and regulative processes for the group. Establishing shared understanding and forging common grounds through grounding and high-level grounding was more prevalent in this script condition, which also accounted for more occurrences of high-level transformative processes at the group level

DIETARY SALT INTAKE: HISTORY, ASSESSMENT, AND BENEFIT IN HYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT

ABSTRACTMultiple lines of investigation including genetic, epidemiological, and interventional studies have demonstrated consistently a positive relationshipbetween salt intake, blood pressure (BP) increment, and cardiovascular consequences. In addition, it has been documented that excessive salt intakecan be attributed to various health complications such as asthma, osteoporosis, obesity, and gastric cancer. On the contrary, a reduction in salt intakehas been shown to reduce BP and improve health outcomes, although the evidence is not completely unequivocal. Despite this discrepancy, a lowsodiumdietis widelybeing recommendedtoall hypertensivepatients inparticular,as evidenceagainstits efficacy inconjunction with optimumhypertensivetreatmentiswellestablished.Determinationofsaltintakeamong hypertensivepatients is importantsince dietarysaltrestrictionhadbeenproventoimproveBP controlin conjunction with optimum pharmacological management.Variousmethodshavebeen used toestimatesodiumintakeincludes 24-hrsurinarysodium,overnighturinary sodium,spoturinary sodium/creatinineratio,and dietary surveymethods. Reducingpopulationsaltintakehas been proventobe beneficial, preventingmillionsofdeaths fromcardiovasculardiseaseandstroke,and reducingthe burdenonhealthservices.Manyindividualcountries aroundthe globehavealreadytakenaction againstreducingpopulationsaltintake.These strategieswereeither led bygovernment,nongovernmentorganizations,or industry.Keywords: Dietary sodium, Salt, Hypertension, Sodium measurement, Cost-effectiveness

A probability model for anatomical robust optimisation in head and neck cancer proton therapy

Objective: Develop an anatomical model based on the statistics of the population data and evaluate the model for anatomical robust optimisation in head and neck (H\&N) cancer proton therapy. Approach: Deformable Image Registration (DIR) was used to build the probability model (PM) that captured the major deformation from patient population data and quantified the probability of each deformation. A cohort of 20 nasopharynx patients was included in this retrospective study. Each patient had a planning CT and 6 weekly CTs during radiotherapy. We applied the model to 5 test patients. Each test patient used the remaining 19 training patients to build the PM and estimate the likelihood of a certain anatomical deformation to happen. For each test patient, a spot-scanning proton plan was created. The PM was evaluated using proton spot location deviation and dose distribution. Main results: Using the proton spot range, the PM can simulate small non-rigid variations in the first treatment week within 0.21 ±0.13 mm. For overall anatomical uncertainty prediction, the PM can reduce anatomical uncertainty from 4.47±1.23 mm (no model) to 1.49±1.08 mm at week 6. The 95% confidence interval (CI) of dose metric variations caused by actual anatomical deformations in the first week is -0.59 ± -0.31 % for low-risk CT D95, and 0.84±3.04 Gy for parotid Dmean. On the other hand, the 95% CI of dose metric variations simulated by the PM at the first week is -0.52 ± -0.34\% for low-risk CTV D95, and 0.58 ±2.22 Gy for parotid Dmean. Significance: The PM improves the estimation accuracy of anatomical uncertainty compared to the previous models and does not depend on the acquisition of the weekly CTs during the treatment. We provided a solution to quantify the probability of an anatomical deformation. The potential of the model for anatomical robust optimisation is discussed

Orchestrating Learning Scenarios for the Borderless Classroom

This part of the symposium focuses on the design of seamless learning experiences in a borderless classroom. There are two parts to this symposium. We start with unpacking various theoretical approaches that inform the instructional design of boundary-crossing learning scenarios, such as social learning theory, experiential learning, situated cognition and theory of play. We then identify critical design elements for connecting in-and-out of classroom learning experiences, such as learning through an inquiry and exploration process and from bringing back personal stories that provide context back into to the classroom. Next, we present the Singapore Future School Experience as a case study to illustrate the design and enactment of four iterations of in-and-out of the classroom inquiry learning experiences. In this learning design students could apply and build knowledge across varying contexts. The retrospective analysis revealed that three critical design elements appeared to influence and shape the impact of inquiry learning on the learning processes and outcomes. First, a central task in the design process is to facilitate continuity: linking classroom and outdoor learning contexts. Second, providing an effective combination of both structured and unstructured learning activities enhanced intentional learning. Third, facilitating the creation of common ground helped to foster and sustain knowledge creation and advancement in seamless learning environments

A systematic review and meta-analysis of community and primary-care-based hepatitis C testing and treatment services that employ direct acting antiviral drug treatments

Background Direct Acting Antiviral (DAAs) drugs have a much lower burden of treatment and monitoring requirements than regimens containing interferon and ribavirin, and a much higher efficacy in treating hepatitis C (HCV). These characteristics mean that initiating treatment and obtaining a virological cure (Sustained Viral response, SVR) on completion of treatment, in non-specialist environments should be feasible. We investigated the English-language literature evaluating community and primary care-based pathways using DAAs to treat HCV infection. Methods Databases (Cinahl; Embase; Medline; PsycINFO; PubMed) were searched for studies of treatment with DAAs in non-specialist settings to achieve SVR. Relevant studies were identified including those containing a comparison between a community and specialist services where available. A narrative synthesis and linked meta-analysis were performed on suitable studies with a strength of evidence assessment (GRADE). Results Seventeen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria: five from Australia; two from Canada; two from UK and eight from USA. Seven studies demonstrated use of DAAs in primary care environments; four studies evaluated integrated systems linking specialists with primary care providers; three studies evaluated services in locations providing care to people who inject drugs; two studies evaluated delivery in pharmacies; and one evaluated delivery through telemedicine. Sixteen studies recorded treatment uptake. Patient numbers varied from around 60 participants with pathway studies to several thousand in two large database studies. Most studies recruited less than 500 patients. Five studies reported reduced SVR rates from an intention-to-treat analysis perspective because of loss to follow-up before the final confirmatory SVR test. GRADE assessments were made for uptake of HCV treatment (medium); completion of HCV treatment (low) and achievement of SVR at 12 weeks (medium). Conclusion Services sited in community settings are feasible and can deliver increased uptake of treatment. Such clinics are able to demonstrate similar SVR rates to published studies and real-world clinics in secondary care. Stronger study designs are needed to confirm the precision of effect size seen in current studies. Prospero: CRD42017069873

The Quality of Open Online Learning and Education: Towards a Quality Reference Framework for MOOCs

This paper aims to address the quality issues of open online education and learning with a focus on MOOCs. Specifically, our research goal is to develop a Quality Reference Framework (QRF) with quality indicators and tools in close collaboration with all interested stakeholders worldwide. Based on a rigorous literature review and analysis of existing quality approaches and quality indicators for MOOCs, the Global MOOC Quality Survey was designed targeting at three core interest groups: MOOC learners, MOOC designers and MOOC facilitators. A total of n=267 took part in the survey. The survey results were complemented with 45 semi-structured interviews with MOOC designers, facilitators and providers. This mixed method research was selected to provide a more coherent picture and analysis of the quality issues of MOOCs by investigating them from diverse and different perspectives. This paper presents first results from the survey and semi-structured interviews, the first QRF draft and the feedback gained from workshops at international conferences