Making Inventions Using SCAMPER and Animal Adaptation Ideas with Elementary Students

This study explores to what extent the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange) technique combined with animal adaptation ideas learned through form and function analogy activities can help fourth graders generate creative ideas while augmenting their inventiveness. The sample consisted of 24 fourth grade students (14 female, 10 male) ages 9-10 at a suburban Midwestern elementary school. A repeated-measures design involving all participants alternately in the two conditions measured students under each treatment condition. In the experimental condition, students used SCAMPER charts with animal adaptation ideas to generate ideas to improve a product using limited materials; in the control condition, they used simple SCAMPER charts to improve a product with limited materials. A scoring rubric was designed to assess the utilization of the SCAMPER chart and students’ inventiveness. Paired t-tests were used to compare each student\u27s average score in the control condition to the experimental condition. Students’ inventiveness scores showed a statistically significant difference with a p-value of .003. The resulting Cohen\u27s d was 0.64, a medium effect size, favoring the experimental condition. In contrast, student scores for completing the two types of SCAMPER charts favored the simpler control condition’s chart. However, student products completed under the experimental condition showed more complexity and originality. Although the new technique was challenging, given the limited number of classes spread over a two-week period, the lessons promoted student engagement, creative thinking, and ability to recall content knowledge related to animal form and function

Transforming Professional Learning Using Self-Study in an EFL Context

Engaging in reflective practices is important for a practitioner’s professional growth. As a doctoral student I, by profession an English as a foreign language (EFL) instructor, entered into a relationship of critical friendship with a colleague in Bangladesh. We chose to undertake the task of reflecting on written corrective feedback (WCF) on student writings that we strongly felt needed attention in EFL environment, i.e., our own teaching context. The self-study method was used as a systematic inquiry to focus on our WCF practices. Following Samaras and Roberts’ (2011) guidelines for instructors newly engaging in self-study and based on the concept of faculty learning community, we engaged in the following practices: (1) reflective writings based on prompts, (2) review of WCF literature, (3) discussions based on prompts, (4) electronic correspondence (e.g., email, Viber, Skype). We negotiated the tensions among ourselves and our context thereby addressing public credibility. Dynamic interplay between reflection and sharing through digital technology provided the basis for quality in the self-study research and supported knowledge-building process. For data analysis, open coding (Strauss & Corbin, 2008) was applied to the data sources. Codes were adjusted after reviewing each other’s analysis. Analytic themes were developed from the transcribed Skype discussions, journal reflections, and email contents. The self-study resulted in several learning outcomes. Most importantly, recalibration of beliefs about WCF, and development of a context-sensitive approach to providing WCF supported by critical friendship and scholarly readings. Results are expected to encourage professional development through self-initiative not widely practiced in EFL contexts

Understanding ESL undergraduate students\u27 beliefs about learner-centered instruction

This study was undertaken to determine undergraduate ESL students’ beliefs about learner-centered teaching (LCT) practices in English classes and to understand to what extent their learner-centered learning experiences influenced their beliefs about the quality of LCT practices. The study involved explanatory sequential mixed-methods. The Learner-centered Battery Student Survey and focus group interviews were used to collect data. One hundred and twelve undergraduate ESL students at a Midwestern university took part in the survey, 17 of whom, predominantly Asians, subsequently took part in multiple mini focus groups that lasted approximately 50-70 minutes each. Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-Tests, and one-way ANOVAs. Results from the quantitative strand indicated that aside from ethnicity, demographic variables such as age, gender, and college status had no relationship with student perceptions of teaching practices. The results also suggested that the participants perceived teaching practices to be highly transitioning towards learner-centeredness. For qualitative data analysis, the constant-comparative framework was used. Three themes emerged from the focus groups — that LCT practices are characteristically learner-focused and learning-focused, set challenges to learning environment, and lead to academic and non-academic outcomes. The participants broadly measured the quality of LCT practices in two ways: evaluating via past learning experiences and identifying learner-centered and non-learner-centered teaching practices. The qualitative results also indicated that students require facilitative mechanisms in their learning activities, more support in coping with stress and cognitive challenges, and help adjusting with current learning experiences. Findings from this mixed-method study have pedagogical implications for LCT practices in English classes with ESL undergraduate students. This research can serve as a framework for implementing professional development focused specifically on non-learner-centered practices that impact, for example, culturally relevant pedagogy, facilitative mechanisms, interpersonal relationship, and student knowledge, and thus enhance opportunities for transitioning to learner-centeredness

Designing an Earthquake-Proof Art Museum: An Arts-and Engineering-Integrated Science Lesson

In this practical arts-integrated science and engineering lesson, an inquiry-based approach was adopted to teach a class of fourth graders in a Midwest elementary school about the scientific concepts of plate tectonics and earthquakes. Lessons were prepared following the 5 E instructional model. Next Generation Science Standards (4-ESS3-2) and the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards for fourth grade (Visual Arts: Creating 1.14a, Visual Arts: Creating 2.1.4a, and Visual Arts: Creating 3.1.4a) were addressed challenging students to create an earthquake-resistant structure to support a clay sculpture in a model of an art gallery for an earthquake-prone area. First, content knowledge was provided through videos and information texts that led to class discussion. Next, students collaboratively brainstormed ideas for the sculpture museum. In pairs, students drew sketches and planned what they would design. Natural, air-dry clay was used for the sculptures and the scaffolding supporting them was made of plastic straws, twist ties, and masking tape. Challenges to the task were introduced twice. Then, the structures were tested after completion at two different strengths of earthquake on a shake table with the help of the teacher. Information learned from the engineering challenge was used to investigate the world’s tallest buildings. Students were very engaged in both the sculpting and the engineering challenges. They made generalizations about the structures by analyzing successful and unsuccessful designs. Students were very motivated to keep their artwork safe

Fourth Graders Make Inventions using SCAMPER and Animal Adaptation Ideas

This study explores to what extent the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange) technique combined with animal adaptation ideas learned through form and function analogy activities can help fourth graders generate creative ideas while augmenting their inventiveness. The sample consisted of 24 fourth grade students (14 female, 10 male) ages 9-10 at a suburban Midwestern elementary school. A repeated-measures design involving all participants alternately in the two conditions measured students under each treatment condition. In the experimental condition, students used SCAMPER charts with animal adaptation ideas to generate ideas to improve a product using limited materials; in the control condition, they used simple SCAMPER charts to improve a product with limited materials. A scoring rubric was designed to assess the utilization of the SCAMPER chart and students’ inventiveness. Paired t-tests were used to compare each student\u27s average score in the control condition to the experimental condition. Students’ inventiveness scores showed a statistically significant difference with a p-value of .003. The resulting Cohen\u27s d was 0.64, a medium effect size, favoring the experimental condition. In contrast, student scores for completing the two types of SCAMPER charts favored the simpler control condition’s chart. However, student products completed under the experimental condition showed more complexity and originality

Understanding ESL Undergraduate Students\u27 Beliefs About Learner-Centered Instruction

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was undertaken to determine undergraduate English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ beliefs about learner-centered teaching (LCT) practices in English classes and to understand to what extent their learner-centered learning experiences influenced their beliefs about the quality of LCT practices. The Learner-centered Battery Student Survey and focus group interviews were used to collect data. One hundred and twelve undergraduate ESL students at a Midwestern university took part in the survey, 17 of whom, subsequently took part in multiple mini focus groups. Quantitative data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-Tests, and one-way ANOVAs. Results indicated that except ethnicity, age, gender, and college status had no relationship with student perceptions of teaching practices. The participants perceived teaching practices to be highly transitioning towards learner-centeredness. For qualitative data analysis, constant-comparative framework was used. Three themes emerged from the focus groups — that LCT practices are characteristically learner-focused and learning-focused, set challenges to learning environment, and lead to academic and non-academic outcomes. The participants measured the quality of LCT practices in two ways: evaluating via past learning experiences and identifying learner-centered and non-learner-centered teaching practices. Results indicated that students require facilitative mechanisms in their learning activities, more support in coping with stress and cognitive challenges, and help adjusting with current learning experience. The findings have pedagogical implications for LCT practices in undergraduate English classes with ESL students. This research can serve as a framework for implementing professional development focused specifically on non-learner-centered practices and thus enhance opportunities for transitioning to learner-centeredness

Exploring Preservice Teachers’ Still-Life Paintings of Crystals with Artist-Focused Compared to Science-Focused Introductions

This experimental study was undertaken with preservice teachers to test whether the use of science integration into arts education increases demonstration of science details and creative features in artwork. Two conditions were created: arts-focused and science-focused; gouache still-life paintings were produced and analyzed, and an attitude survey was completed. The results suggested that science integration into visual arts classes increased creativity for the arts-focused condition and increased science concepts in the science-focused condition. Participants in both conditions reported positive attitudes, specifically, high levels of enjoyment, alluded to lack of experience with arts and creative projects, and expressed desire for more exposure because of emotional benefits

Coexistence of porokeratosis of Mibelli with Gardner′s syndrome: A rare case report

Porokeratosis represents a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized clinically by a distinctive ridge-like border and histologically by cornoid lamellae. Gardner′s syndrome, a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by colorectal polyps, osteomas, epidermoid cysts and soft tissue tumors. Here we report a case of 18 yr old female who presented with porokeratosis of Mibelli with osteoma, multiple epidermoid cytsts, and solitary rectal polyp

Modulation of brain tumor risk by genetic SNPs in PARP1gene: Hospital based case control study.

PARP-1 gene plays an essential part in base excision repair pathway and its functional variations result in several types of cancer. In this study we have explored the effect of genetic variations in PARP-1 gene in brain tumorigenesis. This case control study comprised of 500 brain tumor cases along with 500 healthy controls. Three polymorphisms of PARP-1 gene, rs1136410 (Val762Ala), rs1805404 (Asp81Asp) and rs1805414 (Ala284Ala) were analyzed using AS-PCR method followed by DNA sequencing. Joint effect model, haplotype analysis and linkage disequilibrium of these polymorphisms was assessed using Haploview 4.2. In rs1136410 (Val762Ala) heterozygous mutant genotype (CT) was observed notably lower (OR: 0.44., 95% CI: 0.33-0.57., p<0.0001) in brain tumor patients compared to controls and ~2 fold increased frequency of homozygous mutant genotype (CC) was observed in brain tumor patients versus controls (OR: 1.51., 95%CI: 1.16-1.96, p = 0.001). In rs1805414 (Ala284Ala), frequency of heterozygous mutant genotype (CT) was observed lower (OR: 0.77., 95% CI: 0.60-0.99., p = 0.05) in patients versus controls. In rs1805404 (Asp81Asp), heterozygous mutant genotyping (CT) was observed lower in brain tumor patients compared with the healthy controls (OR: 0.63., 95% CI: 0.48-0.83., p = 0.001). However, homozygous mutant genotype (TT) was observed increased in patients compared to controls (OR: 1.41., 95% CI:1.07-1.85., p = 0.01). We assessed the fact that in combination the PARP-1 gene SNPs, rs1136410 (Val762Ala), rs1805414 (Ala284Ala) and rs1805404 (Asp81Asp) may increase the brain pathogenesis at least in Pakistani population

STUDY ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES AMONG MARRIED FEMALE WORKERS OF A GARMENTS FACTORY OF DHAKA CITY

Over the last decade, the number of garments factories in Bangladesh had increased and employed around 1.5 million women, most of them in their reproductive age, therefore, desired family size and child spacing influenced contraceptive prevalence among the married women. This cross sectional study was conducted in Chancellor Garments Factory, Rayer Bazar, Dhaka, to find out the acceptance of contraceptive methods among the married female workers. Out of 121 workers interviewed, the knowledge of respondents on contraceptive methods was found adequate in 83.47%, some knowledge in 15.70 % and no knowledge in 0.83%. 27.5 % respondents acquired their knowledge from clinics and 25.83 % from health workers. Only 13.22 % respondents had the knowledge on non contraceptive uses of condom and 50 % of them got this knowledge from radio and television. Of the 88.43 % respondents who used contraceptive devices, maximum number used oral pill (57.94%) and only 0.93 % used condom. Among the non users of contraceptive methods, 28.56 % did not use because their husbands did not agree. Among the contraceptive users, 90.65 % had consent of both the partners and 2.8 % had the desire of their husbands only. Low income, lack of motivation by health workers, lack of information on contraception, less accessibility and availability of devices, cost of the devices, side effects, misconception, etc. have the impact on the contraceptive acceptance among the female garments workers