Flipped versus Traditional Classroom Information Literacy Sessions: Student Perceptions and Cognitions

Teaching effectively with limited classroom time is a challenge for information literacy teachers. In the flipped classroom (FC) teaching model, information transmission teaching is delivered outside of class, freeing up class time for learning activities. I adopted the FC model in sessions that were previously taught using a traditional classroom (TC) model. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the FC model's relative impact on (1) student perceptions of usefulness and quality, and (2) student cognitions about the IL sessions. Responses to evaluation forms from the TC model (N = 65), were compared to those from FC model (N = 78). Students judged usefulness and quality on two 4-point rating scales. Student cognitions were elicited with an open-ended question asking for suggestions for improvement and other comments. Responses to the latter were coded by an assistant blind to the conditions. Ratings were near ceiling and similar for both conditions. Responses to the open-ended question revealed interesting trends. Students in the FC condition provided wordier comments, were more concerned with what they themselves did and could do, and with the subject matter of the session. Students in the TC condition were more concerned with how information was presented to them.Results indicate that the FC teaching model is a viable alternative for IL sessions, and that it may encourage students to engage more with IL and their own learning process

Category-effects and stimulus characteristics in visual perception

This thesis describes a number of experiments that aimed to investigate the role of relatively low-level visual input factors in category-specific effects in object identification and colour perception. In the object recognition experiments, using picture-name or name-picture verification tasks, as well as object-naming tasks, clues to the causal factors contributing to such effects were obtained. It was found that category-specific effects in normal object identification, both living things advantages and living things disadvantages can occur even when nuisance variables like familiarity and complexity are well controlled. Task demands on perceptual differentiation and stimulus presentation conditions can influence and even reverse category-specific effects (Report I). When identification has to rely mostly on global shape visual information, the living things advantage in identification is enhanced compared to when visual detail is available in stimulus pictures. Furthermore, a lack of visual detail induces a left hemisphere disadvantage for identification, but only for nonliving things (Report II). In an experiment utilising eye movement methods, it was found that when rotating objects in depth, which presumably causes changes in outline shape, changes in participants' eye movement strategies could be observed. Specifically, participants tended to focus more on the objects' centres of gravity when rotations went from canonical to noncanonical views. This effect was, however, only reliably observed for nonliving things. (Report III). In a study examining differential interference effects in Stroop performance, it was found that the amount of interference is smaller for non-opponent compared to opponent colours. An artificial neural network that coarsely implements a trichromatic input coding scheme can simulate this reduced opponent colour interference. Additionally, it was found that individual differences in colour discrimination ability are associated with individual differences in Stroop performance. (Report IV)

The effects of virutal reality on procedural pain and anxiety in pediatrics: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Distraction and procedural preparation techniques are frequently used to manage pain and anxiety in children undergoing medical procedures. An increasing number of studies have indicated that Virtual Reality (VR) can be used to deliver these interventions, but treatment effects vary greatly. The present study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that have used VR to reduce procedural pain and anxiety in children. It is the first meta-analytic assessment of the potential influence of technical specifications (immersion) and degree of user-system interactivity on treatment effects. 65 studies were identified, of which 42 reported pain outcomes and 35 reported anxiety outcomes. Results indicate large effect sizes in favor of VR for both outcomes. Larger effects were observed in dental studies and studies that used non-interactive VR. No relationship was found between the degree of immersion or participant age and treatment effects. Most studies were found to have a high risk of bias and there are strong indications of publication bias. The results and their implications are discussed in context of these limitations, and modified effect sizes are suggested. Finally, recommendations for future investigations are provided

Knowing and doing: The development of information literacy measures to assess knowledge and practice

This study touches upon three major themes in the field of information literacy (IL): the assessment of IL, the association between IL knowledge and skills, and the dimensionality of the IL construct. Three quantitative measures were developed and tested with several samples of university students to assess knowledge and skills for core facets of IL. These measures are freely available, applicable across disciplines, and easy to administer. Results indicate they are likely to be reliable and support valid interpretations. By measuring both knowledge and practice, the tools indicated low to moderate correlations between what students know about IL, and what they actually do when evaluating and using sources in authentic, graded assignments. The study is unique in using actual coursework to compare knowing and doing regarding students’ evaluation and use of sources. It provides one of the most thorough documentations of the development and testing of IL assessment measures to date. Results also urge us to ask whether the source-focused components of IL – information seeking, source evaluation and source use – can be considered unidimensional constructs or sets of disparate and more loosely related components, and findings support their heterogeneity

Use (open research) data in teaching (UDIT): An open online resource

Presentation at the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL), Oulu, 24.09. - 27.09.18 (http://ilconf.org/)

Forskningsintegritet og åpen vitenskap i ph.d.undervisningen: Praktiske spørsmål og etisk refleksjon.

Academic presentation at the Virak conference 08. - 09.06.22, Trondheim, Norway

Category-effects and stimulus characteristics in visual perception

This thesis describes a number of experiments that aimed to investigate the role of relatively low-level visual input factors in category-specific effects in object identification and colour perception. In the object recognition experiments, using picture-name or name-picture verification tasks, as well as object-naming tasks, clues to the causal factors contributing to such effects were obtained. It was found that category-specific effects in normal object identification, both living things advantages and living things disadvantages can occur even when nuisance variables like familiarity and complexity are well controlled. Task demands on perceptual differentiation and stimulus presentation conditions can influence and even reverse category-specific effects (Report I). When identification has to rely mostly on global shape visual information, the living things advantage in identification is enhanced compared to when visual detail is available in stimulus pictures. Furthermore, a lack of visual detail induces a left hemisphere disadvantage for identification, but only for nonliving things (Report II). In an experiment utilising eye movement methods, it was found that when rotating objects in depth, which presumably causes changes in outline shape, changes in participants' eye movement strategies could be observed. Specifically, participants tended to focus more on the objects' centres of gravity when rotations went from canonical to noncanonical views. This effect was, however, only reliably observed for nonliving things. (Report III). In a study examining differential interference effects in Stroop performance, it was found that the amount of interference is smaller for non-opponent compared to opponent colours. An artificial neural network that coarsely implements a trichromatic input coding scheme can simulate this reduced opponent colour interference. Additionally, it was found that individual differences in colour discrimination ability are associated with individual differences in Stroop performance. (Report IV)

50 år med kognitiv psykologi

Kognitiv psykologi er vanligvis kjent som den delen av psykologien hvor man er opptatt av prosesser som hukommelse, oppmerksomhet, persepsjon, problemløsning og språk – de "tørre" temaene i psykologien. Denne utbredte oppfatningen av feltet er imidlertid ikke helt dekkende. Den kognitive psykologien er ikke nødvendigvis definert ut fra hvilke temaer dens utøvere typisk studerer, men snarere ut i fra hvordan de tilnærmer seg sine objekter: Det som kjennetegner kognitiv psykologi er en antagelse om at mentale prosesser kan og bør forståes først og fremst som informasjonsbearbeidende prosesser. Hvorfor dette er den definerende idé for kognitiv psykologi blir tydeligere dersom man tar en titt på disiplinens intellektuelle opphav

PhD on Track og åpen publisering

PhD on Track er en åpen, fritt tilgjengelig nettressurs beregnet på stipendiater og yngre forskere. I de to siste årene (2017-2018) er ressursen endret fra et dansk-norsk samarbeid til et samarbeid mellom flere norske institusjoner. Ressursen har gjennomgått omfattende revidering og nyskriving, og i tillegg til to deler som fokuserer på akademisk skriving og søk etter litteratur, samt publisering og deling, er en helt ny del dedikert til åpen vitenskap (Open Science - https://www.phdontrack.net/open-science/). Å dedikere en egen seksjon av PhD on Track til åpen vitenskap gjenspeiler et uttalt ønske om at flest mulig skal ha tilgang til forskningsresultater innenfor ulike fagfelt, spesielt når forskningen er finansiert ved offentlige midler. I den senere tiden har vi fått nye nasjonale og internasjonale retningslinjer for åpen publisering av vitenskapelige artikler, og for tilgjengeliggjøring av forskningsdata. Åpen vitenskap og åpen publisering får et stadig økende fokus, nå sist i forbindelse med Plan S. Det er ikke lett for nye stipendiater eller yngre forskere å finne frem i jungelen av retningslinjer og krav fra egen institusjon, eller fra ulike finansiører nasjonalt og internasjonalt. I Open Science-delen av PhD on Track er intensjonen at man skal kunne finne svar på det man måtte lure på når det gjelder åpen publisering og deling av resultater: Åpen publisering generelt, gull og grønn åpen publisering, publiseringsstøtte og publiseringsfond, hva kan legges i åpne online arkiver, CC-lisenser, forskningsdata og datahåndteringsplaner, hvordan man bør forholde seg til sensitive data, om man bør tenke på preregistrering av prosjektet sitt, og mye mer – bl.a. litt om forskningsetikk, en diskusjon om bibliometri samt en oppdatert del om bruk av tredjepartsmateriale som bilder og figurer. Vårt innlegg kommer til å fokusere mest på den nye delen om åpen vitenskap, med spesiell vekt på publisering. Hva gjør du når du som uerfaren forsker skal publisere artikler? Finner du det du trenger å vite på PhD on Track-sidene