ICT in the classroom - Gaps between policy and practice?

En el aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras, obligatorio para estudiantes de 8 a 14 años según el Currículo Nacional Inglés, la necesidad de integrar la tecnología en los métodos de enseñanza ha sido evidente: “las escuelas deberían utilizar una gran variedad de recursos, incluyendo TIC, para acceder a la información y comunicarse en la lengua meta” (Departamento de Educación, 2007). El estudio muestra los motivos por los cuales los profesores hacen uso de la tecnología así como su impacto en la motivación del alumno. Descubre también una clara tendencia de usar TIC para presentar el idioma en lugar de para promover un aprendizaje autónomo y personalizado. Los alumnos expresan una satisfacción subjetiva ante la tecnología utilizada en el aula de lenguas modernas así como el deseo de hacer uso de dicha tecnología de una forma más independiente. La tecnología gira, según este estudio a pequeña escala, alrededor de la figura del profesor, quien se encarga de su uso, y son escasos los ejemplos de las posibilidades comunicativas de naturaleza autónoma descritas previamente. Las conclusiones derivan de los cuestionarios realizados por 60 estudiantes y (sus) 2 profesores, así como de las conversaciones con los profesores de dos escuelas públicas inglesasIn foreign language learning, required by the government's National Curriculum for children in England aged 8 to 14, the integration of technology into teaching methodologies has been explicit: "schools should use a range of resources, including ICT, (Information and Communication Technology) for accessing and communicating information in the target language" (Deparment for Education, 2007). This reseach investigates the role of ICT in language learning inside two English classrooms -a primary and a secondary - in order to explore the nature of motivation in educational technology from both the student and teacher perspective. The study elicits teachers' reasons for deploying the technology along with their emphases on the motivational advantages of ITC. It finds a marked tendency to use ICT for presentational, rather than autonomous or personalised learning. Children express subjective satisfaction with tecnology deployed in language learning and a desire to operate the technology more independently. Teh techonology is, from this small scale study, tecaher-led and teacher-driven, with few instances of the more autonomous communication possibilities outlined above (Department form Education, 2007). Field research findings derive from questionnaires of 60 pupils and (their) 2 teachers, as well as semi-structured interviews with teachers in two mainstream English school setting

TIC en el aula inglesa –¿huecos entre la política y la práctica?

En el aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras, obligatorio para estudiantes de 8 a 14 años según el Currículo Nacional Inglés, la necesidad de integrar la tecnología en los métodos de enseñanza ha sido evidente: “las escuelas deberían utilizar una gran variedad de recursos, incluyendo TIC, para acceder a la información y comunicarse en la lengua meta” (Departamento de Educación, 2007). El estudio muestra los motivos por los cuales los profesores hacen uso de la tecnología así como su impacto en la motivacióndel alumno. Descubre también una clara tendencia de usar TIC para presentar el idioma en lugar de para promover un aprendizaje autónomo y personalizado. Los alumnos expresan una satisfacción subjetiva ante la tecnología utilizada en el aula de lenguas modernas así como el deseo de hacer uso de dicha tecnología de una forma más independiente. La tecnología gira, según este estudio a pequeña escala, alrededor de la figura del profesor, quien se encarga de su uso, y son escasos los ejemplos de las posibilidades comunicativas de naturaleza autónoma descritas previamente. Las conclusiones derivan de los cuestionarios realizados por 60 estudiantes y (sus) 2 profesores, así como de las conversaciones con los profesores de dos escuelas públicas inglesas.In foreign language learning, required by the government's National Curriculum for children in England aged 8 to 14, the integration of technology into teaching methodologies has been explicit: “schools should use a range of resources, including ICT, (Information and Communication Technology) for accessing and communicating information in the target language" (Department for Education, 2007). This research investigates the role of ICT in language learning inside two English classrooms -a primary and a secondary –in order to explore the nature of motivation in educational technology from both the student and teacher perspective. The study elicits teachers' reasons for deploying the technology along with their emphases on the motivational advantages of ICT. It finds a marked tendency to use ICT for presentational, rather than autonomous or personalised learning. Children express subjective satisfaction with technology deployed in language learning and a desire to operate the technology more independently. The technology is, from this small scale study, teacher-led and teacher-driven, with few instances of the more autonomous communication possibilities outlined above (Department for Education, 2007). Field research findings derive from questionnaires of 60 pupils and (their) 2 teachers, as well as semi-structured interviews with teachers in two mainstream English school settings

Embodied cognition and executive functioning : the effect of whole body interaction on children's planning and inhibition

Modern user interfaces (UI) are becoming more ‘embodied’ as they facilitate bodily processes. Games consoles now often include body tracking hardware. Tenants of the theories of embodied cognition and executive function (EF) have stipulated that cognition is to some extent tied to the motor system, and so, that cognitive processing benefits from physical interaction. To date however, the research in this domain has focussed on adult populations. Ultimately, children are going to experience this UI revolution throughout the lifespan. So, in the following thesis I examined whether whole body interaction supported by a gaming floor mat improved children’s performance on a set of EF tasks. A set of new, gamified EF tasks were developed and completed using two interfaces (a floor mat and a keyboard) at separate sessions. The results revealed children were equally competent at each EF task using either device. Another notable finding was the effect of gamification on performance. The findings are discussed in the context of developmental psychology, experiment composition, and children’s interactions with technology

Reviews

Brian Clegg, Mining The Internet — Information Gathering and Research on the Net, Kogan Page: London, 1999. ISBN: 0–7494–3025–7. Paperback, 147 pages, £9.99

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for schizophrenia - outcomes for functioning, distress and quality of life : A meta-analysis

Background: The effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) on the core symptoms of schizophrenia has proven contentious, with current meta-analyses finding at most only small effects. However, it has been suggested that the effects of CBTp in areas other than psychotic symptoms are at least as important and potentially benefit from the intervention. Method: We meta-analysed RCTs investigating the effectiveness of CBTp for functioning, distress and quality of life in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and related disorders. Data from 36 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria- 27 assessing functioning (1579 participants); 8 for distress (465 participants); and 10 for quality of life (592 participants). Results: The pooled effect size for functioning was small but significant for the end-of-trial (0.25: 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.33); however, this became non-significant at follow-up (0.10 [95%CI -0.07 to 0.26]). Although a small benefit of CBT was evident for reducing distress (0.37: 95%CI 0.05 to 0.69), this became nonsignificant when adjusted for possible publication bias (0.18: 95%CI -0.12 to 0.48). Finally, CBTp showed no benefit for improving quality of life (0.04: 95% CI: -0.12 to 0.19). Conclusions: CBTp has a small therapeutic effect on functioning at end-of-trial, although this benefit is not evident at follow-up. Although CBTp produced a small benefit on distress, this was subject to possible publication bias and became nonsignificant when adjusted. We found no evidence that CBTp increases quality of life post-intervention.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

A BLENDED-LEARNING APPROACH IN UNDERGRADUATE SOIL SCIENCE INTERRUPTED BY COVID-19

We investigated the impact of the interruption caused by COVID-19 restrictions on student engagement and achievement in a third year soil science course taught across two campuses simultaneously by the same teaching staff. Initially, the first three weeks of semester were taught in a blended-learning approach – each week there were three 20 minute lectures posted online with a three hour face-to-face laboratory practical, and each fortnight a face-to-face tutorial was scheduled. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, week four became a pause in teaching at our institution, thereafter all teaching and learning was conducted exclusively online for the remainder of semester. Face-to-face tutorials were replaced by Zoom sessions and the laboratory practicals were posted on Blackboard as videos. We assessed student engagement by monitoring attendance at both face-to-face and online tutorials and analysed the frequency and timing of access to all learning materials available via Blackboard throughout semester. We examined if student overall course performance was a function of online engagement. We observed differences in attendance and online behaviour as a function of course delivery mode. We examined the impact of a major interruption to teaching and learning activities due to COVID-19 and the impact of this interruption on student engagement

Atomic Resolution Structure of the Oncolytic Parvovirus LuIII by Electron Microscopy and 3D Image Reconstruction.

LuIII, a protoparvovirus pathogenic to rodents, replicates in human mitotic cells, making it applicable for use to kill cancer cells. This virus group includes H-1 parvovirus (H-1PV) and minute virus of mice (MVM). However, LuIII displays enhanced oncolysis compared to H-1PV and MVM, a phenotype mapped to the major capsid viral protein 2 (VP2). This suggests that within LuIII VP2 are determinants for improved tumor lysis. To investigate this, the structure of the LuIII virus-like-particle was determined using single particle cryo-electron microscopy and image reconstruction to 3.17 Å resolution, and compared to the H-1PV and MVM structures. The LuIII VP2 structure, ordered from residue 37 to 587 (C-terminal), had the conserved VP topology and capsid morphology previously reported for other protoparvoviruses. This includes a core β-barrel and α-helix A, a depression at the icosahedral 2-fold and surrounding the 5-fold axes, and a single protrusion at the 3-fold axes. Comparative analysis identified surface loop differences among LuIII, H-1PV, and MVM at or close to the capsid 2- and 5-fold symmetry axes, and the shoulder of the 3-fold protrusions. The 2-fold differences cluster near the previously identified MVM sialic acid receptor binding pocket, and revealed potential determinants of protoparvovirus tumor tropism

Transformative Geomorphic Research Using Laboratory Experimentation

Laboratory experiments in geomorphology is the theme of the 46th annual Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium (BGS). While geomorphic research historically has been dominated by field-based endeavors, laboratory experimentation has emerged as an important methodological approach to study these phenomena, employed primarily to address issues related to scale and the analytical treatment of the geomorphic processes. It is contended here that geomorphic laboratory experiments have resulted in transformative research. Several examples drawn from the fluvial and aeolian research communities are offered as testament to this belief, and these select transformative endeavors often share very similar attributes. The 46th BGS will focus on eight broad themes within laboratory experimentation, and a strong and diverse group of scientists have been assembled to speak authoritatively on these topics, featuring several high-profile projects worldwide. This special issue of the journal Geomorphology represents a collection of the papers written in support of this symposium