Integrating Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education Environments: Issues Raised by Early Childhood Educators

The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of computer technology in the early childhood education environment. Fifty early childhood educators completed a survey and participated in focus groups. Parallels existed between the individually completed survey data and the focus group discussions. The qualitative data provided a richer understanding of the issues faced by these educators. Thematic analyses of the focus group discussions revealed that many of the educators’ concerns involved the effect of technology on the educators themselves, with secondary emphasis on how computers affected the students and parents. Although educators generally supported the integration of computers, they also identified critical concerns and limitations. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer les points de vue des éducateurs relatifs à l’introduction de la technologie informatique dans un milieu d’éducation des jeunes enfants. Cinquante éducateurs de la petite enfance ont complété une enquête et ont participé aux sessions de groupes de discussion. La recherche a trouvé des correspondances entre les données des enquêtes individuelles et les discussions de groupe. Les données qualitatives ont permis une meilleure connaissance des enjeux auxquels sont confrontés ces éducateurs. Des analyses thématiques des discussions de groupe ont révélé que plusieurs des préoccupations des éducateurs portaient sur l’effet de la technologie sur les éducateurs eux-mêmes et, en deuxième lieu, sur l’influence des ordinateurs sur les élèves et les parents. Tout en indiquant qu’ils appuyaient globalement l’intégration des ordinateurs, les éducateurs ont également identifié des préoccupations et des limites importantes

Examining Mobile Technology in Higher Education: Handheld Devices In and Out of the Classroom

This study followed an innovative introduction of mobile technology (i.e., BlackBerry® devices) to a graduate level business program and documented students’ use of the technology from the time students received the devices to the end of their first term of study. Students found the BlackBerry® device easy to use, and were optimistic regarding its potential role as an instructional tool. Students were self-directed in their use of the devices and found ways to use them within and outside of their classroom even when specific uses were not provided by instructors. Students used their devices most frequently for communication purposes outside the classroom through applications such as BlackBerry Messenger. Overall, although supporting a modest positive view toward this initial introduction to mobile technology as a learning tool, classroom instructional use was more limited than student-directed use in and outside the classroom. A comprehensive examination of the instructional pedagogy that best supports the potential of mobile technology as a self-directed learning tool is necessary to address the limitations seen in this implementation

Examining Tasks that Facilitate the Experience of Incubation While Problem-Solving

The three studies presented here contrasted the problem-solving outcomes of university students when a break was provided or not provided during a problem-solving session. In addition, two studies explored the effect of providing hints (priming) and the placement of hints during the problem-solving session. First, the ability to solve a previously unsolved problem (incubation) was demonstrated. However, the incubation effect was dependent on the placement of the hint and the kind of hint provided. Incubation occurred with challenging word problems (paired-anagrams). Furthermore, the effect was facilitated when a break from study was provided and where a hint directing the student toward a solution was provided during the break. Verbal ability was not related to performance in problem-solving tasks involving paired-anagrams. In general, there are reliable interventions for promoting incubation in problem-solving situations. These interventions include attention to the task demands and the context of study.Dans les trois présentes études, on compare les résultats atteints par des étudiants à l'université qui accomplissaient des tâches de résolution de problèmes lors d'une session avec une pause et d'une autre sans pause. De plus, deux études se sont penchées sur l'effet produit par la présentation d'indices pendant les sessions de résolution de problèmes. La capacité de résoudre un problème que l'on n'avait pas réussi à résoudre avant (incubation) a d'abord été démontrée. Dans ce cas, l'effet de l'incubation dépendait de la mise en place de l'indice et du genre d'indice fourni. L'incubation a eu lieu pendant les défis verbaux (anagrammes jumelés). La présence d'une pause pendant la session et le fait de fournir un indice à l'étudiant pendant celle-ci ont favorisé cet effet. L'aptitude verbale n'était pas liée à la performance lors de la résolution de problèmes impliquant les anagrammes jumelés. De façon générale, des interventions fiables existent pour promouvoir l'incubation lors de tâches de résolution de problèmes. Entre autres, citons l'attention portée aux exigences de la tâche et le contexte de l'étude

Integrating Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education Environments: Issues Raised by Early Childhood Educators

The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of computer technology in the early childhood education environment. Fifty early childhood educators completed a survey and participated in focus groups. Parallels existed between the individually completed survey data and the focus group discussions. The qualitative data provided a richer understanding of the issues faced by these educators. Thematic analyses of the focus group discussions revealed that many of the educators’ concerns involved the effect of technology on the educators themselves, with secondary emphasis on how computers affected the students and parents. Although educators generally supported the integration of computers, they also identified critical concerns and limitations.L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer les points de vue des éducateurs relatifs à l’introduction de la technologie informatique dans un milieu d’éducation des jeunes enfants. Cinquante éducateurs de la petite enfance ont complété une enquête et ont participé aux sessions de groupes de discussion. La recherche a trouvé des correspondances entre les données des enquêtes individuelles et les discussions de groupe. Les données qualitatives ont permis une meilleure connaissance des enjeux auxquels sont confrontés ces éducateurs. Des analyses thématiques des discussions de groupe ont révélé que plusieurs des préoccupations des éducateurs portaient sur l’effet de la technologie sur les éducateurs eux-mêmes et, en deuxième lieu, sur l’influence des ordinateurs sur les élèves et les parents. Tout en indiquant qu’ils appuyaient globalement l’intégration des ordinateurs, les éducateurs ont également identifié des préoccupations et des limites importantes

Examining Mobile Technology in Higher Education: Handheld Devices In and Out of the Classroom

This study followed an innovative introduction of mobile technology (i.e., BlackBerry® devices) to a graduate level business program and documented students’ use of the technology from the time students received the devices to the end of their first term of study. Students found the BlackBerry® device easy to use, and were optimistic regarding its potential role as an instructional tool. Students were self-directed in their use of the devices and found ways to use them within and outside of their classroom even when specific uses were not provided by instructors. Students used their devices most frequently for communication purposes outside the classroom through applications such as BlackBerry Messenger. Overall, although supporting a modest positive view toward this initial introduction to mobile technology as a learning tool, classroom instructional use was more limited than student-directed use in and outside the classroom. A comprehensive examination of the instructional pedagogy that best supports the potential of mobile technology as a self-directed learning tool is necessary to address the limitations seen in this implementation

Evaluating the Efficacy of Elaborative Strategies for Remembering Expository Text

This study investigated whether elaborative interrogation would be an effective learning strategy for lengthy expository text. One hundred undergraduates (65 females and 35 males) comprised the study's five experimental groups: (a) unsupported elaborative interrogation, (b) self-study, (c) repetition, (d) elaborative interrogation with preunderlined main ideas, and (e) elaborative interrogation with preunderlined main ideas plus structured why questions. All students read an eight-page passage on childhood education, studied the main ideas (preidentified or not), used their instructed strategies, and completed a free recall and multiple-choice test. Of interest is that in unsupported conditions students had difficulty recognizing the main ideas in the passage. Elaborative interrogation was maximized when supported with preunderlined ideas and also was enhanced by providing specific why questions in addition to preunderlined ideas.Cette étude visait à déterminer si l'interrogation elaborative représenterait une stratégie d'apprentissage efficace pour de longues rédactions descriptives. Cent étudiants du premier cycle (65 femmes et 35 hommes) ont été répartis parmi les cinq groupes expérimentaux de l étude: (a) l'interrogation elaborative sans appui, (b) l'étude auto-dirigée, (c) la répétition, (d) l'interrogation elaborative avec les idées principales soulignées, et (e) l'interrogation elaborative avec les idées principales soulignées et des questions structurées sur l'adverbe "pourquoi". Tous les étudiants ont lu un texte de huit pages sur l'éducation des enfants, étudié les idées principales (soulignées ou non), mis en pratique les stratégies qu'on leur avait suggérées et complété un test de rappel libre et un test composé de questions à choix multiples. Il est intéressant de noter que les étudiants qui n'avaient pas reçu d'appui ont manifesté de la difficulté dans l'identification des idées principales. L'interrogation elaborative a profité le plus à ceux pour qui on avait souligné les idées principales. Le fait d'ajouter des questions précises structurées sur l'adverbe "pourquoi" a également rendu l'apprentissage plus efficace

Offering Sexual Health Fairs to Supplement Existing Sex Education Programs: An Evaluation of Adolescent Students' Knowledge Needs

A health fair called Choices Not Chances has been designed by the public health nurses in a southern Ontario city to increase the knowledge of young high school students about sexual health and healthy relationships. Our purpose in designing this study in cooperation with the public health nurses ivas to assess the existing level of knowledge among grades 9 and 10 students to determine if the content presented through this fair was appropriate for these students. Forty-five grades 9-10 students completed one survey during class time in their sex-segregated physical education class. Our findings show that although students had basic knowledge about STDs, anatomy, and pregnancy prevention, their knowledge of healthy communication and behavior in relationships was much less developed, which may put students at risk of becoming involved in unsafe sex and abusive relationships. Overall, the health fair appears to provide a valuable supplement for sex education.Dans le but d'accroître les connaissances qu'ont les élèves du secondaire au sujet de la santé en matière de sexualité et des relations interpersonnelles saines, des infirmières de la santé publique ont organisé, dans une ville du sud de l'Ontario, une foire sur la santé intitulée Choices Not Chances (Des choix plutôt que des risques). Nous avons entrepris cette étude avec la coopération de ces infirmières de la santé publique afin d'évaluer ce que savent les élèves en 9e et en 10e années pour ensuite déterminer si le contenu de la foire leur convenait. Quarante-cinq élèves en 9e et en 10e années ont complété un sondage pendant leur cours d'éducation physique (pendant lequel ils sont regroupés selon leur sexe). Les résultats indiquent que, quoique les étudiants aient des connaissances de base au sujet des MTS, de l'anatomie et de la prévention de la grossesse, ils en savent beaucoup moins sur la communication et le comportement sains dans les relations interpersonnelles, ce qui pourrait indiquer qu'ils courrent le risque de se retrouver dans des relations abusives ou d'adopter des pratiques sexuelles risquées. De façon globale, la foire sur la santé semble constituer un supplément valable au cours d'éducation en matière de sexualité

Transcriptomics modeling of the late-gestation fetal pituitary response to transient hypoxia

Background The late-gestation fetal sheep responds to hypoxia with physiological, neuroendocrine, and cellular responses that aid in fetal survival. The response of the fetus to hypoxia represents a coordinated effort to maximize oxygen transfer from the mother and minimize wasteful oxygen consumption by the fetus. While there have been many studies aimed at investigating the coordinated physiological and endocrine responses to hypoxia, and while immunohistochemical or in situ hybridization studies have revealed pathways supporting the endocrine function of the pituitary, there is little known about the coordinated cellular response of the pituitary to the hypoxia. Results Thirty min hypoxia (from 17.0±1.7 to 8.0±0.8 mm Hg, followed by 30 min normoxia) upregulated 595 and downregulated 790 genes in fetal pituitary (123-132 days' gestation; term = 147 days). Network inference of up- and down- regulated genes revealed a high degree of functional relatedness amongst the gene sets. Gene ontology analysis revealed upregulation of cellular metabolic processes (e.g., RNA synthesis, response to estrogens) and downregulation Conclusions The multiple analytical approaches used in this study suggests that the acute response to 30 min of transient hypoxia in the late-gestation fetus results in reduced cellular metabolism and a pattern of gene expression that is consistent with cellular oxygen and ATP starvation. In this early time point, we see a vigorous gene response. But, like the hypothalamus, the transcriptomic response is not consistent with mediation by HIF-1. If HIF-1 is a significant controller of gene expression in the fetal pituitary after hypoxia, it must be at a later time.Fil: Wood, Charles E.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Chang, Eileen I.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Richards, Elaine M.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Rabaglino, Maria Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Keller Wood, Maureen. University of Florida; Estados Unido

Learning Task Inventories (LTIs) in Introductory Organic Chemistry

University students who are capable of more accurate self-monitoring and self-assessment usually outperform less accurate students. Instructional support is an important tool that can be provided for learners to help them to understand that they should self-monitor and self-assess as well as how they should do this. To assist students in an introductory organic chemistry course in developing or improving self-monitoring and self-assessment skills, we offered scaffolding support through nine Learning Task Inventories (LTIs), completed weekly throughout one term. A class of 289 students were randomly assigned to one of 5 conditions (1 control = C1, and 4 experimental = E2-E5). Each group experienced a set of LTI conditions that differed with respect to feedback received and cognitive load. Specifically, participants in C1 received the LTIs. Condition E2 received LTIs and a metacognitive prompt. Conditions E3-E5 completed a learning quiz with different types of feedback: E3 received no feedback, E4 received brief feedback (i.e. The correct answer is A), and E5 received full feedback explaining specific answers. Participants also completed an introductory survey gathering important demographic information and an end-of-term survey assessing student reactions to the LTIs. Consistent with expectations, preliminary data support improved learning gains for reported test scores (F(2.86) = 4.48 value, p \u3c .02 ), such that students who received full feedback on their quizzes outperformed students who only completed the quiz. This presentation will present the results pertaining to student attitudes and the effects of treatment conditions on final exam grades

Ketamine decreases inflammatory and immune pathways after transient hypoxia in late gestation fetal cerebral cortex

Transient hypoxia in pregnancy stimulates a physiological reflex response that redistributes blood flow and defends oxygen delivery to the fetal brain. We designed the present experiment to test the hypotheses that transient hypoxia produces damage of the cerebral cortex and that ketamine, an antagonist of NMDA receptors and a known anti-inflammatory agent, reduces the damage. Late gestation, chronically catheterized fetal sheep were subjected to a 30-min period of ventilatory hypoxia that decreased fetal PaO2 from 17 ± 1 to 10 ± 1 mmHg, or normoxia (PaO2 17 ± 1 mmHg), with or without pretreatment (10 min before hypoxia/normoxia) with ketamine (3 mg/kg, i.v.). One day (24 h) after hypoxia/normoxia, fetal cerebral cortex was removed and mRNA extracted for transcriptomics and systems biology analysis (n = 3-5 per group). Hypoxia stimulated a transcriptomic response consistent with a reduction in cellular metabolism and an increase in inflammation. Ketamine pretreatment reduced both of these responses. The inflammation response modeled with transcriptomic systems biology was validated by immunohistochemistry and showed increased abundance of microglia/macrophages after hypoxia in the cerebral cortical tissue that ketamine significantly reduced. We conclude that transient hypoxia produces inflammation of the fetal cerebral cortex and that ketamine, in a standard clinical dose, reduces the inflammation response.Fil: Chang, Eileen I.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Zárate, Miguel A.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Rabaglino, Maria Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentina. Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Ciencia y Técnica. Centro de Excelencia en Productos y Procesos de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Richards, Elaine M.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Arndt, Thomas J.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Keller Wood, Maureen. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Wood, Charles E.. University of Florida; Estados Unido