Dependability and acceptability of handheld computers in school-based data collection

Given the increasing influence of technology and the explosion in data collection demands, the acceptance and assimilation of new paradigms and technologies require today’s educators, researchers, and evaluators to select appropriate tools and apply them effectively. One of these technologies—handheld computers—makes the benefits of computerized data collection more accessible to field-based researchers. Three related studies were conducted to evaluate handheld-based data collection system for use in special education settings and to highlight the acceptability factors to effectively use this emerging technology. The first study reviewed the recent literature on the dependability and willingness of teachers to adopt handheld data collection systems and emphasized five important factors: (1) perceived ease of use; (2) perceived usefulness; (3) intention to use; (4) dependability; and (5) subjective norms. The second study discussed the dependability of handheld computers used by special education teachers for collecting self-report data by addressing four dependability attributes: reliability, maintainability, availability, and safety. Data were collected from five sources: (1) self-reports of time use by 19 special education teachers using Pocket PC computers, (2) observations of time use from eight external data collectors, (3) teacher interviews, (4) technical reports prepared by the researcher, and (5) teacher satisfaction. Results indicated that data collection via handheld computers yielded accurate, complete, and timely data, and was appropriate for these four dependability attributes. The last study investigated teachers’ acceptance of handheld computer use by testing the relationship among five factors that influence intention to use this technology which was based on a modified version of the technology acceptance model using the handheld computer acceptance survey responses from 45 special education teachers. The results showed that intention to use handheld computer was directly affected by the devices’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The issue of dependability had a direct and indirect statistically significant effect on perceived ease of use and usefulness, and intention to use a handheld computer, respectively. Overall, three studies demonstrated that handheld computers can be effectively used in the direct observation of behavior in a school environment, without requirements of any settings

A Case Study on Mobile-Blended Collaborative Learning in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Context

As learning a foreign language poses a number of challenges for the students, it has become indispensable to search for “optimal” conditions to enhance opportunities of engaging in the target language. Within this context, the Mobile-Blended Collaborative Learning model has been integrated in and out of the classroom learning in order to enable language learners to practice English by means of collaborative, authentic language activities based on project-based learning approach. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of using mobile instant messaging application, WhatsApp on the language proficiency of EFL students.  Participants (N = 85) were enrolled in five upper-intermediate prep classes at a foundation university in Istanbul and took part in a seven-week Project Work. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, self- and peer evaluations of group work, a rubric for assessing project work, and log files of WhatsApp conversations. Results revealed practicing English in an authentic setting where the students used the target language for a real purpose facilitated their language learning, improved their communication skills and vocabulary knowledge, and made them recognize colloquial English. Additionally, instant messaging in an informal platform for educational purposes had positive effects on their performance and the quality of their work

Adaptive Web-Assisted Learning System for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities: A Needs Analysis Study

Because there is, currently, no education system for primary school students in grades 1-3 who have specific learning disabilities in Turkey and because such students do not receive sufficient support from face-to-face counseling, a needs analysis was conducted in order to prepare an adaptive, web-assisted learning system according to variables determined by the extent of learning disabilities. The scope of this study was limited to dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. Data were collected from five subject area experts (psychologist and special education specialists) using semi-structured interview forms including open-ended questions, 15 parents, at least one of whose children has a specific learning disability and six classroom teachers via surveys including open-ended questions in the 2011-2012 academic year. A matrix diagram was prepared in order to analyze the data with a holistic approach and to show dependability and credibility of the study. The study revealed three main findings: a lack of information / interest about specific learning disabilities, the inadequacy of the Turkish Ministry of Education Specific Learning Disabilities Support Education Program, and the inadequacy of applications, both within and outside the classroom. The findings also showed that the students with specific learning disabilities need a web-assisted system that should be adaptive and which can be used both in school and at home

A simple low-cost method for two dimensional microscopic measuring and stepping on the microscopic plate

In this study, a simple low cost method to be used in morphometric studies on microscopic anatomical structures is described. Increasing need for stereological methods depend on laboratories equipped with specially designed devices to do this type of studies. However, high-technical automated and/or computerized systems increase the cost of these studies there by limiting them to a small number of institutions. Here we suggest a simple two dimensional measurement technique that can be adopted to any laboratory. © neuroanatomy.org

Increased tunel positive cells in CA1, CA2, and CA3 subfields of rat hippocampus due to copper and ethanol co-exposure.

Copper (Cu) is an essential element for life. However, it is toxic at excessive doses, whereas exposure to ethanol (EtOH) has known to cause morphological changes, degeneration, and neuronal loss in central nervous system. A previous investigation by the authors' group showed that Cu and EtOH co-treatment cause severe hippocampal neuronal loss in CA1, CA2, and CA3 subfields of rat hippocampus. This study was designed to analyze the possible mechanism(s) of action of this effect. In addition, the possible neurogenesis in response to a potent neurodegenerative treatment in rat hippocampus was analyzed. Results demonstrated that Cu and EtOH induced neuronal loss in rat hippocampus was in correlation with the increased cell death analyzed on the basis of TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. On the other hand, neuronal regenerative activity was detectable in analyzed CA1, CA2, and CA3 subfields of the rat hippocampus analyzed on the basis of 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) labeling assay; however, this activity in treated group was not significantly different from that of control group

hippocampus

Aluminium has toxic effects on many organ systems of the human body. Aluminium toxicity also is a factor in many neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated changes in numbers of hippocampal neurons in rats exposed to aluminium using an optical fractionator and we investigated aluminium-induced apoptosis using the transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Twenty-four female rats were divided equally into control, sham and aluminium-exposed groups. The control group received no treatment. The two treatment groups were injected intraperitoneally with 1 ml 0.9% saline without (sham) and with 3 mg/ml aluminium sulfate every day for two weeks. Following the treatments, the brains were removed, the left hemisphere was used for hippocampal neuron counting using an optical fractionator and the right hemisphere was investigated using hippocampal TUNEL assay to determine the apoptotic index. The number of neurons in the stratum pyramidale of the hippocampus was significantly less in the aluminium group than in the control and sham groups; there was no significant difference between the control and sham groups. The apoptotic index also was significantly higher in the aluminium group than in the other two groups. We quantified the toxic effects of aluminium on the rat hippocampus and determined that apoptosis was the mechanism of aluminium-induced neuron death in the hippocampus

dentate gyrus in rat: A stereological study

Nonstereological methods have been the prefrence of investigators in the field of neuron counting. Development of stereological methods in biological sciences improved the reliability of neuroscientific investigations. This study was designed to investigate the effect of penicillin induced epilepsy seizure on total cell number of granulare cell layer of dentate gyrus. Optical fractionator method, one of the unbiased stereological methods, was used to estimate the total cell number. Seizure was observed and recorded in EEG 3-4 minutes after intracortical injection of 500 IU penicillin-G. Rat brains were removed one week later from penicillin-G introduction. The number of neurons in the granulare cell layer of dentate gyrus was less in the experimental group (111728 +/- 14110) compared to that in the control group (120228 +/- 16718). This difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05)

hippocampus stratum pyramidalis in rat

Experimental epileptic models have been developed to assess the pathophysiology of epileptic seizures. We have previously shown that epileptic seizures cause significant neuronal loss in hippocampus (p0.05). This study suggests that the loss of hippocampal neurons in penicillin-induced epilepsy seizure is not directly correlated with a volume change in the hippocampus. Furthermore, our results indicate that it is important to assess both the neuron number and the volume of the affected area using stereological methods in an epilepsy model to objectively analyze the effects of the seizure

gyrus

Copper (Cu) is an essential element for life, however, is toxic at excessive doses. whereas exposure to ethanol (EtOH) has been known to cause morphological changes. degeneration and neuronal loss In central nervous system (CNS). In this study, the effect of overdose co-exposure to Cu and EtOH on dentate gyrus was investigated in rats. Analysis of apoptotic cell death on the basis of TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay revealed that the rate of apoptosis was increased by 1.84 folds in treated group in comparison to that in controls (p 0.05). These results suggest that the apoptotic effect of overdose Cu and EtOH on granule cells of dentate gyrus may be counterbalanced by the co-induced cellular proliferation. thereby maintaining the total granule cell number unaltered. - copper: ethanol; dentate gyrus; apoptosis; cell proliferation (C) 2005 Tohoku University Medical PressC1 Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Anat, Denizli, Turkey.Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Physiol, Denizli, Turkey.Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Histol & Embryol, Denizli, Turkey

hippocampal volume and neuron number

This study was designed to evaluate the penicillin-induced epilepsy model in terms of dose-response relationship of penicillin used to induce epilepsy seizure on hippocampal neuron number and hippocampal volume in Sprague-Dawley rats. Seizures were induced with 300, 500, 1500 and 2000 IU of penicillin-G injected intracortically in rats divided in four experimental groups, respectively. Control group was injected intracortically with saline. Animals were decapitated on day 7 of treatment and brains were removed. The total neuron number of pyramidal cell layer from rat hippocampus was estimated using the optical fractionator method. The volume of same hippocampal areas was estimated using the Cavalieri method. Dose-dependent decrease in hippocampal neuron number was observed in three experimental groups (300, 500 and 1500 IU of penicillin-G), and the effects were statistically significant when compared to the control group (P < 0.009). Dose-dependent decrease in hippocampal volume, on the other hand, was observed in all three of these groups; however, the difference compared to the control group was only statistically significant in 1500 IU of penicillin-G injected group (P < 0.009). At the dose of 2000 IU penicillin-G. all animals died due to status seizures. These results suggest that the appropriate dose of penicillin has to be selected for a given experimental epilepsy study in order to demonstrate the relevant epileptic seizure and its effects. Intracortical 1500 IU penicillin-induced epilepsy model may be a good choice to practice studies that investigate neuroprotective mechanisms of the anti-epileptic drugs. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved