Combining Exploratory Learning With Structured Practice to Foster Conceptual and Procedural Fractions Knowledge

Robust domain knowledge consists of conceptual and procedural knowledge. The two types of knowledge develop together, but are fostered by different learning tasks. Exploratory tasks enable students to manipulate representations and discover the underlying concepts. Structured tasks let students practice problem-solving procedures step-by-step. Educational technology has mostly relied on providing only either task type, with a majority of learning environments focusing on structured tasks. We investigated in two quasi-experimental studies with 8-10 years old students from UK (N = 121) and 10-12 years old students from Germany (N = 151) whether a combination of both task types fosters robust knowledge more than structured tasks alone. Results confirmed this hypothesis and indicate that students learning with a combination of tasks gained more conceptual knowledge and equal procedural knowledge compared to students learning with structured tasks only. The results illustrate the efficacy of combining both task types for fostering robust fractions knowledge

The impact of affect-aware support on learning tasks that differ in their cognitive demands

This paper investigates the effect of affect-aware support on learning tasks that differ in their cognitive demands. We conducted a study with the iTalk2learn platform where students are undertaking fractions tasks of varying difficulty and assigned in one of two groups; one group used the iTalk2learn platform that included the affect-aware support, whereas in the other group the affect-aware support was switched off and support was provided based on students’ performance only. We investigated the hypothesis that affect-aware support has a more pronounced effect when the cognitive demands of the tasks are higher. The results suggest that students that undertook the more challenging tasks were significantly more in-flow and less confused in the group where affect-aware support was provided than students who were supported based on their performance only

Das Clearing House Unterricht. Ein Service für die Lehrer*innenbildung?!

Im „Clearing House Unterricht (CHU)“ der School of Education an der Technischen Universität München (TUM) geht es darum, eine ganze Reihe schlafender Riesen für eine evidenzbasierte Lehrer*innenbildung zu wecken. Zu diversen Unterrichtsthemen wird der aktuelle Forschungsstand aufbereitet. Zielgruppe dieses Services sind Lehrerbildner*innen, die als „Wissensbroker“ angesprochen werden. Das Autor*innenteam belegt anhand der Evaluation des Angebots, dass es von den Lehrerbildner*innen angenommen und als nützlich und vertrauenswürdig (!) eingeschätzt wird. In einer Weiterführung wird eine „CHU-Academy“ Trainings in der Gestaltung evidenzbasierter Lehre anbieten. (DIPF/Orig.

When young students fail to productively learn with productive failure

Eine Reihe von Untersuchungen zeigte, dass Lernansätze, bei denen Schülerinnen und Schüler (SuS) kooperativ eine Aufgabe bearbeiten und erst danach Instruktion erhalten, effektiv für den Erwerb von Verständniswissen sind (z.B. Productive Failure). Da viele frühere Studien mit SuS am Ende der Sekundarstufe I durchgeführt wurden, überprüft die vorliegende Dissertation, inwiefern der lernförderliche Effekt des Lernens mit verzögerter Instruktion auch bei jüngeren SuS zu Beginn der Sekundarstufe I greift. Hierfür wurden zwei quasi-experimentelle Studien durchgeführt und untersucht, inwiefern Aufgabenbearbeiten vor im Vergleich zu Aufgabenbearbeiten nach Instruktion zu mehr konzeptuellem Verständniswissen junger SuS führt. Darüber hinaus wurden die Rolle der Kooperation und die Mechanismen, die zur Effektivität des Lernens mit verzögerter Instruktion beitragen, systematisch analysiert. Die Befunde eröffnen die Diskussion über mögliche Grenzen des Lernens mit verzögerter Instruktion.There is a growing body of literature demonstrating the beneficial effect of problem solving (often in small groups) prior to instruction for students’ conceptual knowledge acquisition (e.g., Productive Failure). Because the sample of many previous problem-solving-prior-to-instruction studies were formed by middle or high school students, the thesis at hand investigates whether the beneficial effect of learning with delayed instruction also transfers to younger students around the elementary school age. For this, two quasi-experimental studies were conducted. It was tested whether problem solving prior to instruction as compared to problem solving after instruction leads to higher conceptual knowledge of such young students. In addition the role of students’ collaborative problem-solving and the mechanisms leading up to changes in students’ conceptual knowledge were systematically analyzed. The results open the discussion about boundary conditions of learning with delayed instruction

Efficacy and Safety of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs for symptoms control, particularly in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The procedure is laborious and complex and not exempt from complications.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation in a consecutive and selectedpopulation with recurrent atrial fibrillation refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs.Methods: One-hundred and eleven patients (90 men) with paroxysmal (n = 75) or persistent (n = 36) atrial fibrillation,refractory to 2 (1.5-3) antiarrhythmic drugs were selected for radiofrequency catheter ablation. All the procedures wereperformed following a uniform methodology.Mean age was 56 ± 11 years, left atrial diameter was 41.5 (39-45) mm and left ventricular ejection fraction was 60% (56.5-66.5%).A total of 126 radiofrequency catheter ablation procedures were performed, including 15 second procedures, and 476/489(97.3%) pulmonary veins were isolated. Twenty-five patients (22.5%) presented spontaneous ectopic activity in the pulmonaryveins. Nonfatal complications occurred in 7/126 procedures (5.5%) and were satisfactorily resolved. Three patients presentedvascular complications; other complications included one related to anesthesia, one subacute cardiac tamponade, one pericarditiswithout effusion and one pulmonary vein stenosis.After 22-month follow-up (13-35 months), 83 patients (74.8%) remained in sinus rhythm without antiarrhythmic drugs. Theremaining 28 patients (25.2%) presented recurrences. Four of these patients had a favorable response to these previouslyinefficient drugs, 8 had atrial fibrillation in spite of receiving antiarrhythmic drugs and 1 patient will undergo a new ablation.The remaining 15 patients underwent a second ablation procedure; 10 of them are free of recurrences after 12 (9-31) months.Conclusion: In this consecutive series of patients with atrial fibrillation refractory to drugs, radiofrequency catheter ablationshowed an adequate rate of success and low level of complications.La ablación de la fibrilación auricular (ARF-FA) es más eficaz que  las drogas antiarrítmicas (DAA) en el control de síntomas, particularmente cuando la arritmia es paroxística. Consiste en un procedimiento laborioso y complejo no exento de complicaciones. Objetivos: Evaluar los resultados de la ablación en una población seleccionada consecutiva con fibrilación auricular recurrente y refractaria a DAA. Metodología y resultados: Se evaluaron 111 pacientes (p), 90 hombres, con FA paroxística (75p) o persistente (36p), refractaria a 2 (1,5-3) DAA que fueron seleccionados para la ARF-FA. Todos los procedimientos fueron realizados siguiendo una metodología uniforme. La edad fue 56±11 años, el diámetro de AI 41,5 (39-45) mm y la fracción de eyección ventricular izquierda 60% (56,5%-66,5%). Se realizaron 126 procedimientos de ARF-FA, incluyendo 15 segundos procedimientos. Se aislaron 476/489 (97,3%) venas pulmonares (VP).  Veinticinco pacientes (22,5%) presentaron actividad ectópica espontánea de VP. Se presentaron complicaciones no fatales en 7/126 procedimientos (5,5%) que se resolvieron satisfactoriamente. Tres pacientes presentaron complicaciones vasculares y se observó una complicación anestésica, un taponamiento cardiaco subagudo, una pericarditis sin derrame y una estenosis de VP. Luego de un seguimiento de 22 (13-35) meses, 83p (74,8%) se mantuvieron en ritmo sinusal sin DAA. Los 28p restantes (25,2%) presentaron recurrencias. Cuatro de ellos respondieron satisfactoriamente a DAA (previamente ineficaces), ocho tuvieron FA a pesar de recibir DAA y 1p se encuentra en plan de reablación. A los 15p restantes se les realizó un segundo procedimiento de ablación. Diez de ellos se mantienen sin recurrencias luego de 12 (9-31) meses. Conclusión: En esta serie consecutiva de pacientes con FA refractaria a DAA, la ARF-FA mostró una adecuada tasa de éxito y bajo nivel de complicaciones

CDKL5 protein substitution therapy rescues neurological phenotypes of a mouse model of CDKL5 disorder

Cyclin-dependent kinase like-5 (CDKL5) disorder is a rare neurodevelopmental disease caused by mutations in the CDKL5 gene. The consequent misexpression of the CDKL5 protein in the nervous system leads to a severe phenotype characterized by intellectual disability, motor impairment, visual deficits and early-onset epilepsy. No therapy is available for CDKL5 disorder. It has been reported that a protein transduction domain (TAT) is able to deliver macromolecules into cells and even into the brain when fused to a given protein. We demonstrate that TAT-CDKL5 fusion protein is efficiently internalized by target cells and retains CDKL5 activity. Intracerebroventricular infusion of TAT-CDKL5 restored hippocampal development, hippocampus-dependent memory and breathing pattern in Cdkl5-null mice. Notably, systemically administered TAT-CDKL5 protein passed the blood-brain-barrier, reached the CNS, and rescued various neuroanatomical and behavioral defects, including breathing pattern and visual responses. Our results suggest that CDKL5 protein therapy may be an effective clinical tool for the treatment of CDKL5 disorder