Effects of length, complexity, and inference in the resolution of inferential reading comprehension tests

Este trabajo surge a partir de nuestra experiencia docente a nivel superior con las tareas de revisión y elaboración de pruebas de opción múltiple para medir comprensión lectora. Nuestros objetivos son dos: 1) determinar si las variables de longitud, complejidad e inferencia de una prueba de comprensión lectora inferencial tienen efectos en el desempeño de los estudiantes y, consecuentemente, 2) argumentar a favor de la elaboración de pruebas que promuevan o incluyan el uso de inferencias no-deductivas en adición a las deductivas. Para lograr estos objetivos llevamos a cabo un estudio con 187 estudiantes universitarios a los que les aplicamos una prueba de comprensión lectora inferencial de opción múltiple. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados con un modelo lineal generalizado mixto. Entre los resultados generales encontramos que los estudiantes tienen un mejor desempeño en la prueba de comprensión lectora cuando se les solicita realizar inferencias no-deductivas y los textos son complejos y largos; mientras que su desempeño decrece cuando se les solicita realizar inferencias deductivas y los textos son simples y cortos. Estos resultados parecen soportar la tesis de que existe un efecto de las características de las pruebas en la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes, lo cual, a su vez, nos permite sugerir que el diseño de pruebas de comprensión lectora podría enriquecerse tomando en cuenta un concepto más incluyente de inferencia que sería consistente con el concepto de racionalidad acotadaOur interest in this research comes from our experience at reviewing and developing multiple-choice tests in order to measure reading comprehension skills at an undergraduate level. We have two goals: 1) to determine if the variables of length, complexity, and inference, of a reading comprehension test have an effect over students’ performance and, consequently, 2) to argue in favour of tests that promote or include non-deductive inference in addition to deductive inference as a parameter of their design. To reach these goals we have applied an inferential reading comprehension test to a group of 187 undergraduate students. The obtained data was analysed with a generalized linear mixed model. Among the general results, we find that students perform better when the test requires them to carry out a non-deductive inference over complex and long texts; whereas their performance decreases when the test calls for a deductive inference over simple and short texts. These results seemingly support the claim that there is an influence of the properties of the test over the students reading comprehension, which, in turn, allows us to suggest that the design of reading comprehension tests might be enriched by taking into account a more inclusive concept of inference consistent with the notion of bounded rationalit

One parent one language strategy’ - A case study of a child’s simultaneous bilingual language acquisition.

"This thesis reports a case study using “One parent, One Language” communicative strategy with a one-year-old child. This study was carried out in Puebla in different contexts. The main purpose of our research was to investigate the different communicative strategies used by bilingual parents to raise their child bilingually and then to use that information to explore language learning in our son. The research data were collected by observation formats one for each language in order to keep a sequence and organization in the events during the research time. Those formats describe important issues like, date, context and child’s progress in the learning of commands. The research found that there are different strategies that could be adapted to the characteristics of the child, parents and contexts. Also we found these strategies as helpful tool for bilingual parents. About “one parent, one language” strategy we will show the final number of commands the child acquired in English and Spanish. We also found the importance of the consistency in the application of the strategy. Those data show the progress the child had in English and Spanish and the differences and similarities between the language acquisition processes.

Relación de perturbación perturbación en mecánica cuántica (Disturbance-disturbance relation in quantum mechanics)

"Physics is a science that has had an extraordinary development through the centuries and decades. The knowledge about nature has increased thanks to the investigation and experimentation in particle, statistical, optical, and quantum physics. All this kwnowledge needs to convey to new generations of physicists in an acceptable form, thus, the importance of teaching physics should be a main topic into our academic routine. In particular, quantum mechanics is somewhat rough for theaching. Many bad habits in teaching have affected the general understanding of this area and has effects such as a general misunderstanding of many main topics like the uncertainty principle and the measurement in quantum mechanics. A very important example of these misunderstandings is the Stern-Gerlach experiment (SGE). In many textbooks the SGE is studied in a semiclassical manner. This gives a wrong idea about what is the meaning of the SGE and the way that we understand it. In a recent work we studied the SGE by means of a complete quantum analysis. In particular, we found that the SGE is a creator of entangled states with an easy treatment (simply employing the general solution of the Schrodinger equation), a result that is not unknown to the quantum physics community, but which is not mentioned on usually textbooks.

Children as experts, adults as learners: a case study on Haitian Creole

"The purpose of this study is to investigate the Haitian Creole acquisition process of six adults that were taught by children in Haiti while doing voluntary work in schools. The theoretical foundations upon which this is based are mainly taken from the fields of sociolinguistics, creolistics, second language acquisition, socioconstructivist approach to education, and language and culture among other. It followed a qualitative case study approach based on narrative analysis. Two data collection instruments were used: focus groups and narratives. The main findings suggest that in regards to language learning, participants enjoyed learning from children and made connection between formal and informal instruction. They found interaction and culture to be paramount in their language acquisition process. Another important finding is that participants perceived culture as key to their language learning and acculturation processes. Similarly, participants reported using other mediating tools in trying to communicate in their communities. Finally, after this experience, participants reconsidered their views about education in general and saw the need to implement socioconstructivist approaches to education such as teaching adapted to their contexts and the practice of inclusion strategies in all instructional activities"

Benefits of reading to improve LEI students' writing skill

"Today students need to improve reading because, through this, they can learn much more by themselves that they could ever imagine, and not only that the benefits that come with it. This paper aims to explore and know the benefits that can be acquired by reading. For the gathering of the data in this qualitative descriptive study, a questioning was chosen to know how reading has helped the students in their academic life. Thus, a group of target language was chosen to carry this research and to gather information to answer the research questions: 1. Do ELT undergraduate students consider themselves readers? 2. How does reading influence a LEI students' writing? 3. How do teachers promote reading to improve writing according to the students' experience? The findings showed that the students have an important improvement in their writing skills and they feel more confident about it"

Facebook as a didactic tool to promote writing in an EFL classroom

"The purpose of this research is to support students develop their writing ability through essays with an innovative tool such as Facebook. This app will work as a medium to work on assignments and encourage students to write more because their writing ability is one of the most unpracticed in classes. Therefore, students need such practice to accomplish those essays with well-created sentences, cohesion, and coherence. Further, writing ability needs enough training because of factors like the time assigned in class and the kinds of activities. Then, it is essential to persuade students to devote time to become proficient writers. In general, Facebook is a tool to encourage students to create essays and learn and apply different writing strategies in future assignments"

Factors that affect the final paper work of the students of the Licenciatura en Lenguas Modernas Inglés

"The objective of this research is to identify the factors that affect the writing of their thesis. And try to find if every subject gets the goal which it was made for. This research is important for the Facultad de Lenguas BUAP, the students of the LEMO/LEI programs since it and also the teachers, will help to find out what the necessities and the problems that the students have to face when writing a thesis. At the same time the students will know from the beginning of their major what are subjects they have to focus their attention in order to facilitate themselves the writing process of the thesis. For the University to have more students with degree will increase the value of the school and always becoming better for the next generations. As it was pointed out before, the thesis is a requirement that the student of the major of Lenguas Modernas (Inglés) have to fill in order to get the degree of Licenciado en Lenguas Modernas. The thesis had been a huge problem for the students of this major for many years, due to the requirements needed to write the thesis.

Reality of english language teaching and learning at tural telesecundarias

"Education has always been a polemic topic for experts and non-experts, and Mexican education is not the exception. Education in Mexico has been through a huge change since many years ago. The last change applied to it was done during the Educative Reform, where it pretended to reach real changes in education. Nonetheless, changes have been applied to urban schools, leaving behind schools with the most needs, as it is the case of rural Telesecundarias. This study aims to determine what the educational issues are in English classes at rural Telesecundarias as well as providing effective solutions in order to diminish them. In this context, the study followed a qualitative case study, in which structured interviews were conducted to a sample of two rural Telesecundaria teachers and 3 rural Telesecudaria students. Analysis of the collected data concluded that opportunities in English education are the same for all Mexican students. Nevertheless, the necessity of adapting SEP programs, enhancing teachers’ updating and commitment, and looking at rural Telesecundarias as equal as any other school is crucial for an effective implementation of English classes at this kind of schools.

Cell death

The cell is the fundamental basic unit of all life forms. Based in the characteristics of cells, organisms can be differentiated into prokaryotes (which lack a delimited nucleus) and eukaryotes. It is currently estimated that the human body contains about 100 trillion of cells and each one of them performs different functions within it. Usually, the death of cells in the human tissues is part of the normal functioning of our body and does not cause alteration of functions with it; however, there are certain situations where the death of our cells occurs in an uncontrolled form, which generates different conditions in our body. For this reason, this infographic will present the most important differences in cell death [1-3]

Parasitism in viviparous vertebrates: an overview

"Viviparity is a reproductive mode that has evolved independently in different taxa where offspring develop inside females to ensure gestation. Offspring are provided with a food supply in the egg or through specialized tissues that ensure their development thanks to the specific exchange of nutrients and other components. However, environmental challenges such as parasitism and disease can be a force that limit the host's resources causing physiological, morphological, and behavioural changes that represent an additional cost for both the pregnant female and her offspring. This includes the future reproductive investment on females, sex rate in their offspring, lactation investment in mammals, alterations of birth intervals, the current reproduvtive investment, variation between environments, the activity of the immune system facing immunological challenges, as well as additional factors that can affect the interaction between viviparous females and parasites. Parasites could be a significant mediator of this reproductive mode: parasitized females change their investment in survival and reproduction based on their life history, the environmental factors they are exposed to, and the diversity of parasites they encounter"