How can we take into account student conceptions of the facial angle in a palaeontology laboratory w
This study investigates student conceptions of the facial angle as a way to attain understanding elements of the theory of human evolution. The chosen laboratory work involved determining the species of a human cranium, and students had to design and write down their own experimental procedure. Three versions of the laboratory work were carried out leading to different student productions. Three aspects will be presented in the present paper, which are related to the three conceptual difficultie
Exploring the Design of Computer Supports for Reciprocal Tutoring
his paper explores the design of a set of system prototypes for supporting a protocol of cooperative learning activity called reciprocal tutoring. During reciprocal tutoring, two or more agents in centralized or distributed environments interact as they take turns at playing the roles of a tutor and a tutee in solving Lisp recursive problems. These agents are either real students or virtual learning companions simulated by the computer. Furthermore, in the design of a virtual tutee, which is one
Quality in the New Learning Space: Ongoing Process of Teacher and Staff Training
Quality in the new learning space: ongoing process of teacher and staff training,Proceedings with reading panel
Addressing the Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning Through Technology and Curriculum Design
Inquiry experiences can provide valuable opportunities for students to improve their understanding of both science content and scientific practices. However, the implementation of inquiry learning in classrooms presents a number of significant challenges. We have been exploring these challenges through a program of research on the use of scientific visualization technologies to support inquiry-based learning in the geosciences. In this article, we describe 5 significant challenges to implementin
Augmenting the Discourse of Learning with Computer-Based Learning Environments
Computer tools for learning are often thought of as providing practice in working with symbolic representations. We exemplify a different perspective in which the technology augments the kinds of learning conversations that can take place. Research from the Optics Dynagrams Project illusmates contributions from this perspective. I will describe pre-intervention learning environment characteristics and student learning, our design strategy for new activities and technologies to address problems w
Could Grid facilitate demanding Media Watermarking Applications?
Copyright protection is becoming an important issue for organisations that distribute digital content through e-learning applications. One of the most promising methods for copyright protection is digital watermarking, a highly demanding application in terms of CPU load.
In this communication, some specific cases are presented where GRID computing could be used as an enabling/assisting technology for watermarking. Specific cases of heavy load mathematical transformations for large media objects
The Missing Teacher: Contradictions and Conflicts in the Experience of Online Learners
A nationwide Swedish distance education programme, SÄL, was offered to adults with previous higher
education studies working as teachers in K-12. A smaller study conducted among this group of students at
Göteborg University, Göteborg, revealed concerns regarding teacher performance online. A follow-up and
larger study using a questionnaire survey was used to reveal possible conflicts and contradictions in the
programme. An analysis suggests that there is a contradiction between how the progra
Designing for cross-cultural web-based knowledge building
This paper describes the iterative design of a web-based collaborative workspace used in educational practice, called WebReports. The systemâs unique feature is that it allows participants to discuss mathematical and scientific concepts using programmed animated and interactive models of their ideas. Rather than focusing on the specific features of the collaboration tool, we analyze it as part of a constructionist activity system. We describe the context in which the system was developed an
Confronting Health Inequity: The Global Dimension
Since the days of Hippocrates, health inequities and the role of social and environmental factors in the determination of marked differences in health status have been well recognized. For some time now, the driving force behind public health has been understanding and intervening in the underlying causes of health inequity. The publication of the Black Report1 in the United Kingdom in 1980 brought a more focused approach to this discourse by identifying specific factors, such as social class, g
Worker Delegates from Soviet Russia Mass Meeting announcement
Recognition of the Soviet Union;Adam Chada; Chalemere McCarty; Cyril Phillip; T.E. Furman; P.O. Shallert; Worker Delegates;Announcement of a meeting featuring a delegation of U.S. workers who spent a month in Russia.
A Gallery of Institutional Projects
This pilot effort between the two foundations is designed to help institutions and programs create succinct project portals that provide quick access to a project overview and selected instruments, materials, data and evidence related to their work.
Les avis individuels sont-ils pris en compte lors d'une activité collaborative à distance ? Quels
Cet article a pour objectif de mettre en évidence de quelle manière les avis individuels sont pris en considération lors d'une activité collaborative. Nous nous attacherons à vérifier tout d'abord dans quelle mesure les avis individuels des 96 sujets de notre échantillon se modifient ou non selon la modalité de travail collaboratif (modalités de constitution de la paire, consignes collaboratives visant ou non au consensus) à laquelle ils sont confrontés (question de recherche 1). Ensu
Empirical Research Methods
Regression analysis is an enormously popular and powerful tool, used ubiquitously in the social and behavioral sciences. Most courses on the subject immediately dive into the mathematical aspects of the subject and illustrate the technique on problems that are already highly structured. As a result, most students come away with little idea of the wide range of problems to which regression analysis can be applied and how to represent those problems in a way that cleverly utilizes readily availabl
Causal Reasoning
Does excessive exposure to violent video games cause violent behavior? Does increased gun availability cause more crime or less? Causal claims permeate everyday life and are constantly the subject of "studies" reported in the newspaper. The material in Causal and Statistical Reasoning examines the nature of causal claims and the statistical sorts of evidence used to support them. The material is contained in: approximately 20 content modules, a repository of over 100 short case studies, and a "C
Lecture 38 - 11/30/2010
Lecture 38
Ireland faces years of pain
The Irish Government unveils a raft of tough austerity measures aimed at restoring the country's broken finances.
STS.467 Research Seminar in Deep Sea Archaeology (MIT)
STS.467 examines the intellectual foundations of archaeology in the deep sea. The course explores the current convergence of oceanography, archaeology, and engineering which allows scientists to discover, survey, and excavate shipwrecks in deep water with robots and submarines. The course seeks to address the following questions: How are new devices best employed for archaeological work? How do new capabilities (e.g. higher frequencies, higher resolution, all digital data output) change operatio
Transferring Kaleidoscope members' activities research into economic outcomes
The importance of research undertaken within academic and research organisations is widely recognized by governments, industries and diverse stakeholders. Indeed, the contribution of higher education in the generation of new ideas and knowledge, and as an economic driver, has probably never been as important.
Nevertheless, universities face a rapidly changing environment shaped by pressure on funding, an emphasis on quality assurance and the increasing impact of globalisation, marketisation and
Flexible navigation for the pedagogical hypermedia design and evaluation improvement
We are working on a method, called CEPIAH, for the design and the evaluation of pedagogical hypermedia. We propose a web based system used to help teachers to design hypermedia documents and to evaluate their prototypes. Having already elaborated a methodology for the evaluation of interactive pedagogical hypermedia (EMPI), the experience and the acknowledgement we have is able to upgrade the design help. To help the designer in his instructional Web site creation we developed an interactive gui
