Open-ended Cases in Agroecology: Farming and Food Systems in the Nordic Region and the US Midwest     

Charles Francis  James King  Geir Lieblein  Tor Arvid Breland  Lennart Salomonsson  Nadarajah Sriskandarajah 《The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension》2013,19(4):385-400

Abstract

Our aim is to describe open-ended case studies for learning real-life problem solving skills, and relate this approach to conventional, closed-ended decision case studies. Teaching methods are open-ended cases in agroecology, an alternative to traditional strategies that lead students through prepared materials and structured discussions to determine an outcome already known to the instructor. Our method promotes a culture of curiosity. Multiple evaluation criteria show how this learning strategy provides students with practice in researching, envisioning and designing potential scenarios for clients in the field. In agroecology case studies, students and instructors are co-learners in a discovery process that includes gathering information from key clients, interviewing major stakeholders, and building an understanding of the current context of the local farming and food systems. Two agroecology courses in Norway, a field course in the US Midwest, and an experimental course in Sweden and Vietnam illustrate this learning strategy. Student evaluations of learning have been highly positive, and skills and methods from courses have been applied in their thesis projects and professional careers.

Practical results reveal that students are well prepared for an uncertain, complex, multi-dimensional and dynamic future, have the capacity to develop alternative future scenarios, and have practiced methods to evaluate options based on production, economic, environmental and social criteria and impacts. This innovative strategy is offered as a complement or alternative to conventional decision case studies and evaluated as an approach to experiential learning, an important and effective method for adult learners.  相似文献   

School‐to‐work transition services for students with disabilities in Malaysia: organisations' views on policy and practices     

Melissa Ng Lee Yen Abdullah  See Ching Mey  Tan Kok Eng  Rosly Othman  Ahmad Fairuz Omar 《Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs》2013,13(4):259-271

Transition services are required by law for students with disabilities in many developed countries. In Malaysia, however, there is still no specific legislation mandating that school‐to‐work transition planning and services be provided to students with disabilities. This study investigated the state of the transition services provided by educational organisations to students with disabilities in Malaysia. A mixed method research design, which utilises both quantitative and qualitative research techniques, was employed to obtain information from 23 government organisations and NGOs involved in the education and training of students with disabilities. This study found that the organisations surveyed were aware of the lack of transition support and call attention to the importance of instituting a national policy on school‐to‐work transition services and supported employment systems for students with disabilities. The legislative and educational implications for Malaysia are discussed.  相似文献   

Cognitive load and knowledge sharing in Learning Networks     

Ya P. Hsiao  Francis Brouns  Liesbeth Kester  Peter Sloep 《Interactive Learning Environments》2013,21(1):89-100

Learning Networks (LNs) are online social networks designed to support nonformal learning; they are therefore particularly suitable for self-directed learners. In LNs, learners need to construct knowledge through knowledge sharing with other participants. However, without support, learners have to organize knowledge sharing themselves and this could induce extraneous cognitive load. When working on complex learning tasks, this organizing process could have a detrimental effect on knowledge construction. To optimize cognitive load, we propose using a peer support system that applies the mechanisms of peer tutoring to support knowledge sharing. Its mechanisms reduce, we argue, the extraneous load imposed by having to organize knowledge sharing as well as induce germane load by directing the freed-up cognitive capacity to processes that contribute to knowledge construction.  相似文献   

Continuous walking and time- and intensity-matched interval walking: Cardiometabolic demand and post-exercise enjoyment in insufficiently active,healthy adults     

Kate Francis  Tom Williamson  Paul Kelly 《Journal of sports sciences》2021,39(1):23-30

ABSTRACT

We compared cardiometabolic demand and post-exercise enjoyment between continuous walking (CW) and time- and intensity-matched interval walking (IW) in insufficiently active adults. Sixteen individuals (13 females and three males, age 25.3 ± 11.1 years) completed one CW and one IW session lasting 30 min in a randomised-counterbalanced design. For CW, participants walked at a mean intensity of 65–70% predicted maximum heart rate (HR_max). For IW, participants alternated between 3 min at 80% HR_max and 2 min at 50% HR_max. Expired gas was measured throughout each protocol. Participants rated post-exercise enjoyment following each protocol. Mean HR and V˙O₂ showed small positive differences in IW vs. CW (2, 95%CL 0, 4 beat.min^?1; d = 0.23, 95%CL 0.06, 0.41 and 1.4, 95%CL 1.2 ml.kg^?1.min^?1, d = 0.36, 95%CL 0.05, 0.65, respectively). There was a medium positive difference in overall kcal expenditure in IW vs. CW (25, 95%CL 7 kcal, d = 0.58, 95%CL 0.33, 0.82). Post-exercise enjoyment was moderately greater following IW vs. CW (9.1, 95%CL 1.4, 16.8 AU, d = 0.62, 95%CL 0.06, 0.90), with 75% of participants reporting IW as more enjoyable. Interval walking elicits meaningfully greater energy expenditure and is more enjoyable than CW in insufficiently active, healthy adults.  相似文献   

Impact of combining data from multiple instruments on performance of patient-based real-time quality control     

Qianqian Zhou  Tze Ping Loh  Tony Badrick  Chun Yee Lim 《Biochemia medica : ?asopis Hrvatskoga dru?tva medicinskih biokemi?ara / HDMB》2021,31(2)

IntroductionIt is unclear what is the best strategy for applying patient-based real-time quality control (PBRTQC) algorithm in the presence of multiple instruments. This simulation study compared the error detection capability of applying PBRTQC algorithms for instruments individually and in combination using serum sodium as an example.Materials and methodsFour sets of random serum sodium measurements were generated with differing means and standard deviations to represent four simulated instruments. Moving median with winsorization was selected as the PBRTQC algorithm. The PBRTQC parameters (block size and control limits) were optimized and applied to the four simulated laboratory data sets individually and in combination.ResultsWhen the PBRTQC algorithm were individually optimized and applied to the data of the individual simulated instruments, it was able to detect bias several folds faster than when they were combined. Similarly, the individually applied algorithms had perfect error detection rates across different magnitudes of bias, whereas the error detection rates of the algorithm applied on the combined data missed smaller biases. The performance of the individually applied PBRTQC algorithm performed more consistently among the simulated instruments compared to when the data were combined.DiscussionWhile combining data from different instruments can increase the data stream and hence, increase the speed of error detection, it may widen the control limits and compromising the probability of error detection. The presence of multiple instruments in the data stream may dilute the effect of the error when it only affects a selected instrument.  相似文献   

Contextual effects on predicting risk for reading difficulties in first and second grade     

Barbara R. Foorman  Mary York  Kristi L. Santi  David Francis 《Reading and writing》2008,21(4):371-394

This study utilized early reading assessment data from a randomized trial of 210 urban and rural schools in Texas to examine contextual effects on risk prediction in first and second grade. The primary objective was to examine the roles of (a) individual differences, (b) the grade 1 classroom, and (c) the pairing of first and second grade teachers in determining grade 2 outcomes in word reading and fluency. A second objective was to investigate whether the administration format of the assessment (paper, paper plus desktop, handheld plus desktop) or the level of teacher support (web mentoring, no mentoring) moderated the prediction. These moderator variables proved not to be significant. Subsequent analyses found that a combination of student pretest and mean of pretest classroom was a better predictor than student pretest alone. Additionally, the effect of student scores varied by teacher-pair. On average, intraclass correlations (ICCs) ranged from 6% to 17%. Differences in ICCs at the classroom level were much greater than at the school level, and differences in urban schools were twice that of rural schools.  相似文献   

Multiracial Children in Child Development Textbooks     

Francis Wardle 《Early Childhood Education Journal》2007,35(3):253-259

The 2000 US census was the first to allow respondents to check more than one race/ethnic response for their identity. About 6.8 million Americans did so, and a disproportionate percentage of them were children under age 18 years old. The purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which this change is reflected in contemporary child psychology textbooks. Twelve books were examined to determine whether they covered multiracial and multiethnic children. Results of this study showed that only two of these books addressed issues related to the healthy development of multiracial/multiethnic children in any detail; and, while several used terms such as biracial and bicultural, these terms were always used to describe single-race minority children living in a majority context. The discussion section covers possible reasons for this omission.  相似文献   

The moderating influence of instructional intensity and word type on the acquisition of academic vocabulary in young English language learners     

Diane August  Lauren Artzi  Christopher Barr  David Francis 《Reading and writing》2018,31(4):965-989

This study used a within-subjects design to explore two instructional conditions for developing vocabulary in second-grade Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs)—extended instruction and embedded instruction implemented during shared interactive reading. Words assigned to the extended condition were directly taught using a multifaceted approach that included visuals, bilingual definitions, examples, spelling, and partner-talk about the words’ meaning. Words assigned to the embedded condition were taught solely through brief definitions to embedded text, writing activities, and songs. In the control condition students heard the target words read aloud during shared interactive reading but without definitions or direct instruction. The study also explored the interaction between instructional condition and word type. Four types of words—abstract cognates, abstract noncognates, concrete cognates, and concrete noncognates—were randomly assigned to each condition. Nine teachers in four schools and 187 second-grade ELs participated in this within-subjects intervention, which took place in transitional bilingual classrooms. Findings indicated that across all word types, both extended and embedded instruction were more effective than the control condition in helping ELs acquire vocabulary. Findings also indicated that extended instruction was more effective then embedded instruction for all word types except concrete cognates suggesting that these young Spanish-speaking ELs were advantaged by word knowledge in their home language. Finally, while embedded instruction was less effective than extended instruction, it was much more effective than a control condition. Embedded instruction takes significantly less preparation and instructional time than extended instruction, offering teachers a practical way to teach more vocabulary to ELs.  相似文献   

Contemporary Classics? The Early Onset of Influence of Articles Published in Criminology and Criminal Justice Journals, 2010–2015     

Amanda Graham  Travis C. Pratt  Heejin Lee  Francis T. Cullen 《Journal of Criminal Justice Education》2019,30(3):348-375

Citation analysis is a valuable method for tracking the growth and transmission of scientific knowledge. In criminology and criminal justice, such analyses tend to be focused on “classic” works or on highly cited scholars over many years. As an alternative approach, we focus on work that has been cited rather quickly – what we term the “early onset” of impact. In doing so, we identified 221 of the most highly cited peer-reviewed articles, authored by 480 scholars, which were published in criminology and criminal justice journals between 2010 and 2015. Analyses reveal wide variation in substantive topics and methodological approaches, as well as a substantial gender gap with respect to authorship. Additional analyses provide insight into both journal and institutional/program prestige. We conclude with directions for future research and stress the importance of tracking over time articles that appear to be off to an early start with respect to scholarly impact.  相似文献   

Differential contribution of psycholinguistic and cognitive skills to written composition in Chinese as a second language     

Leong  Che Kan  Shum  Mark Shiu Kee  Tai  Chung Pui  Ki  Wing Wah  Zhang  Dongbo 《Reading and writing》2019,32(2):439-466

Reading and Writing - This study examined the contribution of the constructs of orthographic processing (orthographic choice and orthographic choice in context), syntactic processing...  相似文献