Homework Assignments Research Articles

Penntorship: The value of mentoring during a pandemic.

This survey study explored the benefits of a newly developed mentoring program, Penntorship, for mentors and mentees. Seventy dental students volunteered to mentor WPHS students throughout the 2020-2021 school year. After receiving training by Mentor Independence Region, mentors coordinated weekly meetings with mentees on Zoom to assist with homework assignments, discuss interests, and assess mentee's career goals. Over six months, 185 mentor meetings were held by 56 dental students with 28 different high-school students participating in the program. Surveys were distributed and analyzed to determine outcomes of the program. Survey results revealed that both dental students and high-school students gained new friendships, improved communication skills, and developed a positive perspective during the pandemic. With online learning formats and social distancing during the pandemic, dental students expressed a need for more social interaction. Penntorship served to support dental students during this challenging year and filled a social need for young individuals in the community. Both mentors and mentees benefited from the program and will continue to work together in the coming academic year. *IRB approval obtained 8/30/2021.

PENDAMPINGAN BELAJAR BERNUANSA ISLAMI MELALUI BIMBINGAN BELAJAR MATEMATIKA DI DESA RUWIT WEDUNG DEMAK

On average, Elementary School and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah students in the village of Ruwit Wedung Demakhave difficulty completing homework assignments in mathematics. On the other hand, some parents have limited ability to teach mathematics at home. Based on this, this community service has the aim of developing motivation and achievement in learning mathematics by providing an Islamic learning experience in mathematics. The implementation of this service uses the service-learning method. This service activity involved 50 elementary and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah students. The learning mentoring process is carried out by dividing students into groups based on grade level. This service data analysis technique is descriptive narrative. The results of this service reveal that the motivation and achievement of learning mathematics in Ruwit village children are experiencing good development.

Active Learning Module for Protein Structure Analysis Using Novel Enzymes

ABSTRACT A major challenge for science educators is teaching foundational concepts while introducing their students to current research. Here we describe an active learning module developed to teach protein structure fundamentals while supporting ongoing research in enzyme discovery. It can be readily implemented in both entry-level and upper-division college biochemistry or biophysics courses. Preactivity lectures introduced fundamentals of protein secondary structure and provided context for the research projects, and a homework assignment familiarized students with 3-dimensional visualization of biomolecules with UCSF Chimera, a free protein structure viewer. The activity is an online survey in which students compare structure elements in papain, a well-characterized cysteine protease from Carica papaya, to novel homologous proteases identified from the genomes of an extremophilic microbe (Halanaerobium praevalens) and 2 carnivorous plants (Drosera capensis and Cephalotus follicularis). Students were then able to identify, with varying levels of accuracy, a number of structural features in cysteine proteases that could expedite the identification of novel or biochemically interesting cysteine proteases for experimental validation in a university laboratory. Student responses to a postactivity survey were largely positive and constructive, describing points in the activity that could be improved and indicating that the activity was an engaging way to learn about protein structure.

Making the Switch: Experiences and Results from Converting a Biostatistics Course to Flipped and Online Formats for Public Health Students

The recent rise in online learning in statistics has made it essential for instructors to teach effectively in that modality. In this retrospective, we reflect on how online course content was added to an introductory statistics course in a graduate public health program and how it was updated over time based on student feedback and instructor experiences. The impetus for the inclusion of online learning as well as the consequences of specific implementations are discussed for hybrid and fully online class formats. We found that while online learning seemed to be beneficial as a whole for public health students learning health statistics, identifiable differences in the design or implementation of lectures, software demonstrations, online discussion, computer lab activities, active learning, and homework assignments had a substantial effect on learning outcomes and student satisfaction.

Revisiting Intermediate-high Cold Reading Curriculum on Design and Practice

The phrase “cold reading” originates from marketing psychology, but for teaching Chinese as a second language, it refers to one of many strategies in the reading curriculum. Schema theory tells us those good readers are adept at comprehending interactions between bottom-up and top-down processes (Rumelhart, 1980). According to Liu Songhao et al. (2015), there is a close correlation between reading level and teaching strategy. Research on reading education for Chinese as a second language has largely focused on how educators should teach, but little discussion can be found with regards to how a student engages with reading material. Although the breadth of Chinese vocabulary likely differs from English, it remains clear that non-native readers are limited by their language level and must strive harder to develop the skill and psychological ability to adapt to challenges. In cold reading courses, the student becomes the lead actor, while the teacher adopts a supportive role.BR ICLP(NTU) started up the cold reading curriculum in 2016 for a new trial. However, as opposed to “hot reading”, unlike courses designed for common reading, classes dedicated to cold reading lack translations or vocabulary lists. Students are only provided texts in class, most of which come from authentic first-hand sources. The goal is to help students escape their psychological reliance on the classroom and to develop the ability to approach material they might encounter in daily life. Since students cannot prepare for cold reading courses in advance and lack supplemental material while in class, it better reflects real-life circumstances and forces students to draw upon their foundation of linguistic and background knowledge to guess or infer meaning.BR Through this method, students are expected to build a preliminary cognitive model of the text, which is then analyzed level-by-level in tandem with the teacher’s instruction to either confirm or adjust the student’s mental connotations, eventually resulting in comprehension. The support of the teacher’s knowledge and the initiation of the student’s metacognitive processes also play important roles. A few appropriate tests after an independent skimming reading can evaluate a learner’s level of comprehension and can help clarify problem areas. At the same time, students can also improve their listening, speaking and writing abilities through class discussion and homework assignments. After-class review and making their own vocabulary list can further solidify learning gains and become the knowledge foundation for the next cold reading assignment (Chen Hsiangyu, 2017).BR Base on the discussion of cold reading theory, curriculum design, and practice, this article aims at examining 1) Reading and cognitive theory, 2) Theories on teaching and learning Chinese reading for non-native students, 3) Approaches to the cold reading curriculum, 4) Limitations of and reflections on cold reading courses, and 5) Aspects of further research.

Distance learning challenges and prospects during Covid-19 in the context of adolescent education

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to identify the challenges and prospects of distance education for adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main research method was the survey. Teenagers, parents and teachers were interviewed (330 people). One of the leaders of the study was a representative of the Technical Institute of NEFU in Neryungri. The results of the study made it possible to identify and analyze the main inconveniences of distance learning that young people suffered from. The following difficulties were identified: different teaching approaches (48.2%), lack of technical devices (7.6%), an increase in the number of homework assignments (86%).

Effectiveness of Online-Delivered Project ImPACT for Children With ASD and Their Parents: A Pilot Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ObjectiveDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face intervention services for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week, online-delivered Project ImPACT program for children with ASD and their parents in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA pilot non-randomized study with a waitlist control group was conducted in 68 children with ASD and their parents in the Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics between April 15, 2020 and March 19, 2021. Participants were allocated to either the intervention (IG) or the waitlist group (WLG) according to their order of recruitment. Parents in the IG immediately received 8 weeks of the online-delivered Project ImPACT program, and the WLG received the same program with a delay when the IG had completed all sessions. Participants in both groups received treatment as usual during the research period.ResultsThe online-delivered Project ImPACT program significantly improved the parent-reported social communication skills of children with ASD. Furthermore, parent's involvement in the training program produced a collateral reduction in parenting stress and an increase in perceived competence in the parental role. Parents rated the program acceptable in terms of curriculum schedule, session content, homework assignments, and therapist feedback.ConclusionsThe 8-week, online-delivered Project ImPACT program is a feasible and effective social skill training program for families of children with ASD in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the methodological limitations, randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes are suggested to provide more solid evidence.

An in-depth Analysis of Undergraduates’ Study Skills: A Study at Nong Lam University

Study skills are critical to students’ achievement. The objective of this study is to assess the study skills of undergraduates. The Inventory of College Level Study Skills developed by Dennis H. Congos (2011), in which study skills were divided into six categories or subscales: textbook reading, note-taking, memorizing, test preparation, concentration, and time management, was adopted to collect data. The results of the analysis revealed that skimming for main ideas appeared to be the most frequently used reading technique among the participants; taking note in lectures is the most preferred skill. Regarding memory skills, the most popular skill was reviewing notes more than once or twice for exams and quizzes, and the least popular skill was using visual in notes such as sketches, mind maps, diagrams, charts, etc. In terms of test preparation skills, the most frequently-used skill was submitting homework assignments on time while the least favoured test preparation sub-skill was reviewing lecture note soon after classes. As for concentration skills, getting all study equipment ready for learning was considered the most important skill, while avoiding study in the evenings as much as possible was the least prioritized method. Accordingly, the researchers would recommend students be provided with suitable guidelines in order to practice good study skills.

A comparison of limited vs unlimited attempts with online homework grades in introductory statistics courses

AbstractOnline homework programs allow professors to preset how many attempts per homework problem each student is allowed to have. Some professors prefer to allow a limited number of extra attempts, and others prefer to allow students to have an unlimited number of extra attempts. Do these preferences lead to a difference in average homework grades? To study this question, seven statistics courses over the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters were analyzed. The Fall semester had a limited number of extra attempts for each homework problem, and the Spring semester had an unlimited number of extra attempts. The results of the study conclude that there is no statistically significant difference in average homework grades for most homework assignments. In any homework assignment with a statistically significant difference, there was a quantifiably small difference.

Mandatory Assignments and Learning Achievement in a Mathematics Service Class

Homework completion and self-regulatory ability have both been extensively studied to examine their impact on learning achievement. Moreover, the reciprocal nature of how these two qualities affect one another is also an area of research. While evidence shows that voluntary completion of assigned homework predicts self-regulation in students, a natural question is whether this can be facilitated with mandatory homework assignments. Research to this extent has been tentative: results are often positive, but issues with experimental design preclude strong conclusions or repeatability of the experiment. This paper aims to quantify the effect of mandatory homework assignments on learning achievement at the tertiary level while improving on the experimental design of existing research.

Homework and Teacher: Relationships Between Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs in Homework and Homework Assignments1

AbstractThis study aimed to identify elementary school teachers' beliefs in homework and examine the relationships between such beliefs and homework assignments. In the preliminary study, we conducted an open‐ended questionnaire survey and used it to draft the Scale of Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs in Homework. In the main study, an online survey was conducted using the drafted scale, external variables, and an item measuring the amount of homework that teachers assigned. As a result, a four‐factor structure was extracted, comprising “promotion of learning,” “communication,” “habit formation,” and “insight into and evaluation of learning.” These four factors showed a significant correlation with all external variables, except one, as predicted. Specific relationships between teachers' beliefs and the amount of homework were observed. Correlational analysis revealed that the amount of homework significantly correlated with “promotion of learning,” “habit formation,” and “insight into and evaluation of learning.” In multiple regression analysis, “promotion of learning” showed a significant relation with the amount of homework. Further, we discuss the implications for teacher education and teaching practice, study limitations, and directions for future research.

University Students’ Experiences on Self-directed Homework Assignment: From De-motivation to Re-motivation in Learning English

University Students’ Experiences on Self-directed Homework Assignment: From De-motivation to Re-motivation in Learning English

Do I really have to do my homework? The role of homework compliance in cognitive behavioral therapy for irritable bowel syndrome

Treatment guidelines identify cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment of choice for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As a learning-based treatment, homework assignments are regarded as important for optimizing outcomes for CBT-treated patients. However, their actual benefit for IBS is unknown. This study examined whether homework completion corresponds with immediate and sustained treatment response in IBS patients enrolled in CBT treatment. Subjects were 358 IBS patients receiving clinic-based CBT (10 session), home-based CBT (4 session), or a 4 session, non-specific IBS education comparator as part of a large NIH trial. Homework completion was rated by clinician at each session. IBS symptom improvement was measured with the Clinician Global Improvement Scale at treatment week 5, post-treatment (week 12), and at follow-ups (weeks 22, 34, 46, 62). Homework completion rates over the 10-week acute phase corresponded with greater IBS symptom improvement and patient satisfaction at post-treatment. Early treatment homework completion did not predict early treatment response. Contrary to expectations, homework compliance rates were not greater among in-clinic session patients than home-based patients. Data lend empirical support to the clinical value of homework in teaching patients how to self-manage painful GI symptoms refractory to conventional medical and dietary therapies.

The negative impacts of student use of online tools during emergency remote teaching and learning on teacher-student relationships.

This article focuses on the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships between teachers and students for the mutual benefit of both groups and explores this in one context during the Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning (ERTL) period in the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. Ten instructors of university English as a foreign language (EFL) academic writing were interviewed about their experiences during this period. All questioned the academic honesty and ethics of their students due to what seemed to be their impossibly rapid progress in linguistic complexity and correctness, and the depth of ideas expressed growing very quickly. Due to communication between teachers and students being limited to text-based messages on the Learning Management System, teachers were unable to investigate without potentially causing university disciplinary action to fall on their students. This led to a worsening of relationships and spiraling levels of distrust. Forty first-year students were then asked to submit three-minute videos explaining how they undertook their homework assignments during the 15-week semester. Participants reported using a variety of technological assistance, particularly Machine Translation (MT) and online grammar checkers, to prepare assignments for submission. Findings suggest that educating instructors about how appropriate usage of such technology can benefit student learning could help prevent misunderstandings about unethical technology usage. Similarly, by recognizing the value of the relationship between instructors and students, time can be spent on building and fostering these bonds.

Undergraduate research module for enzyme discovery using protein structure prediction

A major challenge for science educators is teaching foundational concepts while introducing their students to current research. Here we describe an active learning module developed to teach protein structure fundamentals while supporting ongoing research in enzyme discovery. It can be readily implemented in both entry-level and upper-division college biochemistry or biophysics courses. Pre-activity lectures introduced fundamentals of protein secondary structure and provided context for the research projects, while a homework assignment familiarized students with 3D visualization of biomolecules using UCSF Chimera, a free protein structure viewer.

The Effect of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Psychoeducation Only on Psychological Distress in Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundPatients with recurrent episodes of noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) experience cardiac anxiety as they misinterpret the pain to be cardiac related and avoid physical activity that they think could threaten their lives. Psychological interventions, such as internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), targeting anxiety can be a feasible solution by supporting patients to learn how to perceive and handle their chest pain.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effects of a nurse-led iCBT program on cardiac anxiety and other patient-reported outcomes in patients with NCCP.MethodsPatients with at least two health care consultations because of NCCP during the past 6 months, and who were experiencing cardiac anxiety (Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire score ≥24), were randomized into 5 weeks of iCBT (n=54) or psychoeducation (n=55). Patients were aged 54 (SD 17) years versus 57 (SD 16) years and were mainly women (32/54, 59% vs 35/55, 64%). The iCBT program comprised psychoeducation, mindfulness, and exposure to physical activity, with weekly homework assignments. The primary outcome was cardiac anxiety. The secondary outcomes were fear of bodily sensations, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and chest pain frequency. Intention-to-treat analysis was applied, and the patients were followed up for 3 months. Mixed model analysis was used to determine between-group differences in primary and secondary outcomes.ResultsNo significant differences were found between the iCBT and psychoeducation groups regarding cardiac anxiety or any of the secondary outcomes in terms of the interaction effect of time and group over the 3-month follow-up. iCBT demonstrated a small effect size on cardiac anxiety (Cohen d=0.31). In the iCBT group, 36% (16/44) of patients reported a positive reliable change score (≥11 points on the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire), and thus an improvement in cardiac anxiety, compared with 27% of (13/48) patients in the psychoeducation group. Within-group analysis showed further significant improvement in cardiac anxiety (P=.04) at the 3-month follow-up compared with the 5-week follow-up in the iCBT group but not in the psychoeducation group.ConclusionsiCBT was not superior to psychoeducation in decreasing cardiac anxiety in patients with NCCP. However, iCBT tends to have better long-term effects on psychological distress, including cardiac anxiety, health-related quality of life, and NCCP frequency than psychoeducation. The effects need to be followed up to draw more reliable conclusions.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03336112; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03336112

TERAPI TA’LIMAH DAN MUHASABAH DALAM MENINGKATKAN SELF ESTEEM PADA PENYINTAS DEPRESI

Psychological factors are one of the supporting factors for the sustainability of human existence on this earth. Psychological factors include self-esteem. Low self-esteem can inhibit individual psychological growth. The findings in the field indicate that low self-estecan-em occur due to inappropriate parenting patterns. Z, the fourth of five children who are all boys. The different treatment that Z gets from his parents causes Z to have low self-esteem. Z’s low self-esteem causes Z to experience anxiety, sees himself as worthless, considers himself different from his siblings. Z also experienced symptoms of depression such as withdrawing from his social environment and seeing himself as just a burden which caused Z to have repeated thoughts about suicide, even Z had even attempted suicide. The purpose of this study is to increase Z’s self-esteem through ta’limah and muhasabah therapy. In ta’limah therapy, clients are given material and also given motivation. As a continuation of this ta’limah therapy, muhasabah therapy is also given. In muhasabah therapy, clients are given homework assignments in order for clients to use their minds positively so that clients can find meaning in their lives. Everything that happens to him is not in vain and he is someone of value. This study uses the type of action research or action research using a critical action research model because this research emphasizes a high intention to act to solve problems. This study consisted of two cycles, each cycle having four meetings. The final result of this research can be said to be successful, indicated by the change in Z’s thoughts and behavior in relation to his social environment, especially to his parents. Z has started to have positive thoughts about himself, no longer locks himself in his room, begins to interact with his family often, even thoughts about suicide Z also do not appear at the time of the implementation of the second cycle

Teachers’ Mindsets about L2 Learning: Exploring the Influences on Pedagogical Practices

This qualitative study aimed to examine Iranian language teachers’ mindsets about language learning and teaching, and the ways in which their mindsets influenced their educational practices. The participants of this study were 20 Iranian language teachers who taught general English courses at private language institutes in a city in central Iran. The data were collected through conducting semi-structured interviews with the participants. The qualitative content analysis was conducted, and the main themes and categories were extracted. The results revealed that teachers had categorical (fixed or growth) or mixed mindsets (both fixed and growth mindsets). Moreover, the results showed that teachers’ mindsets influenced teachers’ pedagogical strategies, homework assignment, and their praise type. The findings show that it is important to raise teachers’ awareness about their mindsets and the effects they might have on their teaching strategies and the feedback/praise they give to their students.

Cosa insegna ai genitori ad essere responsivi? I risultati di una metanalisi “a rete”

What teaches parents to be responsive? The results of a "network" meta-analysis Responsiveness is the dimension of parenting most strongly associated with positive developmental outcomes in children. In this study, with the methodology of network meta-analysis, the optimal combination of teaching methods for adults about responsive care for children aged 0-6 was investigated in order to determine how to develop effective training programs in the general population to improve the responsive skills of caregivers. 119 studies (12.376 participants) were collected. 71% of parents who receive these interventions improve their responsiveness. The authors conclude that programs aimed at the general population can be low-cost, short (less than a year), carried out in groups, for target parents of 1-6 years old children. These programs can also be focused on responsive care, can use observation of responsive caregiving models and the assignment of homework. Individual video feedback, home visiting and work-intensive programs, should be reserved for particular groups of parents, not included in this study, such as parents with psychiatric problems.

НАВЧАЛЬНІ ЕКСКУРСІЇ ТА ЇХ ЗНАЧЕННЯ В ОСВІТНЬОМУ ПРОЦЕСІ

In today's world, there is little that can interest children in learning about the world around them. They are used to spending a lot of time in their gadgets. Namely, the school was created in order to develop children's abilities, skills and outlook. Fortunately, we have such an event as an excursion. Thanks to them, we can show students the world around as it is; just a walk near the school or a trip to the forest to show the beauty of this world, and most importantly - of their native land, and encourage them to love the Motherland. The goal of the bachelor thesis is to develop an educational excursion that combines knowledge of the native land and motivates to preserve nature. In the process of research, the main approaches to defining the concept of "excursion", the functions and methodical stages of the educational excursion were analyzed. Materials on the natural conditions of the Ponornytsk OTG and the Mezyn National Nature Park itself have also been developed. The next stage was the development of the author's excursion "Paths of Mezyn Park". 7 display objects were selected for the event. To learn the excursion material, a mini-game "Field of Miracles" was developed and a homework assignment was offered: creating a wall-newspaper "Vegetation of Mezyn Park".