Increase In Content Knowledge Research Articles

Assembling a physical model helps students grasp human somatosensory pathways.

Mastering the complexity of the nervous system is essential for education programs in physiology, anatomy, and neuroscience. Students often struggle when learning somatosensory pathways, which convey information from sensory neurons to the somatosensory cortex in the brain. Active learning activities incorporating physical models have been shown to increase content comprehension as well as enjoyment of the learning process. Here, we present a three-dimensional physical model of somatosensory pathways constructed of durable, affordable, and widely available materials. In an upper level human physiology lab, students assembled the model and then used it to complete case study questions connecting damage to the spinal cord to resulting sensory deficits. This model-based activity was highly effective as indicated by significant increases in content knowledge and positive responses to survey questions on the effectiveness of the activity. This activity incorporates many evidence-based teaching practices that have been shown to increase engagement, inclusion, and mastery of content and provides an effective and fun way for students to learn a challenging topic.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This model-building activity for learning somatosensory neural pathways increases students' content knowledge and is an enjoyable way to learn a complex system. This activity adds to an ever-growing collection of evidence-based learning activities for human physiology courses.

Engagement in the Data Collection Phase of the Scientific Process is Key for Enhancing Learning Gains

Most programs that create opportunities for the public to engage in scientific research invite the public to collect data, but there is a call to expand opportunities for engagement in additional aspects of the scientific process. One reason behind this call is the hypothesis that people who participate to a greater degree in the scientific process experience more robust learning outcomes. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a quasi-experiment by using a pre-post survey design and comparing varying degrees of participation in a Bird Cams Lab investigation. Bird Cams Lab was a virtual space in which the public worked with scientists to design and implement co-created investigations involving live streaming or recorded footage of birds. We found that the higher the degree of participation in the investigation, the greater the increase in content knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-reported improvement in science inquiry skills. Interestingly, involvement in data collection was associated with the greatest gains in content knowledge and self-efficacy regardless of involvement in other parts of the scientific process. For programs with limited funding and resources that seek to increase participants’ content knowledge and self-efficacy, focusing efforts on supporting data collection may be the most impactful.

A Case Study of Specialized Science Courses in Teacher Education and Their Impact on Classroom Teaching

ABSTRACT Specialized science courses (SSCs) integrate content knowledge (CK) with pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) for reform-oriented teaching. Studies of individual SSCs report positive short-term outcomes, including an increase in self-efficacy and CK. However, few studies explore the longer-term impact of SSCs on classroom teaching. We carried out an exploratory case study of three PSTs from a Norwegian teacher education program that included SSCs. In the context of their field practicum, we compared PSTs’ teaching of topics taught in SSCs (aligned lessons) with topics not taught in SSCs (unaligned lessons). Data collection consisted of field observations of one aligned and one unaligned lesson as well as stimulated recall interviews based on video recordings. In our analyses, we compared PSTs use of instructional strategies in aligned and unaligned lessons and how their knowledge for teaching informed these instructional decisions. We found that SSCs supported PSTs in using more topic-specific instructional strategies when teaching aligned lessons. In the aligned lessons, their teaching was better informed by knowledge of students’ understandings in science. We also examined PSTs’ perceptions of how they drew upon SSCs in their classroom teaching. They reported that SSCs had a major impact on their CK, PCK and self-efficacy for science teaching. Through this study, we provide unique insights into how PSTs draw on SSCs in their classroom teaching. We include implications for further research and the design of SSCs.

Cooperative learning in teacher education: its effects on EFL pre-service teachers’ content knowledge and teaching self-efficacy

ABSTRACT Cooperative learning (CL) is an instructional model that continues to have great impact on student learning across different disciplines and at all educational levels. However, little is known about how CL influences EFL pre-service teachers’ learning outcomes. This study examined the effect of CL on content knowledge and teaching self-efficacy of EFL pre-service teachers using a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. The experimental group (N = 35) and the control group (N = 30) were randomly selected from two Cambodian regional teacher training centres. For 16 weeks, the experimental group was exposed to CL while the control group participated in lecture-based learning. Data was collected before and after the experiment through an achievement test and an adapted scale on teaching self-efficacy. The ANCOVA results revealed that the EFL pre-service teachers in the experimental group outperformed their conventionally trained counterparts in terms of grammar and vocabulary achievement and teaching self-efficacy. This study adds to the existing literature, showing that CL significantly contributes to the increase in content knowledge and teaching self-efficacy among EFL pre-service teachers and highlights the need for applying CL in pre-service instruction.

The impact of pulse oximetry and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) training on antibiotic prescribing practices in rural Malawi: A mixed-methods study.

The misdiagnosis of non-malarial fever in sub-Saharan Africa has contributed to the significant burden of pediatric pneumonia and the inappropriate use of antibiotics in this region. This study aims to assess the impact of 1) portable pulse oximeters and 2) Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) continued education training on the diagnosis and treatment of non-malarial fever amongst pediatric patients being treated by the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) in rural Malawi. This study involved a logbook review to compare treatment patterns between five GAIA mobile clinics in Mulanje, Malawi during April-June 2019. An intervention study design was employed with four study groups: 1) 2016 control, 2) 2019 control, 3) IMCI-only, and 4) IMCI and pulse oximeter. A total of 3,504 patient logbook records were included based on these inclusion criteria: age under five years, febrile, malaria-negative, and treated during the dry season. A qualitative questionnaire was distributed to the participating GAIA providers. Fisher's Exact Testing and odds ratios were calculated to compare the prescriptive practices between each study group and reported with 95% confidence intervals. The pre- and post-exam scores for the providers who participated in the IMCI training showed an increase in content knowledge and understanding (p<0.001). The antibiotic prescription rates in each study group were 75% (2016 control), 85% (2019 control), 84% (IMCI only), and 42% (IMCI + pulse oximeter) (p<0.001). An increase in pneumonia diagnoses was detected for patients who received pulse oximeter evaluation with an oxygen saturation <95% (p<0.001). No significant changes in antibiotic prescribing practices were detected in the IMCI-only group (p>0.001). However, provider responses to the qualitative questionnaires indicated alternative benefits of the training including improved illness classification and increased provider confidence. Clinics that implemented both the IMCI course and pulse oximeters exhibited a significant decrease in antibiotic prescription rates, thus highlighting the potential of this tool in combatting antibiotic overconsumption in low-resource settings. Enhanced detection of hypoxia in pediatric patients was regarded by clinicians as helpful for identifying pneumonia cases. GAIA staff appreciated the IMCI continued education training, however it did not appear to significantly impact antibiotic prescription rates and/or pneumonia diagnosis.

Robots as Assistive Technology Tools to Enhance Cognitive Abilities and Foster Valuable Learning Experiences among Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study examines the efficacy of robots as assistive technology (AT) learning tools for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study attempts to find answers to whether robots as assistive tools can (i) profoundly improve achievement in learning and (ii) provide valuable learning experiences among this group of children. Using LEGO Mindstorms EV3, a robot was built and programmed to teach the basic concept of place value in mathematics. Eight children with ASD, specifically, four females and four males, participated in the single case study, and six special education teachers took part in the interviews. The children participated in both traditional and robotic intervention lessons and were assessed at the end of each session. The results indicate a positive increase in content knowledge and an improved disposition toward learning, thus demonstrating the potential utilization of robots as AT tools for harnessing classroom learning. Data from the interviews with teachers highlighted four valuable learning experiences that occurred in the classrooms as a result of the robotic interventions; namely, with respect to young children with ASD, the AT (1) promoted interest and engagement, (2) increased attention and focus, (3) triggered interactions and communication, and (4) created a happy and fun learning environment.

What Happens When Trained Graduate Student Instructors Switch to an Open Textbook? A Controlled Study of the Impact on Student Learning Outcomes

Open educational resources (OER) are increasingly attractive options for reducing educational costs, yet controlled studies of their efficacy are lacking. The current study addressed many criticisms of past research by accounting for course and instructor characteristics in comparing objective student learning outcomes across multiple sections of General Psychology taught by trained graduate student instructors at a large research-intensive university. We found no evidence that use of the OER text impeded students' critical thinking compared to use of a traditional textbook, even after accounting for instructor characteristics. To the contrary, we found evidence of a slight increase in content knowledge when using an OER text. Importantly, this effect was driven by improvements from both our lowest-performing students and our highest-performing students. Moreover, student learning outcomes were not influenced by instructor experience, suggesting even novice instructors fared well with OER materials. Finally, students from traditionally underserved populations reported the lower cost of the book had a significantly higher impact on their decision to enroll in and remain enrolled in the course.

Online peer consulting for health professionals.

Many health care professionals specialise in particular medical fields. Nevertheless, they often encounter patients with other indications for which they have only limited experience. In such situations it is helpful to consult colleagues who have specialised in the respective areas. The Internet provides the opportunity to connect with other specialists that can be used for peer consulting. We argue that health professionals should learn to make use of online peer consulting during vocational training. We used an open-source platform that provided the opportunity to chat and upload documents. We recruited 45 first-year physiotherapy students as participants. The training for online peer consulting was integrated into courses where students were taught basic principles of gait analysis and learned how to document the findings of their examinations. Subsequently, the students evaluated the course and the online collaboration. Students were highly motivated to use the online platform and perceived the online peer consulting and the atmosphere of collaboration on the platform to be very positive. In addition, students had a significant increase in content knowledge and were more confident in their own knowledge than they were before the online peer consulting. It seems appropriate to provide training for giving and gathering online peer feedback. This opportunity, provided at an early stage of training, could help prepare students for continuing co-operative exchange in their professional lives. Health care professionals should learn how to gather information from colleagues and how to provide adequate feedback.

Examining features of how professional development and enactment of educative curricula influences elementary science teacher learning

AbstractThis research examines factors influencing elementary science teacher learning as they participate in professional development with and enactment of educative curricula in comparison with learning following limited professional development and enactment of traditional curricula. Using a randomized cluster design (125 teachers and 2,694 students in 4th—5th grades) that met the What Works Clearinghouse standards without reservations, teacher learning was conceptualized using four outcomes. Data were analyzed using standard single‐level multiple regression models and possible mediation models for the teacher outcomes were considered using piecewise multiple regression and path analytic approaches. Treatment group teachers experienced greater increases in content knowledge, views of science inquiry, beliefs about reform‐based teaching, and teaching self‐efficacy than comparison group teachers. The findings indicate that what teachers learn from the combination of professional development and teaching with educative curriculum varies according to what their knowledge and beliefs are on entering the experience. Surprisingly, high entry‐level self‐efficacy was associated not only with lower learning gains for the teachers, but also for their students. Finally, teachers' space science learning and that of their students are implicated as mediators of the positive effect of the professional development and educative curriculum enactment on teacher beliefs about reform science teaching. This work refines and extends a theoretical framework of teachers' participatory relationship with curricula.

Pandem-Sim: Development and Pilot Testing of a Live Simulation of Infectious Disease Outbreaks.

Pandem-Sim is a live, distance-learning simulation where 10th-12th grade students perform as epidemiologists to investigate infectious disease outbreaks. Prior to a mission, teachers review content and introduce students to the sim interfaces. During the mission students analyze data concerning demographics, symptoms and patient histories for a disease outbreak somewhere in the world. Student teams make initial diagnoses and order medical tests. If the tests do not confirm the diagnosis, the process is repeated. Following correct diagnosis, students identify the transmission method, prescribe treatments, recommend procedures to contain the outbreak, and issue a public health alert. During the 90 minute simulation the Chief Epidemiologist (a STEM educator at Wheeling Jesuit University) asks students critical thinking questions. Pilot tests were conducted at four schools (78 students) with data analyzed from pre-post surveys, classroom observations, interviews with Chief Epidemiologists and teachers, and detailed logs of student work. The first pilot test revealed needed revisions of procedures and teacher preparation, which were made before subsequent testing. Differences in students' pre and post surveys showed a small but statistically significant increase in content knowledge. Additionally, students reported that they enjoyed participating in the experience and it increased confidence in their abilities necessary to pursue a health related career.

Learning progressions as tools for supporting teacher content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge about water in environmental systems

AbstractResearch on learning progressions has led to advances in understanding student learning about big ideas in science, but teachers struggle to leverage the full potential of learning progressions for classroom instruction. Because learning progressions lay out how students' ideas change over a long period of time, learning progressions could help teachers build better understanding of student thinking, appropriate learning goals, and instructional moves for supporting students in developing more sophisticated ideas. In this study, we explored the potential of learning progression‐based curriculum materials to support teachers in developing more sophisticated content knowledge (CK) and pedagocial content knowledge (PCK) for teaching about water in environmental systems. Teachers participated in professional development that introduced them to a learning progression for water in environmental systems and curriculum materials based on this learning progression. Teachers completed written assessments of their CK and PCK prior to the workshops and a year later. Analyses showed that teachers who taught lessons using the learning progression‐based curriculum materials showed modest increases in CK, knowledge of learning goals, and knowledge of student thinking. These increases were greater than analogous changes evident for teachers who did not use the curriculum materials. However, even among those who implemented the curriculum materials, teachers' post‐assessment performance did not yet reflect knowledge for supporting students in developing model‐based reasoning about water. These results show that learning progressions have potential for supporting teacher learning, but that the ubiquity of traditional school science discourse may limit their potential for both student and teacher progress toward model‐based reasoning.

Connecting Teenagers to Coastal Sciences through Research and Education: Shark Fest Program

In 2010, the Marine Education Center collaborated with the Center for Fisheries Research and Development's Shark Research Program to design an educational program that combined research experiences and educational opportunities for teenage audiences. This program, Shark Fest, educates students about the sharks of the Mississippi Sound and engages them in scientific studies of shark populations and movements. This program has reached 398 participants in grades 7–12. During the program, students assist in conducting a population survey using a 152.4-m (500-ft) bottom longline with 50 hooks and fishing with a rod-and-reel. Students measure, weigh, determine sex, and identify to species all captured sharks, and tag those in good condition prior to release. Program participants also conduct water-quality sampling (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and water clarity) at each sample site for addition to the database. Students take a pre-test and post-test to assess the level of knowledge gained during the program. Results of a paired-sample t-test on 2015 pre-test and post-test data reflected a significant difference in pre-test (mean = 6.16, SD = 2.36) and post-test (mean = 8.54, SD = 1.93) scores (t[83] = -9.172, P < 0.0001), indicating an increase in content knowledge. Written and verbal post-participation assessments also highlighted a positive student experience. We conducted opportunistic interviews with several students 4 years after they were in the program and found evidence of retained knowledge along with positive overall impressions. Some participants stated that the experience influenced their career pursuits.

Virtual Learning Environments in Social Psychology

An interactive learning module was developed and implemented in a social psychology course to teach concepts of the self via self-exploration and game play using The SIMS3. Students volunteered to play the computer video game throughout a 5-week summer session as a supplement to reading the chapter in the textbook. Results revealed that students who played the game demonstrated a significant increase in content knowledge compared to those who engaged in other active learning projects; interestingly, students who played the game reported lower levels of confidence with course material. Student’s overall perceived experience (e.g., engagement, fun) of the learning module was also explored.

Losing the Lake: Simulations to Promote Gains in Student Knowledge and Interest about Climate Change

Climate change literacy plays a key role in promoting sound political decisions and promoting sustainable consumption patterns. Based on evidence suggesting that student understanding and interest in climate change is best accomplished through studying local effects, we developed a simulation/game exploring the impact of climate change on the declining water levels in Lake Mead. Because there are few evaluations of educational games using true control groups, this study also presents a randomized field trial evaluating the game. We randomly assigned 119 seventh graders to either a gamebased condition or control condition. Students in the experimental group played Losing the Lake; those in the control group viewed an earth science website. Students also completed pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest measures of their content understanding and interest in issues embodied in the game. We found that playing the game resulted in a significant increase in content knowledge, as measured by a 22-item assessment, especially on items related to household conservation and some basic concepts related to the greenhouse effect. The control group showed no effect. Playing

Effects of Agricultural Sales CDE Modules on Content Knowledge and Argumentation Skill

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the type of training module on argumentation skill, student content knowledge achievement, and performance in an agricultural sales practicum completed by secondary school agriculture students. Current research has concluded that most students do not possess the academic or transferable skills to be successful in the workplace. This quasi-experimental study sought to evaluate students’ development of academic and transferable skills through the use of researcher-developed agricultural sales training modules. Two sets of training modules were used, one with and one without argumentation infused into the lessons. Results indicated that both groups of students had increases in content knowledge and argumentation skill; further, there was no statistically significant difference between groups.

A Training Program for Improving the Informed Consent Discussion Between Clinical Researchers and Their Subjects

Although there are many training programs on informed consent, they seldom model the contextual factors that support the vital elements of communication, including presentation style, body language, providing a comfortable environment, utilizing clear language, and establishing overall rapport with the subject. A team of clinicians at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) created a pilot program that consists of a video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l26hdCD9g2I ) and didactic presentation to train investigators to conduct informed consent discussions. Thirty-four physicians and eighty nurses were tested on the training content including these contextual factors. Both groups showed an increase in content knowledge after the training. An informed consent training program such as this is feasible and may improve both the knowledge and communication skills necessary for this important process.

The potential of video games as a pedagogical tool.

The potential of video games as a pedagogical tool.

The impact of a project‐based science curriculum on minority student achievement, attitudes, and careers: The effects of teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge and inquiry‐based practices

AbstractProject‐based science (PBS) curricula have project‐ and inquiry‐based aspects that leverage the strengths of urban students from ethnic and racial groups underrepresented in science careers, potentially impacting positively these students' science achievement and attitudes and thus their college and career plans. We aimed to determine the extent to which a PBS curriculum would show this. We provided professional development to bolster urban teachers' science content knowledge (CK) and science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to observe the maximal impact of the PBS curriculum. We found that students' science achievement improved with the PBS curriculum, but that their attitudes toward science and plans to pursue science did not. Increases in teachers' CK and PCK with the professional development correlated with the improvements in student science achievement but did not correlate with improvements in student science attitudes or plans. However, the frequency of teachers' use of specific inquiry‐based activities did correlate with improvements in students' science attitudes and plans. In sum, the extent of the success of a PBS curriculum with students from groups underrepresented in science careers appears to be dependent on elements of both teacher knowledge (CK and PCK) and teachers' frequency of use of inquiry‐based activities that are consistent with culturally relevant pedagogical practices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 94:855–887, 2010

Online Learning Modules for an Extension Program: Useful and Utilized?

A set of publicly available online learning modules was created as an educational supplement to a university extension program. Because the modules created for this program—like many online modules developed as a part of university outreach—are supplementary to programs featuring in‐person instruction and hard‐copy materials, it is not required that they be completed. An exploratory evaluation aimed to determine whether program participants make use of the non‐compulsory modules and whether the modules are effective in helping participants to gain a greater understanding of watershed concepts. Such findings may extend to similar supplementary online learning experiences being developed through university extension and other similar programs. Participants in the evaluation demonstrated a &gt;30% increase in content knowledge from pre‐test scores to post‐test scores; 70% of participants retained this knowledge through a 2‐month follow‐up test. Participants also provided very positive feedback regarding their experience with the modules. Online usage statistics indicated sustained site visitation for many months following the modules’ release and advertisement. Modules were found to be an asset to the hard‐copy text used for the extension course. Evaluators expressed appreciation for interactive learning objects and seemed to use the modules over time as a ready reference. However, the modules are clearly not a substitute for in‐person instruction. Overall, the exploratory evaluation indicated that the modules were a welcome supplement to the course and were effective in reinforcing key concepts.

An Immersion Professional Development Program in Environmental Science for Inservice Elementary School Teachers

Poor performance by elementary school students on science assessment tests is due in part to inadequate science education for teachers. Environmental Science for Elementary School Teachers (ESEST) is a 14-year collaboration between university faculty in geology and biology and public school teachers in Ohio. The primary goal of this immersion, field-based program is to increase K-6 teacher knowledge of basic principles of environmental science. Participants and instructors take daily trips to field locations; hands-on activities are used to illustrate concepts such as geologic time and use of biotic indices to assess stream quality. Qualitative and quantitative assessments indicate a two-fold increase in content knowledge and an improvement in teaching skills by our participants. Further, participants return to their classrooms with the confidence to teach state academic content standards and an increased sense of independence. We argue that partnerships between K-12 and post-secondary institutions are critical to effective teacher education: most school systems do not have the infrastructure or funding to deliver a program of this nature on their own. ESEST meets multiple criteria for professional development for teachers. Our experience indicates that the program is successful because participants are immersed in a physically and mentally challenging, collaborative, outdoor learning environment.