Reading Textbooks Research Articles

Using Podcasts to Facilitate Textbook Readings in a Medical-Surgical Nursing Course.

Undergraduate students need to possess the skills to read a nursing textbook critically. Professor-made guided reading podcasts were added to a junior-level first medical-surgical nursing course to develop textbook reading skills and focus on essential knowledge points for success. A total of 148 students were asked to complete a voluntary, anonymous, cross-sectional, descriptive survey about their use and perceptions of the podcasts, with 36.49% (n = 54) of students consenting to participate. Of the participants, 61.11% (n = 33) of students listened to all or most podcasts, and 78% (n = 39) of students agreed or strongly agreed that the podcasts were helpful to their learning. Implementing professor-made guided reading podcasts was a helpful educational innovation to assist nursing students in critically reading the textbook, which will be continued for future course iterations. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Investigating the impact of mental rehearsal on prefrontal and motor cortical haemodynamic responses in surgeons using optical neuroimaging.

Inadequate exposure to real-life operating can impede timely acquisition of technical competence among surgical residents, and is a major challenge faced in the current training climate. Mental rehearsal (MR)-the cognitive rehearsal of a motor task without overt physical movement-has been shown to accelerate surgical skills learning. However, the neuroplastic effect of MR of a complex bimanual surgical task is unknown. The aim of this study is to use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess the impact of MR on prefrontal and motor cortical activation during a laparoscopic knot tying task. Twelve surgical residents performed a laparoscopic knot tying task before and after either mental rehearsal (MR, intervention group) or textbook reading (TR, control group). In both groups, fNIRS was used to measure changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (HbO2) in the prefrontal (24 channels) and motor cortices (22 channels). Technical performance was measured using leak volume, objective performance score and task progression score. MR led to a decrease in HbO2 (reduced activation) in the bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), and an increase in HbO2 (increased activation) in the left middle frontal gyrus, left precentral gyrus, and left postcentral gyrus. No discernible changes in activation were observed after TR in either the PFC or motor cortex. Moreover, smaller ΔHbO2 responses in the right PFC and greater ΔHbO2 responses in the left motor cortex were observed in the MR group compared with the TR group. Leak volume was significantly less following MR (p = 0.019), but not after TR (p = 0.347). Mean objective performance score was significantly higher following MR compared with TR (p = 0.043). Mental rehearsal may enhance surgical skill acquisition and technical proficiency by reducing utilization of attentional resources in the prefrontal cortex and improving neural efficiency in motor areas during a laparoscopic surgical task.

Analisis Cara Belajar Siswa Berprestasi pada Muatan Matematika Kelas III di SD Negeri 10 Langkai

The way students learn is one of the important factors that greatly influences the achievement or learning outcomes studied. In education, it is often known that each student has a different way of learning. A good way of studying will determine success in learning. This research aims to find out how outstanding students in class III learn at SD Negeri 10 Langkai. This research uses qualitative research. Data collection uses observation methods, interview methods, and documentation methods. This research took 3 student subjects who had achievements in Class III of SD Negeri 10 Langkai. Meanwhile, the data analysis uses descriptive of Mile and Huberman’s analysis which consists of: data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The results of the research found that the learning methods for high-achieving students are: (1) making a study schedule during the day or in the evening to prepare for the next day's learning, (2) reading textbooks when the learning process has begun with the teacher's direction to know the material to be read, (3) record the material, in its application in class III of SD Negeri 10 Langkai there are rules for recording the material. Students are not allowed to make mistakes when the teacher is explaining, (4) repeating material, not all students repeat material that has been taught at school, but quite a few students also repeat material at home so that the material they get sticks in students' minds (5) do the tasks given by the teacher very well which will determine the learning outcomes. Students who excel have different ways of learning from other students. Students who excel will be more consistent in carrying out the learning methods they have created, so that the learning results they get will be more satisfying.

The Impact of Pictures-Based Activities in Enhancing Reading Comprehension Skills Among Young Children

The current research aimed to investigate the impact of integrating pictures-based activities on enhancing reading comprehension skills across different levels: literal, interpretive, and evaluative. The study involved 380 children split into experimental and control groups, with the experimental group (190 pupils) exposed to pictures-based activities, while the control group (190 pupils) was taught conventionally without activities. Findings indicated significantly higher average scores in reading comprehension tests for the experimental group than the control group. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences favoring the experimental group, demonstrating the effectiveness of pictures-based activities in improving comprehension skills. However, there were no statistically significant differences in performance within the experimental group across different reading achievement levels, suggesting that the benefits of using illustrative pictures were consistent across varying initial reading abilities. Moreover, the study highlighted that integrating pictures-based activities helped narrow the performance gap in reading comprehension skills among children, particularly benefiting those with lower and average reading achievement levels. This empirical evidence underscores the importance of visual aids in early childhood reading materials to support comprehension development. Based on these findings, the study recommended integrating pictures-based activities in early childhood reading textbooks. It also emphasized the need for effective training of early childhood educators in designing and implementing such activities to optimize their impact on children's reading comprehension skills.

Polish primers (textbooks for learning to read) of the 16th and 17th centuries.

From the 16th to the 18th, and in parish and village schools until the 19th century, reading was taught by the syllabication method known since antiquity, also known as the alphabetic method. Many of all textbooks were catechism teachings – hence their unambiguous confessional character. The two oldest known Polish reading textbooks were intended for followers of the Augsburg Confession. However, it is very likely that the first Polish primers, containing catechism teachings following Catholic doctrine, began to be printed in the 1520s. The article discusses all currently known editions of Polish script reading textbooks published in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Lexical Bundle Patterns in Malaysian Educational Texts: A Corpus-Based Analysis of English Language Textbooks

In the era of digital learning, understanding the linguistic input in educational materials is vital for language acquisition. Lexical bundles, or recurring word sequences, significantly contribute to developing fluency and coherence, especially in academic contexts. This study examines the presence and types of lexical bundles in Malaysian Form 4 and Form 5 KBSM English textbooks, analyzing their frequency and functions. Using a mixed-method design with a corpus-based approach, data were collected from textbook reading passages and analyzed with AntConc 3.4.3 software. The study aims to assess whether these textbooks provide sufficient linguistic input to enhance students' English proficiency in academic contexts. The findings show a limited presence of lexical bundles, with 29 different 3-word bundles appearing 203 times in total. Four-word bundles were not found in the corpus. The bundles were categorized into three functional types based on Biber et al.'s (2004) taxonomy; stance expressions (55.2%), referential expressions (44.8%), and discourse organizers which were absent. This gap suggests a shortfall in the textbooks' ability to guide students in creating coherent and well-structured texts. The study emphasizes the need for more comprehensive inclusion of lexical bundles in textbooks to better support language acquisition and academic proficiency. It recommends that future textbooks incorporate a broader range of lexical bundles to better equip students for advanced language uses. This research contributes to discussions on the effectiveness of educational materials in second language learning and highlights the importance of targeted linguistic input.

Mobile multitasking in learning: A meta-analysis of effects of mobilephone distraction on young adults’ immediate recall

Mobilephone distraction in learning is a widely observed phenomenon due to dividing and switching attention between learning activities (e.g., attending lectures and reading textbooks) and off-task activities (e.g., texting and chatting). In the past 30 years, hundreds of empirical studies have examined this distraction and generated abundant but inconclusive findings. Built on two influential meta-analyses (Liu et al., 2017; Kates et al., 2018), this meta-analysis aimed to systematically synthesize evidence from 27 randomized controlled experiments, with a total of 55 effect sizes and 2245 participants, and precisely estimate the effect of mobilephone distraction on students' immediate recall scores for the first time. It is concluded that mobilephone distraction (1) causes an overall negative medium-sized effect on immediate recall (Hedges'g = −0.65, 95% CI [-0.81, −0.49]), (2) has a negative nearly-large-sized effect on lecture recall (Hedges's g = −0.70, 95% CI [-.86, -.54]), (3) is significantly moderated by gender but not by the 10 other moderators related to study features and demographical variables, and (4) is not distorted by publication bias, outlier studies, and missing data. These findings and future studies are discussed.

Syntactically branching out beyond the traditional classroom: A report on the discovery method

Abstract: This article reports on the successful implementation of the discovery method in an undergraduate Generative Syntax course. Rather than reading textbooks on syntactic analysis and doing exercises to apply what was read, students embark on a nine-stage learning cycle consisting of interactive, guided, and independent work. They engage with problem sets to build their own analyses of syntactic phenomena step by step. This method—meant to resemble the work of real-life scientists—allows students to hypothesize, experiment, and build knowledge from trial and error (Kolb 1984, Prince 2004). To measure the effectiveness of our pedagogy, we analyzed course evaluations submitted from 2012 to the present. Learner feedback shows that they find the assignments and activities helpful, that the course challenges them to think and learn, and that they consider the weekly write-ups demanding, yet highly beneficial for their learning.

Improving Prelicensure Student Learning and Experience With Interactive Online Learning Modules.

Fundamentals of Nursing students at a large school of nursing in the Midwest reported difficulty using their course textbooks. There was also an increase in course failures and a decrease in performance on a Fundamentals of Nursing National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®) preparatory proctored examination. A pilot project was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of interactive, online learning modules compared to textbook readings on student performance, access and use of resources, and student experience. Following the pilot there was a significant improvement in course grades among traditional but not accelerated students using the modules compared to those using the textbook. Students reported that the modules were more engaging, cost-effective, and appealing to various learning styles. Weaknesses identified were the module lengths and technological concerns. The online, interactive modules engaged students with course materials, reduced costs, and may have changed student performance. Additional research is needed among students in other courses and programs. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Pentingnya Membangun Budaya Literasi di Sekolah Dasar Islam Terpadu

This research aims to describe the implementation of literacy culture programs in elementary schools. This research uses a qualitative phenomenological approach. The subjects were school principals, teachers, students selected using purposive sampling techniques. Test the validity of the data using triangulation techniques by comparing the results of observations, interviews and documentation. The research results show that: 1) The policy of implementing a literacy culture in elementary schools using the government's School Literacy Movement program. This is based on Minister of Education and Culture Regulation no. 23 of 2015 which focuses on character development. (2) Implementation of literacy culture in elementary schools. This is based on the habituation stage which involves 10 minutes of reading the Koran and story books before learning. The activity development stage carried out was responding to the contents of reading books by reading independently, giving appreciation to students' literacy achievements, and having a school literacy team. The learning stage involves getting used to reading textbooks and using various strategies that support learning.

Vocabulary of reading materials in English and French L2 textbooks: A cross-lingual corpus study

Foreign language (L2) textbooks and specifically the reading materials they are constructed around constitute an essential source of input for learners. However, many questions remain about the lexical characteristics of L2 textbook reading materials. This study assesses (1) their vocabulary demands by means of vocabulary loads, (2) the representation of higher- and lower-frequency words, and (3) the extent to which words are repurposed across texts. A corpus was compiled containing the reading materials from three English and three French textbook series used across all six grades of Flemish secondary education to determine whether widely observed differences in learners’ out-of-school exposure (which is high for English but low for French) somehow impact the lexical characteristics of the materials. To analyse the corpus, a custom lexical profiling system was built in Python. Results show (1) a fairly consistent build-up in vocabulary loads in the English materials but not in the French materials, (2) the absence of 20–30% of the 5000 most frequent words (flemmas) in the English and French materials, respectively, and (3) limited potential in both L2s for reencountering words across texts, with ca. 50% of all introduced lexical items being used exclusively in one text.

Evaluation of the Content of the Arabic Reading Textbook for the Fifth Grade from the Perspective of Subject Teachers

Evaluation of the Content of the Arabic Reading Textbook for the Fifth Grade from the Perspective of Subject Teachers

IDENTIFYING THE READABILITY OF INDONESIAN TEXTBOOK DISCOURSE IN GRADE IX USING FRY AND RAYGOR GRAPHS

This study attempted to examine the readability of Indonesian textbooks for grade IX of the 2013 Revised edition. This research uses descriptive qualitative method with observation technique. That is by direct observation on the discourse data that will be used as research material. The source of data in this study is in the form of written sources, namely in class IX textbooks. The data collected will be analyzed in accordance with the symptoms assessed in the study and then described. Each of the three parts of the discourse is sampled in the amount of 100 words from the total. Furthermore, it is determined the number of sentences in each sample described To estimate a readability there are many formulas that can be used, for example the Fry and Raygor graph formulas. Both look similar because they require similar data but there are still differences between them. Based on the results of the above research, it can be seen that the readability of textbooks, especially Indonesian textbooks for grade IX of the 2013 Revised edition, is at the readability level of 7-8. This indicates that at this approximate level, students can understand the textbook reading. This means that literacy problems continue to take root. So that improving literacy in the younger generation continues to be a special concern in finding the right improvement method. Keyboard: Raygor, textbook, Frygor, readability, discourse

Development of a Textbook for Critical Reading of Legal Documents in Compulsory University Courses in Higher Education

This study aims to develop a legal document-based critical reading textbook in compulsory university courses in higher education. This study used a research and development method with the ADDIE model. The instruments used to obtain research data are observation guidelines, interviews, and expert assessment questionnaires for the developed products. The subjects of this research were students of the law study program who were taking Indonesian language courses at Ahmad Dahlan University Yogyakarta. The data analysis technique used was quantitative descriptive data analysis. The results of this study indicated that the product feasibility test for material experts obtained a score of 3.6 in the excellent category. The product feasibility test for media experts obtained a score of 4.0 with a good category. Based on the student response test results calculated by the AIKEN V formula, the score was 0.95 to 1 with an outstanding category. The effectiveness test using independent sample pretest results 0.155 means insignificant, meaning that the initial conditions are not different or the same. In contrast, the post-test results of 0.011 mean significant, meaning different conditions. This study concludes that the textbook developed is influential for teaching material for students of law study programs in understanding legal documents.

Textbooks on reading in Russian for Chinese universities over the past 30 years: analysis and prospects

Textbooks are the basis for implementing the curriculum and an important support in teaching activities. They play an important role in foreign language teaching, representing teaching materials that combine the characteristics of the time, learning objectives, advanced teaching concepts, and patterns of self-learning. The aim of the research is to identify trends and problems in the sphere of preparation and publication of teaching aids for reading in Russian in China. The author analyzed 84 manuals on reading in Russian published in China over the last 30 years. Special attention was paid to the 4 most representative books published at different times. Comparative-typological method, as well as methods of induction and mathematical processing were used. The comparative analysis of teaching aids was carried out considering the aspects of the purpose of creation, structure, content. The features of universal (comprehensive) and professional-specialized reading textbooks, including auxiliary teaching materials are considered. The necessity of creating a series of high-quality textbooks is emphasized, and the ways of solving this problem are determined. The author has deeply explored the alternatives of composing Russian reading textbooks from the point of view of a system of multifunctional thematic content, integration of intercultural and national-specific elements, and multipolar learning.

Decision-Making During Asynchronous Electives: Insights From Emergency Medicine-Bound Medical Students.

Introduction While asynchronous learning is gaining popularity, little is known about learners' decisions regarding compliance with assigned asynchronous material. We sought to explore how medical students make decisions about the use of their time when engaging in asynchronous learning during the residency interview season. Methods After implementing a four-week blended elective for emergency medicine-bound fourth-year medical students, we conducted a mixed methods study with an explanatory sequential design. We analyzed weekly surveys regarding accountability and barriers to assignment completion and conducted semi-structured focus groups exploring the decisions students made regarding compliance with asynchronous assignments. Using a constructivist approach, we performed a thematic analysis of the transcripts. Results The average assignment completion rate was 36%, with the highest rates for podcasts (58%) and the lowest rates for textbook readings (20%). Compliance with assignments was enhanced by a desire for increased ownership of learning but was hindered by a lack of accountability, learner burnout, and higher prioritization of interviews. Students preferentially selected resources that were shorter in length, entertaining, and more convenient for travel. Conclusion Our study highlights factors impacting student compliance when engaging in asynchronous learning and offers insights into educational and institutional strategies that can be utilized to enhance learner motivation.

Journey of a drug: teaching pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

BackgroundPharmacology is a challenging course for nursing students, especially when considering the pharmacologic principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD). Active learning strategies including the use of manipulatives aimed at increasing knowledge and engagement may improve learning outcomes in a pharmacology course. AimThe aim of this study was to determine if an interactive ‘Journey of a Drug’ (JoaD) activity using manipulatives to represent key components of PK and PD processes was more effective than textbook readings and asynchronous video lecture for teaching PK/PD. MethodsThe efficacy of this activity was evaluated using a pretest-posttest design to compare students’ scores on a PK/PD knowledge test, as well as student self-reported engagement and perceptions of the JoaD activity compared to asynchronous PK/PD video lecture. ResultsThere were significant improvements in PK/PD knowledge, student engagement, and students’ perceptions of the JoaD activity compared to asynchronous video lecture. ConclusionsThese results suggest that the JoaD activity is an effective active learning intervention that improves knowledge of PK/PD principles and enhances student engagement.

Strategi Pembelajaran Pendidikan Islam dalam Meningkatkan Literasi Keagamaan di MAN 2 Payakumbuh

The article is entitled "Islamic education learning strategies in increasing religious literacy. This article was written because students still lack interest in reading Islamic education books. This article explores what kind of application of Islamic education learning strategies in increasing religious literacy by teachers of Islamic education subjects such as moral beliefs at MAN 2 Payakumbuh. The aim is to find out what obstacles there are in its implementation. This type of research uses a qualitative approach to describe the implementation of Islamic education learning strategies to increase religious literacy at MAN 2 Payakumbuh. We obtained data through interviews with class XI Aqidah Akhlak teachers, and interviews with class XI students as well as observations. This research obtained the results that the implementation of Islamic education learning strategies implemented by schools and implemented by teachers was not satisfactory and still had many shortcomings. There were 5 strategies implemented, namely: visiting the library, asking students to read for 20 minutes before learning started, making wall magazines, organizing a literacy corner for each class, organizing competitions related to literacy. Even though all strategies have been implemented, there are still gaps. The obstacles to students' lack of interest in reading textbooks, especially Islamic education books, are students' lack of interest in reading textbooks and students' lack of awareness of the importance of reading textbooks, external factors, namely the environment, from friends, from the family environment and school facilities that are rarely used.

The Necessity and Strategy Analysis of Cultural Introduction in Teaching Chinese Reading as a Foreign Language

Since the reform and opening-up policy, China has undergone an unprecedented transformation, not only economically, but also in education and teaching, particularly in the field of teaching Chinese as a foreign language.Due to the increasing influence of our country in the international community, it has attracted a lot of curiosity from foreigners towards China, so they have started learning Chinese one after another. Of course, learning Chinese is not just about learning a language, the most important thing is to learn more about Chinese culture through learning Chinese, so that they can communicate smoothly with Chinese people. Chinese reading textbooks for foreign students contain a large amount of cultural information about historical figures, customs, geographical knowledge, and other aspects, so reading teaching has become an important channel for foreign students to learn and understand Chinese culture. This article takes cultural introduction as the starting point, analyzes the necessity and strategies of cultural introduction in Chinese reading classes as a foreign language, and provides some useful references for the current situation of teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

Undergraduate Students’ Reading Choices in the University of Benin, Nigeria

This study examined the reading choices and time spent reading of undergraduate students in the University of Benin, Nigeria. One research question and three hypotheses gave direction to the work. The study utilized the descriptive survey research design, using a questionnaire as the research instrument. A sample of 326 students were conveniently selected from four faculties and across four academic levels. Findings revealed that students generally preferred the reading of journals, newspapers, textbooks and magazines in descending order. However, comic books, non-fiction and fiction were materials less frequently read. Similarly, the amount of time students spend reading is inadequate to meet their academic and leisure reading needs. In addition, students’ reading choices did not differ by sex. However, significant differences were found in students’ reading choices by academic levels. It was recommended among other that undergraduate students should be encouraged to devote more time to reading and to read a variety of materials. Keywords: Undergraduate reading, reading choices, Reading time, Leisure reading, Academic level