Significant Difference In Posttest Scores Research Articles

The Effects of Integrating Creative and Critical Thinking on Schools Students' Thinking

 Abstract—The study investigates the effects of thinking on thinking skills (TS) and control groups among 68 standard five Malaysian students at two primary schools. The quasi-experimental design method was employed through TS and control groups. The findings revealed that there were significant differences in post-test scores between these two groups on total scores of the creative thinking, fluency, flexibility advantage for TS group but originality and the scores of thinking performance of science task were no significant. Thus, the study implies that educators, should use thinking skills-based instructional strategy to enhance the levels of creativity and learning among primary schools' students.

Investigating Efficacy of “Working Memory Training Software” on Students Working Memory

The aim of the present study is developing “Working Memory Training Software”, and investigating its content validity and the efficacy of this computerized cognitive training on students working memory. This study is in R & D research category, and it is performed in a semi-experimental design. Its data were collected from students of the third grade (30), fourth grade (30), and fifth grade (12) of primary school. After specifying the software content validity by asking expertise opinions, and investigating these opinions through Spearman Test (rs = 1), these children attended in intervention program for 10 sessions. The subtests of working memory in “Tehran-Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale” and “Wechsler intelligence scale for children” were conducted in all three groups on the pre-test and post-test. After elimination of the pre-test effect, Paired-Samples T-Test on total scores of subtests of working memory in “Tehran-Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale” (t = 10.869, df = 71, r = 0.967 & P < 0.05) and in “Wechsler intelligence scale for children” (t = 16.809, df = 71, r = 0.983 & P < 0.05) reveals a significant difference in post-test scores. Based on this study the Working Memory Training Software has proper psychometric properties and causes significant improvement in students working memory performance.

The effect of perceptual-motor training on attention in the children with autism spectrum disorders

The present study attempted to investigate the effect of perceptual-motor training on attention in children with autism spectrum disorders. The participants (20 girls and 20 boys) were divided into experimental and control groups. They were selected from among 85 subjects after primary tests to be matched. The design of the study was quasi-experimental including an independent variable, a pretest and a posttest. After considering the research hypotheses using descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), the results suggested a significant difference in posttest scores of experimental and control groups after independent variable being applied. The results also showed that perceptual-motor trainings for children with autism increase their attention because of the impact they have on increasing neurological and cognitive function.

The effects of problem-solving skills training based on metacognitive principles for children with acquired brain injury attending mainstream schools: a controlled clinical trial

Purpose. To investigate the effects of an explicit problem-solving skills training programme based on metacognitive principles for children with acquired brain injury (ABI) who attend mainstream schools.Method. Thirty-two children with moderate to severe ABI studying in mainstream schools were allocated randomly by matched pairs to either an experimental or a comparison group. The participants in the experimental group received problem-solving skills training based on metacognitive principles, while those in the comparison group were on a waiting list to receive the experimental intervention shortly after the intervention in the experimental group had been completed. All participants were measured pre- and post-intervention using measures of abstract reasoning, metacognition, problem-solving functional behaviour in the home environment or social situations and individual goal-directed behaviour.Results. Significant differences in post-test scores were found for all measurements between children in the experimental group and those in the comparison group, using the baselines of dependent variables, years of schooling and the full IQ scores as the covariates.Conclusion. The results of this study supported the use of explicit problem-solving skills training to improve daily functioning for children with ABI, and the need for a larger-scale, randomised controlled study with long-term follow-up.

The Effect of Web-Enhanced Learning Activities (WELA) on the Achievement in English of First Year High School Students

The study was conducted to verify the effects of Web-Enhanced Learning Activities (WELA) on the achievement in English of first year high school students. The research combined the quantitative approach using the quasi-experimental design, with the qualitative approach involving immersion learning. A total of 66 respondents from the two first year classes, 34 under the experimental group and 32 under the control group, were used as subjects of the study. Results indicate no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in pretest scores but show significant difference in posttest scores. While the respondents gained knowledge in both approaches, students under the WELA displayed higher achievement level in the posttest, significantly outperforming the students in the control group. Moreover, the following positive behaviors were observed among the students under the WELA: (a) increased interaction among the students, between the students and learning materials, and between the students and the teacher; (b) decrease of absenteeism cases; (c) independent learning; (d) enhanced and structured learning styles; and (e) more defined focus in learning. The WELA clearly appears to be very effective approach in enhancing English achievement levels of first year students.

Learning a novel technique to identify possible melanomas: are Australian general practitioners better than their U.K. colleagues?

BackgroundSpectrophotometric intracutaneous analysis (SIAscopy™) is a multispectral imaging technique that is used to identify 'suspicious' (i.e. potentially malignant) pigmented skin lesions for further investigation. The MoleMate™ system is a hand-held scanner that captures SIAscopy™ images that are then classified by the clinician using a computerized diagnostic algorithm designed for the primary health care setting. The objectives of this study were to test the effectiveness of a computer program designed to train health care workers to identify the diagnostic features of SIAscopy™ images and compare the results of a group of Australian and a group of English general practitioners (GPs).MethodsThirty GPs recruited from the Perth (Western Australia) metropolitan area completed the training program at a workshop held in March 2008. The accuracy and speed of their pre- and post-test scores were then compared with those of a group of 18 GPs (including 10 GP registrars) who completed a similar program at two workshops held in Cambridge (U.K.) in March and April, 2007.ResultsThe median test score of the Australian GPs improved from 79.5% to 86.5% (median increase 5.5%; p < 0.001) while the median test score of the English GPs improved from 74.5% to 86.5% (median increase 9.5%; p < 0.001). The Australian GPs had significantly higher pre-test scores but there were no significant differences in post-test scores between the Australian and English GPs or between the GPs and GP registrars. There was no significant difference in scores between GPs with previous dermoscopy experience or dermatology training.ConclusionMost of the SIAscopy™ features can be learnt to a reasonable degree of accuracy with this brief computer training program. Although the Australian GPs scored higher in the pre-test, both groups had similar levels of accuracy and speed in interpreting the SIAscopy™ features after completing the program. Scores were not affected by previous dermoscopy experience or dermatology training, which suggests that the MoleMate™ system is relatively easy to learn.

A comparative analysis of teaching vocabulary in context and by definition

The study aims to prove a hypothesis related to the different ways of teaching vocabulary and their effectiveness. This study has been applied at two classes of the Department of Foreign Languages of TOBB University of Economics and Technology. These classes have been instructed on words in two different techniques; one of which is teaching vocabulary in discourse and context whereas the other is teaching words by providing only the word definitions. A vocabulary test composed of four parts has been constructed and applied before and after the instruction. The test has been applied in two steps as a pretest to show the selected words are unknown by the students and as a posttest to evaluate the effectiveness of both techniques. According to Levene's test in Independent Samples Test for the post-test, there is not a statistically significant difference in post-test scores of the two groups. As a result, presenting the target vocabulary items in context and by definitions does not make a remarkable difference in terms of overall performance.

PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST EVALUATION OF STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF A COLLABORATIVE CLINICAL EDUCATION MODEL ON THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Objective: This study investigated the impact of a collaborative clinical education model on students’ perception of the psycho-social learning environment. Design: A pre-test and post-test quasi experimental design. Setting: A tertiary referral centre. Subjects: Second and third year undergraduate nursing students were asked to rate their perceptions of the psycho-social learning environment at the completion of the clinical practicum. Tool: The tool used to measure psycho-social perceptions of the clinical learning environment was the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory previously validated in Australian health care contexts. Intervention: A collaborative arrangement with the university and ward staff where eight students are placed on a ward and a ward staff member is paid by the university to be ‘off-line’ from a clinical workload to supervise the students. This is in contrast to thestandard facilitation model where students are placed with registered nurses in different localities under the supervision of a ‘roving’ registered nurse paid by the university. Results: No significant differences were found in pre-test mean scores when comparing wards. Significant differences in post-test scores for the intervention group were identified in the sub scales of Student Involvement, Satisfaction, Personalisation and TaskOrientation. Conclusions: The adoption of a collaborative clinical education model where students are integrated into the ward team and the team is responsible for student learning can positively enhance capacity for student learning during their clinical practicum.

Effects of Multiple Continuing Education Programs in Perinatal Nursing

Data from the second year ofnursing con ferences sponsored by the Vermont/New Hampshire Regional Perinatal Program are used to test several hypotheses concerning the effects of continuing medical education programs. Analysis of covariance indicates a significant difference in posttest scores of conference attendants and non-attendants after adjustment for differences in group pretest means. Multiple regression analysis confirms this result and shows that attendance at previous continuing education programs has a significant effect on test score. The hypothesis that simply having taken a pretest positively affects postscore is not confirmed.

Comparison of medical student responses and course achievement according to different types of patient simulations in an introductory advanced life support course.

The optimal type of patient simulation for different levels of learners has not been extensively studied. The purpose of the study was to compare preclerkship medical student responses and course achievement according to different types of patient simulations in an introductory advanced life support (IALS) course. A full-day, simulation-based IALS course was developed for preclerkship medical students who attended a four-week introduction to a clinical medicine program. One hundred eighteen students were trained in three days. Onsite interactive simulation with verbal debriefing (interactive type) was applied on the first day, and full-mission, realistic simulation with video-assisted debriefing (realistic type) was applied on the second and third days. At the end of course, students evaluated the course and their simulation experiences and completed a written post-test. Student responses to the course and patient simulations were very positive. Students who experienced the realistic type of patient simulations more highly rated in realistic experiences, such as patient care, than the interactive type group (3.83+/-0.88 vs. 3.41+/-0.84, p=0.018). Values for team communication training were more highly rated by students in the interactive type group than the realistic type (4.69+/-0.52 vs. 4.39+/-0.86, p=0.022). There was no significant difference in post-test scores between the two groups (realistic, 67.63+/-10.80; interactive, 66.73+/-9.93, p=0.654). Both types of patient simulation provide valuable learning experiences to preclerkship medical students, with their own advantages in an IALS course. Onsite interactive simulation with verbal debriefing may be more cost-effective tool for preclerkship medical students.