Orientation Skills Research Articles

RepGrid: a new way of identifying and assessing teaching competency

PurposeThis study illustrates the use of the repertory grid in identifying and assessing effective teaching competencies.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from two subsamples that consist of business management students and engineering students. The systematic repertory grid (RepGrid) method was performed to identify broad effective teaching competencies.FindingsBroad effective teaching competencies found in the study include teaching approach, behavioral orientation, subject expertise, and communication skills among others.Research limitations/implicationsInterestingly, the responses of the subsamples differ in the competencies identified and the weights assigned to a particular competency. Further, the results indicate the importance of having a “context” and thereby challenge the concept of generic teaching competencies.Practical implicationsThe universities are encouraged to use RepGrid technique to assess effective teaching competencies of their faculty members.Originality/valueThe techniques for developing teaching competency models by some prior studies have several inherent flaws including the efficiency and effectiveness of data collection. The study takes forward the suggestions of scholars to use a rigorous technique, repertory grid, to overcome several of these flaws to a large extent.

Virtual Mathematics Kits (VMK): The Value of Spatial Orientation on It

<p style="text-align:justify">The purposes of the current study were to develop students' spatial orientation skills using Virtual Mathematics Kits (VMK) and to evaluate VMK as a form of digital media in terms of spatial orientation. This study involved 42 lower-class and 47 higher-class elementary school students as the intervention group and 36 lower-class and 41 higher-class students as the control group. The intervention group was administered spatial orientation activities for 10 weeks. These activities were performed using a VMK to facilitate solving spatial problems. In the end of activities, spatial orientation instruments administered to compare spatial orientation ability on each group. The findings of this study, spatial orientation activities using a VMK improved students' spatial orientation skills. More specific, VMK provides more significant effect on higher-class students. Finally, VMK allows students to explore many ideas and perspectives to solve various spatial problems. VMK can be used as a digital media that helps students to develop spatial reasoning.</p>

Psychometric Tests and Spatial Navigation: Data From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Spatial cognition is the process by which individuals interact with their spatial environment. Spatial cognition encompasses the specific skills of spatial memory, spatial orientation, and spatial navigation. Prior studies have shown an association between psychometric tests of spatial ability and self-reported or virtual measures of spatial navigation. In this study, we examined whether psychometric spatial cognitive tests predict performance on a dynamic spatial navigation task that involves movement through an environment. We recruited 151 community-dwelling adult participants [mean (SD) age 69.7 (13.6), range 24.6–93.2] from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Spatial navigation ability was assessed using the triangle completion task (TCT), and two quantities, the angle and distance of deviation, were computed. Visuospatial cognitive ability was assessed primarily using the Card Rotations Test. Additional tests of executive function, memory, and attention were also administered. In multiple linear regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, race, and education, cognitive tests of visuospatial ability, executive function, and perceptual motor speed and integration were significantly associated with spatial navigation, as determined by performance on the TCT. These findings suggest that dynamic spatial navigation ability is related to spatial memory, executive function, and motor processing speed.

Spatial Orientation Skill for Landscape Architecture Education and Professional Practice

Professional landscape architecture organizations have requested training from educational institutions based on new skills and methodologies in the curriculum development of students. Landscape architects need to visualize and evaluate the spatial relationships between the different components of the landscape using two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) maps and geospatial information, for which spatial orientation skills are necessary. The data from six workshops conducted throughout the 2010–2020 period, in which 560 second-year engineering students participated using different strategies and technical tools for spatial orientation skills’ development, were collected in a unique study. Factors such as the technology used, the gaming environment, the type of task, the 2D/3D environment, and the virtual environment were considered. The Perspective-Taking Spatial Orientation Test was the measurement tool used. The results show that mapping tasks are more efficient than route-based tasks. Strategies using 2D and a 2D/3D combination are more effective than those with only 3D. First-person perspective gaming environments are also a valid alternative. The technologies applied in this study are easy to use and free, and a measurement tool is provided. This facilitates an interdisciplinary approach between landscape architecture education and professional practice since these workshops could also be easily carried out by professional bodies for landscape planning and management.

Library Orientation and Information Literacy Skills as Correlates of Scholarly Research of Postgraduate Students of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

This study focused on library orientation, information literacy skills as correlate of scholarly research of postgraduate students at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The university has ten colleges with various departments. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised all 1,361 postgraduates in Diploma, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy from the ten (10) colleges in the institution. Out of the population, 900 postgraduates were randomly selected using purposive sampling technique, while data were collected using questionnaire. Findings of the study revealed that there is no library orientation programme for postgraduates at FUNAAB, while the only form of information literacy available to them is the use of computer course. It was also found that information literacy skills of postgraduate are still low given that majority of them either cannot access the library’s online catalogue or its electronic databases without assistance. The study therefore concluded that library orientation and information literacy skills are essential for postgraduate’s quality research output and recommends for inclusion of library orientation, information literacy and any other user education programmes into postgraduate curriculum. Also, seminars and workshops on the online catalogue and electronic databases for research should equally be periodically organised for postgraduate students.

The specific role of spatial orientation skills in predicting driving behaviour

How people acquire environmental information brings out individual differences that are extremely large and robust. We assume that different spatial strategies used to represent, explore and move through the environment may predict risky driving behaviour.Here, we investigated spatial strategies and driving behaviour in 167 college students (86 women) using the following tests: the Spatial Cognitive Style Test, aimed at assessing spatial strategies characterized by different degrees of spatial competences (ranging from landmark, route to survey); the Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire, aimed at assessing errors, lapses, ordinary and aggressive Highway Code violations; the Attitude toward Road Safety Issues, aimed at assessing road safety attitudes related to driving.A series of regression analysis showed that spatial strategy used by drivers predicted the number of errors, lapses, ordinary and aggressive violations, as well as the number of road-safety behaviours. In conclusion, our results suggest that drivers preferring a survey strategy are much more able to make correct spatial decisions. Specifically, they are more confident about their spatial competence that in turn makes them less aggressive towards other drivers. Our findings suggest that good navigators travel without incurring in violations and fines. Implications regarding the possibility to use spatial navigational training to improve driving skills and release driving licence, as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

Spatial Orientation Skill Performance with a Workshop Based on Green Infrastructure in Cities

Better training of spatial skills of green infrastructure managers will contribute to better planning practices in this field. The professionals using geo-spatial technologies in sustainable city planning require, in their curriculum, specific training focused towards the acquisition of spatial skills. Using maps and geo-spatial technologies, spatial orientation skill is needed. In this research, a workshop based on a green infrastructure has been carried out. A specific teaching strategy for the improvement of spatial orientation skill has been performed. In the workshop, 3D technologies of graphic representation of an urban environment were used such as Cad Mapper, Sketch Up Make 2017 and Google Street View. Thirty-two students (22 treatment group, 10 control group) of agronomic engineering participated. The impact on spatial orientation skill was measured with the Perspective Taking-Spatial Orientation test, through pre- and post-tests. No gender differences were found. The Treatment Group obtained a significant increase of 19.27% in their spatial orientation skill. Participants of the Control group did not significantly increase their spatial orientation skill (3.21%). Specific teaching strategies such as those performed in this research can be effective for the training and development of spatial orientation skill, needed for geospatial planning in the field of Green Infrastructures.

EEG oscillation evidences of altered resting-state brain activity in children orphaned by parental HIV/AIDS

ABSTRACTEarly life adverse events in children orphaned by parental HIV/AIDS can have long-lasting effects on brain function. However, data are limited regarding the brain activation during resting state in these children. The current study aims to investigate the brain oscillation at rest in children orphaned by HIV/AIDS using resting-state EEG data. Data were derived from a larger neurodevelopmental study in which 90 children aged 9–17 years orphaned by AIDS and 66 matched controls were recruited through the local communities and school system. Children (63 orphans and 65 controls) who had resting-state EEG data and completed the Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS) were included in the current analysis. EEG results showed that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS had increased theta activity in the midline region, decreased beta activity in left hemisphere and overall increased theta/beta power ratio. Furthermore, the theta/beta ratio is positively correlated with learning problem and acting out scores, and negatively correlated with task orientation and peer social skill activities. Findings support that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS demonstrate different brain activity compared to non-orphan controls and also suggest that the EEG activities in resting state may serve as useful indicators of children’s behavioral problems.

Think Spatially With Game Engine

Spatial thinking and spatial orientation skills are involved in tasks related to the recognition of landforms, mapping, spatial interpretation, and landscape analysis, and can be developed with specific training. Game engines can facilitate the creation of 3D virtual landforms and provide powerful rendering engines for the graphical representation of landscapes from a first-person perspective. In the present research, 27 engineering students participated in a workshop in a first-person virtual environment using landforms created with a game engine. The Spatial Thinking Ability Test and the Perspective Taking-Spatial Orientation Test measured improvement in spatial thinking and spatial orientation as a result of this workshop. The gain in spatial thinking (8.31%) is within the range observed in previous research in the field of geography using a web-based GIS strategy (7.31%–10.00%). The gain in Spatial Orientation skill (15.76%) is comparable with previous research using both first-person strategies based in urban virtual environments (14.23%), and Spatial Data Infrastructures (gains between 21.17% and 21.34%). Participants with better self-reported sense of direction had better performance on the spatial orientation test.

A Novel Training Program to Improve Human Spatial Orientation: Preliminary Findings.

The ability to form a mental representation of the surroundings is a critical skill for spatial navigation and orientation in humans. Such a mental representation is known as a “cognitive map” and is formed as individuals familiarize themselves with the surrounding, providing detailed information about salient environmental landmarks and their spatial relationships. Despite evidence of the malleability and potential for training spatial orientation skills in humans, it remains unknown if the specific ability to form cognitive maps can be improved by an appositely developed training program. Here, we present a newly developed computerized 12-days training program in a virtual environment designed specifically to stimulate the acquisition of this important skill. We asked 15 healthy volunteers to complete the training program and perform a comprehensive spatial behavioral assessment before and after the training. We asked participants to become familiar with the environment by navigating a small area before slowly building them up to navigate within the larger and more complex environment; we asked them to travel back and forth between environmental landmarks until they had built an understanding of where those landmarks resided with respect to one another. This process repeated until participants had visited every landmark in the virtual town and had learned where each landmark resided with respect to the others. The results of this study confirmed the feasibility of the training program and suggested an improvement in the ability of participants to form mental representations of the spatial surrounding. This study provides preliminary findings on the feasibility of a 12-days program in training spatial orientation skills. We discuss the utility and potential impact of this training program in the lives of the many individuals affected by topographical disorientation as a result of an acquired or developmental condition.

ПЕДАГОГІЧНІ ІДЕЇ ЩОДО САМОСТІЙНОЇ РОБОТИ З КНИГОЮ ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТІВ

The article analyzed the works of scientists (Avtomonova P. P., Boyko Y. V., and Zaichenko I. V., Zenkin A. S., Karandasheva V. N., Kirdyaeva V. M., Kuzmenko N. M., Lasch A P., Lvov I. P., Pylhaeva F. P,. Pogrebna Ya. A., Czerniawska A. P.), who developed methods of optimal study book, textbook and other paper media. Types of independent work with the coursebook, additional materials are necessary to have when studying or reading books and other manuals. Selected types of readers (based on lectures “Students' independent work with the book” by I. P. Lvov), the preferences of readers on the nature of the literature and recommendations for its choice. It is substantiated that, according to I. P. Lvov, the book plays an important role in the development of thinking and speech culture of students. The Ukrainian teacher singled out four groups of students. Representatives of the first group are only interested in the reading process. To the second group of readers I. P. Lvov included people who like to read adventure literature and detective stories. The third group consisted of readers who are interested in serious, scientific literature, new books of modern bookstores. To the fourth type of readers, the scientist referred those who seek knowledge and therefore makes serious demands on the book. It is proved that the Ukrainian teacher emphasized that the effectiveness of reading books is possible if the reader has a system of knowledge in a particular field, has the skills of good orientation in the text with the selection of basic principles and ideas. The result of mental work should be clearly designed in the form of writing or speaking, and the effectiveness of the process of working with the book depends not only on speed but also on the method of reading.

A study on reflection of entry-level foundation course by the first year medical students

Background: The selection of the students as recommended by the Medical Council of India (MCI) is based on the merit of candidate at qualifying examination and/or a competitive medical entrance. The selection criteria do not take care of non-scholastic abilities of the students, there is diversity in cultural backgrounds and they also face difficulty in adapting to the new environment, introduction of foundation course would be of benefit and so the present study was conducted to review the from the students their inference of this foundation course at entry level. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to explore the student’s feedback on foundation course in the 1st year MBBS. Materials and Methods: A foundation course and orientation program of 1 month (August 2–August 31) was conducted in Government Medical College, Nagpur, as per the MCI modification in the curriculum of MBBS program. This has been implemented for the 1st time in August 2019. The foundation course had different modules including orientation module, skill module, community visits, and stress management. Two feedbacks were taken from the students in the form of questionnaires (first regarding the topics of the modules and the other for the delivery of the module). The results were analyzed after 30 days. Results: The overall rating for the topics in the foundation course was satisfactory (score 4) by the students with few topics needed more understanding (score 1). Feedback questions for the assessment of teaching and learning methods were also reflected in the positive way. Conclusion: The students appreciated the inception of foundation course at entry level, with effective understanding and application of basic science knowledge, the feedback given by the students would certainly be of help in improvisation and betterment in future.

ЄДНІСТЬ ФУНДАМЕНТАЛЬНОЇ ТА ПРИКЛАДНОЇ СКЛАДОВИХ ЗМІСТУ КУРСУ ЗАГАЛЬНОЇ ФІЗИКИ ЯК НЕОБХІДНА УМОВА ФОРМУВАННЯ ФАХОВОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ УЧИТЕЛІВ ФІЗИКИ

The article emphasizes the need to combine the fundamental and applied components of the content of the General Physics course in the training of future physics teachers. It is emphasized that the modern stage of scientific and technical development of society places high demands on the intellectual potential of future teachers of physics, to possess their methodology of scientific research. It is established that the content of the discipline "General Physics" should reflect the current state of development and achievements of science, and students should have the latest methods of research, orientation skills in the flow of scientific information and use it to perform the tasks of professional activity. It is noted that in this context special attention deserves such field of physics as nanophysics. It is shown that a deeper acquaintance of students with the questions of nanophysics opens opportunities for modern interpretation of the material learned in the previous stages of study, to understand its real applied value in relation to the possibilities of their use in practice. The problems that arise during the formation of knowledge in the field of modern achievements in nanophysics in the future teachers of physics, among which the main problem is to ensure the unity of the fundamental and applied components of the content of the course of general physics. It is emphasized that scientific and methodological literature should be developed in order to popularize knowledge about the current state of nanotechnology development and research into the properties of nano-objects. Methodical approaches to acquaint future physics teachers with modern achievements of nanotechnologies and their use in various fields of science and technology are proposed. It is shown that the integration of nanotechnology into the general physics course helps students to understand the applied aspects of modern science and provides a scientific outlook, which contributes to the formation of a high level of professional competence of the future physics teacher. Key words: fundamental and applied components of the content of general physics course, future teachers of physics, nanophysics, nanotechnology.

FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN FUTURE TEACHERS OF FINE ARTS IN PROCESS OF METHODICAL EDUCATION

The problem of formation of professional competencies in future teachers of fine arts in process of methodical education is considered in this article. Professional competencies are defined by subject area of education of future teacher of fine arts. Their planning is based on traditions of fine arts education, accomplishments of art pedagogy and achievements of Ukrainian educational science and practice. Course of formation of professional competencies matches with the process of methodical education of future teachers of fine arts and is carried out in three stages at each of which there is a formation of the knowledge and understanding in the subject area, cognitive skills and practical skills in the subject area. During the first stage, in the process of teaching of “Painting”, “Composition”, “History of Fine Arts” work is done to form the skills of professional orientation in the modern international and Ukrainian fine arts space, the basis of artistic creativity is formed – mastering the fine arts knowledge at the level necessary for perception, evaluation and creation of artistic image. During the main stage in the process of studying the “Methods of teaching of Fine Arts”, “Methods of organizing fine arts activity in extracurricular educational institutions” and during practical training skills of planning the education process of fine Arts in institutions of general secondary and out-of-school education, ensuring its implementation and assessment of the results; ability to use modern artistic and pedagogical technologies in the educational process; ability to manage the artistic and creative activities of students, considering their age and individual skills are formed. The final stage of methodical training is aimed at forming skills of creative and pedagogical, cultural and educational, organizational and artistic and aesthetic activity in students, aimed at spiritual and cultural development of individual and society. The task of this stage is implemented during the execution of undergraduate qualifying work.

Measure of Spatial Orientation Ability

The aim of this study was to design a test to measure a person’s ability to orient themselves on a “you are-here” map. The Spatial Orientation Skills Test, a test measuring spatial orientation ability, consists of 30 items, each item contains two maps, one is positioned at 0° (the model), and the other is the same map but amplified and rotated. The task participants were required to perform was to find their way around on the model map to get to a specific point by taking as a reference point the position indicated on the amplified and rotated map. A sample of 281 university undergraduates participated in the study. The test obtained a Cronbach alpha of .83. The test was significantly correlated to the test measuring image rotation. The results are discussed, and new lines of research are proposed.

Validação do instrumento “teste seu cérebro” para idosos: versão para Ipad

AIMS: Validate the application for iPad (Apple, California, USA) “Teste seu Cérebro” as well as establish cutoff point between normal seniors and Mild Neurocognitive Impairment.METHODS: In a prospective cross-sectional study, elderly subjects who attended the neuropsychology clinic of a tertiary health hospital in the southern region of Brazil and the community in general underwent cognitive assessment using two instruments: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Gold Standard Test) and the “Teste seu Cérebro”. These results served as a parameter to validate the said application from a diagnostic test and to establish the cutoff point between normal elderly and mild cognitive impairment; the following statistical measures were determined: sensitivity and specificity, internal consistency and reliability reached by the McDonald’s Omega coefficient and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, respectively. The average “Teste seu Cérebro” cutoff point to detect cases classified as mild neurocognitive impairment by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was obtained through the ROC curve. Evaluations include functions such as memory, attention / orientation, fluency, language, and visuospatial skills. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 104 participants with mean age of 70.3 (standard deviation = 6.6), with a minimum age of 60 and a maximum of 87 years. An acceptable reliability was achieved for the “Teste seu Cérebro” application by analyzing the internal consistency. In the comparison between the general scores of the two instruments (Teste seu Cérebro and Montreal Cognitive Assessment), where the result showed a statistically significant correlation, positive and classified as moderate. The cutoff point of the “Teste seu Cérebro” scores that best discriminated patients with mild neurocognitive impairment diagnosed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was 89.5%, that is, scores below or equal to that percentage reached higher sensitivity and specificity for the instrument. No influence of sociodemographic variables such as sex, age and schooling were identified on the linearity relationship between the “Teste seu Cérebro” and Montreal Cognitive Assessment instruments. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the “Teste seu Cérebro” instrument can be safely used to identify early and accurately the presence of Mild Neurocognitive Impairment in the elderly population. New studies will be directed to the validation of the instrument “Teste seu Cérebro” in the identification of other types of cognitive disorders, in addition to Mild Neurocognitive Impairment.

Wayfinding learning techniques and its challenges: a case study at malaysian association for the blind (MAB)

<span>Navigating safely in the real environment especially in the outdoor setting requires a blind person to be equipped with the spatial knowledge and possess the skills in mobility and orientation. The aims of this study are to investigate the existing wayfinding learning techniques taught to blind people and to identify the challenges during the teaching and learning processes. A two days of observation during a mobility practical session was conducted at Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB). The first objective was to explore the current techniques used by mobility instructor to teach visually impaired students for a wayfinding and second, to identify the challenges faced by the mobility instructor and the visually impaired students in the teaching and learning processes of wayfinding. The study discovered that the major problem faced by the mobility instructor was with the lack of teaching aids to describe a new environment to visually impaired students. This leads to the lack of time that caused the visually impaired students perceived insufficient information which was hard for them to construct the intended cognitive maps. From the findings, this paper concludes by discussing the recommendations primarily on the use of technology in addressing the problems identified in this study.</span>

A Study on Memory Sites Perception in Primary School for Promoting the Urban Sustainability Education: A Learning Module in Calabria (Southern Italy)

This paper constitutes a study on representations of Risorgimento sites of memory in Calabria (southern Italy), analyzing the development of the perceptive skills of primary school children through a learning module. The initial hypothesis wants to demonstrate that some factors identified by the geographer Antoine Bailly influence the perception of children in relation to the single research topics that concern: The possibility to reach and to easily access memory sites and any barriers or difficulties encountered; the aesthetic and functional judgment and the most popular aspects of the sites of memory; the orientation skills during the journey from the school to the site of memory; the elaboration of a mental map. The learning module titled “The mental representation of the sites of memory of the Risorgimento” was carried out in the primary schools of three provincial capitals of Calabria (southern Italy): Catanzaro, Cosenza, and Crotone. Children in the direct and indirect observation of the geo-historic pathway of the Risorgimento sites of memory in Calabria show that they fit well in the role of young geographers and investigators of the surrounding reality. Finally, this contribution aims to highlight the important relationship between the geography of perception and education for sustainability in schools starting from the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Measuring the Benefits of Guide Dog Mobility with the Orientation and Mobility Outcomes (OMO) Tool

ABSTRACTGuide dog (GD) mobility is part of the broader field of Orientation and Mobility, but there is a service gap between the numbers of people who have a GD and those who could benefit from GD mobility. There is also a shift in the GD industry from standardized GD services that focus on dog production and capability toward person-centered practice. There is a resulting need to measure the person-centered outcomes of GD mobility training, but to date no appropriate measures have been available. This embedded, mixed methods study with a QUAL/quan priority investigated the benefits of guide dog mobility with clients (n = 51) from Guide Dogs Victoria, Australia using grounded theory methodology, as a foundation for measuring the outcomes of guide dog mobility training. In 2015–2016, semi-structured interviews explored clients’ lifestyle choices, functional vision, orientation and mobility skills, and guide dog mobility. Two new assessment tools were also piloted, comprised of co-rated, behaviorally anchored ordinal scales, with ratings warranted by participants’ comments. The tools were feasible to implement and reduced qualitative information about Orientation and Mobility Outcomes (OMO) and Vision-Related Outcomes in Orientation and Mobility (VROOM) each to a number out of 50, facilitating comparisons. The study found that a guide dog (1) enabled and improved travel, (2) fostered connections, (3) enhanced wellbeing, and (4) empowered clients. The OMO tool captured these benefits, showing content validity as an outcome measure to evaluate GD training programs. The resulting measurement data could be used to review the results of guide dog production, evaluate client readiness, inform matching decisions, customize client–dog training, and measure the person-centered outcomes that ensue from guide dog mobility. The novel functional measurement methodology and VROOM/OMO template provide a model for development of further functional outcome measures, including a GD assessment/matching tool that includes human and GD factors.

Role of Customer’s Orientation and Professional Skill of a Service Provider in the Telecom Sector of Pakistan

Role of Customer’s Orientation and Professional Skill of a Service Provider in the Telecom Sector of Pakistan