Textbook-based Learning Research Articles

Vocabulary Building through Language Games: A Study among Secondary ESL Students of Ak/Al-Irfan Ladies College, Pottuvil

This research explores the role of language games as an educational tool in developing vocabulary acquisition among secondary ESL (English as a Second Language) learners at Ak/Al-Irfan Ladies College, Pottuvil. The main goal of this research is to identify whether the collaborative language games can enhance vocabulary acquisition when compared to conventional methods of teaching, such as memorization by repetition and textbook-based learning. A mixed method research design was used to collect data for this study which includes both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data was gathered using the results of pre-tests and post-tests with the aim of assessing the learner’s vocabulary acquisition before and after the classroom instruction. On the other hand, the qualitative data include questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion with students which aid in gathering valuable insights such as their viewpoints, attitudes and experiences in terms of incorporating language games in the classroom settings. According to the findings of the research, it is clear that incorporating language games in classroom settings has a very positive impact on students’ performances in terms of acquiring vocabulary. This particular group of students not only improved their vocabulary skills but also, they were more active than the other group students when it comes to classroom activities. On the other hand, the students who were taught vocabulary using the traditional teaching methods showed less engagement in classroom activities and they were only exposed to a limited acquisition of vocabulary due to the use of conventional teaching approach. The study suggests that language games foster a more interactive and enjoyable learning environment, which contributes to the students' long-term vocabulary retention. The element of fun and competition inherent in these games appears to stimulate students' interest in learning, reducing the monotony often associated with traditional methods. Consequently, the research concludes that incorporating language games into ESL instruction can offer significant pedagogical benefits, making it a viable and potentially superior alternative to conventional vocabulary teaching methods.

Design and assessment of a virtual reality learning environment for firefighters

The use of virtual reality (VR) in firefighter training is promising because it provides cost-effective, safe environments that arouse similar behavioral responses to real-life scenarios. However, the pedagogical potential of VR and its impact on learning outcomes compared to traditional methods is currently an under-explored area. This research investigates how well VR can support learning compared to traditional methods in the context of training firefighters in combating vegetation fires. A VR learning environment was developed, informed by a “design for learning” framework providing a pedagogical underpinning. A between-subjects experiment was conducted with 40 participants to measure the knowledge transfer of the VR learning environment against the official textbook. In addition, VR's theorized learning benefits of intrinsic motivation, situational interest, and self-efficacy were compared with textbook-based learning. Lastly, the design quality of the learning environment was assessed based on its learning and user experience. We employed a primarily quantitative approach to data collection and analysis, using a combination of knowledge test results and questionnaires, with supporting qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and observation notes to answer our hypotheses. The results found a significant difference between the knowledge transfer of both conditions, with textbook-based learning more effectively transferring factual and conceptual knowledge than VR. No significant difference was found in reported self-efficacy between the two conditions but was found in reported levels of intrinsic motivation and situational interest, which were higher in the VR condition. The design was found to have facilitated a good user and learning experience, assessed via questionnaire responses. During interviews, VR participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the experience, praising the hands-on learning approach and interactivity, while reporting frustration with the lack of knowledge reinforcement and initial difficulties with the controls. A key finding was that presence was found to be negatively associated with knowledge transfer, which we theorize to be caused by the novelty of the realistic VR environment distracting participants from the more familiar lesson content. This research contributes to the body of work related to knowledge transfer within VR in this domain while highlighting key pedagogical and design considerations that can be used to inform future design implementations.

Analysis of Problems and Solutions in Social Studies Learning at Elementary Schools

The purpose of writing this article is; 1) describe the problems of social studies learning in elementary schools; 2) identify solutions to social studies learning problems in elementary schools. The method used in writing this article is a literature review or literature study, which uses theories and reference approaches that are relevant to the problem topic of writing this article. The steps for analyzing literature studies are; 1) describe the comparison and relevance of references that will be used to examine the topic problem; 2) matrix mapping according to data and reference needs; 3) establish concepts that are contextual to the topic problem, so that they can be linked to each other. Based on the results of the literature study conducted, it is clear that; 1) Social studies learning problems in elementary schools include; the material presented is less contextual to real life, development of problem solving skills is not carried out; textbook-based learning approach; and students' disruptive behavior often occurs in learning; 2) Solutions for handling social studies learning problems include; minimizing abstract material and focusing on issues that develop in everyday life to make it more contextual, selecting appropriate learning strategies and approaches to create meaningful learning for students, and using technology in learning to increase students' attention and concentration to Avoid disruptive behavior during learning.

LEARNM: Augmented Reality Mobile Application in Learning the Concepts of Basic Biological Structures

This study endeavors to investigate the effectiveness of LearnM, an innovative augmented reality mobile application, in elevating the comprehension and assimilation of molecular structures among Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students. LearnM showcases an immersive and interactive platform that empowers students to visualize and manipulate intricate three-dimensional models of molecular structures through the convenience of their smartphones. By integrating cutting-edge augmented reality technology, LearnM aims to transcend the traditional boundaries of textbook-based learning, fostering an engaging and dynamic learning experience. The research design employed in this investigation entails a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. A cohort of 40 Grade 12 STEM students has been selected, with participants randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group will utilize the LearnM application, while the control group will receive conventional instruction. Pretest and posttest assessments will be administered to both groups, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the application’s impact on learning outcomes. The significance of this research lies in its potential to augment the body of knowledge within the realm of mobile learning and augmented reality, with a specific emphasis on molecular biology education. The integration of technology in education has become increasingly vital in the digital age, and this study endeavors to shed light on the effectiveness of such applications in enhancing students’ understanding of complex scientific concepts. Keywords: Augmented Reality, Mobile Application, Molecular Biology, STEM Education.

Knowledge Retention From Emergency Medicine Simulation-Based Learning Curriculum for Pre-clinical Medical Students.

Introduction Traditional medical school curricula rely on textbook-based learning during the first two years, often limiting students' clinical exposure. Simulation-based learning (SBL) provides an opportunity for students to gain clinical exposure and competency with common procedures as well as to gain knowledge related to common clinical topics. Retention of factual knowledge is a current topic of discussion as medical learners often have difficulty with long-term retention. The aim of this study was to assess if students would learn, retain, and enjoy emergency medicine (EM)-focused SBL. Materials and methods We developed an EM-focused SBL curriculum consisting of four main educational events: suturing, medical stabilization, mass casualty triage, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Participants were first- and second-year healthcare students enrolled in a traditional, preclinical curriculum, who completed pre- and post-event quizzes consisting of multiple-choice questions on topics covered during the SBL scenario. We compared pre- and post-event quiz scores using a one-way paired t-test. Quizzes were readministered up to 100 days after each SBL event to test knowledge retention, and scores were compared across time by repeated-measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA). Results For suture (n=22), mass casualty (n=20), and ultrasound simulations (n=17), post-event mean quiz scores increased significantly in comparison to mean quiz scores from before the event (p≤0.05). Medical stabilization simulation post-event scores were increased but did not reach statistical significance. Data collected at 45, 74, and 94 days following the suture lab as well as 29 and 49 days after the medical evacuation event, and 20 days after the mass casualty event showed no statistical decrease in quiz means suggesting retention of knowledge amonglearners. Subjective assessments of participant satisfaction demonstrated an enjoyment of the events. Discussion EM-focused SBL events offered enjoyable learning opportunities for students to effectively obtain and possibly retain clinical knowledge. Conclusion SBL has the potential to improve student retention of clinical knowledge during the preclinical years and, therefore, should be further explored and implemented as a core pillar of medical education as opposed to its current state as a learning adjunct.

Exploring Academically Transitioning Students' Ongoing Experiences with Textbook-Based Learning: A Semester-Long Study.

This study reports on the ongoing experiences of academically transitioning students with textbook-based learning. The study was conducted at a Chinese university among first-semester English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students transitioning from high school to university. Qualitative analysis of interviews with the students, students' written reflections, and field notes about their learning activities revealed that their paths were not linear; instead, they experienced both progression and regression in textbook-based learning during their academic transition. Their initial passion for learning in a new context was soon replaced by their need to adjust, primarily due to differences between their prior and current learning experiences and the language demands. The students' adjustments were supported by their own agency and the use of adapted instructions. The study concludes that the students' ongoing experiences with textbook-based learning were complex and dynamic, but the students were also amenable to adjustment.

Bring the World to the Child: Technologies of Global Citizenship in American Education by Katie Day Good

Reviewed by: Bring the World to the Child: Technologies of Global Citizenship in American Education by Katie Day Good Timothy Kelly Bring the World to the Child: Technologies of Global Citizenship in American Education. By Katie Day Good. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2020. xii + 279 pp. The COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and amplified the role that technology plays in today's K–12 education and opened widespread debate about its efficacy, equity, and appropriateness. Katie Day Good suggests that we might reasonably be concerned with other questions as well, such as toward what ideological purpose these technologies might be aimed. She does so by exploring another push for greater integration of technology in the classroom that occurred a century earlier. Good sees this early to mid-twentieth-century movement to expand the use of technology in schools as coming from two sources. The first was a pedagogical reform initiative that urged teachers to expand beyond rote and textbook-based learning in favor of a rich immersion in imagery and sound that would allow students to use more of their senses to learn. The second was a growing conviction that Americans should become citizens of the world rather than see themselves as set apart from it. Good suggests that these two movements [End Page 327] converged "amidst rising social concerns about intercultural contact, mass media, and global war" (3). Advocates for implementing these technologies stressed their abilities to open the world to students, to allow them to see the foreign and exotic from the safety of the classroom, and to generate support for efforts by the United States to reshape that world to be more hospitable to American values. Good argues that "these media were more than mere AV aids; they were powerful 'devices' for efficiently preparing children to understand and uphold the dominant social values of native-born European Americans within an increasingly diverse United States, and ensure a dominant role for the nation in a changing international order" (27). The new technologies encompassed a wide range of media and included such innovations in sensory stimulation as stereoscopes, lantern slides, movies, and radio. Each of these allowed teachers to bring the world to their classrooms, to provide rich information about other places, cultures, and societies for students who might never leave their home counties. Educators and the for-profit producers of most of these technologies promoted them as sensorily powerful and safe ways to expose students to knowledge that they would otherwise have to travel to learn. The technologies would make students more cosmopolitan in their outlooks at a time when the United States had begun to expand its role in shaping the world. This greater international responsibility required that Americans shed their parochial outlooks. It also depended on students maintaining a high degree of surety that the world ought to conform to American ideals and interests. It demanded a sophisticated world view and a deeply felt patriotism. Even as progressive educators championed new technologies for their abilities to offer students a wider sensory experience, teachers often saw the virtues of some less cutting-edge "technologies." They favored maps for instance, bulletin boards, and pageants that celebrated America's embrace of ethnic diversity. Teachers could master these readily and they stimulated student learning. Schools could afford them. Good offers rich evidence revealing the goals that technology developers and promoters advanced for their products, as well as of the discourse that took place in educators' professional associations. We learn much about what interested adults intended these technologies to accomplish—or worried that they might do. Less clear is how students actually experienced the technologies. The sources for this are far more elusive and so we do not get a clear sense of whether students imbibed the lessons as the curriculum designers intended. In the midst of this early twentieth-century technology push, the world suffered a pandemic that killed far more people worldwide than COVID-19 [End Page 328] will likely claim. Given the powerful role that we saw the COVID-19 pandemic play in shaping technology advancements in K–12 education in recent years, it might be useful to consider the impact that the 1918 influenza outbreak played in this...

The Effectiveness of the GeoGebra-Assisted Inquiry-Discovery Learning Strategy on Students’ Mastery and Interest in Algebraic Expressions

This study aimed to determine the effect of the GeoGebra-assisted inquiry-discovery learning strategy on students’ mastery and interest in algebraic expressions. The Malaysian Ministry of Education recommends investigation or experimentation activities and the use of dynamic software technologies in mathematics lessons because these activities can improve students’ mastery and interest. Therefore, this study was conducted to overcome the problem of low concept mastery and lack of students’ interest in Basic Arithmetic Operations involving Algebraic Expressions. This quantitative study was carried out with quasi-experimental design. A total of 60 form students from a secondary school in Johor, divided into two groups: experimental group of GeoGebra-assisted inquiry-discovery learning strategy consisting 30 students, and a control group of standard textbook-based learning consisting of 30 students. The study sample was selected by a simple random sampling technique. The instruments used in this study were a modified pre-mastery and post-mastery test and questionnaires. The quantitative data in this research was analyzed based on descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) software Version 28.0. The Wilcoxon test results showed that there are significant differences between experimental group (M = 50.20, SD = 18.63) and control group (M = 41.97, SD = 17.81) on students’ mastery and interest after using GeoGebra-assisted inquiry-discovery learning strategy. The findings also show that there was a fairly strong positive relationship between students’ mastery and interest, which was statistically significant using Spearman’s rho correlation analysis (p = 0.001). In conclusion, GeoGebra-assisted inquiry-discovery learning strategy can improve students’ mastery and interest in Algebraic Expression.

To Compare the effectiveness of traditional textbook-based learning with video-based teaching for basic laparoscopic suturing skills training - A randomized controlled trial

Background: It is often seen that surgeons face with a situation where he is asked to perform procedure which he has never done independently before. During such times traditionally surgeons refer to standard textbooks before he goes to perform the surgery. However, with increased awareness and use of social media, surgeons are increasingly taking resort of easily available YouTube videos. Aim: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of traditional textbook-based learning (TBL) with video-based teaching (VBT) for basic laparoscopic suturing skills training by comparing pre- and post-test cognitive and psychomotor skills. Materials and Methods: Randomized control trial. Results: A total of 50 residents were divided randomly into TBL and VBT groups. The mean post test scores for both the skills in each group showed a significant improvement compared to the pretest results (P < 0.001). While comparing the post test scores among both the groups it was seen that VBT is as effective as TBL. Conclusion: Based on this study we can safely conclude that video-based learning is an effective mode of learning as compared to TBL for teaching laparoscopic suturing skill.

Active learning about the dynamic and complex nature of CD4+ T cell differentiation with computer network modeling and simulations

Abstract CD4+ T cells provide cell-mediated immunity in response to various antigens. During an immune response, naïve CD4+ T cells differentiate into specialized effector T helper cells (e.g., Th-1,-2,-17, etc.), and induced regulatory (iTreg) T cells. Their proper response to pathogens is governed by complex, non-linear dynamic networks consisting of various types of cells and their associated communication mediators (cytokines). The regulation of CD4+ T cell differentiation is a major topic of many post-secondary immunology-related courses. However, the traditional lecture and textbook-based learning format in these (and other life sciences) courses makes it challenging for students to fully conceptualize and appreciate the complex and dynamic nature of such processes. We have developed a new learning approach that enables students to build, simulate, and investigate computational models of processes embedded in biological systems. This method is facilitated through an easy-to-use software, Cell Collective (https://cellcollective.org), that makes computational modeling accessible to any student and instructor (i.e., no prior computational modeling experience is necessary). The simulation lessons have been designed to be turn-key, self-contained, and adoptable by any instructor without the need to modify their syllabus, and with a minimal learning curve. They can be used in-class, assigned as homework, as well as deployed as extensive lab investigations. Here, we will present a new modeling and simulation lesson that enables students to learn about the dynamic complexities of CD4+ T cell differentiation, such as the effects of different cytokines and their dosage on the differentiation outcome, feedback loops, etc.

Utilization of a Simple Educational Tool in Science Education: The V-Shape Spring

Nowadays, inquiry-based learning is getting a lot of attention as an effective education method. Therefore, it has been researched and implemented in various countries. Inquiry-based learning has been used in various subjects such as biology, mathematics, social studies, and others. In order to encourage a smooth implementation of inquiry-based learning in science, enhancement of scientific knowledge is primarily important. In general, scientific knowledge is taught to students in usual sessions of each subject such as physics, chemistry, and biology. During these sessions, the students mostly use some kind of textbook, in which various scientific terms and theories are described efficiently. However, the knowledge acquired via textbook-based learning could sometimes deviate from reality. And, consequently, the superficial and restrictive knowledge deviating from reality could prevent students’ appropriate interpretations and inspirations in inquiry-based learning. I would like to propose one effective approach to have students realize the gap between their knowledge acquired from textbooks and a real phenomenon, by using the spring as an example.

Video-based learning assistant scheme for sustainable education

ABSTRACTRecently, owing to the development of information technology, there have been many changes in learning activities and equipment. For instance, compared with traditional textbook-based learning, e-learning has freed learners from spatial-temporal restrictions, and other educational media are replacing textbooks. Specifically, educational videos have become very popular, as they are effective at conveying their content or meaning. Furthermore, their accessibility has been improved because of the emergence of platforms that enable the sharing and delivery of such videos. However, when learners use such platforms, they tend to face difficulty in finding videos they want, as these platforms have a lot of videos. They also experience the inconvenience of performing additional searches because of the lack of information relevant to the video. To solve these problems, we propose a learning assistant system for educational video platforms. Our system helps learners find videos based on their readability level and contents. Moreover, it provides learners with useful information such as keywords and named entities for further learning activities. To demonstrate the effectiveness, we implemented a prototype system on a website dealing with speech videos and performed various experiments. By reporting some results, we show that our scheme can be used to implement sustainable education.

중도 입국 자녀 대상의 한국어 읽기 자료 개발 방안 연구 - 교과서 기반 초등학교 고학년 학습 자료를 중심으로

중도 입국 자녀 대상의 한국어 읽기 자료 개발 방안 연구 - 교과서 기반 초등학교 고학년 학습 자료를 중심으로

Effectiveness of digital learning versus traditional learning among undergraduate students - Prescription writing

Background: Researchers of education constantly explore the impact of learning environment in relation to learning outcome. The social and communicative interaction between teacher and student has been an important part of classroom teaching. Now, there has been a change in electronic education due to favorable online environment due to increased Internet connectivity, speed, and accessibility. Aims and Objective: The aim of the study was to know the difference in outcome between traditional and online learning among medical undergraduate students. Materials and Methods: After the Institutional Ethical Committee clearance, this study was done on 2nd year MBBS students. A total of 102 students were participated in the study. In a pre-test, a case scenario was given to all the students and they were asked to write the prescription for that case within 15 min. Then, the students were divided into two groups of 51 each. The first group (traditional learning) was provided with textbooks and the second group (online learning) was provided Internet facility. 45 min time was given to each group to use the respective facility and then was asked to write the prescription. The prescription written was analyzed using the suitable checklist. Results: The study result shows that there was a significant improvement in both online learning and traditional learning methods. The improvement noted in the post-test was more in online learning when compared to traditional learning method and this was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: It was observed that online learning was better than traditional textbook-based learning. The nature of teaching and learning by incorporating new technology will redefine and oppose the superficial learning. Digital learning supports deeper and self-directed learning.

Cognitive Style and Mobile E-Learning in Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders for Millennial Undergraduate Medical Students: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundElectronic learning (e-learning) through mobile technology represents a novel way to teach emergent otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) disorders to undergraduate medical students. Whether a cognitive style of education combined with learning modules can impact learning outcomes and satisfaction in millennial medical students is unknown.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the impact of cognitive styles and learning modules using mobile e-learning on knowledge gain, competence gain, and satisfaction for emergent ORL-HNS disorders.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial included 60 undergraduate medical students who were novices in ORL-HNS at an academic teaching hospital. The cognitive style of the participants was assessed using the group embedded figures test. The students were randomly assigned (1:1) to a novel interactive multimedia (IM) group and conventional Microsoft PowerPoint show (PPS) group matched by age, sex, and cognitive style. The content for the gamified IM module was derived from and corresponded to the textbook-based learning material of the PPS module (video lectures). The participants were unblinded and used fully automated courseware containing the IM or PPS module on a 7-inch tablet for 100 min. Knowledge and competence were assessed using multiple-choice questions and multimedia situation tests, respectively. Each participant also rated their global satisfaction.ResultsAll of the participants (median age 23 years, range 22-26 years; 36 males and 24 females) received the intended intervention after randomization. Overall, the participants had significant gains in knowledge (median 50%, interquartile range [IQR]=17%-80%, P<.001) and competence (median 13%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.006). There were no significant differences in knowledge gain (40%, IQR=13%-76% vs 60%, IQR=20%-100%, P=.42) and competence gain (0%, IQR= −21% to 38% vs 25%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.16) between the IM and PPS groups. However, the IM group had a higher satisfaction score (8, IQR=6-9 vs 6, IQR=4-7, P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Using Friedman’s two-way nonparametric analysis of variance, cognitive styles (field-independent, field-intermediate, or field-dependent classification) and learning modules (IM or PPS) had significant effects on both knowledge gain (both adjusted P<.001) and satisfaction (both adjusted P<.001).ConclusionsMobile e-learning is an effective modality to improve knowledge of emergent ORL-HNS in millennial undergraduate medical students. Our findings suggest the necessity of developing various modules for undergraduate medical students with different cognitive styles.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV)

Mobile Augmented Reality as a Feature for Self-Oriented, Blended Learning in Medicine: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundAdvantages of mobile Augmented Reality (mAR) application-based learning versus textbook-based learning were already shown in a previous study. However, it was unclear whether the augmented reality (AR) component was responsible for the success of the self-developed app or whether this was attributable to the novelty of using mobile technology for learning.ObjectiveThe study’s aim was to test the hypothesis whether there is no difference in learning success between learners who employed the mobile AR component and those who learned without it to determine possible effects of mAR. Also, we were interested in potential emotional effects of using this technology.MethodsForty-four medical students (male: 25, female: 19, mean age: 22.25 years, standard deviation [SD]: 3.33 years) participated in this study. Baseline emotional status was evaluated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. Dermatological knowledge was ascertained using a single choice (SC) test (10 questions). The students were randomly assigned to learn 45 min with either a mobile learning method with mAR (group A) or without AR (group B). Afterwards, both groups were again asked to complete the previous questionnaires. AttrakDiff 2 questionnaires were used to evaluate the perceived usability as well as pragmatic and hedonic qualities. For capturing longer term effects, after 14 days, all participants were again asked to complete the SC questionnaire. All evaluations were anonymous, and descriptive statistics were calculated. For hypothesis testing, an unpaired signed-rank test was applied.ResultsFor the SC tests, there were only minor differences, with both groups gaining knowledge (average improvement group A: 3.59 [SD 1.48]; group B: 3.86 [SD 1.51]). Differences between both groups were statistically insignificant (exact Mann Whitney U, U=173.5; P=.10; r=.247). However, in the follow-up SC test after 14 days, group A had retained more knowledge (average decrease of the number of correct answers group A: 0.33 [SD 1.62]; group B: 1.14 [SD 1.30]). For both groups, descriptively, there were only small variations regarding emotional involvement, and learning experiences also differed little, with both groups rating the app similar for its stimulating effect.ConclusionsWe were unable to show significant effects for mAR on the immediate learning success of the mobile learning setting. However, the similar level of stimulation being noted for both groups is inconsistent with the previous assumption of the success of mAR-based approach being solely attributable to the excitement of using mobile technology, independent of mAR; the mAR group showed some indications for a better long-term retention of knowledge. Further studies are needed to examine this aspect.Trial RegistrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): 00012980; http://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do? navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00012980 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6tCWoM2Jb).

Mobile Learning Game Effectiveness in Cognitive Learning by Adults: A Comparative Study

Background. The effectiveness of digital game-based learning is an important issue. Mobile learning games (MLG) are rapidly growing trends among the digital game-based learning genre. Although many studies have been conducted and mobile games have been shown to have an unquestionable potential as a learning method, their effectiveness has not been fully proven, and the positive impacts and outcomes of mobile learning games with respect to learning have yet to be investigated. Aim. The study aimed at capturing the cognitive learning outcomes and the process of knowledge acquisition. The study has demonstrated both positive and negative cognitive learning effects of using mobile learning game in comparison with the textbook learning process. Methodology. This article presents a comparative study conducted on a group of 160 freshman students majoring in management and finance. The participants of the study, divided into subgroups, were taught using either textbook-based learning or a mobile learning game. Three tests were applied to measure their performance: a pre-test at the beginning of the experiment, and two post-tests, the first administered directly after the learning process and the second 2-3 weeks after the initial learning. Results and recommendations. MLG have been proven to create many positive effect for learning. It is as effective in transferring factual knowledge as textbook learning, when measured directly after the learning process. In longer term, the effects are blurred because the affective effects interfere with the measurement.

Content-Based Instruction Understood in Terms of Connectionism and Constructivism

Author(s): Lain, Stephanie | Abstract: Despite the number of articles devoted to the topic of content-based instruction (CBI), little attempt has been made to link the claims for CBI to research in cognitive science. In this article, I review the CBI model of foreign language (FL) instruction in the context of its close alignment with two emergent frameworks in cognitive science: connectionism and constructivism. I show that these frameworks offer powerful support for the features of CBI that make it an attractive alternative to textbook-based learning. In addition, I argue that the general principles associated with connectionism and constructivism suggest further avenues for development within CBI, especially in the areas of pattern recognition and speech processing.To describe connectionism and constructivism as emergent frameworks in cognitive science is perhaps misleading. They would be better described as landmark theories that have in recent years experienced a revival, in large part due to the influence of research associated with increased brain imaging capabilities and large-scale computational modeling. Connectionism and constructivism originally stem from separate disciplines (mathematics and psychology, respectively). Conceptually, however, they are sufficiently broad as to have implications for many different fields. Taken separately or together, connectionism and constructivism have been especially influential in fields that deal with behavioral phenomena. Where there is an intersection between biology and culture, connectionism and constructivism provide the kinds of insights on learning that are otherwise difficult to untangle from the standpoint of a purely nature or purely nurture perspective.

Using Sensory Approach to Teach Medicinal Plants: a Before and After Study

Introduction: The most commonly-used method of teaching medicinal plants courses among the faculty of Traditional Medicine is a lecture-based slideshow, but we hypothesize that herb knowledge could be reinforced by using a sensory approach in which students have the opportunity to interact with these plants using their five senses. The aim of this study was to obtain students’ knowledge about the morphological characteristics of current medicinal plants. The students learned about the plants using all senses before, immediately after, and 40 days after intervention. We also assessed the satisfaction rate of students as a result of this educational intervention. Methods: As a pre-test, 27 students who had attended medicinal herb classes answered a questionnaire with open-ended questions about the morphological characteristics of herbs. Immediately after the educational intervention, for their post-test, students filled a questionnaire comprised of the same questions on the pre-test. The mean scores of students in pre-test (A) and post-test (B) were calculated. Forty days after the aforementioned session, students answered a different questionnaire covering the previously discussed morphological characteristics of herbs. The mean scores of participants in this exam were C. A and B, A and C as well as B and C were compared and analyzed by SPSS v.17 (p≤0.001). This workshop was evaluated by a questionnaire. Results: There was a significant difference between A and B, B and C as well as A and C (P-value= 0.001). The rate of student satisfaction on five items of the questionnaire was higher than 90%.Conclusion: Exclusive textbook-based learning of medicinal plants might not be sufficient to understand them, and it seems useful for the faculties to integrate physical sensory experiences into herbal educational methods.

The Relationship Between Communication Climate and Elementary Teachers' Beliefs About Alternative Assessment

Alternative assessment in education is becoming widely implemented around the Pacific region. This study conducted a multilevel analysis of communication climate and beliefs about the effectiveness of alternative assessment. Participants were 662 teachers from 75 elementary schools in Korea. The findings showed that teachers' beliefs about the effectiveness of alternative assessment were positively influenced by their perception of communication climate at their schools and their perception of support from principals, peer teachers, students and parents. The effect of teachers' endorsement of textbook-based learning was moderated by school-level communication climate. The findings indicated that an open communication climate at schools is a key for the successful implementation of alternative assessment.