Classroom Time Research Articles

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Derivatives of Dibenzalacetone Aldol Products

The aldol condensation reaction is one of the many synthesis reactions carried out in second semester organic chemistry laboratories. This reaction was integrated into a novel experiment requiring students to synthesize dibenzalacetone derivatives using the crossed-aldol condensation by reacting different types of benzaldehyde derivatives with acetone, followed by analyzing those products using spectrometric and spectroscopic methods, especially gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The main objective of this 2 week lab experiment compared to other procedures in the literature was the analysis of the final aldol product using GC–MS methods rather than solely nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods. During the first week’s 3 h laboratory period, students completed the reaction with a known benzaldehyde derivative and acetone to synthesize their aldol product. In the second week, students calculated the percent yield of their product, determined the product’s melting point range, and analyzed the product by thin-layer chromatography, NMR, and GC–MS methods. Students also strengthened their skills of spectral interpretation using NMR spectroscopy, especially distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer NMR, an NMR technique rarely covered in undergraduate organic laboratory sections. Students spent more classroom time during week two, analyzing GC–MS data. Students were shown how to use molecular model kits to understand the fragmentation of compounds in the mass spectrum. As a result, the students who performed this experiment increased their general knowledge of GC–MS spectrometric techniques, including identification of compounds based on their fragmentation pattern.

Advancement on Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings: Current Issues and Way Forward

The thermal environment in educational buildings is crucial to improve students’ health and productivity, as they spend a considerable amount of time in classrooms. Due to the complexity of educational buildings, research performed has been heterogeneous and standards for thermal comfort are based on office studies with adults. Moreover, they rely on single dose-response models that do not account for interactions with other environmental factors, or students’ individual preferences and needs. A literature study was performed on thermal comfort in educational buildings comprising of 143 field studies, to identify all possible confounding parameters involved in thermal perception. Educational stage, climate zone, model adopted to investigate comfort, and operation mode were then selected as confounding parameters and discussed to delineate the priorities for future research. Results showed that children often present with different thermal sensations than adults, which should be considered in the design of energy-efficient and comfortable educational environments. Furthermore, the use of different models to analyse comfort can influence field studies’ outcomes and should be carefully investigated. It is concluded that future studies should focus on a more rational evaluation of thermal comfort, also considering the effect that local discomfort can have on the perception of an environment. Moreover, it is important to carefully assess possible relationships between HVAC systems, building envelope, and thermal comfort, including their effect on energy consumption. Since several studies showed that the perception of the environment does not concern thermal comfort only, but it involves the aspects of indoor air, acoustic, and visual quality, their effect on the health and performance of the students should be assessed. This paper provides a way forward for researchers, which should aim to have an integrated approach through considering the positive effects of indoor exposure while considering possible individual differences.

Application of Online and Offline Mixed Teaching Mode in Single - chip Microcomputer Teaching

With the rapid development of information technology, the traditional offline teaching model has been unable to meet the learning needs of students, and the classroom time is limited, and the teaching efficiency under the traditional teaching model is not high. If only relying on online courses, students can learn independently through MOOC courses, it is also difficult to achieve the goal of single-chip course training, and students have insufficient practical skills. Therefore, the online and offline hybrid teaching model is of great significance in practical courses such as single - chip microcomputers. Teachers are required to effectively integrate online and offline resources to help students gain knowledge.

Early Warning Signals from Automaticity Diagnostic Instruments for First- and Second-Semester General Chemistry

The Math-Up Skills Tests (MUST) has been used in multiple research projects conducted by the Networking for Science Advancement (NSA) team to determine how automaticity skills (what can be done without a calculator) in arithmetic can be used to predict if students will be successful (course average = 69.5%+) in general chemistry. This study expands our investigations to include how students’ quantitative literacy/quantitative reasoning (QL/QR) abilities influence their success. The NSA team studied multiple classes at eight universities (n = 1,915) within a broad geographic setting in one large, majority-minority southwestern US state. In a short amount of required classroom time, it is possible to identify students at the beginning of the semester who will struggle in first- and second-semester general chemistry (Chem I and Chem II). Results show a strong correlation between students’ automaticity MUST skills and their QL/QR ability (r = 0.60) and indicate that when taking both diagnostic assessments into consideration, convincing signals appear allowing for the identification of almost 50% of the Chem I students and about 45% of the Chem II students who will not succeed. With the addition of the QL/QR to the first-week assessments, about 9% more students who enter the courses underprepared were identified than when only the MUST was administered. Outcomes indicate that students with at least average arithmetic and QL/QR automaticity abilities are those who are better prepared for these courses. For on-sequence students with at least one average or above diagnostic score, 88.3% Chem I and 90.5% Chem II were successful.

중국어권 한국어 고급 학습자의 듣기 효능감과 읽기 효능감 간의 상관관계 - 학습 기간과 거주 기간을 중심으로 -

The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between Korean listening efficacy and reading efficacy among advanced Chinese Korean learners and to figure out factors affecting efficacy. 30 advanced Chinese Korean learners participated in an experiment about listening efficacy, reading efficacy, residence period, and the period of learning Korean. Through correlation analysis, we examined whether listening efficacy and reading efficacy correlate with each other and regression analysis was conducted to see what could affect learners’ efficacy. It showed that there was a significant correlation between listening efficacy and reading efficacy. In particular, the attitude of challenge had the greatest influence on efficacy. It was found that the period of residence in Korea was a factor that effectively increased the subscale ‘observational compare’ of learner’s listening efficacy and reading efficacy. Korean teachers should help learners to challenge themselves gradually through small achievements so that learners’ listening efficacy and reading efficacy can have a positive effect together. Also, careful consideration from teachers will also be needed to increase the efficacy of learners that spend a relatively short time in Korean classrooms. (Ewha Womans University)

Analysis of School-Day Disruption of Administering School-Located Vaccination to Children in Three Local Areas, 2012–2013 School Year

The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of time elementary and middle-school students spend away from the classroom and clinic time required to administer vaccines in school-located vaccination (SLV) clinics. We conducted a time study and estimated average time away from class and time to administer vaccine by health department (HD), student grade level, vaccine type, and vaccination process for SLV clinics during the 2012-2013 school year. Average time away from classroom was 10 min (sample: 688 students, 15 schools, three participating HD districts). Overall, time to administer intranasally administered influenza vaccine was nearly half the time to administer injected vaccine (52.5 vs. 101.7 s) (sample: 330 students, two HDs). SLV administration requires minimal time outside of class for elementary and middle-school students. SLV clinics may be an efficient way to administer catch-up vaccines to children who missed routine vaccinations during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

How K-12 Teachers Adapt Problem-Based Learning Over Time

Teachers adapt their instructional strategies over time based on a variety of contextual constraints. In response to these challenges, teachers often have to make changes to their PBL approaches. While the literature has documented generally positive results of initial PBL implementations, less is known about the degree to which teachers adapt their usage of PBL over time. Some adaptations include a refined approach to teaching strategies, while others include significant diversions from the original PBL model. A better understanding of the changes teachers enact provides important insight as to fidelity and thus the expected learning outcomes of PBL. To address this gap, this research conducted semi-structured interviews with experienced K-12 educators who employed PBL over multiple years. In terms of preparing for PBL, themes that emerged from the interviews included more emphasis on reimagining the problem scope and design thinking. During classroom time, teachers described shifting perspectives in terms of the following: problem-solving skills over content knowledge, student control and teacher facilitation, and embracing failure. Relating to technology, teachers described more adoption trends towards collaborative tools, while also describing opportunities and challenges with digital literacy. Finally, teachers described strategic approaches to assessment in light of the ill-structured problems posed by PBL. Implications for practice and theory are discussed.

Profiles of Emotional Disturbance Across the Five Characteristics of the Federal Definition

Ensuring the provision of a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to students qualified for services under the disability category of emotional disturbance (ED) has been both challenging and controversial. Examining this population in light of the five characteristics listed in the federal definition may provide useful insights to address needs and improve outcomes. The purpose of this study was to use latent class analysis to examine profiles across the five characteristics of the federal definition of ED for a sample of 491 students school-identified with ED. Key findings include that (a) students with ED are a heterogeneous group with distinct and qualitatively different subgroups; (b) latent classes representing the severe problems and the externalizing problems typologies tended to consist of younger students; (c) greater proportions of Black, Hispanic, and English-language learner students were found in the severe and externalizing latent classes; and (d) students in the externalizing and severe latent classes spent more time in special education classrooms and had worse ratings on social maladjustment. The findings highlight important implications for practice in regard to assessment, program differentiation, and preservice teacher training. Research limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Assessment for Learning as a Driver for Active Learning and Learner Participation in Mathematics

<p style="text-align:justify">The article focused on the use of assessment for learning in promoting active learning and learner participation in mathematics. Assessment for learning (AfL) has been found to enhance learning and improve performance. However, teachers’ use of AfL to enhance active learning has not been clearly outlined. This study is part of the broader research study that explored mathematics teachers’ use of AfL to enhance mathematics teaching and learning in primary schools in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg. A case study research-type and a qualitative approach were used to collect data from mathematics teachers. Nine teachers were purposefully selected from whom data were collected using semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation. The findings revealed that teachers had limited pedagogical knowledge in using AfL to promote active learning in their classrooms. They failed to apply a learner-centred approach that promotes effective learner participation in mathematics classrooms. Therefore, it is recommended that teachers undergo ongoing continuous development on classroom time management and planning for the effective use of AfL.</p>

Acoustics in South African classrooms: Regulations versus reality

This research set out to broaden the pool of evidence regarding the acoustic conditions at schools in South Africa. A review of local and international literature, standards and design guidelines shows that the ideal classroom acoustic conditions of 35 dBA ambient and 0.7 s reverberation time are required to enable a suitable environment for teaching and learning. A review of local literature revealed a very small body of knowledge regarding actual acoustic conditions and monitoring of classroom acoustics and that these cases demonstrated ambient noise levels in classrooms (whether occupied or unoccupied) to be above the recommendations of the relevant South African National Standard (SANS 10103). The limited local research promted the need for this case study. The findings of a province-wide survey of urban schools showed that traffic noise is the main source of noise disturbance in schools. A case study of five schools showed that the average outdoor noise level at schools exposed to traffic throughout the day is 63.3 dBA and the average indoor noise level at these schools when classrooms are unoccupied is approximately 58 dBA, which is significantly higher than the requirement. The reverberation time in classrooms was between 0.6 and 1.75 s. It is concluded that the current acoustic conditions in South African urban schools is poor when evaluated against the South African National Standards. However, since this is based on only five case studies, a broader study is required to understand the general conditions and establish suitable mitigation measures.

A Slight Increase in Reverberation Time in the Classroom Affects Performance and Behavioral Listening Effort.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a small change in reverberation time (from 0.57 to 0.69 s) in a classroom on children's performance and listening effort. Aiming for ecological listening conditions, the change in reverberation time was combined with the presence or absence of classroom noise. In three academic tasks, the study examined whether the effect of reverberation was modulated by the presence of noise and depended on the children's age. A total of 302 children (aged 11-13 years, grades 6-8) with normal hearing participated in the study. Three typical tasks of daily classroom activities (speech perception, sentence comprehension, and mental calculation) were administered to groups of children in two listening conditions (quiet and classroom noise). The experiment was conducted inside real classrooms, where reverberation time was controlled. The outcomes considered were task accuracy and response times (RTs), the latter taken as a behavioral proxy for listening effort. Participants were also assessed on reading comprehension and math fluency. To investigate the impact of noise and/or reverberation, these two scores were entered in the statistical model to control for individual child's general academic abilities. While the longer reverberation time did not significantly affect accuracy or RTs under the quiet condition, it had several effects when in combination with classroom noise, depending on the task measured. A significant drop in accuracy with a longer reverberation time emerged for the speech perception task, but only for the grade 6 children. The effect on accuracy of a longer reverberation time was nonsignificant for sentence comprehension (always at ceiling), and depended on the children's age in the mental calculation task. RTs were longer for moderate than for short reverberation times in the speech perception and sentence comprehension tasks, while there was no significant effect of the different reverberation times on RTs in the mental calculation task. The results indicate small, but statistically significant, effects of a small change in reverberation time on listening effort as well as accuracy for children aged 11 to 13 performing typical tasks of daily classroom activities. Thus, the results extend previous findings in adults to children as well. The findings also contribute to a better understanding of the practical implications and importance of optimal ranges of reverberation time in classrooms. A comparison with previous studies underscored the importance of early reflections as well as reverberation times in classrooms.

Theater as a safe environment to start productive skills development in an EFL classroom

This article describes a pedagogical proposal based on theater as a safe space to develop productive skills in an EFL classroom. Thirty-six eleventh graders from a public school in Tunja participated in the theater sessions. In each session, we collected data through recordings, interviews, and field notes to understand the impact of the pedagogical intervention. The findings suggested that theater could help créate a safe environment that decreased students’ anxiety levels while exploring the language. As a result, the students’ productive skills started to emerge. We argue the need to change classroom dynamics, organization, and time management in order to create transformative places that foster safe environments in the EFL classroom.

Particularities of students’ perceptions of the digitalization of education: comprehending the experience of online learning in a pandemic environment

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has initiated the rapid introduction of digital technology into the educational process. The purpose of the article is to analyze the particularities of the perception of the processes of digitalization of education by Russian students, to identify factors for its success, to comprehend the experience of online learning in the context of the pandemic. Methods. The leading research method was a questionnaire survey of Russian university students. The sample was 1,553 people and was spontaneous in nature. Due to quarantine restrictions at the time of the survey (February-April 2020), the survey was conducted online: the questionnaire was posted on the Google platform, the link to which was sent to the student virtual communities. To clarify the data obtained, two focus groups were organized in January-February 2021 with the participation of full-time and part-time students. Each focus group was represented by 12 participants. Results. The majority of respondents (83.8%) have a positive attitude to the digitalization of education, highly evaluating the importance of digital literacy of young people (86.9%). Students associate the advantages and disadvantages of digitalization of education with their own experience of online learning during the pandemic. The following negative effects of digitalization of education were identified: deterioration of interpersonal communication skills (58.3%), reduction of classroom time, live communication with the teacher (49.3%), reduction of students’ knowledge (37.3%), reduced concentration, a distraction from educational goals (33.4%). The majority of respondents believe that the success of learning in a digital environment depends on the competence of the teacher (67.1%) and the material and technical equipment of the university (69%). Conclusions. With the rapid introduction of digital technologies into the educational space, there is an increasing need to develop interactive teaching methods, increase students’ motivation, and preserve the principles of traditional pedagogy. Digitalization of education implies modernization of pedagogical practices, where a special role is given to the formation of media competence of young people, their analytical skills, abilities for critical thinking and effective communication.

IMPLEMENTING THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM: A CASE STUDY OF TEACHING ESP TO THE BACHELORS IN AUTOMATION AND COMPUTER-INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES

The paper describes the experience of flipped classroom application in teaching ESP. The study was held at the National Aviation University and involved 46 undergraduate students majoring in “Automation and Computer-Integrated Technologies”. In-class learning was organized according to the university schedule and out-of-class activities were conducted by using Google Classroom and a set of digital learning tools. Our observations during teaching with their further analysis and a designed questionnaire were used to reveal the benefits and drawbacks of the flipped classroom. The analysis of the students’ responses has shown that it allows students to study at their own pace, meet their needs, develop their organizational, communication and time management skills and increase their independence and creativity. The paper specifies three main phases of the flipped classroom and determines what skills are developed at each of them. Remembering and understanding are developed at the first phase and the freed classroom time is devoted to developing the skills of applying and analyzing. The higher-order thinking skills of evaluating and creating can be formed both in the classroom and during the post-class phase. The authors have selected digital learning tools which can be recommended for learning ESP in order to facilitate students’ out-of-class activities. Their use can help to shift the emphasis from the teacher to the student, increase students’ engagement in learning and make the course versatile and appropriate to students’ needs. A student survey was conducted at the end of the academic year, and the analysis of students’ responses revealed that they had a positive attitude to implementing the flipped classroom in teaching ESP. As shown by the results of the study, the use of the flipped classroom for teaching ESP is effective as it saves much in-class time for communicative tasks enhancing the development of higher-order thinking skills, unites in-class and out-of-class learning, controls students’ achievement not only in the classroom but outside it and makes the learning process more engaging.

Telepresence Robots: A Phenomenological Study of Perceptions of Graduate Students and Professors

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to capture the perceptions of telepresence learning from three different perspectives: the graduate student using the telepresence robot, the graduate students in the physical learning environment with one of their peers utilizing the telepresence robot, and the instructor teaching in the learning environment where a telepresence robot is being utilized. Keywords: telepresence robots, social presence, physical presence, recruitment, retention INTRODUCTION Telepresence robots are being used in education to provide access to students who available yet cannot be physically present in the room with their peers (Herring et al., 2016;Zhang et al., 2018). Purpose of the Study The purpose of this research study was to capture the perceptions of telepresence learning from three different perspectives: the graduate student using the telepresence robot, the graduate students in the physical learning environment with one of their peers utilizing the telepresence robot, and the instructor teaching in the learning environment where a telepresence robot is being utilized. Understanding these themes or trends may help inform professors how to better utilize telepresence robots in their higher education courses, and, in turn, increase access to the classroom and equitable time in the classroom for educators taking graduate level courses. [...]when access and equity are provided for these educators, such modeling may influence them to consider using telepresence robots in their classrooms.

Comparison of Classroom-Based Sedentary Time and Physical Activity in Conventional Classrooms and Open Learning Spaces Among Elementary School Students.

European children and adolescents spend most of their daily life and especially their school hours being sedentary which may increase their risk for chronic non-communicable diseases later in life. After the curriculum reform of Finnish basic education in 2014, most of the new or renovated comprehensive schools in Finland incorporate open and flexible classroom designs. Their open learning spaces may provide students opportunities to reduce sedentary behavior during school hours. Thus, waist-worn accelerometers were used to assess classroom-based sedentary time (ST), the number of breaks from sedentary time (BST), and physical activity (PA) among cross-sectional samples of 3rd and 5th grade students during two separate academic years in a school that underwent a renovation from conventional classrooms to open learning spaces. The cohort of 5th grade students before renovation had a smaller proportion of ST from total classroom time (56.97 ± 12.24%, n = 42 vs. 67.68 ± 5.61%, n = 28, mean difference = 10.71%-points, 95%CI = −15.65 to−5.77, p < 0.001), a greater number of BST per 60 min of classroom time (7.41 ± 1.16 breaks/h vs. 9.19 ± 1.59 breaks/h, mean difference = −1.78 breaks/h, 95%CI = −2.486 to −1.079, p < 0.001) and a greater proportion of light intensity PA (28.66 ± 9.99% vs. 22.56 ± 4.59%, mean difference = 6.10%, 95%CI = 2.56 to 9.64, p = 0.001) than the 5th grade cohort assessed after renovation. The cohort of 3rd grade student had a greater proportion of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) after the renovation compared to the cohort assessed before the renovation [Mean Rank (Before) = 27.22, Mean Rank (After) = 37.58, U =524.0, p = 0.033]. Despite the greater ST found in 5th graders, schools with open learning spaces may facilitate BST or MVPA as observed in the 5th and 3rd grade cohorts in open learning spaces compared to the cohorts in conventional classrooms, respectively. Future studies should seek to investigate and develop teacher practices to capitalize the potential of open classrooms to reduce ST, since classroom renovation alone may not be a sufficient intervention as of itself. Longitudinal studies utilizing randomized controlled trials are warranted.

Blended learning environments that work: An evidence-based instructional design for the delivery of qualitative management modules

Blended learning environments have found their way into management education in research and practice. While the majority of the extant research indicates that the use of learning technologies can increase learning effectiveness, instructors of management courses lack clear guidance on how to develop effective blended learning environments. Therefore, this paper aims to derive an instructional design for a blended learning environment from available research results, which can then be used by instructors of qualitative management modules, such as those focused on entrepreneurship, marketing, or strategy. We first provide an overview of the antecedents of learning effectiveness in blended management education, which can be attributed to the learners themselves or to the learning environment. These antecedents influence cognitive processing in the human memory. Based on these insights, we develop a design proposal for a blended learning environment to deliver qualitative management content. In particular, we suggest a flipped format in which learners acquire and construct knowledge in advance, while classroom time is used for interactive discussions and applications. Finally, we discuss implications for business schools wishing to effectively implement such a learning environment that enables contemporary education and may eventually become their next value proposition.

Using online multiple choice questions with multiple attempts: A case for self-directed learning among tertiary students

&lt;span lang="EN-GB"&gt;Criticisms on multiple choice questions (MCQs) include the possibility of students answering MCQs correctly by guessing, and MCQs generally are said to fall short in cultivating independent learning skills, such as taking charge of their learning goals. Countering these common concerns, this research used online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts to investigate the experiences that drove students to become self-directed learners. In this research, 60 students completed two sets of online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts outside of classroom time for six weeks consecutively. Both focus group interviews and an online survey were conducted to investigate the experiences of using online MCQ exercise with multiple attempts in relation to the development of self-directed learning (SDL). The findings of the study showed that the criticisms may be unfounded. Data leads to the conclusion that the majority of the students do not just try to guess at the correct answers. Rather, many of them attempted the online MCQ exercises more than once to improve themselves indicating that they were interested in self-learning. Students also reported that they utilised search and inquiry skills that clearly showed motivated initiatives to plan how to overcome their weaknesses by independently looking for relevant resources, determine their own learning goals, and evaluate their own learning performance as a firm indicator of SDL development. Based on the findings, this study is able to refute the claim that MCQs are unable to cultivate independent learning skills.&lt;/span&gt;

More than just a bus trip: School busing, disability and access to education in Toronto, Canada

Children with disabilities in Ontario, Canada have their right to equal access to education protected by the 1990 Ontario Human Rights Code and the 1990 Education Act. These legislated rights require the delivery of stigma- and barrier-free education services to children with disabilities. However, the extent to which compliance is achieved by school boards and individual schools is questionable and warrants attention as a matter of both scholarship and public policy. In this paper, we take up and apply the concept of excess travel (i.e., the travel beyond what would be required given a more optimal distribution of housing and schools) to examine the extent to which students with disability and their families are required to undertake longer, more time-consuming school trips. Our analysis includes students who were bused to TDSB elementary (grade school) and secondary (high school) schools. We use TDSB student busing records for the 2016–17 school year obtained in collaboration with the TDSB between December 2017 and March 2018. Our findings indicate substantial excess travel, particularly for students who are labelled as deaf, physically disabled, or having a behavioural exceptionality. Excess travel time experienced by students with disability is concerning given that it can lead to missed classroom time and may limit opportunities for peer interaction. The availability of busing services for students with disability confers access to education, yet it may paradoxically produce disabling experiences.

Air Ventilation Performance of School Classrooms with Respect to the Installation Positions of Return Duct

For students, who spend most of their time in school classrooms, it is important to maintain indoor air quality (IAQ) to ensure a comfortable and healthy life. Recently, the ventilation performance for indoor air quality in elementary schools has emerged as an important social issue due to the increase in the number of days of continuous high concentrations of particulate matter. Three-dimensional numerical analysis has been introduced to evaluate the indoor airflow according to the installation location of return diffusers. Considering the possibility of the cross-infection of infectious diseases between students due to the direction of airflow in the classroom, the airflow angles of the average respiratory height range of elementary school students, between 1.0 and 1.5 m, are analyzed. Throughout the numerical analysis inside the classroom, it is found that the floor return system reduces the indoor horizontal airflow that causes cross-infection among students by 20% compared to the upper return systems. Air ventilation performance is also analyzed in detail using the results of numerical simulation, including streamlines, temperature and the age of air.