Tutorial Sessions Research Articles

Using Mobile Learning to Enhance Pre-Service Teachers’ Participation in Distance Education English Tutoring Sessions

This article is the result of a small-scale research study aimed to enhance pre-service teachers’ participation in distance education tutoring sessions at the Universidad Santo Tomas, CAU (University Assistance Centre) in Chiquinquirá. The study was carried out by implementing mobile learning, specifically a mobile learning application called Kahoot. When carrying out online activities, in particular grammar games and oral discussions that involved the use of smart phones in tutorial sessions, the pre- service students were more engaged, and their participation increased greatly. Moreover, it is meaningful for students to improve their English language competence by activating their use of digital skills. Some of the benefits of mobile learning are flexibility and personalized learning activities, which try to address the needs of individual learners. This study showed that mobile learning promotes active participation, as well as knowledge construction and collaborative learning. It also creates a positive atmosphere and exposes students to innovative learning environments.

Towards Devising a Low-cost and Easy-to-use Arithmetic Learning Framework for Economically Less-privileged Visually Impaired Children

Basic arithmetic operations are essential skills needed in our life, and this is no different for the visually impaired. However, working arithmetic out on paper is always a challenge for visually impaired people. This situation is exacerbated by low-resource settings due to a paucity of low-cost and easy-to-use solutions. As a remedy to this situation, we propose a low-cost and easy-to-use arithmetic learning framework and draw a contrast between the conventional means of solving arithmetic problems and our proposed framework. Our proposal is engendered from comprehensive studies, both qualitative and quantitative, over the challenges faced by visually impaired children from two low-income countries. These studies are conducted in three phases—exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory—involving six visually impaired children and sixteen visually impaired grownups. User evaluation of our framework, in disguise of a tutorial session, confirms its acceptability and adaptability, along with its effectiveness in evoking interest in arithmetic. We believe that our study and proposed framework will help in breaking barriers to similar challenges in other developing regions across the border.

Enseñanza de estrategias de aprendizaje desde la monitoria académica del área de Acompañamiento y Permanencia -MAIE- en UNIMINUTO Sede Principal

Este artículo expone, con base en un diseño descriptivo, la enseñanza de estrategias de aprendizaje por parte de ocho monitores del área de Acompañamiento y Permanencia –MAIE– a estudiantes que asistieron a monitoria académica durante el semestre 2017-2. Para la recolección de la información se implementó una ficha de sistematización donde se consignaba la asignatura en la cual los estudiantes presentaron dificultad, junto con la estrategia de aprendizaje, su técnica y el procedimiento abordado por el monitor en respuesta a ello. Como resultado se evidencia la utilización de estrategias mnemotécnicas, de elaboración y organización para la codificación; prevaleciendo el uso de técnicas como relación intracontenido, metáfora, diagramas,palabras clave, mapas conceptuales, acrósticos y acrónimos. A partir de esto, se puede decir que enseñar estrategias de aprendizaje desde la monitoria favorece procesos de aprender-a-aprender, puesto que los estudiantes y monitores pueden adquirir y desarrollar sus propias habilidades, así como superar las dificultades temáticas, apuntando juntos al éxito académico a partir de la premisa de la personalización del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de acuerdo a las necesidades de la población estudiantil.

Proceedings of Contributed Presentations 10th World Federation of Chiropractic/Association of Chiropractic Colleges Education Conference

Proceedings of Contributed Presentations 10th World Federation of Chiropractic/Association of Chiropractic Colleges Education Conference

Wild Birds Learn Songs from Experimental Vocal Tutors

In eight groups of animals, including humans and songbirds, juveniles are understood to learn vocalizations by listening to adults [1-4]. Experimental studies of laboratory-reared animals support this hypothesis for vocal learning [5-7], yet we lack experimental evidence of vocal learning in wild animals. We developed an innovative playback technology involving automated loudspeakers that broadcast songs with distinctive acoustic signatures. We used this technology to simulate vocal tutors in the wild and conducted year-long tutoring sessions to five cohorts of free-living migratory Savannah Sparrows in eastern Canada. We confirm that wild birds learn songs by listening to adult conspecific animals, and we show that they pass these songs on to subsequent generations. Further, we provide the first experimental evidence in the wild that the timing of exposure to tutor song influences vocal learning: wild Savannah Sparrows preferentially learn songs heard during both their natal summer and at the outset of their first breeding season. This research provides direct experimental evidence of song learning by wild animals and shows that wild birds learn songs during two critical stages of development early in life. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Spotlighting pedagogic metalanguage in Reading to Learn – How teachers build legitimate knowledge during tutorial sessions

This paper presents an analysis of professional metalanguage and is a contribution to the discussion of professional development in literacy teaching. By analysing tutorial sessions within a professional development programme, we investigate how teachers and experts leading the professional development programme, negotiate the new literacy metalanguage that is to be built and appropriated during the PD programme. LCT (Legitimation Code Theory), in particular the dimension of Semantics, has been used for analysing and visualising the negotiations and signs of development of the new metalanguage.

Mediational strategies in a dynamic assessment approach to L2 listening comprehension: Different ability levels in focus

The present study is an attempt to shed light on the mediator-learner’s interaction in the development of listening comprehension skill and compare this interaction between high and low proficient L2 learners of English. 30 L2 learners participated in Oxford’s Quick Placemat Test and the Interactions/Mosaic Listening Placement Test to select those whose proficiency levels and listening skills were based on the placement guide of the tests, at upper-intermediate and advanced levels. Out of 30 students, 12 learners (advanced level=6, upper-intermediate=6) volunteered to participate in individualized tutoring sessions. Learners listened to the listening items and answered the item(s) individually. Upon the learner’s failure to answer the item, the mediator intervened and provided mediation. Mediation was provided using the interactionist approach. The qualitative data were then coded in terms of task completion along with errors and struggles to indicate the quantity and quality of mediation happened throughout the Dynamic Assessment (DA) intervention. Qualitative comparisons were made between the two ability levels on the type of mediation required at these two ability levels. Quantitative comparisons were made to find out learners’ Zone of Actual Development (ZAD), Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), Gain Score (GS), and Learning Potential Score (LPS). Findings of the study revealed that DA mediation resulted in the development of the listening comprehension ability of advanced and upper-intermediate learners. The ability level of the learners was not, however, a determining factor in enhancing the development of the listening comprehension ability of learners at two ability levels. A close qualitative analysis of all the mediated interactions revealed that twenty-five mediational strategies were identified that promoted the development of listening abilities of advanced and upper-intermediate level learners. It is also revealed that the upper-intermediate learners required more mediational support as compared to the advanced learners.

Embedding employability skills for the legal professionals of the future

ABSTRACTThis article provides a case study on embedding employability skills into law courses at one higher education institution. The aim of the project was to further embed employability skills within curriculum delivery as part of a holistic student skills development strategy. The authors used the four-stage process, suggested by the Higher Education Academy’s Framework on Embedding Employability in Higher Education to design the project: defining employability, reviewing and mapping current employability skills, prioritising actions and measuring impact. The authors draw out three ways in which the project has wider potential relevance. From an educational theory perspective, the project represents a way to embed employability skills in a Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level appropriate way, through reference to Biggs’ taxonomy of learning. For higher education institutions, the project is particularly topical in light of the rapidly changing regulatory landscape that is becoming increasingly skills focused in nature. It is suggested that embedding employability in law courses now will assist future institutional engagement with the potentially new route to qualifying as a solicitor through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. Individual law teachers also reported benefits to embedding employability skills in tutorial sessions from a classroom management perspective.

Engage Engineering Students In Homework: Attribution Of Low Completion And Suggestions For Interventions

Homework is an important out-of-class activity, crucial to student success in engineering courses. However, in a first-semester freshman engineering course, approximately one-fourth of students were completing less than 80% of the homework. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ attribution of their low completion of homework and suggest corresponding interventions to help students with different attribution types. A qualitative approach was applied using semi-structured interviews for data collection. The interviewees were students who were on track to complete less than 80% of the homework. Students in the study attributed their low rates of completion to multiple factors. We coded and summarized students’ attributions of homework incompletion according to Weiner’s attribution theory and suggested corresponding interventions for students with different attribution types. Results show that most students attributed their failure to complete their homework to external reasons rather than internal reasons. A large portion of student’s attributions for low homework completion was due to poor time management skills. Some students attributed low homework completion to unstable factors such as illness, transition, or adjustment problems. A small portion attributed low homework completion to uncontrollable reasons, such as sickness and homework difficulty. Students’ reasons for homework incompletion varied across the three dimensions of Weiner’s attribution theory suggesting that a variety of intervention techniques is required. In addition to use of widely adopted interventions such as first year seminars, tutoring, and tutorial sessions, intervention techniques based on attribution theory may be necessary to employ, to help students avoid negative emotional and behavioral consequences of homework incompletion.

Academic peer tutors and academic biliteracy development in students of Spanish as a heritage language

ABSTRACTThis study explores the literacy development of students who speak Spanish as a heritage language and who participate in mandatory, peer-to-peer tutoring sessions outside of the classroom. We explore students’ academic development as well as their self-positioning as heritage speakers in a bilingual academic setting. Drawing on Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), we analyze the written production of seven bilingual students enrolled in a Native Speaker Program at a large, public university. We focus on the development of their academic language through the support of a heritage language tutor and explore the role of the peer tutor as a facilitator in this process. Additionally, we employ Appraisal Theory to analyze interviews in which the same participants explore their bilingual identities and how they position themselves interpersonally as a result of conversations held with a peer mentor, thus demonstrating the benefits of learning Spanish as a heritage language through peer-led learning in academic contexts.

11th International Symposium on Modern Optics and Its Applications (ISMOA)

PREFACEThe (11th) International Symposium on Modern Optics and Its Applications (ISMOA) is a bi-annual meeting held by the Indonesian Optical Society (InOS)/Himpunan Optika Indonesia (HOI). For 11 times, this symposium has been marked as the largest conference of the kind in Indonesia which not only gather modern optical scientists from all around Indonesia, but also from other regions around the world. ISMOA was initiated by two of the founders of The Indonesian Optical Society (InOS), Prof. Tjia and Dr. Alexander Iskandar in 2001 under the support of KNAW, The Royal Netherland Academy of Arts and Sciences and several colleagues from University of Twente. As time goes by, after the founding of InOS in 2011, ISMOA was co-organized by InOS in collaboration with ITB. For the first time, ISMOA is co-organized by InOS with another group not from ITB, of course still with strong support by InOS members from ITB.This time, the event was held at the IPB Baranang Siang Campus (Tutorial Session) and IPB International Convention Center (Symposium) in Bogor City West Java Indonesia from the 7th-10th August 2017. The value of this event is to enable scientific communication and interactions among regional scientists and distinguished scientists working in the rapidly growing field of modern optics and novel functional optical materials as well as the associated applications to information and communication technology (ICT), bio-medical sensing, imaging and biophotonics as well as applications to the development of sustainable green energy generation. This event is also designed to offer the opportunity of making direct contacts for the young Indonesian and ASEAN scientists and students with leading researchers abroad, thereby inspiring their research interest and fostering the existing research collaborations as well as extending international research networking for the future.

The Role of Translanguaging in Improving Thai learners' Interactional Competence in Dyadic English as a Foreign Language Tutorial Sessions

The Role of Translanguaging in Improving Thai learners' Interactional Competence in Dyadic English as a Foreign Language Tutorial Sessions

Large Group Basic Science Tutorials Reduce the Stigma Surrounding Academic Assistance in the Medical School Setting

Struggling students are less likely to seek academic assistance and may start at a lower level of comfort with asking for help. Peer and near-peer tutoring programs may reduce the stigma of asking for academic assistance, but studies of the efficacy of such interventions are lacking in the literature. A near-peer tutoring elective called “Upperclassmen Tutoring Underclassmen in Basic sciences And Test-taking” (UpTUBAT) was developed to provide academic support to struggling first and second year medical students. Fourth year medical students were trained in effective tutoring practices through online modules, activities, standardized learner experiences, and faculty-led discussions. Tutors then designed and hosted weekly tutoring sessions. An average of 31 learners attended each session, and 188 total medical students received tutoring. The effects of the tutoring sessions were assessed through pre- and post-tutoring surveys and learner grades. Positive tutoring session themes included identification of relevant information, active engagement, concept clarification, opportunity for review, and diversity of approaches. Attendance of more than half of the sessions increased learners’ self-reported comfort (on a 5-point Likert scale) with asking for help from an upperclassman (4.5 versus 3.2, p = 0.01) or from a professor (4.3 versus 3.1, p = 0.01). More students who were struggling sought tutoring through these sessions, and this intervention helped to maintain learner grades at the same level as the students not receiving tutoring. This study establishes an effective method of training tutors to host large group tutorials in the basic sciences which can lead to development of a cohesive learning community across medical school classes. Near-peer tutoring may be an effective approach to improve learner comfort with seeking academic assistance in the medical school setting.

The role of questioning in writing tutorials: a critical approach to student-centered learning in peer tutorials in higher education

ABSTRACTPeer tutoring in higher education aims to enhance student learning, and confidence. In writing centres, peer writing tutors use critical questioning to make the tutorial sessions student-focused and productive. The nature of questions influences the outcomes of the tutorials, yet research has not devoted sufficient time to unpacking what form this questioning takes, and the potential value for students and tutors. This paper explores the kinds of questions asked, the challenges posed to students and tutors, and implications for the learning process. Tutors’ experiences during tutorials and their reflections in written reports are used to unpack and explore questioning in tutorials. The paper highlights questioning as relevant in writing centre spaces due to its central role in shaping student learning about writing. The findings have relevance for peer tutoring in higher education generally, and indicate the importance of peer tutors learning to use questions to engage effectively with students.

The person-centred approach in maths skills development: examining a case of good practice

The development of students' mathematics skills in Higher Education is often the topic of professional debate in learning development circles. Less prevalent are discussions taking place around the interpersonal dynamics that occur during one-to-one (tutorial) sessions. This case study explores these dynamics. It arose from the continuing professional development activities of an adviser (learning developer) at a UK university. As a result of recording one-to-one mathematics sessions it was found that the adviser was unconsciously competent and that, although she was adept at identifying her areas for development, she struggled to articulate the considerable strengths of her practice. We wanted to find a way of describing, analysing and evaluating her competence and alighted upon the person-centred approach.The aim of this paper, therefore, is to present the synthesis of maths skills practice with this approach in the hope of stimulating further research and professional conversation in the learning development community. The report offers novel idiographic findings through the application of person-centred theory to one practitioner's experience of delivering maths skills development. We conclude by suggesting that focusing on the relationship between adviser and student can help to create conditions conducive to successful one-to-one education.

What can we learn from problem-based learning tutors at a graduate entry medical school? A mixed method approach

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been adopted by many medical schools as an innovative method to deliver an integrated medical curriculum since its inception at McMaster University (Dornan et al., Med Educ 39(2):163–170, 2005; Finucane et al., Med Educ 35(1):56–61, 2001; Barrows, Tutorials in problem-based learning: A new direction in teaching the health professions, 1984). The student experience in PBL has been explored in detail (Merriam, New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 89: 3–13, 2001; Azer, Kaohsiung J Med Sci 25(5): 240–249, 2009; Boelens et al., BMC Med Ed 15(1): 84, 2015; Dolmans et al., Med Teach 24(2):173–180, 2002; Lee et al., Med Teach 35(2): e935-e942, 2013) but the tutors who facilitate PBL have valuable insight into how PBL functions and this aspect has not been extensively researched.The integrated curriculum for years 1 and 2 at the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick is delivered though problem-based learning (PBL). This programme requires collaborative teamwork between students and the tutors who facilitate small-group tutorial sessions. All PBL tutors at GEMS are medically qualified, with the majority (68%) currently working in clinical practice.MethodsA mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilising two surveys and follow-up focus groups to fully understand the tutor experience. Thirty-three tutors took part in two online surveys with a response rate of 89%. Thirteen tutors participated in two focus groups. Descriptive analysis was completed on survey data and thematic analysis on focus group discussions which highlighted five main themes.ResultsTutors reported challenges with managing group dynamics, development of confidence in tutoring with experience and a willingness to learn from peers to improve practice. Findings are in keeping with previously published work. Results also identified several less commonly discussed issues impacting student engagement in PBL including the use of mobile device technology, unauthorised access to learning objectives and PBL cases, and the importance and need for professional development amongst tutors, including the impact of tutoring on clinical practice. This study revealed that experienced tutors spend considerable time preparing for PBL tutorials in the basic sciences and that this input is rewarded by the benefits it brings to their clinical practice.ConclusionsUnderstanding PBL from the tutor’s perspective reveals valuable insights which can inform ongoing tutor development and support. Limited research exists in the area of PBL tutor’s experiences which may be of interest to medical educators, clinicians and the wider medical community. Findings highlight the value of shared tutor experiences as a resource that can be capitalised on to benefit both novice and experienced tutors.

Back to Basics, Again and Again and Again: A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects Problem-based Tutorial Sessions Have on Student Learning Outcomes

Engineering tertiary courses that reflect professional activity mandate the successful application of theorems and concepts in order to solve technical problems. This graduate skill is typically assessed during student problem-solving activities. Furthermore, both collaborative learning and the interactive study method known as self-explanation have been identified, by researchers, as techniques that enhance student learning. In the reported longitudinal study, students shared their solutions to problem-solving exercises with a version of self-explanation in a collaborative environment. The research investigated the effects of the intervention on student outcomes as reflected in their assessment results. In 2013, the weekly tutorial content, for a first-year electronics course, was reworked with a focus on problem-solving activities. During these sessions the students were engaged by asking them to share electronically, or via a document camera, their prepared solutions to problems that should have been attempted prior to attending. The data collected included the scores these students obtained for each of the assessable components for the course in semester one 2013, 2014, 2016 and semester two in 2016. This data were analyzed by comparing results with those of the 2012 cohort. Week-by-week tutorial attendances showed similar trending in all semesters. The mean total mark, mean exam mark and the mean laboratory mark consistently maintained improvement over those of 2012; while the mean tutorial participation mark and the mean assignment mark were consistently worse (except for the 2014 cohort) than the corresponding ones for 2012.

Comparative Analytical Study Considering The Analogy of Learning Creativity Quantification versus Ant Colony Intelligence

This piece of research introduces an investigational systematic study of an interdisciplinary challenging phenomenon observed in natural world. Interestingly, this study belongs to the two emerging fields of nature-inspired computing (NIC) and computational intelligence (CI) with focusing on the physics- and biology-based approaches and algorithms .Herein, by more details this article concerned with the conceptual analysis and evaluation of quantified learning creativity phenomenon via simulation and modeling of two diverse natural biological systems (human & non-human creatures). More precisely, it is associated to diverse aspects of measurable behavioral learning performance of both biological systems. Therefore, this paper introduces comparative analogy between two diverse biological behavioral systems considering quantification of learning creativity. Referring to, the definition of Swarm intelligence which considered as a relatively new discipline that deals with the study of self-organizing processes both in nature and in artificial systems. Researchers in ethology and animal behavior have proposed many models to explain interesting aspects of social insect behavior such as self-organization and shape-formation. Accordingly, the presented study observed during human interactive tutoring/learning processes with natural environment. Versus ecological behavioral learning of swarm intelligence agents (Ants), while performing foraging process . Systematic investigational study of quantified human learning creativity phenomenon is an interdisciplinary, challenging, and interesting educational issue. At education field practice (classrooms) , while face to face tutoring sessions are performed, learning creativity phenomenon is detectable via bidirectional feedback between teacher and pupil. In short, this research work adopts comparative study of simulation and modeling for educational creativity issue considering two disciplinary approaches are namely: swarm intelligence, and neural networks. Both simulated realistically for systematic investigational modeling of creatures' creativity phenomenon observed in nature. Presented creativity models mainly consider observed behavioral learning of ant colony system in addition to in field educational classrooms. Conclusively, presented results herein, for both swarm intelligence and neural networks models seemed to be well promising for future more elaborate, systematic, and innovative research in evaluation of human learning creativity phenomenon regarding (NIC) and (CI).

An Instrumental Case Study on Testing an Integrated Framework for Tutoring Sessions

The objective for the current qualitative case study was to examine participants’ perceptions on the tutor coaching and session review frameworks. The location of the study was at the tutor coach’s place of business. At the beginning of the study, both tutor coach and tutors were trained on how to implement the specific frameworks associated with their roles in the tutoring process. Tutors who participated in the study kept weekly reflection journals regarding their tutoring experiences. After 6 weeks, the tutor coach participated in 30-minute open-ended phone interviews related to the tutor-coaching framework. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Tutors completed an online questionnaire about the methods and strategies used to conduct effective tutoring sessions. Themes were extracted related to tutor coaching, session reviews, effective tutoring sessions, and general tutoring from the data: interview transcripts, online surveys, monitoring notes, and weekly journals. There were 12 emerging themes, 7 categories, and 9 sub-categories that were coded and analyzed. The findings revealed that effective tutoring sessions required lesson preparation and the session review framework provided an avenue of viewing and keeping track on what to look for in tutoring sessions. Another finding was that the tutoring coaching framework influenced coaching with tutors.

Workshop problem-solving for improved student engagement and increased learning in Engineering Control

Study of Engineering Control is often perceived by students as highly complex and a difficult hurdle to pass. The authors of this paper were prompted to propose changes to the teaching of a final year control unit of a BEng (Hons) Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering after numerous students had expressed concern about their ability to be successful in this subject. The average exam grade had also been low for several years. Teaching previously had been didactic in nature, based on lectures, predefined laboratory exercises and tutorial sessions. Use of appropriate-based workshop study sessions can lead to higher levels of attainment and development, and student perception is that the experience is informal, engaging but appropriately challenging. A series of workshop sessions were introduced into term two of the unit teaching over a period of several weeks. Students worked individually on learning improvement activities, within cooperative groups in an informal workshop environment. The tasks set to the students were challenging and designed to improve general skills in Control, and students were encouraged to explore further areas that interested them. Results presented in this paper describe an improvement in student engagement, confidence in exam preparation and communication of learning measured by grades since the introduction of the workshop sessions, and improved feedback from students. The workshop sessions were integrated into the teaching scheme rather than being elective and did not require any additional timetable sessions.