ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
&quot;All Work and No Play&quot; Reconsidered: The Use of Games to Promote Motivation and Engagement in Instruction
Author: Gareau, Stephen
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Games,Graduate Students,Educational Technology,Qualitative Research,Student Behavior,Observation,Feedback (Response),Instructional Design,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Learning Motivation,Student Motivation,Learner Engagement,Masters Programs,Student Role

This study examined the role of games in graduate-level instructional technology courses, where the curriculum includes complex abstract theory and hands-on, practical skills. A qualitative approach was used in the study, relying on classroom observations of student behavior (recorded by digital photographs), informal student verbal comments, formal written feedback, and analysis of student game projects, as sources of data. Participants had the opportunity to serve in one or both roles of 'educational game player' and 'educational game designer'. Issues involved in adapting existing games to classroom use are also discussed. Study findings reveal that games can be very useful in the classroom, helping to stimulate student active participation in the learning process.
Click or Clique? Using Educational Technology to Address Students' Anxieties about Peer Evaluation
Author: Walker, Ruth
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Technology,Peer Evaluation,Audience Response Systems,Focus Groups,Test Bias,Student Attitudes,Technology Uses in Education,Peer Influence,Small Classes,Evaluation Criteria,Data Collection,Data Analysis,Feedback (Response),Test Anxiety,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries

Peer bias is recognised as a primary factor in negative student perceptions of peer assessment strategies. This study trialled the use of classroom response systems, widely known as clickers, in small seminar classes in order to actively engage students in their subject's assessment process while providing the anonymity that would lessen the impact of peer pressure. Focus group reflection on the students' impressions of the peer evaluation process, the use of clickers, and their anxieties about potential peer bias were analysed in the light of the results of teacher and class evaluations of each individual student presentation. The findings revealed that students recognised the value of peer assessment in promoting class engagement and active learning, despite their ongoing resistance to the practice of peer review. An unexpected finding suggested that the clickers, selected as an educational technology for their appeal and ease of use by the &quot;digital native&quot; student already familiar with a variety of mobile communication and gaming devices, reinforced student perception that the peer review process was akin to a popularity contest.
Playing Bingo to Review Fundamental Concepts in Advanced Courses
Author: Weisskirch, Robert S.
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Fundamental Concepts,Advanced Courses,Learning Activities,Educational Games,Active Learning,Likert Scales,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Concept Teaching,Teaching Methods,Theories,Developmental Psychology,Undergraduate Students

The beginning of advanced courses often requires a review of fundamental concepts. Such review is often tedious and boring for both student and instructor. Instead, an active learning exercise such as a modified Bingo exercise can serve to review and re-educate at the same time. Ninety-two university students rated their understanding of developmental psychology theories before and after participating in a modified Bingo exercise designed to review the fundamentals of the theories and concepts. Students reported an improvement of their perceived knowledge of developmental theories and for each of the theories reviewed. They rated the exercise as academically challenging, helpful to learn concepts, and not a waste of time. Students who reported being able to explain the theories to others at the conclusion of the exercise had higher test scores.
Two Minute Training in Class Significantly Increases the Use of Professional Formatting in Student to Faculty Email Correspondence
Author: Aguilar-Roca, Nancy
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Faculty,College Students,Teacher Student Relationship,Electronic Mail,Interpersonal Communication,Prosocial Behavior,Professionalism,Training,Writing Instruction,Introductory Courses,Biology,College Science,Instructional Effectiveness

Many university faculty value email as an important tool for communicating with colleagues, but express frustration with a high incidence of unprofessional email correspondence from students. The goals of this study were to document the frequency of specific formatting mistakes that contribute to faculty's unfavorable perception of student emails and to determine if training could reduce these errors. We analyzed emails from students to three instructors of different rank and gender co-teaching two sections of a large introductory biology class: one section received two minutes of basic email etiquette training, the second section served as the control. We report a significant increase in overall professional quality of student emails in the trained class due to more frequent use of proper salutations, appropriate capitalization, and a class-specific subject line. These data suggest that most students do not send intentionally disrespectful messages and respond to guidance in constructing professionally formatted emails.
Learning from Their Own Learning: How Metacognitive and Meta-Affective Reflections Enhance Learning in Race-Related Courses
Author: Chick, Nancy
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Reflection,Cultural Pluralism,Racial Relations,Racial Attitudes,Racial Bias,Attitude Measures,Likert Scales,Interdisciplinary Approach,Learning Processes,Barriers,Perspective Taking,Empathy,Multicultural Education,Scores,Learning Experience,Undergraduate Students,Graduate Students

This interdisciplinary project examined how students think and feel about their learning in race-related diversity courses. Students in four classes (literature, psychology, geography) reflected on cognitive and affective dimensions of their own and their classmates' learning. The Color Blind Racial Attitudes Scales (CoBRAS) confirmed qualitative analyses of learning patterns in three of the classes that resulted in moving from lack of awareness about racism to increased understanding and in the fourth class that lacked this movement. Findings include what helped students learn, cognitive and affective obstacles to learning, and the benefit of exposing students to multiple perspectives, empathy-enhancing activities, and emotional regulation skills.
Service Learning in a Non-Majors Biology Course Promotes Changes in Students' Attitudes and Values about the Environment
Author: Packer, Alissa
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Service Learning,Biology,Science Instruction,Student Attitudes,Nonmajors,Student Surveys,Attitude Change,Environment,Values,Introductory Courses,Science Laboratories,College Science,Sustainability,Agricultural Production,Student Evaluation of Teacher Performance,Course Evaluation,Essay Tests,Writing Assignments,Pretests Posttests,College Students

I was interested in whether the inclusion of a service-learning experience would affect students' attitudes and values about the environment. To investigate this question, I incorporated a service-learning project into the laboratory portion of one of the two sections of my non-majors biology course, and kept the lecture portions of the course identical. Several methods were used to assess the impact of the service-learning experience: the New Ecological Paradigm survey was used to measure changes in students' attitudes and values about the environment at the beginning and end of the semester, and reflective writing assignments were used throughout the semester qualitatively assess changes. Students' evaluations of the course and the instructor were also compared. As predicted, participation in a service-learning project was associated with changes in students' attitudes and values about the environment. Students in the service-learning lab were also more likely to positively rate the course and the instructor.
An Investigation of Online and Face-to-Face Communication in General Chemistry
Author: Weaver, Gabriela
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Chemistry,Synchronous Communication,Distance Education,Computer Mediated Communication,Comparative Analysis,Mixed Methods Research,Educational Technology,Teacher Student Relationship,Higher Education,College Students,College Faculty,College Science,Online Courses

This exploratory study investigated an online office hour and a face-to-face recitation for similarities and differences. The online office hour and face-to-face recitation were a part of general chemistry courses taught at different universities. The courses covered the same material at the same level. The results of the investigation revealed that in the online environment students must articulate their ideas clearly to convey them in a text-only medium. The written text seemed to help the instructor to identify misinterpretations made by the students. The instructor-dominated hierarchy between instructor and student is present in both environments. When comparing the percentage of total student and instructor events (the sum of questions and statements) in the online environment, students' events were significantly greater than instructor's events. This finding is an indication that the online environment shows promise for improving student participation.
The Grasp of Physics Concepts of Motion: Identifying Particular Patterns in Students' Thinking
Author: Obaidat, Ihab
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physics,Scientific Concepts,Motion,Introductory Courses,Mechanics (Physics),Knowledge Level,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Science Tests,Multiple Choice Tests,Schemata (Cognition),Low Achievement,Comprehension,Misconceptions,College Science

We have investigated the grasp of some of the basic concepts of motion by students taking the introductory physics course in Mechanics at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). We have developed a short research-based multiple-choice test where we were able to extract some information about the state of knowledge of the students. In general, the students were found to have poor understanding. We have analyzed the results of the test using a mathematical function, the concentration factor, which may expose some particularly naïve models of basic physics concepts among students and serve to identify particular patterns in the students' thinking. Based on the outcomes and on our own experience, we have pinpointed some possible factors for the students' low performance. We have also recommended several methods which might enhance the students' understanding of the basic physics concepts.
Foreign Language Anxiety and Self-Perceived English Pronunciation Competence
Author: Szyszka, Magdalena
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Anxiety,Pronunciation,Language Proficiency,Correlation,Preservice Teachers,Self Concept,Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Student Surveys,Questionnaires,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Likert Scales

In foreign language learning a negative correlation has been reported between language anxiety and both oral performance (Liu, 2006; Stephenson Wilson, 2006; Woodrow 2006) and self-perceived levels of speaking ability (Kitano, 2001; MacIntyre, Noels, &amp; Clement, 1997; Piechurska-Kuciel, 2008). However, little is known about the relationship between language anxiety and the way students perceive their own competence regarding one of the integral components of oral performance--pronunciation. The present study is an attempt to investigate the link between foreign language anxiety and the self-perceived levels of pronunciation of 48 teacher training college students, who study English as a foreign language. A negative correlation, r = -0.54 (p &lt; 0.05), was found between the level of their language anxiety and self-perceived English pronunciation competence, indicating that more apprehensive teacher trainees perceived their pronunciation as poor, whereas those with lower levels of anxiety declared higher pronunciation competence. Moreover, statistically significant negative correlations were noted between the levels of anxiety and self-perceived competences of several suprasegmental aspects of pronunciation, such as word pronunciation, stress, weak forms, rhythm, linking, and assimilation. The teacher trainees who rated their competence of these suprasegmentals more highly experienced lower levels of foreign language anxiety. The perception of segmentals, however, appeared to be unconnected with the participants' anxiety.
The Development of Conjunction Use in Advanced L2 Speech
Author: Jaroszek, Marcin
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Form Classes (Languages),Language Usage,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Oral Language,Communicative Competence (Languages),Advanced Students,Longitudinal Studies,Correlation,Second Language Instruction,Outcomes of Education,Classroom Communication,College Freshmen,Foreign Countries,Discourse Analysis,Student Journals,Interviews,Polish,Native Language,Diaries

The article discusses the results of a longitudinal study of how the use of conjunctions, as an aspect of spoken discourse competence of 13 selected advanced students of English, developed throughout their 3-year English as a foreign language (EFL) tertiary education. The analysis was carried out in relation to a number of variables, including 2 reference levels, one representing English native discourse and the other observed in teacher talk in actual EFL classes, language type exposure, as registered by the participants of the study on a weekly basis, and teaching procedures. The study investigated possible factors determining the development of 3 aspects of conjunction use: (a) formal conjunctions, (b) specific conjunctions, that is, those conjunctions that are both characteristic of natural English discourse and are underrepresented in L2 discourse, and (c) conjunction diversity. The results point to a restricting effect of teacher talk on the development of specific conjunction use and conjunction diversity. These 2 aspects of conjunction use enjoyed only a slight rise, approaching the teacher reference level. On the other hand, formal conjunctions use did increase radically throughout the study, exceeding the native reference level. In this case teacher talk played a reinforcing role at most. As indicated in a correlational analysis, although there was a clear tendency of the participants' development of conjunction use towards the native reference level, exposure to authentic English may not have been facilitative of the development of this discourse aspect. An interesting observation was made with reference to the effect of formal instruction on the development of conjunction use: Although the subjects did receive intensive training in conjunction use in the 1st semester of their EFL course, it was not until the 2nd year that their levels of formal conjunction use in spoken output increased. This suggests that formal instruction may have no immediate effect on the development of spoken discourse competence.
Evaluation of Learning Style for First Year Medical Students
Author: Johnson, Mary
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Medical Students,Personality Measures,Correlation,Academic Achievement,Cognitive Processes,College Admission,Medical Schools,Questionnaires,Student Attitudes,Preferences,Statistical Analysis

Background: Many studies have documented the correlation of learning style and academic success for medical students. However, few have investigated the intersection of academic preparedness and students' preference for information processing. This study tested the hypothesis that learning style preference differs among medical students grouped by admission status. It also analyzed markers of academic success and their correlation with various learning styles. Methods: First year students from six entering classes at one medical school regional campus were grouped into regular and alternate admission pools. All students completed two types of learning style questionnaire as a part of self-awareness training. Results: Students from these distinct matriculant pools were found to have significant differences in multimodal, visual and kinesthetic learning styles. Both groups of medical learners were significantly different from the general population in several key learning characteristics, including sensing and judging dimensions measured using a version of the Myers-Brigs Type Indicator.
The Relationship between Language Anxiety and the Actual and Perceived Levels of Foreign Language Pronunciation
Author: Baran-Lucarz, Malgorzata
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Anxiety,Second Language Learning,Pronunciation,Hypothesis Testing,Communication (Thought Transfer),Measures (Individuals),Likert Scales,Correlation,Questionnaires,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,English (Second Language),Interviews,Secondary School Teachers,Statistical Analysis

The construct of anxiety has been captivating the interest of SLA [second-language acquisition] researchers for a long time. Numerous observations show that most individuals experience anxiety when learning a foreign language (FL) and using it, both in classroom and real-life contexts, though to a different extent. An analysis of studies conducted on language anxiety (LA) throughout several decades (Horwitz, 2010) shows that researchers have focused, first and foremost, on examining the nature, symptoms and consequences of being anxious, proving its detrimental effect on FL and L2 learning and performance. However, the causes of LA seem to have been less thoroughly explored. The paper reports on a study investigating whether the actual level of FL learners' pronunciation and the pronunciation level perceived by students can be considered significant sources of anxiety. It is hypothesized that both pronunciation levels are related to LA, with the latter being a more important determinant of LA than the former. To measure the subjects' degree of anxiety, the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, &amp; Cope, 1986) was applied. The actual level of pronunciation was diagnosed with the use of a Pronunciation Test, consisting of a Perception Test and two Production Tests (word and passage reading). The perceived pronunciation level of the participants was measured with a questionnaire designed for the purpose of this research. The Pearson moment-correlation proved LA to be significantly correlated with both levels of pronunciation, with the relationship being more meaningful in the case of the perceived FL pronunciation level.
Personality Factors as Predictors of Foreign Language Aptitude
Author: Biedron, Adriana
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Personality Traits,Predictor Variables,Second Language Learning,Language Aptitude,Academically Gifted,Multiple Regression Analysis,Hypothesis Testing,Comparative Analysis,Personality Measures,Language Proficiency,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),College Students,Aptitude Tests,Language Tests

The study addresses a problem which is inadequately investigated in second language acquisition research, that is, personality predictors of foreign language aptitude. Specifically, it focuses on the Five Factor model which includes Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (Costa &amp; McCrae, 1992) as traits differentiating gifted and nongifted foreign language learners and predicting results of foreign language aptitude tests. Although contemporary researchers generally agree that affect is an important variable in second language acquisition, most empirical studies demonstrate that personality factors are weakly correlated with cognitive abilities and that their contribution to the ultimate attainment is minor (cf. Robinson &amp; Ellis, 2008). On the other hand, these factors constitute an integral part of cognitive ability development (cf. Dörnyei, 2009); therefore, neglecting them in research on foreign language aptitude would be unjustified. The following study is an attempt to analyze the Five Factors in two groups of learners: gifted and nongifted. In order to answer the question as to which and to what extent personality factors have a predictive effect on foreign language aptitude, the results were subjected to a multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study are presented and discussed in a wider context of research on cognitive abilities.
Spoken Grammar Awareness Raising: Does It Affect the Listening Ability of Iranian EFL Learners?
Author: Rashtchi, Mojgan
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grammar,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Speech Communication,Language Skills,Communicative Competence (Languages),College Students,Listening Skills,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Comprehension,Questionnaires,Likert Scales

Advances in spoken corpora analysis have brought about new insights into language pedagogy and have led to an awareness of the characteristics of spoken language. Current findings have shown that grammar of spoken language is different from written language. However, most listening and speaking materials are concocted based on written grammar and lack core spoken language features. The aim of the present study was to explore the question whether awareness of spoken grammar features could affect learners' comprehension of real-life conversations. To this end, 45 university students in two intact classes participated in a listening course employing corpus-based materials. The instruction of the spoken grammar features to the experimental group was done overtly through awareness raising tasks, whereas the control group, though exposed to the same materials, was not provided with such tasks for learning the features. The results of the independent samples &quot;t&quot; tests revealed that the learners in the experimental group comprehended everyday conversations much better than those in the control group. Additionally, the highly positive views of spoken grammar held by the learners, which was elicited by means of a retrospective questionnaire, were generally comparable to those reported in the literature.
How Do Management Students Prefer to Learn? Why Should We Care?
Author: Bernardes, Ednilson
Date: 2009-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Business Administration Education,Preferences,Cognitive Style,Gender Differences,Undergraduate Students,Majors (Students),Questionnaires,Student Attitudes

This paper reports the findings of a study of the learning styles of students in the operations management class at a regional comprehensive university in southeastern United States. Extant learning styles are found to be highly diverse and differ by student gender. However, in contrast to at least one prior study, the learning styles of our respondents did not differ by student major. Five areas of opportunity for future research arising from the results of this study are identified in the paper's conclusion.