scholarly journals One-shot or Embedded? Assessing Different Delivery Timing for Information Resources Relevant to Assignments

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Van Epps ◽  
Megan Sapp Nelson

Objective – This study aims to determine if the timing of library in-class presentations makes a difference in the type and quality of resources students use for each of four assignments in an introductory speech class. This comparison of content delivery timing contrasts a single, 50-minute lecture early in the semester with four approximately 12-minute lectures offered just before each assignment. Methods – First-year engineering students taking Fundamentals of Speech Communication provide the study group. Each speech assignment requires students to turn in an outline and list of references. The list of references for each student was given to the librarians, after the assignments were appropriately anonymized, for analysis of resource type, quality of resource, and completeness of citation. Researchers coded a random sample of bibliographies from the assignments using a framework to identify resource type (book, periodical, Web, facts & figures, unknown) and quality, based on intended audience and purpose (scholarly, entertainment, persuasion/bias), and compared them to each other to determine if a difference is evident. The authors coordinated what material would be presented to the students to minimize variation between the sections. Results – The study found a statistically significant difference between groups of students, demonstrating that the frequent, short library instruction sessions produce an increased use of high-quality content. Similarly, the sections with multiple library interactions show more use of periodicals than websites, while completeness of references is not significantly different across teaching methods. Conclusions – More frequent and timely interaction between students and library instruction increases the quality of sources used and the completeness of the citations written. While researchers found statistically significant differences, the use of a citation coding framework developed for specific engineering research and design tasks means the analysis done in this study is not as accurate as it might be with a framework designed for analyzing the resources required for researching and writing speech assignments.

2021 ◽  
pp. 234763112110072
Author(s):  
Srinivasan Lakshminarayanan ◽  
N. J. Rao ◽  
G. K. Meghana

The introductory programming course, commonly known as CS1 and offered as a core course in the first year in all engineering programs in India, is unique because it can address higher cognitive levels, metacognition and some aspects of the affective domain. It can provide much needed transformative experiences to students coming from a system of school education that is dominantly performance-driven. Unfortunately, the CS1 course, as practiced in almost all engineering programs, is also performance-driven because of a variety of compulsions. This paper suggests that the inclusion of a course CS0 can bring about transformative learning that can potentially make a significant difference in the quality of learning in all subsequent engineering courses. The suggested instruction design of this course takes the advantage of the unique features of a course in programming. The proposed CS0 course uses “extreme apprenticeship” and “guided discovery” methods of instruction. The effectiveness of these instruction methods was established through the use of the thematic analysis, a well-known qualitative research method, and the associated coding of transformative learning experiences and instruction components.


Author(s):  
B. Memarian ◽  
S. Zuluaga ◽  
M. Stickel

This paper shares a summary of the self-reported concerns of 134 first-year engineering students around engagement in online active learning environments during COVID-19. The students had volunteered to participate in remote weekly problem-solving workshops for four weeks that utilized Active Learning techniques. In this paper, we specifically analyze samples from the students who participated in only one workshop and responded to the following question: What concerns do you have that might limit your ability to engage in online active learning environments? Twenty of the participants reported no concerns. The tone of each student's response and personal feelings reported were also analyzed. Then, a thematic analysis of each student response was made, with the transcription and coding agreement being performed by two coders. As expected, most of the students expressed their concerns in a negative or neutral tone, and only a few expressed an affinity for current educational settings. Word mining of feeling terms shows that more students had verbalized being disengaged, followed by distracted and uncomfortable and none communicated a positive feeling. Our thematic analysis showed that learning socially (72/114, or 63%) is the most pressing concern for the students, followed by more personal regulating factors such as attitude and motivation (44%), quality of physical and virtual study environment (40%), as well as the guidance received from the course administrators (24%). Findings suggest the need for developing a global understanding of what active learning in an online environment entails in the context of engineering education, and to develop and adjust tools and practices to help students learn in this new context.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kuley ◽  
Sean Maw ◽  
Terry Fonstad

This paper focuses on feedback received from a set of qualitative questions that were administered to undergraduate students in the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, as part of a larger mixed methods study. The larger study aims to identify what characteristics, if any, can predict or are related to student success; The “start-stop-continue” method was utilized to assess student perceptions about  their success in the college as a whole. The students were asked: Are there any specific things that you can think of that act/acted as barriers to your success in engineering (stop)? What could the college do/change to make first year more successful for engineering students (start)? Is there anything in your engineering degree so far that you feel is done well and helps students succeed (continue)? Students identified the quality of instruction early in their program as well as adjustment to college workloads and self-directed learning as the most significant barriers tostudent success.


Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1401
Author(s):  
Hugo César Gómez-Tone ◽  
Jorge Martin-Gutierrez ◽  
Lili Valencia Anci ◽  
Carlos E. Mora Luis

Spatial ability is made up of several sub-components, such as the ability to perform mental rotation and object-based transformations. Together with each individual’s attitudes and general skill sets, this specific ability plays an important role in technical professions such as engineering. The components of spatial ability can be enhanced using targeted training or educational programs. This study analyses the levels of spatial skills in first-year engineering students at two universities, one in Spain and one in Peru. The purpose of the study is to establish the extent of symmetry between these study groups in terms of their spatial skills. Initial comparisons indicate that the Peruvian students have a lower level of spatial skill prior to training than their Spanish cohorts. AR-based training delivering representational system content was used with engineering students at both universities to boost spatial abilities. The results obtained indicate the training was effective, as both experimental groups made significant gains in their level of spatial ability. No difference was detected in either experimental group for the variable gender. The comparison of spatial ability gains between both countries is similar, although there is significant difference in the spatial ability component spatial visualization. In this instance, gains in this component were higher amongst the student population in Peru.


Author(s):  
Alfonso Pontes-Pedrajas

This work is part of a broader research aimed at improving the quality of physics learning in the training of first-year engineering students. In the first phase of the project, previous knowledge and reasoning models used by students were investigated, when addressing electrokinetics issues and making predictions about the functioning of various electrical circuits.This has been done using an open-ended questionnaire, which students have completed through the Moodle platform, before receiving formal instruction on the subject. The results obtained in this study indicate that students use spontaneous reasoning and express alternative conceptions that show a lack of understanding of the scientific model of electric current.Therefore, in the next phase of the project, it is considered necessary to apply new educational proposals that favor the progression of the mental models of students and help them to overcome the learning difficulties identified in this work.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. LALANDE ◽  
M. H. FAHMY ◽  
E. LARMOND

Cooking and eating quality of steers slaughtered at 454, 544 or 635 kg liveweight were studied in two experiments carried out over 2 yr. In the first year, Maine-Anjou × Holstein (MH), Limousin × Holstein (LH) and pure Holstein (H1) were involved, in the second year, the genetic groups were Chianina × Holstein (KH), Blonde d'Aquitaine × Holstein (BH) and pure Holstein (H2). Within each slaughter weight, there were no differences among the genetic groups with respect to cooking rates or weight loss during cooking in either year. H1 steers had the best flavor at 635 kg and H2 at 454 kg. In both years, Holstein steers attained their best tenderness at 635 kg. No difference in juiciness at the different weights was observed in either year for Holsteins. LH steers were significantly more tender and juicy at 635 kg than at 454 kg whereas BH were more tender and juicy at 544 than at 635 kg. The KH steers attained their best tenderness and juiciness at 454 kg. MH steers had similar scores for flavor, tenderness and juiciness at the three slaughter weights. At 454 kg Holstein steers were significantly superior to MH and LH steers in flavor, to MH steers in tenderness and to LH, BH and KH steers in juiciness. At 544 kg the only significant difference between Holstein and crossbred steers was that with BH in juiciness. At 635 kg the Holstein steers were significantly superior to BH steers in juiciness but inferior in tenderness. All the differences among the crosses were nonsignificant except at 544 kg in which KH had more flavor than BH steers. Key words: Meat quality, slaughter weight, Holstein-Freisian beef × dairy crosses


Author(s):  
Hüseyin Fatih Sezer ◽  
Aykut Eliçora

Objective: In our study, we aimed to reveal the change in the level of quality of life in patients who underwent videothoracoscopic sympathectomy due to hyperhidrosis. Methods: Data of 40 patients who were treated with videothoracoscopic sympathectomy for primary hyperhidrosis were analyzed retrospectively. The Turkish version of the “The Hyperhidrosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (HQLQ)” was used in the assessment of the quality of life. Results: The mean total questionnaire scores before the operation was 82.08±1.46, 31.40±0.59 at the first month after the operation, and 31.30±0.46 at the first year after the operation. While a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-operative total survey score averages and the postoperative 1st month and 1st year survey score averages (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively),a statistically significant difference was not detected between total score averages of the postoperative 1st month and 1st year (p=1.00). Conclusion: Videothoracoscopic sympathectomy method used in the treatment of primary hyperhidrosis is an effective, reliable method that significantly increases the quality of life.


Digestion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 737-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiro Minagawa ◽  
Hiroki Ikeuchi ◽  
Ryuichi Kuwahara ◽  
Yuki Horio ◽  
Hirofumi Sasaki ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background/Aim:</i></b> Ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become the surgical procedure of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). However, to date few studies have examined functional outcomes or quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients after pouch construction. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In December 2017, we sent questionnaires to 224 patients aged 65 years and older at the time who underwent an IPAA at our hospital between June 1987 and May 2015 regarding issues related to QOL and functional outcomes. Responders aged 65–69 years old were defined as the elderly group (EG), while those 70 years old and over comprised the super-EG (SEG). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The response rate was 60.7% (136/224); 70 patients were classified as EG, and 66 were classified as SEG. The SEG were older at the time of the IPAA and during the follow-up period (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.01). The stool frequency per day was 8 times in both groups (<i>p</i> = 0.21). There was no significant difference between the EG and SEG with regard to daytime (53 vs. 56%, <i>p</i> = 0.73) or nighttime (65.7 vs. 53%, <i>p</i> = 0.16) soiling. There was also no difference in the exacerbation of daytime or nighttime soiling compared to the first year after the operation (daytime 5.7 vs. 12.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.23; nighttime 7.1 vs. 9.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.76). QOL was evaluated using the modified fecal incontinence QOL (mFIQL) scale, with no significant difference between the EG and SEG (27 vs. 31 points). Since both groups had mFIQL scores &#x3c;50, QOL was considered to be maintained. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In our analysis of elderly patients in the long-term period following surgery for UC, some noted fecal soiling, though QOL was largely maintained, and there were no serious effects on daily life.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuok Ho Daniel Tang

PurposeIt is commonly believed that personality traits determine a person's ability to work in a team and academic performance. However, studies have shown inconsistent results with some personality traits better than the other in predicting students' performance in different academic majors. The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelation between personality traits, teamwork competencies and academic performance among first-year first semester engineering students in an Australian university located in the Sarawak state of Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe Individual and Team Performance (ITP) metrics were administered among 189 students to gauge their personality traits as well as self-rated and peer-rated teamwork competencies. The correlations between personality traits and teamwork competencies as well as correlations of both the variables to academic performance were subsequently analyzed.FindingsThis study shows no significant difference between the self-rated and peer-rated teamwork competencies. Adventurous trait appears to negatively correlate with teamwork competencies. This study also reveals teamwork competencies as better predictors of academic performance than personality traits. Commitment and focus show relatively larger effect on academic performance. It can be concluded that commitment is the most significant factor to excel in first-year engineering in the university. Therefore, interventions that promote commitment is crucial to academic performance of the first-year first semester engineering students.Practical implicationsThis study promulgates the development of team competencies which are more crucial to academic excellence than personalities. It is useful for the design of team learning activities which lead to the development of teamwork competencies while improving academic performance. It shows that team activities which reinforce commitment especially and focus secondarily, will have significant positive effect on academic performance of the first-year engineering students generally.Originality/valueWhile most studies in this area examine the correlation between personality traits and academic performance, this study is among the very few that looks into the aspect of teamwork competencies. This study also finds its value in its regional significance as such correlational studies are not prevalent in Malaysia.


Author(s):  
George Lamont ◽  
Stephan Lambert

  First-year engineering students often struggle to communicate the value of their work because they do not understand how problem-based reasoning drives engineering research and industry. Recognizing the effectiveness of discipline-specific teaching of the conventions of engineering communications, researchers have recently suggested the value of teaching the Swales "CARS" model to help students contextualize and justify their work. In two sections of Communications for the Engineering Profession at the University of Waterloo, we incorporated teaching of the Swales model of problem-based reasoning to help students understand the conventions of engineering communications, but found that authentic engineering documents are often too complex for this purpose. To address this limitation, we deployed engineering cases in two electrical/computer engineering courses to exemplify this model, and used pre-teaching and post-teaching surveys to measure students' perceptions of improvement in their ability to understand problem-based reasoning and apply it to project conceptualization. The results show that using simplified engineering cases of this kind both improves students' ability to use this model and improves their confidence in doing so. This outcome has implications for increasingly popular engineering-communications courses because it demonstrates the value of using realistic but simplified engineering scenarios to teach the Swales model in authentic and effective engineering communication.


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