The advent of technology has shifted higher education students’ educational resource acquisition from traditional printed textbooks to digital formats. This shift is underscored by recent ...scholarship. The current study extended the discourse on student educational resource acquisition, beyond digital preference. It offers a nuanced view of strategies encompassing digital resources and traditional methods such as library and peer borrowing. The aim of this study was to investigate non-purchasing behaviours of university students in acquiring study material. An online survey link was sent through email to all registered students in the university, out of which a total of 1500 participated – this sample included all students from the four schools. The survey sought to answer the following questions: How do you access books? Besides buying, what other strategies have you employed to access books? Data were analysed using Dirichlet allocation for topic modelling to extract the topics from participants' qualitative responses. The study’s findings reveal a complex interplay of socio-economic factors that influence student behaviour. Digital downloads emerged as a prominent strategy, indicating a reliance on online resources. However, borrowing from libraries and peers was significant, which highlights the role of social learning communities. This study contributes to the understanding of how the cost of textbooks impacts academic choices and success, emphasising the social justice implications of textbook affordability. The rise of alternative media suggests a need to reimagine educational resources. It potentially reflects a generational shift in media consumption. This study’s insights advocate for educational institutions and policymakers to reassess resource provisioning to align with the evolving landscape of higher education students’ academic resource acquisition. This will ensure equitable access to educational material.
The forward testing effect (FTE) refers to the finding that retrieval practice of previously studied material can facilitate retention of newly studied material more than does restudy of the ...material. The goal of the present study was to examine how such retrieval practice affects initially studied, unpracticed material. To this end, we used two commonly applied versions of the FTE task, consisting of either three (Experiment 1) or five (Experiment 2) study lists. While study of list 1 was always followed by an unrelated distractor activity, study of list 2 (3-list version) or lists 2, 3, and 4 (5-list version) was followed by either interim restudy or retrieval practice of the immediately preceding list. After studying all lists, participants were either asked to recall the first or last study list. Results showed that, for both the three-list and five-list versions, interim retrieval practice led to a typical FTE, irrespective of whether unrelated or categorized study lists were used. Going beyond the prior work, interim retrieval practice was found to have no effect on initially studied, unpracticed material, regardless of the type of study material. The findings suggest that using interim retrieval practice as a study method can improve recall of the last studied list without incurring a cost for the initially studied material. Our results are difficult to align with the view that retrieval practice induces context change, but are consistent with the idea that retrieval practice can lead participants to employ superior encoding strategies.
Multiple document comprehension (MDC) is an essential skill for university students, making it beneficial to improve it. We assume that the value assigned to MDC is important to foster MDC since it ...can be a predictor for behavioral choices, such as working with self-study material. Using self-study material is typical for university learning, but it requires the motivation to improve a skill such as MDC. We define motivation to improve MDC in terms of expectancy, value, and cost to improve MDC. We expect that it is a driving force for working with self-study material on MDC, while it might also depend on the perceived value of MDC. Therefore, this study examined whether the perceived value of MDC predicts the motivation to improve MDC, which is also expected to predict the use of self-study material. A total of 278 students of different majors participated in a MDC assessment and received the opportunity to train their MDC skill with self-study material. The engagement in using the self-study material was measured by the total time and the number of page transitions on the self-study material. The results indicated that the perceived value of MDC partially predicted motivation to improve MDC. However, further analysis revealed mainly no significant effects of the perceived value of MDC and the motivation to improve MDC on the engagement in using the self-study material. However, the log data indicated that the engagement in using the self-study material was not as high as expected.
In order to effectively use the zooplankton sample obtained in the polar ocean which was the subject of waste disposal, a prototype of the resin-encapsulated specimen was prepared. Making of ...zooplankton resin encapsulated specimen is a new trial case. In the prototype, animals of various classification groups were used, but in the case of polychaetes, crustaceans, and fish, there were problems such as contraction of the body, generation of bubbles, generation of a layer by leachate. As a result of carrying out a process for avoiding these problems, it was possible to achieve a good finish with high transparency. Resin-encapsulated specimens are beautiful, have real size and shape, can be observed in many directions, are solids, are robust and lightweight and easy to transport, observers can use safely. These points are advantages as leaning materials, and effective use is expected.
Erfahrungskisten sind ein Komplettangebot für einen zeitlich sehr begrenzten Rahmen (20‐40 Minuten). Die Anleitungen dazu enthalten jeweils Problemorientierung, Experimentier‐Angebot auf Stoff‐Ebene, ...abgestufte Lernhilfen, Erklärungsangebot auf Teilchen‐Ebene, Kontroll‐Aufgaben und die Möglichkeit für Selbsteinschätzung. Die zurzeit verfügbaren 40 Kisten sind nach den Grundsätzen der Montessori‐Materialien (s. u.) konzipiert und an den praktischen Einsatz in chemischen Fachräumen angepasst. Sie sind prinzipiell in allen Jahrgangsstufen von 5–13 einsetzbar. Ihre volle Leistung entfalten sie allerdings bei Wochenplanarbeit im selbstorganisierten Lernen (SOL). Das Material heißt Erfahrungskiste, weil es den Zugang zu chemischen Inhalten nach der induktiven Vorgehensweise durch das Ermöglichen von Erfahrungen stützt. Alle Anleitungen, die zum Bau der Kisten erforderlich sind, sind im Internet in bearbeitbarem Format zugänglich.
Translation
Experience boxes are a complete package for a very limited period (20–40 minutes). Instructions include problem orientation, hands‐on‐experiments on substance level, graded learning aids, particle‐level explanations, control tasks, and the opportunity for self‐assessment. 40 boxes are currently available. We designed these boxes according to the principles of Montessori materials (see below) and adapted them for practical use in the chemistry lab. They are good for use in all grades 5–13. However, they develop their full potential during free choice of work and self‐organized learning (SOL). We named the material ‘experience box’ because it supports chemistry teaching according to the inductive approach. All instructions needed to build the boxes are accessible on the internet in editable format (German language only).
The author of the paper focuses on preparation and solution of Cultural and Educational Grant Agency. The project concerns innovative methods and forms of education for the needs and development of ...language communication skills in the Slovak technical study material and is intended for foreign students to overcome the initial problems at the beginning of their study. The aim of the project is to implement modern technologies and improve the quality of language teaching at the Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies in Prešov. It is intended to increase and improve the level of the educational process, the internationalization of teaching by applying Web Based Training. By transferring innovative approaches in Slovak language to support the teaching of technical subjects we will try to promote technically oriented subjects and professional practice, which is an important part not only of the Slovak industry.
We identified a lack of continuity in student-generated learning aids and the sharing of advice and resources between medical graduating classes. Carverpedia, built in the UIowa Wiki platform, is a ...novel collaboration between pre-clinical medical students and faculty to produce a centralized location for learning aids at the Carver College of Medicine. Carverpedia is designed to organize files and links in a centralized location accessible to all students. Previously, items were shared through various modalities (e.g., Facebook, email, etc.) without equal access for every student or well-developed archiving. After one academic year of use, there were 217 resources posted to the wiki site by 34 authors. Content posted on Carverpedia differed from Facebook content, with increased content summaries and active-learning. Site utilization, collected by Google Analytics, found 2979 sessions on Carverpedia and a total of 10,253 page views. Site usage and posting of resources was highly correlated with basic science exam schedule. This corresponded with the students surveyed on site usage, with the majority of students using Carverpedia for basic science courses, like Gross Anatomy and Foundations of Cellular Life. Of note, surveyed students found faculty-authored content, practice questions, content summaries, and active-learning resources the most useful of the resources posted. Overall, we found the Wiki format is effective as a means of creating an online community of support and collaboration for student-authored and faculty-authored learning resources.
A qualitative retrospective longitudinal study was carried out at the faculty of Medical Sciences, in professionals of Pharmacy corresponding to the year 2013, with the objective of elaborating a ...study material in English language for the development of skills such as: reading with Professional purposes. Several methods and research instruments were used as: analysis-synthesis, historical-logic, document-analysis, frequent observations to classes, survey of professionals, as well as interviews with professors of the staff in relation to reading ability and the specialty regarding the new material. As a result of the diagnosis, it was possible to show inadequacies in reading for professional purposes, specifically, in reading comprehension exercises. From the application of the material during the evaluated period, it was possible to obtain a greater work of the teachers and trainers in a creative, responsible and scientific way when using terminologies of the specialty and to be able to consult in English language the classification of medicines and the therapy follows in each case.
Se realizó un estudio cualitativo de corte longitudinal retrospectivo enla Filialde Ciencias Médicas, en los profesionales de la especialidad de Farmacia correspondiente al año 2013, con el objetivo de elaborar un material de estudio en idioma inglés para el desarrollo de habilidades como la lectura con fines profesionales. Varios métodos e instrumentos de investigación fueron empleados como: análisis-síntesis, histórico-lógico, análisis de documentos, observaciones frecuentes a clases, encuesta a los profesionales, así como las entrevistas a profesores de la cátedra con relación a la habilidad lectora y a los de la especialidad respecto al nuevo material empleado. Como resultado del diagnóstico se pudo evidenciar insuficiencias en la lectura con fines profesionales, específicamente, en ejercicios de comprensión de textos. A partir de la aplicación del material durante el periodo evaluado, se pudo obtener una mayor labor de los profesores y cursistas de manera creativa, responsable y científica al emplear terminologías de la especialidad y poder consultar en idioma inglés la clasificación de medicamentos y la terapia a seguir en cada caso.
At faculties preparing students in the area of computer science subjects dealing with graph theory and algorithms belong to essential parts. Students studying this field of study are also expected to ...have good English language skills. Engagement of students in the learning process and carefully prepared study materials seem to be crucial elements of a successful teaching/learning process. If students deal with a task in an interesting and enjoyable way, they can recall the explained subject matter much more easily and, even more, their engagement is supported and keeps progressing. To get students engaged in the subjects dealing with graph theory and algorithms a particular problem with a real life example or a puzzle is introduced as a prototype of the explained concept or algorithm and a suitable graph-representation of a problem is discussed. Practising and reinforcing language skills play a very important role in foreign language education. With regard to the fact that our students of computer science specialization study both graph theory and algorithms together with English language, we innovated study materials testing their skills in both subjects combining graph theory tasks with English language tasks. Some examples using puzzles will be introduced in the paper. The aim of the paper is to introduce our approach to other pedagogues as a good inspiration for their teaching.
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