Differential ability and attainment in language and arithmetic of Dutch primary school pupils.

Background. In pre-school and primary education pupils differ in many abilities and competences (‘giftedness’). Yet mainstream educational practice seems rather homogeneous in providing age-based or grade-class subject matter approaches. Aims. To clarify whether pupils scoring initially at high ability level do develop and attain differently at school with respect to language and arithmetic compared with pupils displaying other initial ability levels. To investigate whether specific individual, family or educational variables co-vary with the attainment of these different types of pupils in school. Samples. Data from the large-scale PRIMA cohort study including a total of 8258 grade 2 and 4 pupils from 438 primary schools in The Netherlands. Methods. Secondary analyses were carried out to construct gain scores for both language and arithmetic proficiency and a number of behavioural, attitudinal, family and educational characteristics. The pupils were grouped into different ability categories (highly able; able; above average; average and below). Further analyses used Pearson correlations and analyses of variance both between and within ability categories. Cross-validation was done by introducing a cohort of younger pupils in pre-school and grouping both cohorts into decile groups based on initial ability in language and arithmetic. Results. Highly able pupils generally decreased in attainment in both language and arithmetic, whereas pupils in average and below average groups improved their language and arithmetic scores. Only with highly able pupils were some educational characteristics correlated with the pupils’ development in achievement, behaviour and attitudes. Conclusions. Pre-school and primary education should better match pupils’ differences in abilities and competences from their start in pre-school to improve their functioning, learning processes and outcomes. Recommendations for educational improvement strategies are presented in closing.

The Development of Educational Materials for the Study of Architecture using Computer Game Technology

Computer game technology provides us with the tools to create web-based educational materials for autonomous and collaborative learning. At Worcester, we have researched the use of this technology in various educational contexts. This paper reports one such study; the use of the commercial game engine “Unreal Tournament 2004” (UT2004) to produce materials suitable for education of Architects. We map the concepts and principles of Architectural Design onto the affordances (development tools) provided by UT2004, leading to a systematic procedure for the realization of buildings and urban environments using this game engine. A theory for the production of web-based learning materials which supports both autonomous and collaborative learning is developed. A heuristic evaluation of our materials, used with second-year students is presented. Associated web-pages provide on-line materials for delegates.

Strategisk kompetensutveckling : En organisations strategiska förhållningssätt till kompetensutveckling

I denna fallstudie undersöks hur en kompetensbaserad personalstrategi ter sig inom en organisation. Då det är ett brett område har en avgränsning gjorts och det är enbart kompetensutveckling som berörs. Syftet är att skapa förståelse för det strategiska förhållningssättet till kompetensutveckling inom en organisation. Inom ramen för våra forskningsfrågor undersöks också de verktyg och metoder som en organisation använder sig av för att utveckla rätt kompetens samt de hinder och utmaningar som finns. Det har av tidigare forskning framkommit att ett strategiskt förhållningssätt är avgörande för en organisations överlevnad och framgång. Det finns en samstämmighet kring att organisationer vid valet av kompetensutvecklingsinsatser behöver utgå från verksamhetens behov, kundkrav och framtida mål för att bli gynnsamma. Syftet för insatserna blir därmed avgörande och en central del i det strategiska förhållningssättet till kompetensutveckling. Studien utgår från en fenomenologisk ansats och insamling av data har skett med hjälp av sju semi-strukturerade intervjuer med öppna frågor som utgått från tydliga teman. Studiens intervjuer har genomförts i en politiskt styrd organisation med cirka 5000 anställda och analysen av dessa intervjuer har skett enligt en femstegsmodell där vi avsett att synliggöra de mest väsentliga beståndsdelarna av fenomenet. Studien har tydliggjort hur organisationens strategiska förhållningssätt ser ut och också tydligt påvisat faktorer som gör det svårt att upprätthålla. De verktyg och metoder organisationen använder sig av är exempelvis webbaserad utbildning, ständiga förbättringar, nätverk, händelsehanteringssystem, en utbildningsplattform samt ett formulär för utbildningsförfrågningar. De hinder och utmaningar som synliggjorts är exempelvis utomstående faktorer, ekonomi, ansvarsfördelning och samverkan. Vår studie har också bidragit till en insikt i hur viktigt det är att noga överväga vilken metod som bör användas vid olika typer av kompetensutvecklingsinsatser. Det är viktigt att inte låta fokus hamna på att genomföra det minst kostsamma, utan låta valet av metod syfta till att ge det mest effektiva lärandet. Det är viktigt att i varje skede göra strategiska avvägningar som inte enbart har sin grund i ekonomiska perspektiv vad gäller besparingar och minskade kostnader. Ett intressant område till vidare forskning ser vi i chefsperspektivet. Vi finner detta intressant då det både genom tidigare forskning och genom vår egen studie tydligt har framgått att chefer har en nyckelroll och det finns därför ett intresse att närmre undersöka den roll som chefer delegeras i kompetensutvecklingsinsatser och vilka möjligheter de har i arbetet med dessa frågor.

Mental health nurses’ attitudes, behaviour, experience and knowledge regarding adults with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder: systematic, integrative literature review

Aims and objectives To establish whether mental health nurses responses to people with borderline personality disorder are problematic and, if so, to inform solutions to support change. Background There is some evidence that people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder are unpopular among mental health nurses who respond to them in ways which could be counter-therapeutic. Interventions to improve nurses’ attitudes have had limited success. Design Systematic, integrative literature review. Methods Computerised databases were searched from inception to April 2015 for papers describing primary research focused on mental health nurses’ attitudes, behaviour, experience, and knowledge regarding adults diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Analysis of qualitative studies employed metasynthesis; analysis of quantitative studies was informed by the theory of planned behaviour. Results Forty studies were included. Only one used direct observation of clinical practice. Nurses’ knowledge and experiences vary widely. They find the group very challenging to work with, report having many training needs, and, objectively, their attitudes are poorer than other professionals’ and poorer than towards other diagnostic groups. Nurses say they need a coherent therapeutic framework to guide their practice, and their experience of caregiving seems improved where this exists. Conclusions Mental health nurses’ responses to people with borderline personality disorder are sometimes counter-therapeutic. As interventions to change them have had limited success there is a need for fresh thinking. Observational research to better understand the link between attitudes and clinical practice is required. Evidence-based education about borderline personality disorder is necessary, but developing nurses to lead in the design, implementation and teaching of coherent therapeutic frameworks may have greater benefits. Relevance to clinical practice There should be greater focus on development and implementation of a team-wide approach, with nurses as equal partners, when working with patients with borderline personality disorder.

Seguimiento a la interacción del estudiante con recursos educativos desplegados en contextos diferentes al LMS a través de la implementación del estándar Tin Can Api

Los maestros deben fortalecer desde el currículo ambientes adecuados para que los estudiantes se apropien del manejo de las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación) y las involucren en el proceso de enseñanza - aprendizaje; favoreciendo con esto el desarrollo de los contenidos en todas las áreas -- Cuando se pretende hacer uso de las TIC para mejorar el aprendizaje significativo de los estudiantes, se evidencia la debilidad que tiene el maestro para realizar un seguimiento a las actividades informales que realiza el estudiante para comprender un tema o adquirir una competencia -- El primer acercamiento para mejorar esta problemática, es realizar una integración de un estándar educativo para llevar un control y registrar las actividades informales que el estudiante realice a través de Internet, empleando un sinnúmero de aplicaciones que la web ofrece -- Para el mejoramiento del proceso evaluativo de los estudiantes de la Institución Educativa San José, se implementará la integración del estándar Tin Can Api dentro de un prototipo para realizar seguimiento a las actividades informales que realicen los estudiantes con el fin de llevar un registro de experiencias de aprendizaje -- Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior el maestro debe estar preparado para utilizar metodologías apoyadas en las herramientas tecnológicas, así el aprendizaje se logra con mayor disfrute y calidad

Incorporación de un sistema de almacenamiento de experiencias a un ecosistema educativo para permitir el uso de técnicas de análisis de datos (Educational Analytics)

La Universidad EAFIT, en los últimos años, por medio de la realización de varias investigaciones, ha estado desarrollado una propuesta con la cual se busca definir los componentes tecnológicos que deben componer un ecosistema de aplicaciones educativas, con el fin de apalancar la adopción del modelo de ubicuidad en las instituciones de educación superior -- Por medio del grupo de investigación de desarrollo e innovación en Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (GIDITIC) ha realizado la selección de los primeros componentes del ecosistema en trabajos de tesis de grado de anteriores investigaciones[1, 2] -- Adicionalmente, algunos trabajos realizados por el gobierno local de la Alcaldía de Medellín en su proyecto de Medellín Ciudad Inteligente[3], también realizó una selección de algunos componentes que son necesarios para la implementación del portal -- Ambas iniciativas coinciden en la inclusión de un componente de registro de actividades, conocido como \Sistema de almacenamiento de experiencias" (LRS) -- Dados estos antecedentes, se pretende realizar una implementación de un LRS que cumpla con los objetivos buscados en el proyecto de la Universidad, siguiendo estándares que permitan asegurar la interoperabilidad con los otros componentes del ecosistema de aplicaciones educativas

Der Zusammenhang von Männlichkeitskonstruktionen mit der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation bei Jungen. Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie

Wenn pädagogische Institutionen u.a. über ihren Auftrag definiert werden, möglichst erfolgreiche Lern- und Bildungsprozesse ihrer Zielgruppe zu organisieren (und in diesem Sinne Leistung zu produzieren haben), so bedeuten Diagnosen einer Abhängigkeit der Leistung von der Geschlechtszugehörigkeit eine empfindliche Infragestellung der Qualität der Institution. Schule als pädagogische Institution kategorisiert Schüler_innen entlang der Lernerfolge und Leistungen, die sie erbringen. Seit durch die Ergebnisse internationaler Schulleistungsvergleiche die Kategorisierungen von Schüler_innen als leistungsstärker bzw. -schwächer wieder verstärkt mit ihrer Kategorisierung als Mädchen und Jungen in Zusammenhang gebracht werden, scheint es nahe zu liegen, geringere Schulerfolge von Jungen pauschalisierend mit ihrem Junge-Sein an sich in Verbindung zu bringen. Hier interveniert der Beitrag der AutorInnen zum Zusammenhang von Männlichkeitskonstruktionen mit der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation bei Jungen. Der Artikel stellt das Freiburger Jungeninventar vor, ein Instrument, das auf der Basis qualitativer Rekonstruktionen differenzierbarer Männlichkeiten entwickelt wurde und diese nun auch quantitativ und in Kombination mit anderen Variablen erfassbar macht. In ihrer Studie, in der das Freiburger Jungeninventar in Verbindung mit Instrumenten zur Erfassung von Lern- und Leistungsmotivation zum Einsatz kommt, zeigen die Autor_innen Zusammenhänge auf, die die Bedeutung der Vielfältigkeit von Männlichkeitskonstruktionen für schulisch institutionalisiertes Lernen unterstreicht. (DIPF/Orig.)

Cooperative Design, Cooperative Science: Investigating Collaborative Research through Design with Floracaching

This dissertation presents a case study of collaborative research through design with Floracaching, a gamified mobile application for citizen science biodiversity data collection. One contribution of this study is the articulation of collaborative research through design (CRtD), an approach that blends cooperative design approaches with the research through design methodology (RtD). Collaborative research through design is thus defined as an iterative process of cooperative design, where the collaborative vision of an ideal state is embedded in a design. Applying collaborative research through design with Floracaching illustrates how a number of cooperative techniques—especially contextual inquiry, prototyping, and focus groups—may be applied in a research through design setting. Four suggestions for collaborative research through design (recruit from a range of relevant backgrounds; take flexibility as a goal; enable independence and agency; and, choose techniques that support agreement or consensus) are offered to help others who wish to experiment with this new approach. Applying collaborative research through design to Floracaching yielded a new prototype of the application, accompanied by design annotations in the form of framing constructs for designing to support mobile, place-based citizen science activities. The prototype and framing constructs, which may inform other designers of similar citizen science technologies, are a second contribution of this research.

Modelo gerador de questões no reforço da aprendizagem das radiações e conteúdos de física moderna no ensino secundário

Os avanços e a disseminação do uso das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) descortinam novas perspetivas para a educação com suporte em ambientes digitais de aprendizagem usados via internet (Fiolhais & Trindade, 2003). A plataforma usada no Projeto Matemática Ensino (PmatE) da Universidade de Aveiro (UA) é uma das ferramentas informáticas que suporta esses ambientes através da avaliação baseada no Modelo Gerador de Questões (MGQ), possibilitando a obtenção da imagem do progresso feito pelos alunos (Vieira, Carvalho & Oliveira, 2004). Reconhecendo a importância didática desta ferramenta, já demonstrada noutras investigações (por exemplo, Carvalho, 2011; Pais de Aquino, 2013; Peixoto, 2009), o presente estudo tem como objetivo geral desenvolver material didático digital de Física, no contexto do programa moçambicano de Física da 12ª classe, para alunos e professores sobre radiações e conteúdos da Física Moderna. Pretendeu-se, ainda, propor estratégias de trabalho com recurso às TIC para a melhoria da qualidade das aprendizagens nesta disciplina. O estudo assentou nas três seguintes questões de investigação: (a) Como conceber instrumentos de avaliação das aprendizagens baseadas no modelo gerador de questões para o estudo das radiações e conteúdos da Física Moderna, no contexto do programa moçambicano de Física da 12ª classe? (b) Que potencialidades e constrangimentos apresentam esses instrumentos quando implementados com alunos e professores? (c) De que forma o conhecimento construído pode ser mobilizado para outros temas da Física e para o ensino das ciências em geral? O estudo seguiu uma metodologia de Estudos de Desenvolvimento, de natureza mista, que compreendeu as fases da Análise, Design, Desenvolvimento e Avaliação, seguindo como paradigma um estudo de cariz exploratório, com uma vertente de estudo de caso. Assim, na Análise, foi discutido o contexto da educação em Moçambique e a problemática da abordagem das radiações e conteúdos de Física Moderna no ensino secundário no quadro desafiante que se coloca atualmente à educação científica. No Design foram avaliadas as abordagens dasTIC no ensino e aprendizagem da Física e das ciências em geral e construída a árvore de objetivos nos conteúdos referidos na fase anterior. Na fase do Desenvolvimento foram construídos os instrumentos de recolha de dados, elaborados os protótipos de MGQ e sua posterior programação, validação e testagem em formato impresso no estudo exploratório. Na Avaliação, foi conduzido o estudo principal com a aplicação dos modelos no formato digital e feita sua avaliação, o que incluiu a administração de inquéritos por questionário a alunos e professores. Os resultados indicam que na conceção de MGQ, a definição dos objetivos de aprendizagem em termos comportamentais é fundamental na formulação de questões e na análise dos resultados da avaliação com o objetivo de reajustar as estratégias didáticas. Apontam também que a plataforma do PmatE que suporta os MGQ, embora possua constrangimentos devido a sua dependência da internet e limitações de ordem didática, contribui positivamente na aprendizagem e na identificação das dificuldades e principais erros dos alunos, por um lado. Por outro, estimula através da avaliação os processos de assimilação e acomodação do conhecimento. O estudo recomenda a necessidade de mudanças nas práticas de ensino e de aprendizagem para que seja possível a utilização de conteúdos digitais como complemento à abordagem didática de conteúdos.

The growth prerogative: how does an objective of economic growth influence local planning policy?

This research aimed to explore the privileging of growth and its influence on planning in England. The research examined two contrasting case studies: Middlesbrough Borough Council and Cambridge City Council. The analysis of growth privileging is rooted within a constructionist ontology which argues that planning is about the way in which people construct value relative to the function of land. This perspective enables the research to position growth privileging as a social construction; a particular mental frame for understanding and analyzing place based challenges and an approach which has been increasingly absorbed by the UK planning community. Through interviews with a range of planning actors, the first part of the research examined the state of planning in the current political and economic context and the influence that a privileging of growth has on planning. The second part of the research investigated the merits and feasibility of the capabilities approach as an alternative mental frame for planning, an approach developed through the work of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. The research results disaggregate the concept of economic growth, based on the responses of interviewees and conclude that it is characterized by homogeneity. Growth is valued, not only because of its economic role, for example, supporting jobs and income but its potential in creating diversity, enriching culture and precipitating transformative change. Pursuing growth as an objective has a range of influences upon planning. In particular, it supports a utilitarian framework for decision-making which values spatial decisions on their ability to support aggregate economic growth. The research demonstrates the feasibility and merits of the capabilities approach as a means with which to better understand the relationship between planning and human flourishing. Based on this analysis, the research proposes that the capabilities approach can provide an alternative ‘mental frame’ for planning which privileges human flourishing as the primary objective or ‘final end’ instead of economic growth.

Social representations of nursing students about hospital assistance and primary health care

Objective: To analyze how social representations of hospital and community care are structured in two groups of nursing students – 1st and 4th years. Method: Qualitative research oriented by the Theory of Social Representations. We used a questionnaire with Free Association of Words. Data were analyzed in the Software IRaMuTeQ 0.6 alpha 3. Results: We applied the method of Descending Hierarchical Classifi cation and obtained four classes. Class 4 has the largest social representation (30.41%) within the corpus. The two organizational axes are nurse and disease/patient in the central core. On the periphery are the care and help related to the nurse and the treatment and prevention associated with the disease. Conclusion: Social representations focus on disease/patient and on the role of nurses in the treatment, prevention, and care. Health promotion and the social determinants of health are absent from the social representations of students.

The New Jersey Meadowlands: Inhabiting an Urban Wilderness

The New Jersey Meadowlands is a thirty square mile industrial wetland between New York City and the commercial district of East Rutherford, NJ. The place is both strange and fascinating; many mysteries are hidden between the reed grasses and scattered garbage. Often exposed to subjectivity, the Meadowlands is commonly perceived as a weird, polluted, industrial, and even an other-worldly space; few know its beauty. These differing perceptions create a challenge when thinking of a cohesive identity and sense of place in the marsh. Over time, the once pure landscape has suffered from infrastructural slices, illegal dumping, and environmental abuse, resulting in fragmented land areas along the Hackensack River’s edge. This thesis explores how to inhabit an ecologically devalued and residual landscape through ideas of place-making and re-connecting communities. Investigating the paradox of this massive urban landscape and capitalizing on the ecological and educational potential of the site, lends also to a challenge of converging modern and forgotten life. Designing a place-based ecological research community within this currently placeless environment, will engage the public, re-connect lost communities, and bring a sense of renewal to the marsh.

Knowledge of pre-eclampsia in women living in Makole Ward, Dodoma, Tanzania.

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder specific to pregnancy responsible for significant maternal morbidity and mortality in Africa. The majority of deaths related to pre-eclampsia could be avoided with timely and effective care. “Phase one delays” arise because of lack of knowledge. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge levels of women living in Makole ward, comparing respondent subgroups with different demographic characteristics. It also aimed to compare knowledge levels in respect to six subtopics of pre-eclampsia. This was to allow for planning of appropriate activities to reduce delays in seeking health care. Methods: This study surveyed 200 adult women randomly identified in the community. They were asked 36 questions on preeclampsia requiring yes / no answers. The data was analysed quantitatively. Results: Overall knowledge levels were low with an average of 41% of correct answers. Minor differences in the knowledge levels of demographic subgroups were found. Statistically significant differences were identified between sub-topics of preeclampsia; signs and symptoms were the least well known. Conclusion: Educational systems (formal and informal) are failing to provide communities with potentially life-saving information. Health centre, community and school based education programmes are recommended.

Perfil del docente en el enfoque basado en competencias

Recibido 03 de noviembre de 2010 • Aceptado 09 de marzo de 2011 • Corregido 13 de mayo de 2011 La educación basada en competencias contiene el potencial para convertirse en un plan eficaz tendiente a mejorar el aprendizaje del estudiantado y, de esta manera, prepararle para abordar el trabajo futuro. Pero este enfoque requiere de un largo proceso de reformas, lo que implica, necesariamente, la transformación de los actores educativos: docentes y estudiantes. Ya que grupo de docentes constituye uno de los pilares de la educación basada en competencias, en este artículo se presentan las necesarias características o perfiles de docentes universitarios para abordar este enfoque.

Analysis of human posterior EEG alpha frequency as a function of implicit learning of probabilistic lateralized stimuli in a visual detection task

Alpha oscillatory activity has long been associated with perceptual and cognitive processes related to attention control. The aim of this study is to explore the task-dependent role of alpha frequency in a lateralized visuo-spatial detection task. Specifically, the thesis focuses on consolidating the scientific literature's knowledge about the role of alpha frequency in perceptual accuracy, and deepening the understanding of what determines trial-by-trial fluctuations of alpha parameters and how these fluctuations influence overall task performance. The hypotheses, confirmed empirically, were that different implicit strategies are put in place based on the task context, in order to maximize performance with optimal resource distribution (namely alpha frequency, associated positively with performance): “Lateralization” of the attentive resources towards one hemifield should be associated with higher alpha frequency difference between contralateral and ipsilateral hemisphere; “Distribution” of the attentive resources across hemifields should be associated with lower alpha frequency difference between hemispheres; These strategies, used by the participants according to their brain capabilities, have proven themselves adaptive or maladaptive depending on the different tasks to which they have been set: "Distribution" of the attentive resources seemed to be the best strategy when the distribution probability between hemifields was balanced: i.e. the neutral condition task. "Lateralization" of the attentive resources seemed to be more effective when the distribution probability between hemifields was biased towards one hemifield: i.e., the biased condition task.