E-motion diaries : blogging emotional responses to online learning in higher education

Emotions are inherently social, and are central to learning, online interaction and literacy practices (Shen, Wang, & Shen, 2009). Demonstrating the dynamic sociality of literacy practice, we used e-motion diaries or web logs to explore the emotional states of pre-service high school teachers’ experiences of online learning activities. This is because the methods of communication used by university educators in online learning and writing environments play an important role in fulfilling students’ need for social interaction and inclusion (McInnerney & Roberts, 2004). Feelings of isolation and frustration are common emotions experienced by students in many online learning environments, and are associated with the success or failure of online interactions and learning (Su, et al., 2005). The purpose of the study was to answer the research question: What are the trajectories of pre-service teachers’ emotional states during online learning experiences? This is important because emotions are central to learning, and the current trend toward Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) needs research about students’ emotional connections in online learning environments (Kop, 2011). The project was conducted with a graduate class of 64 high school science pre-service teachers in Science Education Curriculum Studies in a large Australian university, including males and females from a variety of cultural backgrounds, aged 22-55 years. Online activities involved the students watching a series of streamed live lectures for the first 5 weeks providing a varied set of learning experiences, such as viewing science demonstrations (e.g., modeling the use of discrepant events). Each week, students provided feedback on learning by writing and posting an e-motion diary or web log about their emotional response. Students answered the question: What emotions did you experience during this learning experience? The descriptive data set included 284 online posts, with students contributing multiple entries. Linguistic appraisal theory, following Martin and White (2005), was used to regroup the 22 different discrete emotions reported by students into the six main affect groups – three positive and three negative: unhappiness/happiness, insecurity/security, and dissatisfaction/satisfaction. The findings demonstrated that the pre-service teachers’ emotional responses to the streamed lectures tended towards happiness, security, and satisfaction within the typology of affect groups – un/happiness, in/security, and dis/satisfaction. Fewer students reported that the streamed lectures triggered negative feelings of frustration, powerlessness, and inadequacy, and when this occurred, it often pertained to expectations of themselves in the forthcoming field experience in classrooms. Exceptions to this pattern of responses occurred in relation to the fifth streamed lecture presented in a non-interactive slideshow format that compressed a large amount of content. Many students responded to the content of the lecture rather than providing their emotional responses to this lecture, and one student felt “completely disengaged”. The social practice of online writing as blogs enabled the students to articulate their emotions. The findings primarily contribute new understanding about students' wide range of differing emotional states, both positive and negative, experienced in response to streamed live lectures and other learning activities in higher education external coursework. The is important because the majority of previous studies have focused on particular negative emotions, such as anxiety in test taking. The research also highlights the potentials of appraisal theory for studying human emotions in online learning and writing.

Promoting physical activity to older adults : a preliminary evaluation of three general practice-based strategies

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of an exercise scientist (ES) working in general practice to promote physical activity (PA) to 55 to 70 year old adults. Participants were randomised into one of three groups: either brief verbal and written advice from a general practitioner (GP) (G1, N=9); or individualised counselling and follow-up telephone calls from an ES, either with (G3, N=8) or without a pedometer (G2, N=11). PA levels were assessed at week 1, after the 12-wk intervention and again at 24 weeks. After the 12-wk intervention, the average increase in PA was 116 (SD=237) min/wk; N=28, p < 0.001. Although there were no statistically significant between-group differences, the average increases in PA among G2 and G3 participants were 195 (SD=207) and 138 (SD=315) min/wk respectively, compared with no change (0.36, SD=157) in G1. After 24 weeks, average PA levels remained 56 (SD=129) min/wk higher than in week 1. The small numbers of participants in this feasibility study limit the power to detect significant differences between groups, but it would appear that individualised counselling and follow-up contact from an ES, with or without a pedometer, can result in substantial changes in PA levels. A larger study is now planned to confirm these findings.

Reliability and validity of physical fitness field tests for adults aged 55 to 70 years

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of field tests for assessing physical function in mid-aged and young-old people (55-70 y). Tests were selected that required minimal space and equipment and could be implemented in multiple field settings such as a general practitioner's office. Nineteen participants completed 2 field and I laboratory testing sessions. Intra-class correlations showed good reliability for the tests of upper body strength (lift and reach, R=.66), lower body strength (sit to stand, R=.80) and functional capacity (Canadian Step Test, R=.92), but not for leg power (single timed chair rise, R=.28). There was also good reliability for the balance test during 3 stances: parallel (94.7% agreement), semi-tandem (73.7%), and tandem (52.6%). Comparison of field test results with objective laboratory measures found good validity for the sit to stand (cf 1RM leg press, Pearson r=.68, p <.05), and for the step test (cf PWC140, r = -.60, p <.001), but not for the lift and reach (cf 1RM bench press, r=.43, p >.05), balance (r=-.13, -.18, .23) and rate of force development tests (r=-.28). It was concluded that the lower body strength and cardiovascular function tests were appropriate for use in field settings with mid-aged and young-old adults.

Characterising the spatial dynamics of sympatric Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations in the Philippines

Entomological surveillance and control are essential to the management of dengue fever (DF). Hence, understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of DF vectors, Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) and Ae. (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse), is paramount. In the Philippines, resources are limited and entomological surveillance and control are generally commenced during epidemics, when transmission is difficult to control. Recent improvements in spatial epidemiological tools and methods offer opportunities to explore more efficient DF surveillance and control solutions: however, there are few examples in the literature from resource-poor settings. The objectives of this study were to: (i) explore spatial patterns of Aedes populations and (ii) predict areas of high and low vector density to inform DF control in San Jose village, Muntinlupa city, Philippines. Fortnightly, adult female Aedes mosquitoes were collected from 50 double-sticky ovitraps (SOs) located in San Jose village for the period June-November 2011. Spatial clustering analysis was performed to identify high and low density clusters of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Spatial autocorrelation was assessed by examination of semivariograms, and ordinary kriging was undertaken to create a smoothed surface of predicted vector density in the study area. Our results show that both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were present in San Jose village during the study period. However, one Aedes species was dominant in a given geographic area at a time, suggesting differing habitat preferences and interspecies competition between vectors. Density maps provide information to direct entomological control activities and advocate the development of geographically enhanced surveillance and control systems to improve DF management in the Philippines.

Promoting physical activity to older adults in general practice

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a general practice based intervention to increase physical activity (PA) levels among 50-70 year old adults. One hundred and thirty-six inactive patients (50-70 years) were randomised into three groups. All participants received brief advice and a written prescription from a GP. Group one received this 'usual care' only (GP, n=46); group two received individualised counselling and follow-up contact from an Exercise Scientist (ES, n=45); group three received a pedometer to supplement the ES counselling (PED, n=45). The Active Australia Survey was administered at baseline, after the 12- week intervention and at a 24-week follow-up. One-way ANOVA showed no significant group differences at baseline in self-reported PA. Average time spent walking increased in all three groups at the 24-week follow-up (GP, 68158min/wk, p=0.006; ES, 83160min/wk, p=0.001; PED, 87132min/wk, p<0.001). Total time in PA (weighted min/wk) also increased significantly in all three groups (GP, 98 213min/wk, p=0.003; ES, 108 182min/wk, p<0.001; PED, 158 229min/wk, p<0.001 ). The proportion of participants who initially did not meet National PA Guidelines (150 minutes and 5 sessions/week) but who met the Guidelines at the 12 and 24-week follow-up was 15% (12 weeks) and 20% (24 weeks) in the GP group compared with 36% and 24% in the ES group and 20% and 42% in the PED group. All three intervention strategies were effective in increasing PA, but the ES intervention resulted in a higher proportion of active participants after 12 weeks and the PED group resulted in a higher proportion of active participants after 24 weeks.

Promoting physical activity to older adults through general practice

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a general practice based intervention to increase physical activity (PA) levels among 50-70 year old adults. One hundred and thirty-six inactive patients (50-70 years) were randomised into three groups. All participants received brief advice and a written prescription from a GP. Group one received this 'usual care' only (GP, n=46); group two received individualised counselling and follow-up contact from an Exercise Scientist (ES, n=45); group three received a pedometer to supplement the ES counselling (PED, n=45). The Active Australia Survey was administered at baseline, after the 12- week intervention and at a 24-week follow-up. One-way ANOVA showed no significant group differences at baseline in self-reported PA. Average time spent walking increased in all three groups at the 24-week follow-up (GP, 68158min/wk, p=0.006; ES, 83160min/wk, p=0.001; PED, 87132min/wk, p<0.001). Total time in PA (weighted min/wk) also increased significantly in all three groups (GP, 98 213min/wk, p=0.003; ES, 108 182min/wk, p<0.001; PED, 158 229min/wk, p<0.001 ). The proportion of participants who initially did not meet National PA Guidelines (150 minutes and 5 sessions/week) but who met the Guidelines at the 12 and 24-week follow-up was 15% (12 weeks) and 20% (24 weeks) in the GP group compared with 36% and 24% in the ES group and 20% and 42% in the PED group. All three intervention strategies were effective in increasing PA, but the ES intervention resulted in a higher proportion of active participants after 12 weeks and the PED group resulted in a higher proportion of active participants after 24 weeks.

Emotional climate and high quality learning experiences in science teacher education

The role of emotion during learning encounters in science teacher education is under-researched and under-theorized. In this case study we explore the emotional climates, that is, the collective states of emotional arousal, of a preservice secondary science education class to illuminate practice for producing and reproducing high quality learning experiences for preservice science teachers. Theories related to the sociology of emotions informed our analyses from data sources such as preservice teachers’ perceptions of the emotional climate of their class, emotional facial expressions, classroom conversations, and cogenerative dialogue. The major outcome from our analyses was that even though preservice teachers reported high positive emotional climate during the professor’s science demonstrations, they also valued the professor’s in the moment reflections on her teaching that were associated with low emotional climate ratings. We co-relate emotional climate data and preservice teachers’ comments during cogenerative dialogue to expand our understanding of high quality experiences and emotional climate in science teacher education. Our study also contributes refinements to research perspectives on emotional climate.

Emotional experiences of preservice science teachers in online learning : the formation, disruption and maintenance of social bonds

The enactment of learning to become a science teacher in online mode is an emotionally charged experience. We attend to the formation, maintenance and disruption of social bonds experienced by online preservice science teachers as they shared their emotional online learning experiences through blogs, or e-motion diaries, in reaction to videos of face-to-face lessons. A multi-theoretic framework drawing on microsociological perspectives of emotion informed our hermeneutic interpretations of students’ first-person accounts reported through an e-motion diary. These accounts were analyzed through our own database of emotion labels constructed from the synthesis of existing literature on emotion across a range of fields of inquiry. Preservice science teachers felt included in the face-to-face group as they watched videos of classroom transactions. The strength of these feelings of social solidarity were dependent on the quality of the video recording. E-motion diaries provided a resource for interactions focused on shared emotional experiences leading to formation of social bonds and the alleviation of feelings of fear, trepidation and anxiety about becoming science teachers. We offer implications to inform practitioners who wish to improve feelings of inclusion amongst their online learners in science education.

Children's emotions and multimodal appraisal of places : walking with the camera

This sensory ethnography explores the affordances and constraints of multimodal design to represent emotions and appraisal associated with experiencing local places. Digital video production, walking with the camera, and the use of a think-aloud protocol to reflect on the videos, provided an opportunity for the primary school children to represent their emotions and appraisal of places multimodally. Applying a typology from Martin and White's (2005) framework for the Language of Evaluation, children's multimodal emotional responses to places in this study tended toward happiness, security, and satisfaction. The findings demonstrate an explicit connection between children's emotions in response to local places through video, while highlighting the potential for teachers to use digital filmmaking to allow children to reflect actively on their placed experiences and represent their emotional reactions to places through multiple modes.

“I was proud of myself that I didn’t give up and I did it”: Experiences of pride and triumph in learning science

The role that specific emotions, such as pride and triumph, play during instruction in science education is an under-researched field of study. Emotions are recognized as central to learning yet little is known about the way in which they are produced in naturalistic settings, how emotions relate to classroom learning during interactions, and what antecedent factors are associated with emotional experiences during instruction. Data sources for the study include emotion diaries, student written artifacts, video recordings of class interactions, and interviews. Emotions produced in the moment during classroom interactions are analyzed from video data and audio data through a novel theoretical framework related to the sociology of human emotions. These direct observations are compared with students’ recollected emotional experiences reported through emotion diaries and interviews. The study establishes links between pride and triumph within classroom interactions and instructional tasks during learning episodes in a naturalistic setting. We discuss particular classroom activities that are associated with justified feelings of pride and triumph. More specifically, classroom events associated with these emotions were related to understanding science concepts, social interactions, and achieving success on challenging tasks.

Latent class analysis reveals distinct subgroups of patients based on symptom occurrence and demographic and clinical characteristics

Context Cancer patients experience a broad range of physical and psychological symptoms as a result of their disease and its treatment. On average, these patients report ten unrelieved and co-occurring symptoms. Objectives To determine if subgroups of oncology outpatients receiving active treatment (n=582) could be identified based on their distinct experience with thirteen commonly occurring symptoms; to determine whether these subgroups differed on select demographic, and clinical characteristics; and to determine if these subgroups differed on quality of life (QOL) outcomes. Methods Demographic, clinical, and symptom data from one Australian and two U.S. studies were combined. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify patient subgroups with distinct symptom experiences based on self-report data on symptom occurrence using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS). Results Four distinct latent classes were identified (i.e., All Low (28.0%), Moderate Physical and Lower Psych (26.3%), Moderate Physical and Higher Psych (25.4%), All High (20.3%)). Age, gender, education, cancer diagnosis, and presence of metastatic disease differentiated among the latent classes. Patients in the All High class had the worst QOL scores. Conclusion Findings from this study confirm the large amount of interindividual variability in the symptom experience of oncology patients. The identification of demographic and clinical characteristics that place patients are risk for a higher symptom burden can be used to guide more aggressive and individualized symptom management interventions.

Geographical information systems for dengue surveillance

This review provides details on the role of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in current dengue surveillance systems and focuses on the application of open access GIS technology to emphasize its importance in developing countries, where the dengue burden is greatest. It also advocates for increased international collaboration in transboundary disease surveillance to confront the emerging global challenge of dengue.

In Response

We would like to thank Hsu and others for their sincere response 1 to our short review on geographical information systems (GIS) for dengue surveillance 2 ; they raised a number of important points that we would like to address...

Differences in composition of symptom clusters between older and younger oncology patients

Context Older oncology patients have unique needs associated with the many physical, psychological,and social changes associated with the aging process. The mechanisms underpinning and the impact of these changes are not well understood. Identification of clusters of symptoms is one approach that has been used to elicit hypotheses about the biological and/or psychological basis for variations in symptom experiences. Objectives The purposes of this study were to identify and compare symptom clusters in younger (<60 years) and older ($60 years) patients undergoing cancer treatment. Methods. Symptom data from one Australian study and two U.S. studies were combined to conduct this analysis. A total of 593 patients receiving active treatment were dichotomized into younger (<60 years) and older ($60 years) groups. Separate exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were undertaken within each group to identify symptom clusters from occurrence ratings of the 32 symptoms assessed by the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. Results In both groups, a seven-factor solution was selected. Four partially concordant symptom clusters emerged in both groups (i.e., mood/cognitive, malaise, body image, and genitourinary). In the older patients, the three unique clusters reflected physiological changes associated with aging, whereas in the younger group the three unique clusters reflected treatment-related effects. Conclusion The symptom clusters identified in older patients typically included a larger and more diverse range of physical and psychological symptoms. Differences also may be reflective of variations in treatment approaches between age groups. Findings highlight the need for better understanding of variation in treatment and symptom burden between younger and older adults with cancer.