scholarly journals Visualizing molecular structures and shapes: a comparison of virtual reality, computer simulation, and traditional modeling

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina E. Brown ◽  
Ben Whaley ◽  
Richard M. Hyslop
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Molecular Geometry ◽  
Molecular Structures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Students Attitudes

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three methods used to assist in teaching molecular geometry to college chemistry students. A pre- and post-test quasi-experiment was used to collect data about students’ performance in a given chemistry exercise. One research question was intended to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the three methods in assisting students to understand the topic and carry out the exercise correctly, and a second research question addressed students’ attitudes towards the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in chemistry education. Results show a positive attitude towards the use of VR as an assisting tool to aid in understanding chemistry concepts. While the difference among the three methods was not significant, the results show that the VR brought more enthusiasm and positive attitudes toward the topic of molecular geometry among the students. Educational implications and recommendations for future research are presented as well.

scholarly journals Breaking the Binary

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Mercer-Mapstone ◽  
Sarah Bajan ◽  
Kasia Banas ◽  
Arthur Morphett ◽  
Kristine McGrath
Keyword(s):  
Minority Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Biological Sex ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Student Cohorts ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Partnership Approach

The need to make higher education curricula gender-inclusive is increasingly pressing as student cohorts diversify. We adopted a student-staff partnership approach to design, integrate, and evaluate a module that taught first-year science students the difference between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in the context of genetics concepts at an Australian university. This module aimed to break the binary in misconceptions of both sex and gender, emphasising that both exist on separate spectra. Data triangulation was used to evaluate students’ attitudes towards the module and their learning of module concepts. Students’ attitudes were positive overall, and evaluation of students’ learning indicated that the majority of students understood and retained key concepts, while also identifying common misconceptions. Perhaps the most important finding was that students who identified as belonging to a minority group had significantly more positive attitudes towards the module than non-minority students. This finding supports previous research that has found inclusive curricula have greater benefit for students from minority backgrounds, indicating the importance of making such curriculum enhancements. Our results speak to both the co-creation process and students’ learning outcomes, providing valuable insights for practitioners both within science and beyond.

scholarly journals EFL LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR ENGLISH SPEAKING PERFORMANCE

LITERA ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Mahripah
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Speaking Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Students Attitudes

This study aims to describe EFL learners’ attitudes towards the improvement of their English speaking performance. The data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to 131 students of Department of English Language Education. The results of the dataanalysis show that all respondents show positive attitudes towards the improvement of their English speaking performance. Although female students have more positive attitudes than male students, the difference is not significant. The results also show that students’ attitudes towards their speaking performance change in accordance with their learning time. Their self-assessment of their speaking performance has a significant correlation with their attitudes. Their positive attitudes towards the improvement of their English speaking performance serve as a foundation to the success of the English language learning. Therefore, learners should pay attention to and maintain attitudes to improve their speaking performance.

scholarly journals Life-Cycle Thinking in Inquiry-Based Sustainability Education – Effects on Students’ Attitudes towards Chemistry and Environmental Literacy

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-180
Author(s):  
Marianne Juntunen ◽  
Maija Aksela
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Sustainability Education ◽  
Environmental Literacy ◽  
Life Cycle Thinking ◽  
Sustainable Chemistry ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes Towards Chemistry

The aim of the present study is to improve the quality of students’ environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry teaching by combining the socio-scientific issue of life-cycle thinking with inquiry- based learning approaches. This case study presents results from an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project: an interdisciplinary teaching model designed by chemistry teachers. The strength of the project is that upper-secondary students (N=105) are allowed to investigate the life cycle of an optional product based on their own interest. Studentcentred teaching methods are suggested to promote the students’ interest in studying. The research question was: How does an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project in chemistry education affect students’ chemistry attitudes and environmental literacy? The research methods used included surveys and semi-structured interviews. The study shows thatthe project positively affected students’ attitudes towards chemistry learning: they valued the independent and collaborative learning setting. The changes in the students’ environmental literacy were evident in their new realisations: they emphasised the importance of environmental protection and recycling, but perceived that changing their own behaviour is still difficult. The inquiry-based teaching of life-cycle thinking can be seen as an effective approach to more motivating and sustainable chemistry education. Further research should address the kinds of knowledge outcomes that this type of inquiry-based life-cycle teaching creates in students. Furthermore, other useful approaches to teaching sustainable development in chemistry lessons should be shared. 

Understanding African Americans’ Attitudes toward Nonhuman Animals: Historical and Psychological Perspectives

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Kaitlynn S. Richardson ◽  
Kelly C. Burke ◽  
Kairra N. Brazley ◽  
Tayler M. Jones ◽  
Bette L. Bottoms
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Reactions ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Attitudes Toward Animals ◽  
Nonhuman Animals ◽  
Students Attitudes

Abstract Historical and current literature is reviewed and social psychological theory is applied to support novel theories about African Americans’ attitudes toward nonhuman animals. Due to psychological reactions stemming from their brutal U.S. history, involving shared suffering with animals, African Americans are theorized to have either negative or positive beliefs about animals. Two studies revealed the latter: that African Americans have positive attitudes toward animals overall, as measured by a new, statistically reliable Attitudes toward Animals Scale. In Study 1, African American university students’ attitudes were somewhat less positive than White students’ attitudes, but in Study 2, older African American community members’ attitudes were more positive than Whites’. This cross-study difference, however, results from less positive White attitudes in Study 2, rather than from any important difference in African Americans’ attitudes across the two samples. The results and unique theoretical framework pave the way for future research on this important issue.

The Relationship between Empathy and Personality in Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes toward Nonhuman Animals

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann C. Eckardt Erlanger ◽  
Sergei V. Tsytsarev
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Animal Rights ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes Toward Animals ◽  
Nonhuman Animals ◽  
Students Attitudes

Abstract The majority of research investigating beliefs toward nonhuman animals has focused on vivisection or utilized populations with clear views on animal issues (e.g., animal rights activists). Minimal research has been conducted on what personality factors influence a nonclinical or nonadjudicated population’s beliefs about the treatment of animals. The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of empathy and personality traits in attitudes about the treatment of animals in 241 undergraduate students. Results indicated that those with high levels of empathy held more positive attitudes toward animals and more negative beliefs about animal cruelty than those with low levels of empathy. Some differences in participants’ specific attitudes toward animals were found. Limitations and implications for future research are reviewed.

scholarly journals Online Learning by Means of Zoom in the Period of the COVID-19 Crisis, as Perceived by Students in Higher Studies [Abstract]

10.28945/4814 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilan Daniels Rahimi ◽  
Gila Cohen Zilka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Disorders ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Attitudes Towards Learning

Aim/Purpose: This study examined students’ attitudes to characteristics of learning in Zoom, attitudes to the quality of teaching in Zoom and ways of learning, about a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. Background COVID-19 crisis caused exposure to online learning on the largest scale known in human history, and that together with the challenges of the transition to online learning, there are also opportunities to change perceptions of teaching and learning, and to include new ways in the learning and teaching process in higher education. Methodology: The research question was: What are students’ attitudes to the characteristics of learning in Zoom, the quality of teaching in Zoom and ways of learning in Zoom? The study is a quantitative one, the questionnaire contained closed questions, and 712 students who study in higher education institutions in Israel participated in the study. Contribution: Facilitators, inhibitors, implications and recommendations were identified. Findings: The findings showed that most students are satisfied with learning in Zoom, and that there was a significant improvement in the students’ attitudes towards learning in Zoom during their studies in the shadow of Covid-19. It was found that older students have more positive attitudes towards learning in Zoom, and learning disorders are connected to more negative attitudes towards learning in Zoom; however, there was also an improvement in the attitudes of students with learning disorders, during their learning experience in the shadow of COVID-19. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study shows that most students are satisfied with learning in Zoom and that there was a significant improvement in students’ attitudes towards learning in Zoom during their studies in the shadow of COVID-19, a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. Recommendations for Researchers: It was found that older students have more positive attitudes towards learning in Zoom, and learning disorders are connected to more negative attitudes towards distance learning; however, among students with learning disorders there was also an improvement in attitudes during their studies in the shadow of COVID-19. Impact on Society: The present crisis could be a catalyst for processes that have been taking place in recent years in the use of technology in teaching and learning and in the transition to online learning. Future Research: Future research on the effectiveness of learning by means of Zoom in higher education could examine parameters such as evaluation of the learners’ achievements, the quality of the assignments presented by the students, meeting schedules, whether lecturers manage to teach all the subject matter, the quality of the discussions in Zoom, use of technological tools, use of 21st century skills and similar.

scholarly journals The Use of Edmodo: Its Impact on Learning and Students’ Attitudes Toward It

10.28945/4389 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 319-330
Author(s):  
Abdullah S Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Online Tests ◽  
The Impact

Aim/Purpose: Edmodo is a free and secure social learning network for teachers, students, and parents. This research aims to investigate the impact of using the Edmodo network among the students at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University and students’ attitudes toward it. Background: The creators of e-learning systems have recently taken remarkable strides, including the development of a full range of techniques and means of communication. Social networks encourage collaborative work and thus have huge potential to increase information sharing among users, which makes these networks especially useful in academic and higher-education systems. Edmodo network is one of the main choices to be adopted in education process. Methodology: This research has an experimental design based on a set of online tests. It also includes the development of a scale to determine students’ attitudes toward Edmodo Contribution: There is a lack of studies on the adoption of Edmodo within higher education. This research is an investigation of the impact that using Edmodo had on students at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. Findings: The findings of this research show that using Edmodo leads to a statistically significant improvement in learning skills among higher-education students. The results also illustrate that students have positive attitudes toward the use of Edmodo in their courses. Recommendations for Practitioners: Adopting Edmodo within their teaching model. Recommendation for Researchers: More investigation on this topic with a larger number of participants is recommended. Impact on Society: This investigation provides society with better understanding of adopting Edmodo within higher education. Future Research: Further work should include investigations of this topic that include a larger number of participants with more diverse backgrounds. The challenges of using Edmodo also need to be investigated in further studies.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF LOWER-SECONDARY CHEMISTRY EDUCATION: STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING TO THE NATURE OF CHEMISTRY AND THEIR ATTITUDES

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 286-299
Author(s):  
Martin Rusek ◽  
Vlastimil Chytrý ◽  
Linda Honskusová
Keyword(s):  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Complex Analysis ◽  
Education Students ◽  
School Subject ◽  
Secondary Chemistry ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Interest In Science ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Clear Idea

This research follows the previous study examining the effect of chemistry education on students’ perception and understanding to the nature of chemistry (NoC) as well as their attitudes towards it as a school subject. Grade 9 students (N = 282) at the end of their compulsory schooling were given a set of open-ended questions focused on their understanding to NoC, perception of chemistry topics’ importance, topics the students found interesting and their evaluation of chemistry as a school subject. The answers were analysed using the open coding approach. It is possible to conclude most of the students do not have a clear idea about the nature of chemistry. Students assess chemistry as a school subject in the middle of the 5 point Likert scale. The results of this research offer the background for a more complex analysis of effects influencing students’s conception of chemistry and its subject matter. Keywords: chemistry education, education effectiveness, interest in science, students’ attitudes.

scholarly journals Mobile Learning as a Method of Ubiquitous Learning: Students’ Attitudes, Readiness, and Possible Barriers to Implementation in Higher Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riyadh Alhassan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Ubiquitous Learning ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Students Attitudes

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and level of readiness, and possible barriers to implementing Mobile Learning as a part of ubiquitous learning. In addition, the study attempted to find out to what extent students are interested in mobile learning. It also aimed to answer the question regarding the readiness of college students to use mobile learning technologies. Furthermore, the level of students experience in electronic learning was examined. The study was conducted to gather valuable data about are the possible advantages and disadvantages of mobile learning, and the barriers do students expect facing when implementing the mobile learning technologies. To answer the research questions, a questionnaire was administered to 1000 college students, with some of them being interviewed for in-depth information. The findings of the study showed that students had highly positive attitudes toward mobile learning, and they had the necessary technical knowledge to implement mobile learning. However, students were found to have very little experience in electronic and mobile learning. Students have mentioned some advantages of mobile learning among which was the possibility of learning outside the classroom and at any time. Some disadvantages were mentioned such as the fact that students might become annoyed with receiving too many text messages per day. Finally, students listed some barriers they expect to face the implementation of mobile learning. The study concluded with suggestions for future research and recommendations to university officials to better implement mobile learning.</p><p><br /><strong></strong></p>

Kahoot! In an EFL Reading Class

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Hua Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Applications ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Affective Filter ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

Game-based learning has attracted considerable attention over the past few years. Mobile apps are welcomed by the digital generation. Debate continues regarding the approach that will most benefit students in English language classrooms, and the impact of mobile applications, particularly on English as a foreign language (EFL) learning, remains unclear. Specifically, little is known about EFL learners’ perceptions of mobile applications. The main purpose of this study was to understand Chinese students’ attitudes toward the application of Kahoot!, a mobile game-based learning app, in a college EFL class in Taiwan. No gender differences were found in students’ perceptions of the use of Kahoot! for English learning. Although the participants expressed positive attitudes towards the application of Kahoot! in the EFL reading class, several negative opinions were expressed regarding the use of Kahoot! as a testing tool. These results provide support for the affective filter hypothesis. Implications for EFL teachers and future research are discussed.

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