Promoting Elementary Pupils’ Learning Motivation in Environmental Education with Mobile Inquiry-Oriented Ambience-Aware Fieldwork

Mobile learning (M-learning) has been in high regard for motivating today’s children to learn in schools. The present initiative, which harnesses M-learning in environmental education, aims to promote elementary pupils’ learning motivation through engaging them in conducting mobile inquiry-oriented ambience-aware fieldwork (MIAF) in outdoor landscapes. Besides presenting the rationale and pedagogic design of the initiative, this paper reports and discusses the findings of a quasi-experiment which examined the motivational effectiveness of MIAF in comparison with the conventional inquiry-oriented fieldtrip-based learning approach’s. The experiment was grounded upon the instructional motivation theory of ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction), involving a total of 145 elementary pupils. Results showed that, compared to the conventional approach, MIAF had significantly positive effects on the experimental group (versus the control group) upon the constructs of “A”, “C”, and “S”, but not “R”. This study offers researchers and practitioners in the domains of environmental education and M-learning new insights into adopting mobile devices in outdoor contexts, in particular, shedding light on designing and implementing inquiry-oriented fieldtrip-based learning in the natural environment.

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Development of a Virtual Wetland Ecological System Using VR 360° Panoramic Technology for Environmental Education

Land ◽

10.3390/land10080829 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 829

Author(s):

Kuo-Liang Ou ◽

Shun-Ting Chu ◽

Wernhuar Tarng

Keyword(s):

Environmental Education ◽

Low Cost ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Ecological System ◽

Control Group ◽

Learning Effectiveness ◽

Wetland Ecology ◽

Essential Information ◽

Ecological Protection ◽

Experimental Group

In this study, the VR 360° panoramic technology is used to develop a virtual wetland ecological system for applications in environmental education. The system provides a virtual wetland environment for autonomous exploration, where the user can conduct inquiry-based learning by cardboard VR to obtain essential information and concepts in ecological protection. It contains the learning contents of wetland ecology and creatures in Hsinchu coastal areas, northern Taiwan. To investigate the learning effectiveness of the VR system, we recruited 42 seventh graders as participants and divided them evenly into two groups. The experimental group used the virtual wetland ecological system for learning and the control group learned with conventional teaching materials. The differences of the experimental results indicated: (1) the experimental group showed a high degree of satisfaction after using the virtual wetland ecological system; (2) the learning achievement of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group; (3) the learning motivation of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. The virtual wetland ecological system can enhance the learning effectiveness and learning motivation using low-cost cardboard glasses, so it is a suitable tool for promoting environmental education in remote areas.

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Audience Response Software as a Learning Tool in University Courses

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci10120350 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 350

Author(s):

Ana María Díez-Pascual ◽

María Pilar García García Díaz

Keyword(s):

Mobile Devices ◽

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Control Group ◽

Audience Response ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Frequency Of Use ◽

Questions And Answers ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Teaching Learning

The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become a fundamental tool in all areas of today’s society, including higher education. Lessons cannot be envisaged without the use of tools such as computers, tablets or mobile devices. Many lecturers use audience response systems (ARS) to keep their classes engaged. ARS software allows teachers to interact with students via polls, text responses, or multiple-choice questions displayed via their mobile devices. A new example of the use of this type of devices in education is gamification, a technique that uses a set of activities with ludic character as a learning methodology in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and competences. One of the most used gamification tools is Kahoot!, a free learning application based on a mixture of game and creativity, which encourages attention and participation of students through questions and answers formulated by the teacher and designed in a way that students respond via their mobile phones. This paper examines the use of Kahoot! in a subject belonging to the chemistry area. In order to assess the benefits of this tool, it was tested in a group of students to review the knowledge and skills acquired during the theoretical lessons prior to the exams, and the academic results were compared with those of a control group of students who did not use the tool. The results demonstrate that the use of Kahoot! led to an improvement in the teaching–learning process of the students and a noteworthy rise in their marks, and that its positive effects rise with increasing the frequency of use of this didactic tool.

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FMS Effects of a Motor Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/00315125211010053 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003151252110100

Author(s):

Liangshan Dong ◽

Bo Shen ◽

YanLi Pang ◽

Mingting Zhang ◽

Yuan Xiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Motor Development ◽

Group Versus ◽

Motor Program ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Control Group ◽

Gross Motor Development ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Individualized Approach ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Ball Skills

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a motor program that specifically targeted fundamental motor skills (FMS) in children with ASD. The experimental group (n=21) participated in a 9-week program with motor instructions for 80 minutes/day, three days/week, while the control group (n=29) did not participate in the program. We measured FMS (using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3) one-week before, one-week after, and two-months after the program. Children in the experimental group had significantly larger FMS improvements than the controls on both locomotor and ball skills immediately following the program, and these participants showed continuous improvement on locomotor, but not ball skills, at 2-months follow-up. In individual analyses, 80% of children in the experimental group versus 29% of children in the control group showed continuous locomotor skills improvement beyond their pre-test levels. These findings highlight the importance of both a long-term motor development intervention and an individualized approach for evaluating improved FMS among children with ASD.

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Effect of Flipped Teaching on Cognitive Load Level with Mobile Devices: The Case of a Graphic Design Course

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13137092 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (13) ◽

pp. 7092

Author(s):

Yi-Chieh Chen ◽

Kuo-Kuang Fan ◽

Kwo-Ting Fang

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Load ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Teaching Strategy ◽

Group Interaction ◽

Private University ◽

Load Level ◽

Control Group ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Group Interviews ◽

Experimental Group

Due to the emergence of computer education, AI education, the Internet of Things, big data, and technological wisdom, it is easy for students to be distracted when engaged in traditional education. Flipped teaching is a teaching strategy frequently used in colleges and universities. The focus of this research was conducted by a comparative analysis of the cognitive load between the experimental group and the control group through a quasi-experimental design for research with different learning methods and different classes. More specifically, flipped teaching was carried out with an experimental group, and traditional teaching a control group; they were observed at the same time, and 213 private university students participated in the experiment. The research proposes a practice of mixed teaching, carried out in a group communication behavior system, and enhancing the spirit of group interaction and learning through mobile devices. The core value of the research lies in (1) online learning, (2) group interaction, and (3) the learning load of the conceptual model. In addition, focus group interviews were used to provide feedback on participants’ cognition and emotions. The results indicate that there were differences in cognitive load between the two classes.

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The Differentiate Effect of Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Satisfaction on Pre-Service Teacher Students’ Learning Achievement in a Flipped Classroom: A Case of a Modern Educational Technology Course

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052888 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2888

Author(s):

Li Zhao ◽

Xiaohong Liu ◽

Yu-Sheng Su

Keyword(s):

Educational Technology ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Flipped Classroom ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Control Group ◽

Learning Achievement ◽

Learning Satisfaction ◽

Teacher Students ◽

Pre Service Teacher ◽

Experimental Group

To analyze how variability changes over time can enhance the understanding of how learners’ self-efficacy, motivation, and satisfaction is controlled and why differences might exist among groups of individuals. Therefore, this study compared the effect of variability on pre-service teacher students in the flipped classroom approach with a course named modern educational technology (MET). In total, 77 students in two groups participated in this study. Learners in the experimental group received the flipped classroom treatment. Learners in the control group received the traditional lecture-centered instructional approach. The learning outcomes were evaluated by practice assignment, transfer assignment, and student perception survey. The survey includes the evaluation of learning satisfaction, self-efficacy, and learning motivation. Pre-test and post-test were conducted by the two groups. The data analysis results applied analysis of variance (ANOVA) or analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and revealed that the experimental group displayed a better learning achievement than the control group. The experimental group participants’ perception also showed variability (i.e., learning satisfaction, self-efficacy, and learning motivation) was better than the control group. Considering the overall study results, the flipped classroom model can be applied in the pre-service teacher students’ modern educational technology course.

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Benefits of Dog-Assisted Therapy in Patients with Dementia Residing in Aged Care Centers in Spain

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1471

Author(s):

Eva Vegue Parra ◽

Jose Manuel Hernández Garre ◽

Paloma Echevarría Pérez

Keyword(s):

Scientific Evidence ◽

Alternative Therapy ◽

Group Versus ◽

Aged Care ◽

Control Group ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

Neuropsychiatric Inventory ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Institutionalized Patients ◽

Experimental Group

(1) Background: Currently, the scientific evidence on the benefits of assisted therapy with dogs in dementia is not clear. In this study, we want to evaluate such benefits through a randomized controlled clinical trial in multiple centers across the country. (2) Methods: The participants were people over 65 years old with dementia, residing in senior centers in Spain (n = 334). The experimental group underwent assisted therapy with dogs based on the Comprehensive Cognitive Activation Program in Dementia, for 8 months, with weekly sessions of 45 min. Data were collected at the commencement, middle, and end of the program, to evaluate the aspects using the Mini-Examination Cognitive, the modified Bartell Index, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. (3) Results: The results show significant improvements in the experimental group versus the control group in the affective (T1 = p 0.000; T2 = p 0.000) and behavioral (T1 = p 0.005; T2 = p 0.000) aspects, with the affective aspect displaying greater progress in participants with additional depressive (p = 0.022) or anxiety (p = 0.000) disorders, shorter institutionalization periods (r = −0.222, p = 0.004), and those undergoing complementary psychotherapy (p = 0.033) or alternative therapy (p = 0.011). (4) Conclusions: Dog therapy is effective in improving the affective and behavioral aspects of institutionalized patients with dementia.

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Effects of Rapamycin Combined with Low Dose Prednisone in Patients with Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia

Clinical and Developmental Immunology ◽

10.1155/2013/548085 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jiaming Li ◽

Zhaoyue Wang ◽

Lan Dai ◽

Lijuan Cao ◽

Jian Su ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Thrombocytopenia ◽

Low Dose ◽

Group Versus ◽

Treg Cells ◽

Significant Rise ◽

Control Group ◽

Foxp3 Mrna ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Dose Prednisone ◽

Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia

We conducted this randomized trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of rapamycin treatment in adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Eighty-eight patients were separated into the control (cyclosporine A plus prednisone) and experimental (rapamycin plus prednisone) groups. The CD4+CD25+CD127lowregulatory T (Treg) cells level, Foxp3 mRNA expression, and the relevant cytokines levels were measured before and after treatment. The overall response (OR) was similar in both groups (experimental group versus control group: 58% versus 62%,P=0.70). However, sustained response (SR) was more pronounced in the experimental group than in the control group (68% versus 39%,P<0.05). Both groups showed similar incidence of adverse events (7% versus 11%,P=0.51). As expected, the low pretreatment baseline level of Treg cells was seen in all patients (P<0.001); however, the experimental group experienced a significant rise in Treg cell level, and there was a strong correlation between the levels of Treg cells and TGF-beta after the treatment. In addition, the upregulation maintained a stable level during the follow-up phase. Thus, rapamycin plus low dose prednisone could provide a new promising option for therapy of ITP.

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The effect of ethanol on some hematological parameters of the australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

Genetika i razvedenie zhivotnyh ◽

10.31043/2410-2733-2021-4-85-91 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 85-91

Author(s):

D. Skafar ◽

D. Shumeyko

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Total Protein ◽

Hematological Parameters ◽

Group Versus ◽

Control Group ◽

Total Protein Content ◽

Cherax Quadricarinatus ◽

Total Hemocyte Count ◽

Red Claw Crayfish ◽

Experimental Group

Purpose: to study the effect of ethanol on the parameters of THC, the percentage of granulocytes and total protein in the hemolymph of the Red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus).Materials and methods. The object of this experiment was 26 males of the Australian red-clawed crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) weighing from 23 to 83 g. The individuals were evenly divided into two experimental groups - with an injection of ethanol and a control group without an injection of 13 crayfish for each group. The injection dose was 2515 mg per 100 g of body weight. A day after the introduction of ethanol, hemolymph was taken with a syringe from the ventral sinus, the syringe was pre-washed with a 4% EDTA-Na2 solution. Three parameters were determined: the total hemocyte count (THC), percent granulocytes and percent total protein content. Counting of hemocytes and determination of granulocytes were performed in a Goryaev chamber under a light microscope. The total protein was determined by the refractometric method.Results. Differences in THC and total protein between the groups were statistically unreliable (p>0,05). THC in the experimental group is 36% more than in the control group. The total protein after the introduction of ethanol actually increased by 0,7%, and relatively by 14%. There were statistically different indicators of the proportion of granulocytes (p<0,05) - the average value of 33,1% in the experimental group versus 24,5% in the control group. A reliable (p<0,05) strong feedback was revealed between the total protein and the mass of individuals in both experimental groups, while in the experimental group there is a visible shift in the values of dependent hemolymph indicators towards an increase in smaller individuals.Conclusion. A single injection of ethyl alcohol with a dosage of 2515 mg per 100 g of body weight into the hemolymph of C. quadricarinatus does not cause significant changes in the THC and total protein after 24 hours. At the same time, the proportion of granulocytes actually increases by 9%, relative to 37%. This may indicate that granulocytes are involved in the formation of cancer defense mechanisms when exposed to toxic substances. The effect of different dosages of ethanol injections and the duration of its effect on hematological parameters requires additional consideration. It is necessary to investigate its effect on other indicators, such as the pH and buffer capacity of the hemolymph, the concentration of hemocyanin, glucose, lactates and calcium.

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The effect of body-movement teaching, learning motivation and performance

Meditari Accountancy Research ◽

10.1108/medar-02-2015-0006 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 414-437 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Satoshi Sugahara ◽

Hisayo Sugao ◽

Steven Dellaportas ◽

Takahiro Masaoka

Keyword(s):

Body Movement ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Control Group ◽

Content Type ◽

Entry Level ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

And Performance ◽

Teaching Learning ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

Purpose This research applies a quasi-experimental research method to investigate the impact of an innovative resource titled “Accounting Exercise” (teaching intervention using physical movement and lyrics) on learning motivation and performance on a group of students enrolled in a first-year undergraduate accounting course in Japan. Design/methodology/approach Five classes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (two classes) or a control group (three classes). In the experimental group, 90 students participated in a 15-min “Accounting Exercise” at the commencement of lectures over three consecutive weeks. The remaining 133 students assigned to the control group did not participate in the Accounting Exercise. Findings The findings indicate that the Accounting Exercise provided stimuli in maintaining students’ learning motivation. This finding is important for entry-level students where learning motivation has the potential to influence students’ future decisions on major areas of study and career choices. Originality/value This finding is important for entry-level students where future career options are decided. This effect is also believed to contribute to reducing the declining numbers of students in accounting majors.

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Clowns Benefit Children Hospitalized for Respiratory Pathologies

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1093/ecam/neq064 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Mario Bertini ◽

Elena Isola ◽

Giuseppe Paolone ◽

Giuseppe Curcio

Keyword(s):

Statistical Significance ◽

Systolic Pressure ◽

Therapeutic Modality ◽

Control Group ◽

Self Evaluation ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Before And After ◽

Two Parameters ◽

Therapeutic Settings ◽

Experimental Group

The study aims at evaluating health-generating function of humor therapy in a hospital ward hosting children suffering from respiratory pathologies. The main scope of this study is to investigate possible positive effects of the presence of a clown on both the clinical evolution of the on-going disease, and on some physiological and pain parameters. Forty-three children with respiratory pathologies participated in the study: 21 of them belonged to the experimental group (EG) and 22 children to the control group (CG). During their hospitalization, the children of the EG interacted with two clowns who were experienced in the field of pediatric intervention. All participants were evaluated with respect to clinical progress and to a series of physiological and pain measures both before and after the clown interaction. When compared with the CG, EG children showed an earlier disappearance of the pathological symptoms. Moreover, the interaction of the clown with the children led to a statistically significant lowering of diastolic blood pressure, respiratory frequency and temperature in the EG as compared with the control group. The other two parameters of systolic pressure and heart frequency yielded results in the same direction, without reaching statistical significance. A similar health-inducing effect of clown presence was observed on pain parameters, both by self evaluation and assessment by nurses. Taken together, our data indicate that the presence of clowns in the ward has a possible health-inducing effect. Thus, humor can be seen as an easy-to-use, inexpensive and natural therapeutic modality to be used within different therapeutic settings.

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