Development of an Integrated Approach to Virtual Mind-Mapping: Methodology and Applied Experiences to Enhance Qualitative Health Research

There is a growing need to better capture comprehensive, nuanced, and multi-faceted qualitative data while also better engaging with participants in data collection, especially in virtual environments. This study describes the development of a novel 3-step approach to virtual mind-mapping that involves (1) ranked free-listing, (2) respondent-driven mind-mapping, and (3) interviewing to enhance both data collection and analysis of complex health behaviors. The method was employed in 32 virtual interviews as part of a study on eating behaviors among second-generation South Asian Americans. Participants noted the mind-mapping experience to be (1) helpful for visual learners, (2) helpful in elucidating new ideas and to structure thoughts, as well as (3) novel and interesting. They also noted some suggestions that included improving interpretability of visual data and avoiding repetition of certain discussion points. Data collection revealed the adaptability of the method, and the power of mind-maps to guide targeted, comprehensive discussions with participants.

Assessing the relationship between student learning characteristics and academic performance in chemical pathology in an undergraduate medical curriculum

Background: Teaching and learning chemical pathology requires that medical trainees interpret biochemical test results correctly (against the background of clinical information) to solve clinical problems, while being aware of factors that could affect results. To meet these competencies, students must possess certain learning characteristics. This study explored the relationship between student learning characteristics and academic performance in chemical pathology. It is expected that a better understanding of the relationship between students' learning characteristics and academic performance will help formulate strategies to enhance teaching and learning of this subject. Methods: This study was designed as an exploratory survey. Self-administered, validated questionnaires were used to obtain data on learning mode, learning style and learning approach from 250 fourth-year undergraduate medical students at a medical university in South Africa. One-way ANOVA and Pearson correlations were used to analyse the relationship between each learning characteristic and academic performance. Spearman’s rho was used to study the relationships between the three learning characteristics. Results: A response rate of 72% was obtained. The largest number of participants (35%; n = 63) were visual learners, pragmatists (25%; n = 45) and learned using a superficial approach (44%; n = 79). Multimodal learning mode, balanced learning style and deep learning approach were found to correlate significantly with better academic performance in chemical pathology (r = 0.262, 0.307 and 0.467, respectively; p ≤ 0.0001).Conclusions: Our findings reveal that multimodal learners with a balanced learning style who have a deep approach to learning performed well in chemical pathology. This concurs with findings by studies that report a positive association between these learning characteristics and academic performance in other subjects in medicine. We propose that to achieve effective student learning, chemical pathology educators explore alternative teaching and learning activities to move students towards these positive learning characteristics.

GAYA BELAJAR MAHASISWA PADA MATA KULIAH BAHASA JEPANG BERBASIS ONLINE LEARNING

This research is predicated on the problem of learning that is faced by students in university during social distancing due to Coronavirus outbreak. One of the striking problems is most students are not comfortable with e-learning. The aim of this article is grasping the typology of students particularly in e-learning that is conjunction with four aspects namely learning patterns, doing assignments, learning habits and using tools. Furthermore, the other objective is the research will be contributed to lecturers, faculties, universities and policymakers in term of planning, creating, and developing e-learning systems. The methodology used in this research is quantitative with descriptive type where is the population or sample as the object of the research and it is only to describe a variable without comparing to other variables. The result of the study denotes the typology of visual learners dominating learning pattern and doing assignment which was 54% and 46% respectively. While in learning habit, the auditory type was the most popular which was 42% however the kinesthetic type had a low percentage because this activity was rarely carried out in e-learning hence that is why the quantity is negligible.

SimpleChartsRI: A User-Friendly Web-Tool for Creating Effective Visualizations

Data visualization tools can help teachers engage students who are visual learners. Current web-tools that focus on the creation of visualizations are not beginner-friendly and require little support for teachers wishing to implement visualizations into their classrooms. As a result, teachers rarely use visualization tools. This paper addresses the lack of visualization tool usage in classrooms, analyzes why this is based on previous research and current research we conducted, and offers potential focuses a visualization tool should have—through the lens of our own tool SimpleChartsRI—for pedagogical use. SimpleChartsRI aims to help high-school teachers create effective visualizations through a simple user-friendly interface that guides them on best practices.

Qualitative Research in Applied Linguistics: A Practical Introduction, edited by Juanita Heigham and Robert Croker

This review makes a point in favor of the assertion made for the book that it is a practical introduction to the qualitative research in applied linguistics. The book consists of four parts: an overview of qualitative research, qualitative research methods, qualitative data collection methods, ethical practice issues and the writing of research reports. After proving a rich introduction to the qualitative research, the book discusses qualitative research approaches using a reader-friendly and interactive structure: pre-reading and post-reading questions along with the list of further readings. Then the data collection tools have been thoroughly discussed. What makes this book more useful is the use of illustrative examples for each qualitative research approach and data collection tool. The last part discusses core issues of ethics and drafting a research report. From the perspective of a novice researcher, it has achieved the goal of educating readers about qualitative research methods and data collection tools, as it gradually tracks the reader and provides them with a linking concept for a better understanding. However, reference to one study for both ethnography and case study remains a confusing point. Besides, the review suggests addition of some images to make reading of the book more interesting, especially for visual learners. Besides, a diagram should be given at the end of research methods chapters to outline the steps taken by researchers to do their studies.

Investigating the relationship between linguistic focus of recasts, learning styles and noticing

The efficacy of Corrective Feedback (CF) is contingent on various factors; conflicting results have been obtained regarding the roles of individual differences and the linguistic focus of CF. The current study investigated the relationship between the linguistic focus of recasts (the most common CF type) and noticing. It further explored the possible relationship between learning styles and recast noticing. The learning styles of 25 intermediate Iranian EFL learners were determined through the VARK questionnaire. During the participants’ story retelling tasks, the researchers provided recasts in response to their grammatical, lexical, and phonological errors. The class presentations were audiotaped, and recasts were highlighted. Online and retrospective methods of measuring noticing were used. Chi-Square tests indicated that there were significant differences among the participants’ noticing in general and in noticing of grammatical, lexical, and phonological recasts in particular. The results of post hoc analysis revealed that the auditory-style participants received the highest noticing rate and the kinesthetic style the least. The study further indicated that learners whose learning style was auditory better noticed grammatical recasts, learners whose learning style was mixed better noticed lexical recasts, and visual learners better noticed phonological recasts.

Investigating the relationship between linguistic focus of recasts, learning styles and noticing

The efficacy of Corrective Feedback (CF) is contingent on various factors; conflicting results have been obtained regarding the roles of individual differences and the linguistic focus of CF. The current study investigated the relationship between the linguistic focus of recasts (the most common CF type) and noticing. It further explored the possible relationship between learning styles and recast noticing. The learning styles of 25 intermediate Iranian EFL learners were determined through the VARK questionnaire. During the participants’ story retelling tasks, the researchers provided recasts in response to their grammatical, lexical, and phonological errors. The class presentations were audiotaped, and recasts were highlighted. Online and retrospective methods of measuring noticing were used. Chi-Square tests indicated that there were significant differences among the participants’ noticing in general and in noticing of grammatical, lexical, and phonological recasts in particular. The results of post hoc analysis revealed that the auditory-style participants received the highest noticing rate and the kinesthetic style the least. The study further indicated that learners whose learning style was auditory better noticed grammatical recasts, learners whose learning style was mixed better noticed lexical recasts, and visual learners better noticed phonological recasts.

Reaching Kinesthetic Learners Over Distance

Erickson, a New York City high school student, and I were working on his algebra homework over Zoom, specifically parabolas. We broke down the motion of a basketball and compared it to a parabola. He happened to have a small hoop on the back of his door and when he tried the motion himself, it was clear something clicked. You see, Erickson is a kinesthetic learner. During the pandemic, it has been challenging to design interactive materials and lessons for different types of learners. Distance learning disproportionality favors visual learners, followed by aural; however, reaching our kinesthetic learners has been a challenge.

An Experimental Study of Cognitive Styles Incorporation in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language Online

The problems of incorporating cognitive styles into teaching Russian as a foreign language have tended to draw the attention of the researchers recently. However, there are not any profound studies testifying the effectiveness of cognitive styles incorporation in teaching Russian as a foreign language online. The study presented here will focus specifically on this issue. We are addressing such cognitive styles as field independence, field dependence, analyticity, syntheticity and perceptual styles. Tests for cognitive styles diagnosis have been compiled, and the results were correlated with the academic performance of the students. We developed differential studying materials. The experimental group received the materials corresponding to their cognitive styles, and the control group received not corresponding materials. After that, we analyzed the results of the experiments. Conclusions. Field dependent and field independent foreign students are about the same successful in learning Russian, students with analytical style were slightly more successful than ones with synthetical style, and visual learners displayed higher academic achievements than audial learners. As one of the results of study, we established that kinesthetic style is preferred to consider apart from the visual and audial perceptual styles. The experimental group demonstrated better results than the control group (20% higher), which testifies to the effectiveness of cognitive styles incorporation in teaching Russian as a foreign language online. We have concluded that it is necessary not only to differentiate Russian as a foreign language teaching according to current cognitive styles, but also to develop these styles at the same time.

Technology-enhanced learning: a role for video animation

The last 20 years has seen a shift in medical education from printed analogue formats of knowledge transfer to digital knowledge transfer via media platforms and virtual learning environments. Traditional university medical teaching was characterised by lectures and printed textbooks, which to a degree still have an important role to play in knowledge acquisition, but which in isolation do not engage the modern learner, who has become reliant on digital platforms and 'soundbite' learning. Recently, however, traditional methods of teaching and learning have been augmented by, and indeed sometimes replaced by, the alternative learning methods such as: problem-based learning; a greater integration of basic science and clinical considerations; smaller teaching groups; the 'flipped classroom' concept; and various technological tools which promote an interactive learning style. The aim of these new teaching methods is to overcome the well-documented limitations of traditional lectures and printed material in the transfer of knowledge from expert to student, by better engaging the minds of more visual learners and encouraging the use of diverse resources for lifelong learning. In this commentary paper, we share the concept of video animation as an additional educational tool, and one that can help to integrate molecular, cellular and clinical processes that underpin our understanding of biology and pathology in modern education. Importantly, while they can provide focused and attractive formats for 'soundbite' learning, their aim as a tool within the broader educational toolbox is to direct the interested reader towards more traditional formats of learning, which permit a deeper dive into a particular field or concept. In this manner, carefully constructed video animations can serve to provide a broad overview of a particular field or concept and to facilitate deeper learning when desired by the student.