Investigating undergraduate mathematics learners’ cognitive engagement with recorded lecture videos

The use of recorded lecture videos (RLVs) in mathematics instruction continues to advance. Prior research at the post-secondary level has indicated a tendency for RLV use in mathematics to be negatively correlated with academic performance, although it is unclear whether this is because regular users are generally weaker mathematics students or because RLV use is somehow depressing student learning. Through the lens of cognitive engagement, a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design study was conducted to investigate the latter possibility.

Cognitive engagement was operationalized using the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F), which measures learning approaches on two major scales: surface and deep. In two mathematics courses at two universities, in Australia and the UK, participants were administered the questionnaire near the course start and finish. Overall findings were similar in both contexts: a reduction in live lecture attendance coupled with a dependence on RLVs was associated with an increase in surface approaches to learning.

This study has important implications for future pedagogical development and adds to the sense of urgency regarding research into best practices using RLVs in mathematics.     

Multimodal Interfaces for Cell Phones and Mobile Technology

By modeling users' natural spoken and multimodal communication patterns, more powerful and highly reliable interfaces can be designed that support emerging mobile technology. In this paper, we highlight three different examples of research that is advancing state-of-the-art mobile technology. The first is the development of fusion-based multimodal systems, such as ones that combine speech and pen or touch input, which are substantially improving the robustness and stability of system recognition. The second is modeling of multimodal communication patterns to establish open-microphone engagement techniques that work in challenging multi-person mobile settings. The third is new approaches to adaptive processing, which are able to transparently guide user input to match system processing capabilities. All three research directions are contributing to the design of more reliable, usable, and commercially promising mobile systems of the future.     

Mathematics learning support and engagement in first year engineering

This paper considers the effects of both free optional mathematics learning support and engagement on the mathematics performance in a foundation mathematics subject of a cohort of engineering students entering university with poor mathematical skills. New engineering students were directed to either a foundation or standard mathematics subject based on the results of a placement test. For students in the foundation subject, it was found that high levels of learning support were associated with greater improvement over the semester. Some form of learning support was used by 57.9% of the students, a reasonably high proportion of the cohort. Some factors for this high level of use of learning support are considered. One possible factor, the placement test, appears to have had a positive effect. Engagement in the subject activities as measured by tutorial attendance and learning management system use was found to have a positive association with final mark. Students who utilized a high level of learning support were more likely to be more engaged with the subject, making it impossible to draw conclusions about improvements being solely due to the use of learning support.     

基于创新性过程投入的员工创造力影响因素研究

创新性过程投入是近年来在管理领域出现的新概念,虽然从理论上能够推导出这一概念有助于员工创造力的提升,但其在知识工作者的内生动机与创造力之间是否以及扮演什么角色,理论界触及不深、缺乏系统的探索和阐释。论文基于自主理论建构了一个被调节的中介效应模型,旨在探索内生动机是如何影响员工创造力的。实证结果表明:(1)知识工作者的内生动机显著影响创造力;(2)创新性过程投入在知识工作者内生动机与创造力之间起部分中介作用;(3)创造力自我效能感调节了创新性过程投入对创造力的影响;进一步,(4)创新性过程投入的中介作用受到了创造力自我效能感的调节,创造力自我效能感程度越高,知识工作者内生动机通过创新性过程投入对创造力的间接作用越强。研究发现创新性过程投入在主效应中的特殊解释力,丰富内生动机效力的相关研究,对员工创造性实践提供了有益的启示。     

Constructs of engagement emerging in an ethnomathematically-based teacher education course

This paper presents a case study, in which we apply and develop theoretical constructs to analyze motivating desires observed in an unconventional, culturally contextualized teacher education course. Participants, Israeli students from several different cultures and backgrounds (pre-service and in-service teachers, Arabs and Jews, religious and secular) together studied geometry through inquiry into geometric ornaments drawn from diverse cultures, and acquired knowledge and skills in multicultural education. To analyze affective behaviors in the course we applied the methodology of engagement structures recently proposed by Goldin and his colleagues. Our study showed that engagement structures were a powerful tool for examining motivating desires of the students. We found that the constructivist ethnomathematical approach highlighted the structures that matched our instructional goals and diminished those related to students’ feelings of dissatisfaction and inequity. We propose a new engagement structure “Acknowledge my culture” to embody motivating desires, arising from multicultural interactions, that foster mathematical learning.     

Public perception of nanotechnology

While several studies on the public opinion of nanotechnology have pointed to a rather enthusiastic U.S. public, the public uptake of nanotechnology in Europe is more contained. The results of the Swiss publifocus on nanotechnology reveal a pragmatic attitude of citizens toward the emerging technologies, thus confirming what has been identified as a “balanced approach” in the NanoJury UK.

Bioorthogonal Probes for the Study of MDM2‐p53 Inhibitors in Cells and Development of High‐Content Screening Assays for Drug Discovery

To study the behavior of MDM2‐p53 inhibitors in a disease‐relevant cellular model, we have developed and validated a set of bioorthogonal probes that can be fluorescently labeled in cells and used in high‐content screening assays. By using automated image analysis with single‐cell resolution, we could visualize the intracellular target binding of compounds by co‐localization and quantify target upregulation upon MDM2‐p53 inhibition in an osteosarcoma model. Additionally, we developed a high‐throughput assay to quantify target occupancy of non‐tagged MDM2‐p53 inhibitors by competition and to identify novel chemical matter. This approach could be expanded to other targets for lead discovery applications.     

Investigating students' levels of engagement with mathematics: critical events,motivations, and influences on behaviour

Universities invest significant resources in the provision of mathematics tuition to first year students, through both traditional and non-traditional means. Research has shown that a significant minority of students do not engage with these resources appropriately. This paper presents findings from a study of two groups of students at Maynooth University. Both groups had similar mathematical backgrounds on entry to university. The first group consisted of seven students who had failed first year mathematics and had very low levels of engagement with available supports. The second group consisted of nine students who had passed first year mathematics and had engaged with the supports to a significant extent. It emerged that while both groups initially displayed similar tactics and encountered similar difficulties, their levels of reaction to a number of critical events in their mathematical education were key to their engagement levels and their subsequent progression. Further analysis revealed aspects of the students' behaviour which caused them to approach or avoid difficulties. The reasons behind the different student behaviours were investigated, and the main categories of influence on student behaviour which emerged from the interview data were fear, social factors, and motivation.     

An evolving framework for describing student engagement in classroom activities

Student engagement in classroom activities is usually described as a function of factors such as human needs, affect, intention, motivation, interests, identity, and others. We take a different approach and develop a framework that models classroom engagement as a function of students’ conceptual competence in the specific content (e.g., the mathematics of motion) of an activity. The framework uses a spatial metaphor—i.e., the classroom activity as a territory through which students move—as a way to both capture common engagement-related dynamics and as a communicative device. In this formulation, then, students’ engaged participation can be understood in terms of the nature of the “regions” and overall “topography” of the activity territory, and how much student movement such a territory affords. We offer the framework not in competition with other instructional design approaches, but rather as an additional tool to aid in the analysis and conduct of engaging classroom activities.     

Influence of the Asymmetry of Static Loads on the Vibration Characteristics of Planetary Gearings

A model of planetary double-reduction gearing is used to study how the asymmetry of dynamical loads affects its vibration characteristics. Design methods for reducing the asymmetry of static loads are shown to be efficient