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My goal in crafting homework in calculus is twofold: to provide scaffolding for students to develop a theoretical understanding of calculus concepts and to incorporate good mathematical exposition, including justification and proof when appropriate. I achieve these goals by creating weekly homework sets that students work on in groups of three or four, beginning in class and finishing outside of class. In this paper, we explore examples of homework questions that promote abstract thought and the details necessary to implement this system in a calculus class. We discuss the ways in which group assignments invalidate solutions found online and ease the grading burden for the instructor. We mention possible pitfalls of this approach as well as ways in which to avoid them. Finally, we discuss student attitudes and feedback on this particular method of homework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The struggle with fraction learning in kindergarten through Grade 12 in the United States is a persistent problem and one of the major stumbling blocks to succeeding in higher mathematics. Research into this problem has identified several areas where students commonly struggle with fractions. While there are many theories of fraction learning, none of the research on these theories employs samples large enough to test theories at scale or nuanced enough to demonstrate how learning unfolds over time during instructional activities based on these theories. The work reported here uses learning analytics methods with fine-grained log data from an online fraction game to unpack how splitting (i.e. partitioning a whole into equal-sized parts) impacts learning. Study 1 demonstrated that playing the game significantly improved students’ fraction understanding. In addition, a cluster analysis suggested that exploring splitting was beneficial. Study 2 replicated the learning results, and a cluster analysis showed that compared to early game play, later game play showed more optimal splitting strategies. In addition, in looking at the types of transitions that were possible between a student’s early cluster categorization and later cluster categorization, we found that some types of transitions were more beneficial for learning than others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses several topics within the issue including analytics and computation for the detection and evaluation of learning patterns.

Many have suggested that tinkering plays a critical role in novices learning to program, and recent work in learning analytics (Baker & Yacef, 2009 Blikstein, 2011) allows us to describe new relationships in the process. Using learning analytics, we explore how students progress from exploration, through tinkering, to refinement, a pathway that we term EXTIRE. The work contributes to learning sciences by: showing empirical support for previously theorized processes; identifying a role of tinkering in novices' learning; and presenting a data-driven approach to creating process descriptions. Furthermore, our findings illuminate how tinkering can be a valuable approach for novices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Growing advancement in electronic human resource management (e-HRM) in general, and human resource (HR) self-service technology in particular, has afforded transformational opportunities in changing the design and delivery of HR services. Despite their importance, our understanding of how acceptance of these technologies can be improved remains limited. To address this shortfall, this study utilises the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to consider how HR can drive and influence the adoption of HR self-service technology in an organisation. Utilising an action research approach, this study documents and reflects on the experience of a UK building society in introducing a new version of HR self-service technology, and analyses how interventions can be used to reshape users' perceptions. Our findings show how HR can play a more proactive role in shaping and reshaping users' perceptions towards accepting such a technology by better understanding how systematic interventions can be developed, used and evaluated. Our contributions are not only limited to the theorisation of HR self-service technology based on TAM, but also lie in demonstrating how action research, although currently underused, can be a valid and valuable approach for HR research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three studies examined whether mathematics can propel the development of physical understanding. In Experiment 1, 10-year-olds solved balance scale problems that used easy-to-count discrete quantities or hard-to-count continuous quantities. Discrete quantities led to age typical performances. Continuous quantities caused performances like those of 5-year-olds. In Experiment 2, 11-year-olds solved problems with feedback. They were encouraged to use math or words to justify their answers. Children who used math developed an understanding superior to most adults, whereas children who used words did not. In Experiment 3, 9-year-olds solved problems with or without prompts to use math. Children encouraged to use math exhibited greater qualitative understanding, even though they were unable to discover metric proportions. The results indicate it is possible to design symbolic experiences to propel the development of physical understanding, thereby relating developmental psychology to instructional theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activities that promote student invention can appear inefficient, because students do not generate canonical solutions, and therefore the students may perform badly tin standard assessments. Two studies on teaching descriptive statistics to 9th-grade students examined whether invention activities may prepare students to learn. Study 1 found that invention activities, when coupled with subsequent learning resources like lectures, led to strong gains in procedural skills, insight into formulas, and abilities to evaluate data from an argument. Additionally, an embedded assessment experiment crossed the factors of instructional method by type of transfer test, with 1 test including resources for learning and 1 not. A "tell-and-practice" instructional condition led to the same transfer results as an invention condition when there was no learning resource, but the invention condition did better than the tell-and-practice condition when there was a learning resource. This demonstrates the value of invention activities for future learning from resources, and the value of assessments that include opportunities to learn during a test. In Study 2, classroom teachers implemented the instruction and replicated the results. The studies demonstrate that intuitively compelling student-centered activities can be both pedagogically tractable and effective at preparing students to learn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on diverse characterizations of learning and instruction using adequate planning approach of author Lucy Suchman. Criteria of social-scientific knowledge; Concept of interpretation for evaluating social-scientific knowledge; Help provided by physical materials for students in learning calculations.