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This essay comes out of a panel presentation featured at the 2018 Canadian Association Writing Centres Conference entitled, “Steps on the Path of Decolonization” where representatives of the Academic Learning Centre and the Indigenous Student Centre from the University of Manitoba collaborated to discuss how our student support offices have made efforts at decolonizing our work. We three women of Canadian Settler, International, and Indigenous backgrounds reflect on how the journey on the path towards decolonization has been for us personally, and on how post-secondary institutions can move forward with the work of decolonization, particularly within Writing/Learning Centres. Key themes included the need for ongoing learning, the value of building collaborative relationships, and the importance of creating safe and inviting spaces. Our conclusions suggest that decolonization is a complex journey for individuals and for post-secondary institutions. To begin in a good way, the writers would like to acknowledge that we work at the University of Manitoba, which is located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.

This study investigated whether 6 weeks of basketball combined with mathematics once a week in physical education lessons could improve children's motivation for mathematics. Seven hundred fifty-seven children (mean age = 10.4 years, age range: 7–12 years) were randomly selected to have either basketball combined with mathematics once a week (BM) or to have basketball sessions without mathematics (CON). Children in BM and CON motivation for classroom-based mathematics were measured using the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) before (T0) and after the intervention (T1). Among the BM, levels of intrinsic motivation, feelings of competence, and autonomy were measured using the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) questionnaire acutely after a basketball session combined with mathematics and immediately after a session of classroom-based mathematics. BM had significantly higher acute levels of perceived autonomy (+14.24%, p < 0.0001), competencies (+6.33%, p < 0.0001), and intrinsic motivation (+16.09%, p < 0.0001) during basketball sessions combined with mathematics compared to when having classroom-based mathematics. A significant decrease in the mean for intrinsic motivation was observed from T0 to T1 for CON (−9.38%, p < 0.001), but not for BM (−0.39%, p = 0.98). BM had a more positive development in intrinsic motivation compared to CON from T0 to T1 (p = 0.006), meaning that BM had a positive influence on children's intrinsic motivation for classroom-based mathematics. This study indicates that basketball combined with mathematics is an intrinsically motivating way to practice mathematics, which also has a positive influence on children's general intrinsic motivation for mathematics in the classroom.

The purpose of this study is to examine the risks of learning through digital technology and to design the individual and academic responsibilities. We propose answering the following research questions: Are higher education students and their families equipped with digital devices? What strategy do students use in their individual learning? How frequently do they get involved in various added digital activities (gaming, social media communication, surfing the Internet)? What are the risks of excess time spent online? A total of 2210 higher education students from five European countries, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and Ukraine, participated in the quantitative study, the data being collected by the Center of Higher Education Research and Development at the University of Debrecen, Hungary in 2019. The analysis of the data is based on the advanced statistical test carried out with the SPSS program. The results indicated that most students come from families that possess essential digital devices (smartphone, PC, notebook) with an internet connection, regardless of the country of origin. The students’ learning strategy is mixed: they use the virtual and real environment. More than half of the students declared that they never learn by watching tutorials or listening to audio recordings. Reflecting on themselves, more than a third of them stated that they generally spend too much time online. Daily surfing, gaming, and communicating on social networks are those added activities that significantly multiply their chance of spending too much time in a virtual environment. The binary logistic regression analysis proves that these students have a four times greater chance of developing a concentration crisis. In addition, it is characteristic for there to be a general time management crisis that implicitly contributes to the development of a deadline crisis in learning, and another risk is the duplication of intention to drop out of university.

This study investigated whether 6 weeks of basketball combined with mathematics once a week in physical education lessons could improve children's motivation for mathematics. Seven hundred fifty-seven children (mean age = 10.4 years, age range: 7–12 years) were randomly selected to have either basketball combined with mathematics once a week (BM) or to have basketball sessions without mathematics (CON). Children in BM and CON motivation for classroom-based mathematics were measured using the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A) before (T0) and after the intervention (T1). Among the BM, levels of intrinsic motivation, feelings of competence, and autonomy were measured using the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) questionnaire acutely after a basketball session combined with mathematics and immediately after a session of classroom-based mathematics. BM had significantly higher acute levels of perceived autonomy (+14.24%, p < 0.0001), competencies (+6.33%, p < 0.0001), and intrinsic motivation (+16.09%, p < 0.0001) during basketball sessions combined with mathematics compared to when having classroom-based mathematics. A significant decrease in the mean for intrinsic motivation was observed from T0 to T1 for CON (−9.38%, p < 0.001), but not for BM (−0.39%, p = 0.98). BM had a more positive development in intrinsic motivation compared to CON from T0 to T1 (p = 0.006), meaning that BM had a positive influence on children's intrinsic motivation for classroom-based mathematics. This study indicates that basketball combined with mathematics is an intrinsically motivating way to practice mathematics, which also has a positive influence on children's general intrinsic motivation for mathematics in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “problem of e-books” is defined as the difficulty improving the adoption rates of e-books by students. The adoption rates of e-books for academic use remain low, and research into the reasons for this have resulted in inconclusive findings. Factors such as student perception, and variations in experimental methodology and technology, contribute to difficulties in generalising findings and establishing conclusive causes for this problem. To better understand the causal factors for low adoption rates and the student's experience with ereaders and digital text, an investigation was conducted by the lead researcher as a student enrolled in a postgraduate course. The experiment was designed using e-book and digital text documents on an ereader for academic study and the results analysed with the framework of Activity Theory. This methodology allowed exploration of the problem within the authentic experience of a student to examine the effects of this social environment on ereader and e-book use.Analysis of the work domain was conducted and a comparative assessment of the observed effect of using the digital documents on an ereader compared with the paper book. Findings show that attempts to apply self-regulation and metacognitive learning techniques within the activity using the ereader were abandoned due to breakdowns in operations, and that this resulted in a perceived lower quality of achievement. The effect on the processes used by the student were extreme and were observed to be highly dependent on the student's use of specific learning strategies. The experimental methodology employed in this investigation enabled identification of the role of the social environment in the use of course documents on an ereader for academic study. The functionality of the ereader was such an extremely poor fit with the observed academic processes that a redesign approach for ereader and e-book technology is proposed as a solution to the low adoption rates of e-books.

It is not known how effective specific types of motor-enriched activities are at improving academic learning and early reading skills in children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor enrichment during a single session of recognizing letters “b”/“d” can improve within-session performance or delayed retention the following day in comparison to letter recognition practice without movement. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate children’s motivation to perform the specific tasks. We used a randomized controlled intervention study-design to investigate the effect of 10-min motor-enriched “b”/“d” letter training on children’s ability to recognize the letters “b” and “d” (n = 127, mean age = 7.61 ± SD = 0.44 years) acutely, and in a delayed retention test. Three groups were included: a fine motor-enriched group (FME), a gross motor-enriched group (GME), that received 10 min of “b” and “d” training with enriched gestures (fine or gross motor movements, respectively), and a control group (CON), which received non motor-enriched “b”/“d” training. The children’s ability to recognize “b” and “d” were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1), and one day after the intervention (T2) using a “b”/“d” Recognition Test. Based on a generalized linear mixed model a significant group-time interaction was found for accuracy in the “b”/“d” Recognition Test. Specifically, FME improved their ability to recognize “b”/“d” at post intervention (T0→T1, p = 0.008) and one-day retention test (T0→T2, p < 0.001) more than CON. There was no significant difference in change between GME and CON. For reaction time there were no significant global interaction effects observed. However, planned post hoc comparisons revealed a significant difference between GME and CON immediately after the intervention (T0→T1, p = 0.03). The children’s motivation-score was higher for FME and GME compared to CON (FME-CON: p = 0.01; GME-CON: p = 0.01). The study demonstrated that fine motor-enriched training improved children’s letter recognition more than non motor activities. Both types of motor training were accompanied by higher intrinsic motivation for the children compared to the non motor training group. The study suggests a new method for motor-enriched letter learning and future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms.

It is not known how effective specific types of motor-enriched activities are at improving academic learning and early reading skills in children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor enrichment during a single session of recognizing letters "b"/"d" can improve within-session performance or delayed retention the following day in comparison to letter recognition practice without movement. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate children's motivation to perform the specific tasks. We used a randomized controlled intervention study-design to investigate the effect of 10-min motor-enriched "b"/"d" letter training on children's ability to recognize the letters "b" and "d" (n = 127, mean age = 7.61 ± SD = 0.44 years) acutely, and in a delayed retention test. Three groups were included: a fine motor-enriched group (FME), a gross motor-enriched group (GME), that received 10 min of "b" and "d" training with enriched gestures (fine or gross motor movements, respectively), and a control group (CON), which received non motor-enriched "b"/"d" training. The children's ability to recognize "b" and "d" were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1), and one day after the intervention (T2) using a "b"/"d" Recognition Test. Based on a generalized linear mixed model a significant group-time interaction was found for accuracy in the "b"/"d" Recognition Test. Specifically, FME improved their ability to recognize "b"/"d" at post intervention (T0→T1, p = 0.008) and one-day retention test (T0→T2, p < 0.001) more than CON. There was no significant difference in change between GME and CON. For reaction time there were no significant global interaction effects observed. However, planned post hoc comparisons revealed a significant difference between GME and CON immediately after the intervention (T0→T1, p = 0.03). The children's motivation-score was higher for FME and GME compared to CON (FME-CON: p = 0.01; GME-CON: p = 0.01). The study demonstrated that fine motor-enriched training improved children's letter recognition more than non motor activities. Both types of motor training were accompanied by higher intrinsic motivation for the children compared to the non motor training group. The study suggests a new method for motor-enriched letter learning and future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on first-generation college students largely focuses on the challenges and barriers they may experience in college. Yet, we do not have a clear understanding of who these students are as learners. To address this gap, this systematic review examines how scholars study and conceptualize first-generation college students as learners. We found the majority of the literature we reviewed conceptualized them as learners based on their academic performance and the influence of cultures on their learning. These two conceptualizations positioned first-generation college students against normative ways of learning, and in doing so promulgate an assimilation approach in higher education. We found a smaller body of literature that conceptualized first-generation college students as learners whose lived experiences, when connected to academic content, can contribute to their academic learning, advancement of disciplines, self-growth, and community development. We use this alternative view to provide recommendations for studying and working with first-generation college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

rom the historical-cultural approach, the concept of neuropsychological factor or mechanism refers to the work performed by the work zone or a set of speciic brain areas, allowing the relationship between the higher psychological level and the psychophysiological mechanism. The mechanism of spatial analysis and synthesis is responsible for organizing and integrating information from different sensory modalities (visual, tactile, auditory). The visual processing, mainly in its visual-spatial modality, is crucial for recognition, discrimination, understanding and manipulation of the environment by the individual. In children, this processing is relected by academic skills of literacy and mathematics. Both, the case of a child with damage in the mechanism of spatial analysis and synthesis and the neuropsychological intervention applied, are presented. Results show an improvement in skills related to construction and graphics as well as in the basic processes of mathematics and literacy after neuropsychological treatment.

The Portuguese Naval Academy is a military school with an university status and is equipped with one modern navigation and maneuvering simulator. The Navigation Simulator (NAVSIM) plays an essential role in the academic training for the Naval Academy and for its cadets, that are using this capacity since their first academic year as a learning tool. Identifying the non-technical skills that could be trained and focusing on the specific training of the technical skills is paramount, in order to maximize the training sessions for each cadet’s year. The assessment of statistical data referring to the last 6 years is important to identify where there are gaps in the exercises, as well as how the midshipman are prepared to perform functions of watch keeping on the ships fleet.

The received wisdom is that mobility programmes considerably contribute to students in terms of the development of generic skills, language and multicultural competence and competitive advantage in the global labour market. Surprisingly, the impacts of mobility programmes on academic learning have received very limited research interest in the literature. This study uses students enrolled on international management and modern language degrees in a British university to investigate the benefits of a yearlong study abroad programme, on the development of linguistic and multicultural skills measured by their academic results pre- and post-international mobility. Using a control group of students who stay on campus, quantitative data drawn from a longitudinal study over 8 years conclusively suggest that study abroad students academically outperform control group students after controlling for gender, domicile, ethnicity, socio-economic status, prior academic performance and age. The implications of these results on higher education and policy-making are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Physical Education (20736452) is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The need for undergraduate students to utilize social networking sites for enhancing their learning necessitated the study. The study was carried out to determine the extent of utilization of social networking sites (SNSs) for enhancing academic learning of undergraduate students. Five research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study. Proportionately stratified random sampling technique was used to draw the sample size of 331 undergraduate students from three out of the five federal universities in south-south geopolit ical zone of Nigeria. A questionnaire titled the use of Social networking sites for Enhancing Academic learning of undergraduate students (USNSEAL-UGS) was developed by the researchers for data collection. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Z-test statistics. The findings from the results revealed that undergraduate students utilize Facebook, Whatsapp and Google+ for enhancing their academic learning at great extent. Gender had no influence on the undergraduate students' utilization of social network sites in enhancing their learning. Based on the findings, recommendations were made which include that seminars and workshops should be organized by donor agencies, philanthropists, management of tertiary institutions and student union government (SUG) for undergraduate students in order to enlighten them on its effective utilization in improving their learning and their learning outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new modality - the small group learning approach, was developed for social group work courses for social work students in Hong Kong. A research study, aimed at understanding the students' level of satisfaction with the new approach and exploring its effectiveness regarding enhancing students' learning in social group work, was conducted for three cohorts of students in the academic years from 2013-14 to 2015-16. The findings indicated that its effectiveness was influenced by the quality of the tutors and the level of co-operation of the students. Strategies for improving the design and the implementation of the approach will be discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auditory system is a very important part of human being. From the system men can receive and realize the sounds around them. As communication is an important part to adapt to the environment (let alone an academical environment), being deaf will certainly impede their communications. This research is conducted to see how social adaptation of the deaf students in an academic environment in higher education settings. This is a qualitative research based on a phenomenology approach. The research shows that the three subjects of the research have a good social adaptation in their academic environment. This success is particularly achieved by using their available personal and social resources. The biggest factors that influence their social adaptations are the acceptance and support from their family. To fully believe in the God’s will also makes them stronger to face the real life as an individual with hearing disability. [Pendengaran merupakan indera yang sangat penting bagi manusia. Melalui indera pendengaran manusia dapat menangkap dan menyadari suara-suara di sekelilingnya. Kehilangan pendengaran pada seseorang akan menghambat komunikasi terhadap lingkungan sekitar, sedangkan komunikasi sendiri merupakan hal yang sangat penting dalam proses menyesuaikan diri di dalam lingkungan sekitar, termasuk lingkungan perkuliahan. Untuk itu dilakukan penelitian yang bertujuan melihat bagaimana penyesuaian sosial pada Tuli yang menempuh pendidikan di bangku perkuliahan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan fenomenologi. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ketiga informan memiliki penyesuaian sosial yang cenderung baik di dalam perkuliahan dengan cara mendayagunakan potensi yang dimilikinya. Faktor terbesar yang mempengaruhi penyesuaian sosial pada ketiga informan adalah penerimaan dan dukungan dari keluarga. Adanya kepercayaan terhadap kuasa Tuhan juga menjadi penguat untuk menjalani kehidupan sebagai individu dengan keterbatasan pendengaran.]

Research has confirmed the relationship between executive functions and academic learning; the former being a greater burden for children, as it is the result of an interchange of experiences and knowledge between teachers and students. Researchers have focused on presenting a one directional causal relation. However, if we consider learning as a construal, it can impact and be impacted by brain development and academic learning, supposing a bidirectional relationship, which few studies have examined. This article reviews the state of the art of research on the relationship between executive functions and academic learning. The main contribution was to conceptualize and systematize the existing research on the relationship between executive functions and academic learning, as well as its implications. This yields a partial answer to the question Do executive functions impact academic learning? Undoubtedly, executive functions are essential to school-age children because of their role in academic learning and achievement. Nonetheless, whether their influence is only unidirectional or the potential of a bidirectional relationship exists remains unanswered. This is an effort to find other ways to consider the relationship between executive functions and academic learning. Few studies have examined this bidirectional relation, which requires further discussion among specialists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to review studies concerned on registering the activation of brain areas during the performance of tasks based on effort, as well as on determining specifically the role of the amygdala in such situations. The search was carried out in three databases: PubMed database, Neuroscience Information Framework, and PsycARTICLES section of the APA PsycNET database; 48 studies presented a methodological arrangement clearly oriented to analyze the effort during the performance of learning tasks. The studies reviewed employed tasks like memorization, decisionmaking, calculation, motor sequences, and spatial discrimination. Though some variability is found, the main key areas activated for such tasks were: a) Prefrontal cortex, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex in memorization tasks; (b) Cerebellum, basal ganglia, motor and pre-motor areas in specific motor tasks; (c) Nucleus accumbens and striatum when explicit reinforcing consequences and high effort were involved; (d) Cingulate cortex for effort requirements and persistent behavior; and (e) Hypothalamus, hippocampus, and related regions for the initial consolidation of memory, as well as for spatial discrimination. The amygdala was activated only under very specific conditions: in unpredictable contingencies (i.e., for superstitious behavior), and when the effort was far above the average. Thus, since the amygdala is the main area activated in aversive conditioning, we conclude that the performance of tasks based on effort, in general, cannot be considered equivalent to the aversive conditioning in neurological terms, accordingly to the review performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds on work undertaken over a number of years by a group of international researchers with an interest in the potential of connecting academic and everyday practices and knowledge. Drawing extensively on literature and our own work, we first discuss the challenges around defining informal learning, concluding that learning is multidimensional and has varying combinations of formal and informal attributes. We then highlight the potential of technology for integrating formal and informal learning attributes and briefly provide some exemplars of good practice. We then discuss in depth the challenges and issues of this approach to supporting learning from the perspective of pedagogy, research, policy and technology. We also provide some recommendations of how these issues may be addressed. We argue that for the learner, integration of formal and informal learning attributes should be an empowering process, enabling the learner to be self-directed, creative and innovative, taking learning to a deeper level. Given the complexity of the learning ecosystem, this demands support from the teacher but also awareness and understanding from others such as parents, family, friends and community members. We present a conceptual model of such an ecosystem to help develop further discussions within and between communities of researchers, policy makers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If we want that our students to practice a qualitative learning, there is a need for a change of optic in the educational process. This change involves shifting the emphasis placed on the activity of the teacher, to the activity of students, who must assume the responsibility of their own learning. In order to make such a change, a fundamental premise is represented by the development of metacognition and related competencies of the students. The metacognition is the knowledge we have about our own cognitive processes, but also its regulation and optimization. Forming and developing of such superior students' capacity can achieve significant benefits in relation to the learning they practice: identifying strengths and vulnerabilities of cognitive style and learning style, assuming learning tasks, optimal selection of the learning strategies, according to proposed / self-proposed goals, adjusting their own learning, correct self-evaluation etc. The present study aims to search the students' opinions related to the qualitative academic learning and on the importance of the development of metacognition within it, identifying and practicing also appropriate strategies in which students can develop their metacognitive competences, as a premise of a qualitive academic learning. The target group of the research is represented by the students enrolled in the Psycho-pedagogical Training Program, the research method being a questionnaire-based survey, supplemented by a focus group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practitioners in play-based learning contexts face the challenge of developing developmentally appropriate practices while meeting rigorous academic curriculum standards. To date, play and academic learning have been predominantly conceptualized from an adult perspective. Considering that children are key agents in classroom play contexts, it is important to understand their views on play and learning. The purpose of this study was to explore children's perspectives on the connectedness between play and learning and understand whether their views are related to the play types observed in their classrooms. Photo elicitation interviews were conducted with 134 kindergarten students and 10 hours of observation were held in each of the 10 classrooms. Results indicate that children's understanding of the connectedness between play and academic learning were related to teacher presence in play and the types of play environments available in their classrooms. Implications for practitioners and researchers alike are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While academic internships can play irreplaceable roles by providing students hands-on learning opportunities, allowing them to collaborate with faculty, and strengthening ties between colleges and their communities, continued assessment of these experiences is still imperative. An academic internship has been described as a three-way partnership among a college or university, the internship site, and the student, but the role the institution plays can differ significantly. Several years ago, the Association of Schools of Public Health included field experience (such as internships) as a Critical Components Element of an Undergraduate Major in Public Health. Hence, this study investigates not only how Public Health students evaluate their internship site but also their experience with their school during the internship process. Survey data from 219 undergraduate students, on completion of their internships from Fall 2012 to Spring 2016, were collected. Results posit that public health students report the academic institution provided support and guidance, while their internship site provided a valuable learning experience both interpersonally and professionally. Also, students recommend this experience and provide valuable feedback for future internship partnerships. Considering internships are integral parts of many preprofessional degree programs, it is imperative that programs develop and implement systematic ways to assess these programs. This study provides valuable insight into this process along with identifying students’ perceptions of the academic internship and the role that both the site and the institution played in facilitating their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most of South Africa’s citizens who live in rural or underserved communities rely on the public health care sector to access quality health care. The value of rural exposure through clinical placements is well documented. Medical schools in South Africa have a responsibility to provide solutions that address the prevailing human resources challenges. Despite this commitment, medical students do not necessarily appreciate their role in resolving South Africa’s human resources challenges. This study aimed to assess the factors that influenced the choice of clinical learning sites in a self-selection process undertaken by Wits final year medical students for the compulsory 6-week integrated primary care block rotation. Methods: Qualitative data related to reasons for choice of service learning site were gathered from 524 pre-placement questionnaires completed by final year medical students entering the rotation over a 3-year period (2012–2014). Thematic analysis was performed using the MAXQDA software. Results: Eight themes emerged from the study indicating that the majority of participants were in favour of local urban underserved placement. Contextual factors, such as work commitments or family responsibilities, being compromised socially and losing academic standing were the main reasons for seeking urban placement. Good supervision, opportunistic learning, skills development and moral support were reasons for seeking rural placements. Previous voluntary exposure to rural practice or being of rural origin was a strong indicator for uptake of rural placement. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the challenges faced by coordinators in balancing personal and institutional needs with country needs and the contextual factors that must be considered when implementing medical education programmes that respond to social challenges.

ABSTRACT. In contemporary society, lack of time has become a major problem for all of us, so that the pressure of time determines engaging in efficient actions . Hence the need to increase the efficiency of learning activities through proper management of time, the execution of the learning plan, hygiene and ergonomics of the learning space, applying the law of stimulating variety through intellectual compartmentalization. The present study meets the needs of finding optimal solutions in order to obtain an efficient academic learning. By definition, the learning plan is a complex process that generates an objective and thorough knowledge of the surrounding world, social life, knowledge that subsumes both the processes and products of human thought, experience and collective creations.