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Apart from the fact that human-like robots are still one of the most interesting topics in science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop rapidly as a popular phenomenon for all sectors. Although the idea that this rapid rise of AI means the rise of humanity has been voiced by many, the point of how AI will affect humanity continues to raise doubts in certain parts of the society. In this study, it is aimed to determine the perceptions of middle school students, which are a part of the future of humanity, towards the concept of AI, on which many discussions have been made, through metaphors. The sample consisted of 339 seventh and eighth grade students of four secondary schools in the central districts of Afyonkarahisar and Izmir in the 2019-2020 academic year. This study used a qualitative approach utilizing metaphor analysis as a research tool to investigate phenomena. Participants were asked the complete the sentence "Artificial intelligence is like.................., because .................." Data were analyzed using content analysis. Participants' metaphors for AI were grouped under 11 categories: smart, brain, nature, security, humanistic, the dilemma of good and evil, service, object, technology, life, and time. The data obtained showed that the participants generally used positive metaphors to describe AI, that is, they had positive perceptions about AI. However, in this study, which focused on the AI perceptions of middle school students, all of the metaphors collected under 11 conceptual categories containing positive and negative perceptions were examined and interpreted separately. It is thought that educational computer systems can be designed to shape students' perceptions of AI. Teachers can consider students' perceptions of AI by using AI-assisted teaching and designing content to enhance students' learning skills.

Digitally fluent teachers are expected to contribute to the growth of digitally fluent students. The purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable Digital Fluency Scale to determine the digital fluency of pre-service teachers. To create an item pool to develop a scale for digital fluency, the opinions of the focus group meeting participants were gathered by a qualitative method. After the pilot implementation of scale, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were applied. Data were collected from undergraduate students at a state university in Turkey to conduct for EFA (n: 302) followed by CFA (n: 274). The scale structure with 3 factors and 29 items was revealed. The scale explains 54.65% of the total variance. It was concluded that the Chi-square value (X[superscript 2] = 1189.10, df = 371, p <0.001) was moderately significant when the fit indices of the model tested with CFA were examined. It is seen that the other fit values for the model are within the acceptable fit value ranges. Higher scores from the scale indicate a high level of digital fluency.

Individuals with special needs are highly disadvantaged during the COVID-19 quarantine days, and families and children received limited support. Learning the experiences, problems and solution suggestions of teachers who are responsible for the education of children with special needs is of great importance in determining the plans to be made to provide the necessary support. The purpose of this study is to investigate in-service special education teachers' experiences of emergency remote teaching and to seek to understand the essence of their lived experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study employs a phenomenological design. This current interpretative phenomenological study consists of 21 special education teachers that meet predetermined criteria. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Five key questions and one closing question which were created by the researchers aligned with the purpose of the study were asked to the participants. As a result of the data obtained within the scope of the study, themes emerged according to special education teachers' experiences such as technical infrastructure, ICT literacy, required technical support, transformations in performance tracking and assessment, learning resource, problem behaviors, goals and objectives, family engagement, person being supported, type of support provided and decision about sustainability.

Cyberloafing is a widely recognized concept associated with the Internet, which has a wide usage area today. Cyberloafing is extensively noticed, particularly among young people, and its association with a variety of variables is being researched. In this study, university students' life goals and cyberloafing profiles were analyzed on the basis of gender, age, class, grade point average, relationship status, faculty, foreign language knowledge, daily digital tool usage time, age of first using the internet, and digital devices used. The research's study group was comprised of university students from Izmir's public and private universities. 334 students posted data. The study excluded 31 participants who were found to have missing or incomplete data. The study group included 303 students. As data collection instruments, the cyberloafing scale, life goals scale, and personal information form were employed. According to the data, there is a positive and moderate association between students' levels of cyberloafing and their life goals. Cyberloafing varies according to criteria such as age, gender, faculty, and daily internet usage. Similarly, it was found that life goals changed depending on department, relationship status, and daily internet usage time.

Pakistan, like many other countries of the world, has continually been criticized for its unproductive professional development (PD) policies and practices for teachers due to low student achievement in science disciplines. A good portion of science teachers (62%) in Pakistan was found to be uncomfortable in teaching the scientific concepts (National Education Assessment System [NEAS], 2014) and PD programs are failing to address this issue. There is a need to reconstruct the operationalized knowledge of PD for Pakistan to expand the ways of knowledge creation, examination, authentication, and distribution. This also implies the need to review the current western literature on PD designs and practices to explore the ways of addressing the issues of Pakistani PD programs. With this purpose in mind, the current study set out to search the comparative understanding of science teachers' PD learning and experiences in Pakistan. The study was carried out to review the literature on science teachers' PD learning and experiences in the Western context (The US and European countries) while comparing it with the situation of Pakistani science teachers' PD practices. This seeks to address the critical questions of how to increase the effectiveness in Pakistani PD practices.

This study examines the effect of mobile learning applications on undergraduate students' academic achievement, attitudes toward mobile learning and animation development levels. Quasi-experimental design was used in the study. Participants of the study were students of the Buca Faculty of Education at Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey. The experiment was conducted during the first semester of 2013-2014 academic year. A mobile learning-based strategy was used in experimental group (n = 15), while the control group participated in a lecture-based classroom (n = 26). An attitude scale was used to measure the students' attitudes toward mobile learning, and achievement test was used to examine the effect of mobile learning applications on the students' achievement. In order to evaluate the animations developed by students, a rubric was used. For exploratory analysis, interviews were conducted with students. The findings suggest that mobile learning may promote students' academic achievement. Both groups had significantly high attitude scores toward mobile learning. Furthermore, the students appreciated mobile learning as an approach that may significantly increase their motivation. Researchers and practitioners should take into consideration that mobile learning can create positive impact on academic achievement and performance and increase the motivation of students.

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study delved into students’ understanding and positioning while they participated in solving an authentic, conceptually‐based problem in a high‐school chemistry class. Verbal and nonverbal cues, particularly gestures, offered broader awareness of students’ engagement in sensemaking during the learning experience. The chemistry classroom emerged as a dynamic space where intricate scientific thinking unfolded during this experience, and our embodied, multimodal analysis focused on unraveling this complexity. Our analysis determined the ways that various features of the contextual configuration—the intersection of different semiotic fields in the social setting—affected student thinking and participation. For example, the lack of specific reference to semiotic resources and the lack of attention to a key gesture influenced the way ideas evolved in the solution generation phase. The analysis also revealed the teacher's impact on the contextual configuration at critical junctures, including her influence on the use of semiotic resources and on student positioning. Finally, the embodied and multimodal analysis provided insights into the affordances and constraints of the activity structure and modes of communication on student's involvement in scientific practices. These insights highlighted the importance of educators recognizing diverse forms of student expression, including gestures, as essential for nurturing scientific sensemaking and supporting students in utilizing different modalities productively. Our approach can assist researchers in holistically investigating pedagogical strategies that can facilitate reform‐based science teaching. It can also assist teachers in fostering effective communication—both verbal and non‐verbal, while simultaneously guiding positioning within and between student groups, establishing an environment conducive to equitable sensemaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While hands-on activities are important in science, students must have the opportunity to process the ideas and information that stem from those activities. Minds-on science activities, such as literacy integration, support making connections between prior and new knowledge by encouraging students to read, speak, and write like scientists. Literacy integration in science has been widely studied, but effective literacy integration remains elusive. In response, this article addresses ways that a teacher can use a combination of text genres (the traditional science textbook, popular science articles, and Adapted Primary Literature) to scaffold the understanding of scientific practices while using minds-on activities. Teachers will gain a sense of what literacy integration entails, see a concrete plan for integration literacy in the science classroom, and find the resources they need to accomplish this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in information technologies present opportunities for novel approaches, methods, and tools for new or improved education and training practices. Furthermore, these technologies are enabling a shift in the education paradigm. Based on an investigation of a wide range of information technologies supporting smart education, we developed a Smart Education Framework. The framework conceptually structures the information technologies in a layered architecture. We also developed a smart education design approach based on the framework. Furthermore, we show how to use the framework and design approach to develop a specific course or lecture design. To validate the smart education framework, we examined smart education systems reported in the literature. To identify smart education systems, we conducted a systematic literature search. The literature search results show that the smart education framework has the ability to describe smart education systems. This study contributes to the current literature with a smart education framework. The smart education framework will guide future smart education system designs.

Copyright of Journal of Sport for All & Recreation / Herkes Için Spor ve Rekreasyon is the property of Journal of Sport for All & Recreation / Herkes icin Spor ve Rekreasyon Dergisi 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.)

Objective: The diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) can vary according to many factors. We aimed to determine the predictors that optimize the diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA, particularly the role of on-site cytopathologists. Methods: A total of 175 patients who underwent EUS-FNA were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Lesion localization, size, characteristics, and the presence of a cytopathologist during the examination were evaluated. A standard endoscope and a Cook Medical Echo Tip 22G needle were used to view, evaluate, and perform FNA on the lesions using the Standard Suction Technique. Results: The most common lesion location was the pancreas, accounting for 70% of cases. The average lesion size was 3.2 ± 1.7 cm. Rapid on-site pathological evaluations (ROSE) were performed for 64 patients (37%), significantly improving diagnostic rates to 78% compared to 63% without ROSE (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1-4.2, P = .039). The diagnostic yield was higher for solid lesions compared to cystic ones (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1-4.7, P = .03). A positive correlation was found between lesion size and diagnostic yield (R 0.18, P = .017). ROC analysis showed that lesions larger than 2.4 cm had a diagnostic specificity of 73% and sensitivity of 45% (AUC 0.61, P = .019). Conclusion: Our findings clearly revealed that ROSE enhances the diagnostic yield and procedural efficiency of EUS-FNA. This may be related to the high quality of smears prepared by the cytopathologist. Furthermore, larger lesion sizes were associated with higher diagnostic accuracy, particularly in pancreatic lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning, particularly in higher education institutions. This shift underscores the importance of sustainable education practices aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 4 emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education, highlighting how online learning environments can enhance accessibility and flexibility for students worldwide. SDG 9 underscores the role of technological advancements in education. SDG 10 focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries, and online education can bridge educational disparities by offering flexible learning options to diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. SDG 17 emphasizes the importance of partnerships, which have been crucial in developing effective online learning solutions. This study investigates the relationship between undergraduate students' self-regulated online learning, perceived flexibility, and attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments at a state university in İzmir, Türkiye. Utilizing a survey-type correlational research model, data were collected from 300 undergraduate students. The results indicate that undergraduate students exhibit high-level self-regulation, perceive moderate flexibility, and hold positive attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments. The analysis showed that self-regulated online learning is moderately correlated with perceived flexibility and strongly correlated with attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments. These findings suggest that both perceived flexibility and positive attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments play important roles in predicting self-regulated online learning. This research provides valuable insights for educators and institutions aiming to enhance the online learning experience by promoting self-regulated learning behaviors and flexible learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling is considered an important scientific practice, and modeling instruction has the potential to support conceptual change in students in physics. However, when students are not taught how to think about modeling, and how to develop and use models, the learning potential of modeling may be limited. This paper argues that the use and explicit teaching of metacognitive tools like interactive questioning and individual reflection increase students' ability to use and make sense of models. We present a sequence of activities incorporating metacognitive tools with a variety of models (mental, physical, simulated, and mathematical) in a high school physics unit of electricity. Using data from classroom observations, individual student reflections, group-created posters, and classroom discussion, we found evidence to demonstrate the complicated nature of conceptual change, the importance of using a variety of different representations (models) of a phenomenon, and the critical role of the teacher in learning. Teachers need to be aware of this process and able to give students the time they need to fully explore and develop multiple models and support to think critically about models. Although many classrooms are limited in time, this process is necessary to move beyond rote memorization toward meaningful conceptual change.

This paper presents important findings that were observed as interconnected key elements of high-quality co-teaching of a physics course for pre-service science teachers while the collaborating faculty experienced a pedagogical convergence. This pedagogical convergence is akin to the conceptual convergence that Roschelle (1992) has described as being a central mechanism in conceptual change learning. Four elements of that pedagogical convergence are identified and discussed: two found within Roschelle's framework and two recognized by the faculty members through their reflection on the course. This pedagogical convergence had a significant positive influence on the design and, more importantly, the implementation of the co-taught physics course, resulting in a productive and impactful collaboration between the two faculty members. The paper includes perspectives from both faculty members on each element of the pedagogical convergence and students as well as on the teaching context and critical aspects of practice. The ideas in the paper should provide college faculty members meaningful directions as to how co-teaching could be implemented across a range of science disciplines and the framework can serve as a foundation for creating a co-taught college science course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The racial and ethnic makeup of the United States is in constant flux and is expected to experience substantial increases in racial and ethnic diversity over the next four decades. The problem the American educational system faces is attempting to problematize race/racism in its educational system and creating a system to counteract educational impartialities present for children of color. The disparity we face grows as teacher education programs graduate primarily White female teacher candidates, who express trepidations teaching students of color. In this article, we explore specific influences, confines, and conflicts that exist in urban schools, as a starting point to converse about the issues of race in science education and establish a strong theoretical rationale for the continued investigation of a race-based analysis of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP). Finally, we propose a more inclusive model for teacher preparation programs that embrace and encourage critical conversations about race.

Objective: The rate of onset at a late age in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) has increased over the years. The disease course and treatment outcomes remain uncertain in this group. We aimed to evaluate the disease course, drug toxicity, and prognosis of early and late-onset IBD patients. Methods: The methodology involves a comprehensive retrospective review of medical charts of 1,060 patients diagnosed with IBD. Thirty-nine patients with late-onset IBD (=60 years) were included in the study. As the control group, 50 early-onset patients with similar demographic characteristics to the late-onset patient group were included. Disease type, demographic data, treatments, treatment-related adverse effects and toxicities, mortality rates, extraintestinal and hepatobiliary involvement, and complications were compared between the early and late-onset groups. Results: The mean age of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 49.2±17.5 years, and 53 (59.6%) were male. Among the 39 late-onset patients, 25 (64.1%) had UC; among the 50 early-onset patients, 28 (56.0%) had UC. AZT (azathioprine) toxicity (28% vs. 20.5%) and biological therapy toxicity (16% vs. 5.1%) were similar in both groups (P>0.05). Mortality was higher in late-onset patients (33.3% vs. 2%), as were complication rates in late-onset UC (32% vs. 7.1%) compared to early-onset patients (P<0.05). The malignancy rate was higher in late-onset patients, but this difference was not statistically significant (15.4% vs. 6%, P>0.05). Conclusion: Late-onset IBD patients are similar to early-onset patients in terms of drug-related adverse effects. However, the mortality and complication rates are higher in late-onset patients, underscoring the importance of close follow-up in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignancies can occur during the follow-up of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Immune checkpoint inhibitors are increasingly used in the treatment of these malignancies due to their prolonged survival effects. Nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, is used in cancer treatment. It works by blocking the PD-1 (programmed death) receptor on T cells, thereby enhancing the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells. However, this enhanced immune response can also lead to immune-related adverse events, including gastrointestinal complications. Herein, we present two patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease flare on nivolumab therapy and review the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine change processes, self-efficacy beliefs, and department culture and the roles these elements play in faculty engagement in working in K-12 schools. The development of three new web-based measures of faculty perceptions of change processes, self-efficacy beliefs, and department culture are described. The context for the research is the development of new state Board of Regents policies that encourage faculty work in K-12 schools and improvements in the scholarship of teaching and learning in the faculty tenure and promotion process. Extensive statistical analyses were completed to examine the characteristics of these new measures and relationships among the measures. We discuss the implications of the study findings for measuring and understanding change and sustainability of policy-based initiatives in higher education.