Masha Tsaushu - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Masha Tsaushu

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (e.g., passing a test) to internal values (e.g., the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a large-scale undergraduate Biology course. A web-based tutorial was used to enable students to study basic contents on their own, and private Wiki spaces were used to enables teams to collaboratively construct knowledge. Seventeen hundred utterances from 76 student interviews were analyzed phenomenographically. Findings indicate that: (a) the common assumption that undergraduate students typically hold external values of learning was refuted; (b) it...

Research paper thumbnail of Learning and assessing biotechnology topics through case studies with built-in dilemmas

Research paper thumbnail of Student-centered introductory biology course: evidence for deep learning

Journal of Biological Education

Research paper thumbnail of The Culture of Learning Continuum: promoting internal values in higher education

Studies in Higher Education, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (eg, passing a test) to internal values (eg, the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a ...

Research paper thumbnail of What to Assess In Large Scale Web-Based Instruction: Student Satisfaction Versus Performance (Poster)

telem-pub.openu.ac.il, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching biotechnology through case studies?can we improve higher order thinking skills of nonscience majors?

Science Education, 2003

... understanding, question posing and critical thinking abilities, as well as their motivation. ... more ... understanding, question posing and critical thinking abilities, as well as their motivation. Case studies that involve ethics and values engage students in higher order thinking processes more than just focusing on a specific subject matter. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Peer Learning and Support of Technology in an Undergraduate Biology Course to Enhance Deep Learning

Cell Biology Education, 2012

This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergrad... more This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergraduate course. The model was gradually implemented during 3 yr in a research university in a large-lecture biology course that enrolled biology majors and nonmajors. It gives priority to sources not used enough to enhance active learning in higher education: technology and the students themselves. Most of the lectures were replaced with continuous individual learning and 1-mo group learning of one topic, both supported by an interactive online tutorial. Assessment included openended complex questions requiring higher-order thinking skills that were added to the traditional multiple-choice (MC) exam. Analysis of students' outcomes indicates no significant difference among the three intervention versions in the MC questions of the exam, while students who took part in active-learning groups at the advanced version of the model had significantly higher scores in the more demanding open-ended questions compared with their counterparts. We believe that socialconstructivist learning of one topic during 1 mo has significantly contributed to student deep learning across topics. It developed a biological discourse, which is more typical to advanced stages of learning biology, and changed the image of instructors from "knowledge transmitters" to "role model scientists."

Research paper thumbnail of What to Assess in Large Scale Web-based Instruction: Student Satisfaction versus Performance (Poster)

In many cases the success of course websites is measured in terms of student satisfaction (Lim & ... more In many cases the success of course websites is measured in terms of student satisfaction (Lim & Karol, 2002; Reister, Lapointe, & Korcuska, 2007; Sahin & Shelley, 2008; Smart & Cappel, 2006). Many studies rely on the assumption that satisfaction enhances the motivation for learning, and that as a consequence, students' ownership of the learning process increases (Lim & Karol, 2002; Smart & Cappel, 2006), which eventually, improves the effectiveness of the learning process. This research reports on the first stage of an ...

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (eg, passing a test) to internal values (eg, the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a ...

Research paper thumbnail of To Learn or to be Taught? Harnessing Technology to Enhance Self Regulated Learning

chais.openu.ac.il, 2011

Instruction in large higher education introductory courses is usually based on lectures which dis... more Instruction in large higher education introductory courses is usually based on lectures which discourage students from taking responsibility of their own learning. We developed an instructional model that harnesses technology to support students in assuming such responsibility, and gradually implemented it in a large introductory biology course. We examined how the gradual shift of responsibility from the instructor to the students affected their self regulation and self-efficacy. Verbal analysis of students' utterances revealed that students felt a sense of confidence when all course contents were provided to them in the lectures and the tutorial, which encouraged them to take responsibility of their own learning. However, when students were required to self-learn some of the course materials which were not covered in lectures, they became reluctant from taking that responsibility. We conclude that it's imperative to provide supports that will induce students' confidence, and encourage them to assume responsibility.

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (e.g., passing a test) to internal values (e.g., the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a large-scale undergraduate Biology course. A web-based tutorial was used to enable students to study basic contents on their own, and private Wiki spaces were used to enables teams to collaboratively construct knowledge. Seventeen hundred utterances from 76 student interviews were analyzed phenomenographically. Findings indicate that: (a) the common assumption that undergraduate students typically hold external values of learning was refuted; (b) it...

Research paper thumbnail of Learning and assessing biotechnology topics through case studies with built-in dilemmas

Research paper thumbnail of Student-centered introductory biology course: evidence for deep learning

Journal of Biological Education

Research paper thumbnail of The Culture of Learning Continuum: promoting internal values in higher education

Studies in Higher Education, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (eg, passing a test) to internal values (eg, the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a ...

Research paper thumbnail of What to Assess In Large Scale Web-Based Instruction: Student Satisfaction Versus Performance (Poster)

telem-pub.openu.ac.il, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Teaching biotechnology through case studies?can we improve higher order thinking skills of nonscience majors?

Science Education, 2003

... understanding, question posing and critical thinking abilities, as well as their motivation. ... more ... understanding, question posing and critical thinking abilities, as well as their motivation. Case studies that involve ethics and values engage students in higher order thinking processes more than just focusing on a specific subject matter. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Peer Learning and Support of Technology in an Undergraduate Biology Course to Enhance Deep Learning

Cell Biology Education, 2012

This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergrad... more This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergraduate course. The model was gradually implemented during 3 yr in a research university in a large-lecture biology course that enrolled biology majors and nonmajors. It gives priority to sources not used enough to enhance active learning in higher education: technology and the students themselves. Most of the lectures were replaced with continuous individual learning and 1-mo group learning of one topic, both supported by an interactive online tutorial. Assessment included openended complex questions requiring higher-order thinking skills that were added to the traditional multiple-choice (MC) exam. Analysis of students' outcomes indicates no significant difference among the three intervention versions in the MC questions of the exam, while students who took part in active-learning groups at the advanced version of the model had significantly higher scores in the more demanding open-ended questions compared with their counterparts. We believe that socialconstructivist learning of one topic during 1 mo has significantly contributed to student deep learning across topics. It developed a biological discourse, which is more typical to advanced stages of learning biology, and changed the image of instructors from "knowledge transmitters" to "role model scientists."

Research paper thumbnail of What to Assess in Large Scale Web-based Instruction: Student Satisfaction versus Performance (Poster)

In many cases the success of course websites is measured in terms of student satisfaction (Lim & ... more In many cases the success of course websites is measured in terms of student satisfaction (Lim & Karol, 2002; Reister, Lapointe, & Korcuska, 2007; Sahin & Shelley, 2008; Smart & Cappel, 2006). Many studies rely on the assumption that satisfaction enhances the motivation for learning, and that as a consequence, students' ownership of the learning process increases (Lim & Karol, 2002; Smart & Cappel, 2006), which eventually, improves the effectiveness of the learning process. This research reports on the first stage of an ...

Research paper thumbnail of Promoting a Culture of Learning based on Internal Values in Large Undergraduate Courses: The added Value of Technology

In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate lev... more In recent years there is a growing concern regarding the quality of learning in undergraduate level education. In this study we synthesize various views about the notion of “learning culture” into one generic framework in which we describe a continuum ranging from learning driven by external values (eg, passing a test) to internal values (eg, the urge to learn). We use this framework to explore the effect of an intervention in three levels, which utilizes technology to gradually employ higher levels of internal values of teaching in a ...

Research paper thumbnail of To Learn or to be Taught? Harnessing Technology to Enhance Self Regulated Learning

chais.openu.ac.il, 2011

Instruction in large higher education introductory courses is usually based on lectures which dis... more Instruction in large higher education introductory courses is usually based on lectures which discourage students from taking responsibility of their own learning. We developed an instructional model that harnesses technology to support students in assuming such responsibility, and gradually implemented it in a large introductory biology course. We examined how the gradual shift of responsibility from the instructor to the students affected their self regulation and self-efficacy. Verbal analysis of students' utterances revealed that students felt a sense of confidence when all course contents were provided to them in the lectures and the tutorial, which encouraged them to take responsibility of their own learning. However, when students were required to self-learn some of the course materials which were not covered in lectures, they became reluctant from taking that responsibility. We conclude that it's imperative to provide supports that will induce students' confidence, and encourage them to assume responsibility.