Large classes Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. In an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce, the ability for employees to engage in... more

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. In an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce, the ability for employees to engage in collaborative workgroups is essential. A new capstone group-work assignment using Online Human Touch (OHT) strategies was integrated into an Information Systems course at a regional university in the Caribbean. The course typically enrolls 250-300+ students per semester with one instructor. The assignment simulated a real-world business 'eMeeting' to proactively increase student engagement and retention. This action research study collected quantitative and qualitative data three years prior to and three years after the integration of the new 'eMeeting' group-work assignment. Quantitative data showed improved academic performance, higher scores on the standardized final exam, and decreases in attrition while qualitative data showed significant increases in student engagement. Integrating the 'eMeeting' assignment into the large online course provided students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills, and experience gained throughout the semester. It also enhanced key soft skills sought by employers including problem-solving, ability to work in teams, communication, leadership, and time management.

In a university setting, there is a great diversity in terms of socio-cultural, political, religious and racial backgrounds among students and lecturers. This diversity, with the presence of an appropriate lecturer-student relationship... more

In a university setting, there is a great diversity in terms of socio-cultural, political, religious and racial backgrounds among students and lecturers. This diversity, with the presence of an appropriate lecturer-student relationship creates a campus environment that prepares students and lecturers to live and work amicably in a socio-culturally diverse society. It also equips them to respond to an increasing

Especially during the first year in university absenteeism can have detrimental effects on grades, and social integration of the student in the university community. According to pedagogical literature altering teaching methods from... more

Especially during the first year in university absenteeism can have detrimental effects on grades, and social integration of the student in the university community. According to pedagogical literature altering teaching methods from lecturing toward engaging teaching, which applies various active teaching methods in the university classroom, can enhance learning, student participation, decrease absenteeism, and improve critical thinking and problem solving skills. In this research study, I used active learning and engaging teaching to prevent absenteeism in an attempt to improve grades, and to enhance interest in Biology among students in large first year Introductory Biology classes. Results show that students were less absent from the class that used engaging teaching methods (Engaging Class) compared to classes that were taught by traditional lecturing without class engagement (Lecture Class). Also, the concept inventory test showed a significant increase in post-test quiz grades in the Engaging Class compared to the Lecture Class at the end of the semester. The student CLASSE survey indicated more interaction between faculty and students in the section that was taught using engaging methods. According to student focus group interviews, students in the Engaging class appreciated the class activities and reported benefits for learning.

Temperature warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property. Temperature forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the temperature for a future time and a given... more

Temperature warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property. Temperature forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the temperature for a future time and a given location. Temperature forecasts are made by collecting quantitative data about the current state of the atmosphere. In this paper, a neural network-based algorithm

Discretized population balances of aggregating systems are known to consistently over-predict number densities for the largest particles. This over-prediction has been attributed recently by the authors (Kumar and Ramkrishna, 1996, Chem.... more

Discretized population balances of aggregating systems are known to consistently over-predict number densities for the largest particles. This over-prediction has been attributed recently by the authors (Kumar and Ramkrishna, 1996, Chem. Engng Sci.51, 1311–1332) to steeply non-linear gradients in the number density when a fixed pivotal particle size is used for each discrete interval. The present work formulates macroscopic balances of populations with due regard to the evolving non-uniformity of the size distribution in each size interval as a result of breakage and aggregation events. This is accomplished through a varying pivotal size for each interval adapting to the prevailing non-uniformity of the number density in the interval. The technique applies to a general grid and preserves any two arbitrarily chosen properties of the population. Comparisons of the numerical and analytical results have been made for pure aggregation for the constant, sum and product kernels. It is established that numerical predictions from macroscopic balances are significantly improved by an adapting pivot accounting for non-uniformities in the number density.

Many large lecture classes at undergraduate institutions have started to utilize technology to engage students. A mixed methods design was used in this dissertation research to build a comprehensive understanding of the statistical... more

Many large lecture classes at undergraduate institutions have started to utilize technology to engage students. A mixed methods design was used in this dissertation research to build a comprehensive understanding of the statistical relationships among mathematics anxiety, math self-efficacy, and achievement in mathematics among students in a large lecture, undergraduate calculus class taught using clickers. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the statistical relationships and of the students’ experiences and perspectives on the relationships among mathematics self-efficacy, math anxiety, and achievement, along with the effect of clicker use on these variables, with attention given to changes in student perceptions during the semester. Statistical analysis was conducted utilizing quantitative survey data, and qualitative methods were used to analyze student interview data. Pairwise statistical relationships identified in previous research were confirmed among math anxiety, mathematics self-efficacy, and achievement in mathematics. Findings also revealed the potential for clickers to help promote desired learning outcomes when used effectively by students and instructors. Future research on the effect of clicker use in other types of mathematics courses besides calculus, in classes with students representing a more diverse range of racial/ethnic backgrounds, and with smaller class sizes will help build on the knowledge gained from this study.

In introducing the special issue on Large Class Pedagogy: Opportunities and Challenges of Massification the present editorial takes stock of the emerging literature on this subject. We seek to contribute to the massificaiton debate by... more

In introducing the special issue on Large Class Pedagogy: Opportunities and Challenges of Massification the present editorial takes stock of the emerging literature on this subject. We seek to contribute to the massificaiton debate by considering one result of it: large class teaching in higher education. Here we look to large classes as a problem in promoting student learning, quality education, and consequently as a challenge to socio-economic development. That said, whilst large classes do pose very specific challenges, they also hold promise and opportunities for innovation in support of student learning. Here we consider the contributions to this special issue from a cross section of disciplines and higher education environments.

We present rigorous local and global bifurcation results for a concrete example from 3-dimensional nonlinear elastostatics — the problem of barrelling of compressed cylindrical columns. We use standard tools of bifurcation theory for the... more

We present rigorous local and global bifurcation results for a concrete example from 3-dimensional nonlinear elastostatics — the problem of barrelling of compressed cylindrical columns. We use standard tools of bifurcation theory for the local analysis, already producing results that are rare in our field. For the global part we employ the generalized degree designed by Healey and Simpson to overcome the specific difficulties of 3-dimensional nonlinear elasticity. Ours are the first global bifurcation results for a problem from 3-dimensional nonlinear elastostatics not governed by ordinary differential equations. Moreover, our approach to the barrelling problem provides a paradigm for the solution of a large class of problems in nonlinear elastostatics concerning bifurcation from a homogeneously deformed state.