Volume 11, Number 2, Summer 2012

A Typology for Observing Children’s Engagement with eBooks at Preschool

Kathleen Roskos
John Carroll University

Karen Burstein and Byeong-Keun You
Southwest Institute for Families and Children

Abstract

This research reports a two-phase descriptive study of young children’s engagement with ebooks conducted in Head Start classrooms. Phase 1 focused on the development of a typology as an analytic framework for observing engagement with ebooks in different formats (shared book; independent book browsing) and across devices (stationary touch screen; handhelds). Converging extant research categories with videotaped observations of ebook reading from classroom samples (n=12 children), a typology was derived using qualitative analytic procedures. It consisted of three categories (control, multisensory behaviors, communication) and 11 salient behaviors of children’s engagement with ebooks. Phase 2 applied the typology to a comparable classroom sample (n=24 children) to obtain descriptive observations of children’s engagement with ebooks in teacher-led ebook reading at the touch screen and child-led ebook browsing/reading with handheld devices (iPad; iPod). Potential influences of behavioral regulation levels on children’s engagement with ebooks were also explored. Results supported the typology as a fairly reliable and manageable framework for analytic purposes of description and enumeration, yielding descriptive evidence of children’s engagement with ebooks in the sample. In brief, control varied with format, which in turn influenced the distribution of multisensory behaviors and types of communication. Level of behavioral regulation influenced control.

Modelling a Peer Assignment Review Process for Collaborative E-learning

Evelyn Kigozi Kahiigi
Stockholm University

Mikko Vesisenaho
University of Jyväskylä

Henrik Hansson and Mats Danielson
Stockholm University

F.F Tusubira
Knowledge Consulting Ltd, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

The educational culture in most developing countries is lecturer-centred with lecturers as providers of information and students as receivers of information. This approach has impacted on student’s ability to seek and create knowledge to support their learning process. A collaborative learning approach that promotes students process of inquiry, critical thinking and skill development thus lacks in the context, yet these aspects are crucial in the knowledge society. If universities in developing countries are to educate students to compete and become active participants in society, the teaching and learning processes underpinned by relevant theories and models should be adopted. This paper proposes an approach to support students´ learning in a developing country context - Uganda. Specifically, the authors design and model a peer assignment review process for collaborative e-learning, employing the second stage of development research. The model is based on using student to pedagogically support each other’s learning through four process stages: familiarization, assignment, review and feedback. Empirical investigations of the process stages indicated that the peer assignment review process facilitated the students learning. Students indicated that they were able to actively participate in the course, gain experience in critical reading and evaluating peers work, while reflecting on their own work. The empirical investigation further indicated that students were able to adopt and use online technologies in their learning activities. As such the peer assignment review process impacted the students learning both as receivers and providers of reviews creating a level of acceptance to adopt and use the proposed collaborative e-learning approach.

Development of a Mental Health Nursing Simulation: Challenges and Solutions

Lori I. Kidd
Karyn I. Morgan
John R. Savery
The University of Akron

Abstract

Nursing education programs are proliferating rapidly in the United States in an effort to meet demand for nurse professionals. Multiple challenges arise from this rapid expansion. One challenge is finding sufficient clinical sites to accommodate students. Increased competition for scarce resources requires creativity in clinical contracting. This paper examines the challenges associated with providing virtual clinical--experiences and environments rich in diversity and exposure, yet safe for experimentation and learning of mental health nursing students.

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