61,396 research outputs found
The conventional versus a constructionist Scratch programming and first-year students' achievements in higher education classes: experimental data.
No full textGlobally, learning or teaching the first programming (popularly called CS1) remains a significant educational challenge. Indicators such as CS1 students' engagement, failure and attrition rates, and lack of diversity, continue to show the need for innovating the learning or teaching of novice computer science students. To ease initiating novices to programming, Scratch, a visual programming language, has become a staple of K-12 CS1 classes.
As outcomes of a research project aiming to explore a constructionist Scratch pedagogy with novice CS students in higher education, we present these datasets. In the research lasting two successive academic sessions, we conducted two quasi-experimental studies involving four intact CS1 classes in selected public polytechnic in the north central Nigeria. In each study, we randomly assigned the classes to the experimental and control groups, constituting the constructionist Scratch and the conventional CS1 classes, respectively.
Instruments for collecting data include a student profile questionnaire, a pretest, and posttest. Sequel to ethical clearance and permission from the selected schools, we conducted each study during the first semester of each academic session, in the first seven to eight weeks. During the first to second week, we administered students who consented to take part with the questionnaire and the pretest. Learning or teaching in the two classes lasted six weeks. Then both classes took the posttest. An independent CS educator who is not part of this research marked all the achievement tests, following a rubric prepared by the first author. To strengthen the research design and the possibility of arriving at valid causal evidence, we employed a Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) algorithm to generate matched samples of experimental and control data, which we used in the analysis.
Data presented here includes the raw, unmatched and matched experimental datasets from both studies. A researcher can make use of the data:
To explore if some background variables not addressed in the original research may moderate CS1 students' achievements. For instance, their prior achievements in mathematics, physics, or English.
To uncover some interesting patterns using machine learning algorithms.
To validate the outcome of the original experiment by using the unmatched, matched or newly generated matched samples.
The authors welcome further research collaborations in using the data or the accompanying research instruments.
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Impact of a Scratch Programming Intervention on Student Engagement in a Nigerian Polytechnic First-Year Class: Verdict From the Observers
No full textAn engaging, first programming class (CS1) often inspires students’ passion for computer science (CS). However, the evidence in the literature suggests that the average CS1 classes are anything but engaging for many students. The performance of CS compared to other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in international student engagement surveys seems to substantiate CS1 failure, attrition rates, and lack of diversity in most CS classes. Meanwhile, for its simplicity in introducing programming to beginners, primary and secondary schools use Scratch, an educational programming environment developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. For the same reason, higher institutions now include some forms of Scratch instruction in CS1. The question remains, to what extent is Scratch engaging, especially for students in higher education? This study addressed this gap by observing college computer science students exposed to a constructionist Scratch programming pedagogy. We adopted a descriptive design based on quantitative observations. To observe the class during a weekly 2-hour session, we employed five CS educators, one observer per week. Each observer, employing a 20-item observation protocol, rated the extent of affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement of first-year CS students in a polytechnic in North Central Nigeria. Most of the students were learning to program for the first time. Analysis of the data showed a significant agreement in the ratings of the five observers for overall student engagement, although the impact was moderate. However, while agreement in their ratings for affective engagement was significant, with a large effect, there was no significant concordance in their ratings for behavioral engagement. Observers also significantly agreed in their ratings for cognitive engagement; however, the impact was moderate. These findings suggest that employing Scratch in higher education can be engaging and useful, especially for students with no prior programming experience.
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Linkage activities amongst researchers, extension agents, farmers, input dealers, and marketers towards agricultural innovation systems in the North West Province, South Africa
No full textThis paper examined the research- extension- farmer- input dealer and marketer linkage activities in the North West Province of South Africa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select researchers, extension agents, farmers, agricultural input dealers and marketers. Their responses in linkage activities were elicited through a structured questionnaire. The F value for linkage = 41.817(p< 0.05) shows that there is a significant difference among stakeholders with extension agents having the highest mean of 51.63. In contrast, the marketers have the lowest mean of 37.16. This indicates that extension agents were involved in more linkage activities than other stakeholders in the agricultural innovation systems covered in this study
Knowledge and attitude towards collaboration in agricultural innovation systems amongst stakeholders in the North West Province, South Africa
No full textThe current study examined the extent of knowledge concerning agricultural innovation systems amongst researchers, extension agents, farmers, input dealers, and marketers, while determining their attitude towards collaborating with agricultural innovation systems. Through using a simple random sampling technique; researchers, extension agents, farmers, input dealers, and marketers were selected as the study population. Information was gathered by distributing a structured questionnaire amongst the various participants and analysing the data gained concerning their wealth of knowledge and their corresponding willingness to collaborate. The results show that researchers, extension agents, farmers, input dealers, and marketers are aware of, and have adequate knowledge of, these systems available to them, to be able to utilise them effectively. However, they expressed different attitudes towards collaboration with agricultural innovation systems
A systematic review on COVID-19 pandemic with special emphasis on curative potentials of Nigeria based medicinal plants
No full textDespite the frightening mortality rate associated with COVID-19, there is no known approved drug to effectively combat the pandemic. COVID-19 clinical manifestations include fever, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and other complications. At present, there is no known effective treatment or vaccine that can mitigate/inhibit SARS-CoV-2. Available clinical intervention for COVID-19 is only palliative and limited to support. Thus, there is an exigent need for effective and non-invasive treatment. This article evaluates the possible mechanism of actions of SARS-CoV-2 and present Nigeria based medicinal plants which have pharmacological and biological activities that can mitigate the hallmarks of the pathogenesis of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 mode of actions includes hyper-inflammation characterized by a severe and fatal hyper-cytokinaemia with multi-organ failure; immunosuppression; reduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enhance pulmonary vascular permeability causing damage to the alveoli; and further activated by open reading frame (ORF)3a, ORF3b, and ORF7a via c-Jun N- terminal kinase (JNK) pathway which induces lung damage. These mechanisms of action of SARS-CoV-2 can be mitigated by a combination therapy of medicinal herbs based on their pharmacological activities. Since the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are multifactorial with co-morbidities, we strongly recommend the use of combined therapy such that two or more herbs with specific therapeutic actions are administered to combat the mediators of the disease.Fil: Oladele, Johnson O.. Kings University; NigeriaFil: Ajayi, Ebenezer Idowu O. Osun State University; Nigeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Oyeleke, Oyedotun M.. Kings University; NigeriaFil: Oladele, Oluwaseun T.. Osun State University; NigeriaFil: Olowookere, Boyede D.. Kings University; NigeriaFil: Adeniyi, Boluwaji M.. Benue State University; NigeriaFil: Oyewole, Olu I.. Osun State University; NigeriaFil: Oladiji, Adenike T.. University Of Ilorin; Nigeri
„Cyrk jak ta lala”. O lalkach w cyrku i o cyrku z lalkami
No full textSztuka lalkarska to nie tyko teatr lalek, lecz także lalkowy kabaret, variétés
i cyrk lalkowy. W niniejszym tekście prezentowane są widowiska cyrku
lalkowego, spektakle inspirowane cyrkiem oraz zastosowania elementów lalkowych
w nouveau cirque. Omówiono również performanse rzeźbiarza Alexandra
Caldera, łączące cyrkowe inspiracje z animacją form plastycznych.
Autorka podjęła próbę wyjaśnienia, co skłania artystów do tworzenia widowisk
cyrku lalkowego czy korzystania z estetyki i tematyki cyrkowej w przedstawieniach
teatralnych.Puppetry art it is not only a puppet theatre, but also a puppet cabaret,
a variété and a puppet circus. The text presents puppet circus performances
and circus-inspired puppet theatre shows. It searches for the puppet-inspired
elements in nouveau cirque. Moreover, the article also discusses performances
made by sculptor Alexander Calder which combine circus inspirations and
animated objects. The author tries to explain reasons for preparing puppet
circus performances and the use of circus inspirations and aesthetics in
theatre performances
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Determinants of emerging small-scale pig farmers' participation in high value markets in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, South Africa
No full textMSc (Agricultural Economis), North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2014This study analyses determinants of small-scale pig farmer's participation in high value/mainstream markets. The study was conducted in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality. The Dr kenneth Kaunda District is divided into four municipality, a selection of participants was stratified in to four parts selected from 40 to 20 pig farmers per municipality. A stratum was used as an administative units then random sampling was used to select participants for the study. (stratified rondom sampling). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The results shows that farmers sell their products to low value markets; those who sell in high value markets do so through middlemen, even though they have over 5 years expirience and sell first grade products. The biggest constraints faced by pig farmers are lack of access to marketing information for high value markets, poor market infrastracture, high transport cost and the least are lack of finance and lack of storage. Farmers who participate in high value markets are faced with high transaction costs and levies at auctions and abattoirs. It was found that in order to increase farmers 'annual farm income and access to high value markets, farmers have to increase their breeding herd, have adequate knowledge on the requirements of high value markets, reduce transport cost and maintain contact with extension services. The probit model was used to determine the influence of the independent variables on emerging small-scale pig farmers' participation in high value markets. The model has a good fit and was significant at 1%. Eight explanatory variables were significant while the other seven variables were insignificant. There is a I 00% probability of income surplus which could be used to increase the number of breeding stock and provide better opportunities for participation in high value markets. The recomendation are: that small-scale emerging farmers should be provided with adequate
information and be trained on the standands set by high value markets. Establishment of new and
strengthening of existing producer organisations and cooperatives towards collective action, enhancement of extension officers 'capacity and services, youth and women involvement in pig farming. It is concluded that improving farmer 's knowledge on high value market standards and reduction on transaction cost would increase their likelihood to participate in high value market.Master
Cyrkowy hołd dla X muzy. Cirque du Soleil i spektakl Iris
No full textCelem autora jest opisanie procesu transkrypcji historii kina na język cyrku.
Artyści z Cirque du Soleil pokazali autorskie przedstawienie Iris, zainspirowane
legendarnymi filmami, takimi jak Przeminęło z wiatrem i Titanic.
Łącząc w sobie taniec, akrobację, wideo, sekwencje filmowane na żywo
i animacje, spektakl zabiera widzów w podróż po historii kina i różnych gatunków
filmowych, wprowadzając publiczność w świat tworzenia filmów.
Przechodząc od ilustracji do animacji, od czarno-białego obrazu do kolorowego,
widzowie mogą śledzić konstrukcję i dekonstrukcję sztuki filmowej
jako dziedziny i swoistego sposobu przekraczania granic tego, co możliwe.
Autor wysuwa tezę, że spektakl Iris ma przywołać uczucia towarzyszące
pierwszym widzom kinowym. Chodzi tu o nostalgię za czasem, gdy kino
przypominało cyrk. Należy pamiętać, że pierwsze pokazy filmowe miały
charakter jarmarczny, zbliżony do klasycznego cyrku. Współcześnie zarówno
kino, jak i cyrk mają status sztuki.The aim of the author is to describe the process of transcription of the history
of the cinema into the language of the circus. The artists from Cirque du Soleil
showed a performance Iris inspired by the legendary films such as Gone with the
Wind and Titanic. Combining dance, acrobatics, video, filmed live sequences and
animations, the performance takes the audience on a journey through the history
of the cinema and a diverse range of film genres, introducing them to the
world of filmmaking. Moving from illustration to animation, from the blackand-
white picture to color, viewers can follow the construction and deconstruction
of the film art as a discipline and a peculiar way of crossing the boundaries
of what is possible. The author puts forward a hypothesis that the show Iris aims
to evoke feelings that accompanied first cinema viewers. It refers to the nostalgia
for the time when the cinema was like a circus. It is worth remembering that
the first screenings were of the fair nature, similar to the classic circus. Today
both the cinema and circus have the status of art
Heterogeneous Class Size Effects: New Evidence from a Panel of University Students
No full textUsing administrative records from a UK university, we present evidence on the effects of class size on students' test scores. We estimate non-linear class size effects controlling for unobserved heterogen-eity of students and faculty. We find that: (i) at the average class size, the effect size is -0.108; (ii) the effect size is negative and significant only for the smallest and largest ranges of class sizes and zero in intermediate class sizes; (iii) students at the top of the test score distribution are more affected by changes in class size, especially when class sizes are very large. © The Author(s). Journal compilation © Royal Economic Society 2010
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