Mirjamaija Mikkilä-Erdmann

Science Learning Through Text: The Effect of Text Design and text Comprehension Skills on Conceptual Change

This study examined how a traditional text design, compared to a conceptual change text design, supports readers with varying text comprehension skills in learning photosynthesis. The study is theoretically motivated by the research on conceptual change and text comprehension. Two hundred eleven-year-old participants were first given a conceptual understanding pre-test concerning photosynthesis and two tests on text comprehension skills. In the next session, participants were randomly given a traditional text or a conceptual change text and a conceptual understanding post-test. The experiment took place in a normal classroom setting, and the participants were allowed to make use of the text while answering the conceptual understanding post-test. Conceptual change was measured through critical distinction questions and generative questions. In these questions, the participants in the conceptual change text design group outperformed the participants in the traditional text design group. Furthermore, on critical distinction questions, both high-level and low-level readers profited from the conceptual change text design. Hence, a conceptual change text design which systematically points out the differences between possible misconceptions and the science knowledge to be learned helped the learners to construct a relevant mental model concerning photosynthesis and so facilitated conceptual change.

A follow-up study of medical students’ biomedical understanding and clinical reasoning concerning the cardiovascular system

Novice medical students usually hold initial conceptions concerning medical domains, such as the cardiovascular system, which may contradict scientific explanations and thus hinder learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate which kinds of biomedical representations medical students constructed of the central cardiovascular system in their first and second years of study, and how the quality of these representations was related to the students’ success in clinical reasoning. Data for 119 medical students were collected in three phases: in the first year of study before and after a cardiovascular course and a follow-up in the second year of study. Biomedical and clinical assignments were utilised. The study revealed that students had a substantial number of different misconceptions, and they decreased only slightly over the period of instruction. Those students who had misconceptions concerning biomedical knowledge also performed poorly in clinical reasoning. Furthermore, those students whose clinical reasoning was excellent had improved their biomedical knowledge between the first and second year remarkably more than students with poorer clinical reasoning. Hence, biomedical understanding seems to act as a mediator in clinical reasoning among novice students. We suggest that domain-specific pedagogical training, which would help medical educators become aware of students’ typical misconceptions concerning biomedical knowledge and the role of this knowledge in clinical reasoning, should be carried out to improve medical education.

The Role of Regulation and Processing Strategies in Understanding Science Text among University Students.

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of regulation and processing strategies in understanding science text. A total of 91 student teachers answered open-ended questions concerning photosynthesis before and after reading either a traditional or a refutational science text. After this, they also answered parts of the Inventory of Learning Styles. Understanding of photosynthesis increased after the text reading among all the students. However, deep and independent learners reached a better understanding than reproductive and support-dependent students. The refutational text seemed to promote understanding more than the traditional text. The study supports the assumption that personal characteristics play a role in learning complex scientific concepts. Further, refutational texts seem to facilitate high quality learning.

Promoting the Understanding of Photosynthesis among Elementary School Student Teachers through Text Design.

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary school pre-service teachers’ understanding of photosynthesis and to examine if a refutational text can support understanding of photosynthesis better than a non-refutational text. A total of 91 elementary school pre-service teachers read either a refutational or a non-refutational text concerning photosynthesis and then answered open-ended questions. Our results indicate that there are critical problems associated with student teachers learning about the process of photosynthesis, even after it has been systematically taught in teacher education. However, the results positively indicate that refutational science texts seem to foster effective conceptual change among student teachers. The results interestingly showed that students who read a refutational text improved their systemic and factual understanding of photosynthesis more than did those who read a non-refutational text. Especially students who had naïve prior understanding regarding photosynthesis benefitted more from a refutational text. Thus, a refutational text may act as an effective facilitator of conceptual change. These results have implications for teacher education, where conceptual mastery of the most important science phenomena, such as photosynthesis, should be achieved. A refutational text is an easy and effective way to support conceptual change in higher education. Thus, this study highlights the importance of domain-specific science education in teacher programmes.

Exploring Eye Movements of Experienced and Novice Readers of Medical Texts Concerning the Cardiovascular System in Making a Diagnosis.

This study used the eye‐tracking method to explore how the level of expertise influences reading, and solving, two written patient cases on cardiac failure and pulmonary embolus. Eye‐tracking is a fairly commonly used method in medical education research, but it has been primarily applied to studies analyzing the processing of visualizations, such as medical images or patient video cases. Third‐year medical students (n = 39) and residents (n = 13) read two patient case texts in an eye‐tracking laboratory. The analysis focused on the diagnosis made, the total visit duration per text slide, and eye‐movement indicators regarding task‐relevant and task‐redundant areas of the patient case text. The results showed that almost all participants (48/52) made the correct diagnosis of the first patient case, whereas all the residents, but only 17 students, correctly diagnosed the second case. The residents were efficient patient‐case‐solvers: they reached the correct diagnoses, and processed the cases faster and with a lower number of fixations than did the students. Further, the students and residents demonstrated different reading patterns with regard to which slides they proportionally paid most attention. The observed differences could be utilized in medical education to model expert reasoning and to teach the manner in which a good medical text is constructed. Eye‐tracking methodology appears to have a great deal of potential in evaluating performance and growing diagnostic expertise in reading medical texts. However, further research using medical texts as stimuli is required. Anat Sci Educ 10: 23–33.

Identifying User Interaction Patterns in E-Textbooks.

We introduce a new architecture for e-textbooks which contains two navigational aids: an index and a concept map. We report results from an evaluation in a university setting with 99 students. The interaction sequences of the users were captured during the user study. We found several clusters of user interaction types in our data. Three separate user types were identified based on the interaction sequences: passive user, term clicker, and concept map user. We also discovered that with the concept map interface users started to interact with the application significantly sooner than with the index interface. Overall, our findings suggest that analysis of interaction patterns allows deeper insights into the use of e-textbooks than is afforded by summative evaluation.

Piano teacher education in Finland and Germany: Targeted competencies and respective learning environments of two cases

The investigation of targeted competencies and respective learning environments in two cases of piano teacher education aimed to identify themes for higher music education programme development. Application of the model of six instrumental/vocal music teacher roles resulted in the conceptual understanding of these roles in four permeable spheres of activity: artistic individuality; pedagogical interaction; professional reflection; and contextual communication. Findings indicate that the targeted competencies were similar in both cases, and were found congruent with the role descriptions of the model, while the provided respective learning environments presented notable differences. Through the comparison of these differences several issues emerged that propose themes for discussion in piano teacher education development. Programme developers should consider to facilitate accessibility of teacher qualification and education, to increase, enhance and broaden practical experiences for student teachers, and to promote closer cooperation and intensified exchange with working life, that is, local professionals and institutions.

A Performance-Based Test for Assessing Students’ Online Inquiry Competences in Schools

In this paper, we introduce a performance-based test for measuring adolescents’ competences in online inquiry. The test covers four competence dimensions: (1) searching and selecting relevant sources, (2) identifying the main ideas presented in the sources, (3) evaluating the credibility of the sources, and (4) synthesizing information across the sources. We implement a technological solution called NEURONE to carry out this routine. The scoring of the test data is demonstrated by presenting preliminary results of a case study. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limitations of the test.

Students' Views on Thesis Supervision in International Master's Degree Programmes in Finnish Universities.

Abstract This paper employs an intercultural perspective to examine students’ views on master’s thesis supervision and the roles and responsibilities of supervisors and students. The 302 respondents who answered the online questionnaire were enrolled in international master’s degree programmes in four Finnish universities. The study revealed asymmetric views by students regarding the division of responsibilities between themselves and their supervisors. It was found that very few students and supervisors discuss the differences in study cultures between Finland and students’ countries of origin, their cultural backgrounds or the aspects of Finnish society that students do not understand. The research suggests that supervisors and students need to conduct early discussions on supervision and culture.