The relationship between reader characteristics and the use of strategies for reading expository texts, which convey procedural knowledge, was investigated. In Study 1, strategies for reading expository texts were collected through free descriptions of the participants in the study. Factor analysis indicated Clarifying, Utilizing signals, Meta-cognitive activity, and Utilizing knowledge. In Study 2, the effect of individual differences in verbal and spatial working memory capacity was examined, by using a questionnaire about the use of above five reading strategies. Results indicated that spatial working memory was correlated with utilizing diagrams. Moreover, there was a marginally significant interaction between the two kinds of working memory capacities and Clarifying, and Utilizing knowledge, indicating that these reading strategies were more likely to be used by readers with low verbal working memory and high spatial working memory performance.

View full abstract

For the first graders, we investigated to examine the teaching method of arithmetic word problems. We created the investigation problems based on Riley's classification. We analyzed the relation between figure and strategy which subjects drew in the problem solving process of word problems. As a result, in instruction of word problems, after clarifying the relation and the unknown value, it was suggested that it is important to make problem structure grasped.

View full abstract

The psychological burden of a passenger whose train schedule is disrupted can be reduced by not only improving and expanding hardware support but also promoting live announcements made by the station staff and conductors concerning the resumption of train services (Yamauchi 2009). However, since predictive information may change or the information may be incomplete, many station staffs and conductors are apprehensive of making announcements concerning the resumption of services as soon as possible. We developed training material in order to reduce this apprehension of station staffs and conductors. Furthermore, we attempted to improve the announcements providing information regarding suspended train services. Railway employees watched a training DVD that we developed during their job training, following which they answered a questionnaire. The results indicated that many employees were interested in the training material, and they gave a high rating for its comprehensibility. Furthermore, the results of another questionnaire conducted one month after watching the DVD showed that the recommended behavior of the group that watched the DVD improved by 13.2 points, as compared to the group that did not watch it. Furthermore, the results helped us identify effective methods for choosing suitable results of survey or experiment on which the training material is based and for explaining appropriately the contents of training material.

View full abstract

The aims of the study are to clarify how the technique of 'listening and forming one's own statement' is learned and developed, and what kind of discourses will result from such techniques. A comparison between the two age groups in class situations was conducted that yielded the following results. 1) More children started to incorporate others' statement on an ad-lib basis, using it as the rationale or the base of the argument of his/her opinion. 2) More children started to listen to the other's opinion focusing on the 'logic' behind it, to form their own statement. 3) When in the situation described in 2), more children started to ask questions to obtain further explanation from the speaker. 4) More children started to create new interpretations using the others' interpretations. As a result of acquiring these techniques, discussions that scrutinize and explore the other's logic have born.

View full abstract

This research focuses on extracurricular activities for undergraduate students. In recent years, the necessities of conducting extracurricular activities in authentic situations have been indicated in higher education. This research has two objectives: the first one is to clarify the effectiveness of extra curricular activities and the second one is to clarify how learning environments are composed in the extracurricular activities. Six people who experienced volunteering at the high school for two years as extracurricular activities and two teachers who worked with them were chosen as research targets. As a result, it could be confirmed that the experience affects students' self-development, and skills for planning and communicating can be adapted to the working places that requires those skills. In addition, the necessities to set a time and place to build communities for participants, to give students central roles and to set a common goal for both students and teachers were clarified.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of "friendship project" on trainee teacher's images of teaching, teacher, and children and changes in their images of teaching, teacher, and children before and after practice teaching. Major findings (study 1) are as follows: (a) trainee teachers who ardently worked on friendship project had positive image of children more highly than those who did not participate in friendship project and those who did not ardently work on friendship project; (b) two-year students who ardently worked on friendship project had negative image of teaching and teacher more highly than those who did not participate in friendship project and those who did not ardently work on friendship project. Next, major findings (study2) are as follows: (a) trainee teachers who ardently worked on friendship project increased "flexible" image of teaching after practice teaching; (b) trainee teachers who ardently worked on friendship project increased "egocentric and dual nature" image of children after practice teaching. The relationship between friendship experience and the practice teaching are discussed, and some pedagogical implications are considered and suggested.

View full abstract

The purpose of this article was to investigate how students developed through reflection and learning bridging in the service-learning course of Ritsumekan University. In this study, we analyzed the questionnaire survey in which 61 students participated. Factor analysis found three forms of learning bridging: links between community service activities and in-class studies, between different classes, and between past, present and future studies. It distinguished these three forms of learning bridging from reflection. We classified the 61 students into 3 groups. The results of ANOVA on six learning outcomes showed that students who engaged in learning bridging as well as reflection achieved higher learning outcomes than those in the other 2 groups. We conclude that learning bridging combined with reflection is important for students learning in service-learning.

View full abstract

X-ray and computed tomography are widely used for diagnoses and follow-ups of diseases. Contrast media can find the lesions, but it has also severe adverse effects. Nurses and radiological technologists are needed to have capability and skills to deal with the emergency. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the courses with Goal-Based Scenario (GBS) on emergent situations after using contrast media. After nurses and radiological technologists participated in the GBS or lecture course, nurses with any learning styles in the GBS condition showed significantly higher test performances both immediately and after six months than in the ordinary lecture condition, although no significance was shown in radiological technologists between the conditions.

View full abstract

The aim of this study was to survey teacher guidance in activities that discuss the results of observations and experiments. Further, this study aimed to develop suggestions for improving guidance methods based on the results of this survey. In order to achieve these aims, we created a questionnaire with 25 items and 151 elementary school teachers took the survey. Results concerning the first aim of the study showed that (1) there was a trend that guidance that developed discussion among the students themselves was not satisfactory when compared to hypothetical or anticipated guidance and (2) young teachers had difficulty as they did not know what discussion guidance they should be giving or how to give it while mid-career teachers showed students the discussion itself before methods and descriptions. The two points that experienced teachers simultaneously had difficulty as well as grasping and bearing in mind the required elements of discussion were also clarified. Based on the results of (1) and (2) and primary factor structure, with respect to the two aims of the study, (3) results were interpreted in comparison with hypotheses created by the students and, in order to conduct study activities that develop discussion, the guidance improvement suggestion that it is necessary for teachers to carefully conduct guidance by having students form their own hypotheses was developed.

View full abstract

Recently the essay-tests have been frequently used for various entrance and certification examinations. In the present research, we have conducted two simulation studies to investigate the influence of various factors that affect reliability of essay test scores and screenings by the essay tests. Specifically, reliability of essay test scores and correct classification rates were estimated under the various conditions for the number of categories of rating points, number of raters and items, reliability of ratings, rating methods, distributions of rating data and raters' bias. As a result, reliability of rating and the number of items and raters showed dominant influences for reliability of essay test scores and screenings by the essay tests, compared with other factors such as the number of categories and distributions of rating data. Especially, training of raters, creating well-designed rubric, and discussion to achieve rating consensus among raters are much required in the light of reliability of essay test scores and correct classification rates.

View full abstract