Search

• Protocol of exploratory longitudinal RCT investigating standing effects on learning. • Comparison of learning performance between sitting and standing tutorials. • Learning operationalized as discussion quality, concept test scores, and exam grade. • Secondary outcomes: change in physical activity patterns, attendance, and affect. • The multifaceted learning process in a real-world educational setting is addressed. Standing classrooms could potentially counteract excessive sedentary behavior. This paper describes the protocol for an exploratory longitudinal randomized controlled trial aimed at studying the effects of standing during tutorials on learning in undergraduate students. Learning is operationally defined as the use of interactions that are conducive to learning and an improved performance on concept tests. Final examination scores are also used as a measure of learning performance. The secondary aim is to explore the unintended effects of standing tutorials through the students' subsequent physical activity, tutorial attendance, and affect. Participants were randomly recruited to a sitting or standing tutorial for nine weeks. This study addresses learning in a real-world setting and reveals insights on the effects of standing on learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Research into powerful learning environments has concentrated mainly on general influences on students'' engagement and learning. This paper considers a series of inter-related concepts that have been shown to be associated with student learning in higher education including, conceptions of knowledge and learning, learning orientations, and students'' perceptions of, and preferences for, different kinds of learning environments. At a more specific level, differences in study behaviour have been described in terms of approaches to learning, and regulation and processing strategies. The paper clarifies the meaning of the various concepts, highlights the interrelationships between them, and considers the ways in which they may affect students'' reactions to the learning environments they experience, whether powerful or not. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper introduces a video-game designed to support teaching introductory economics at undergraduate level. In order to test its effectiveness compared to traditional textbook learning we designed a laboratory experiment. Results show no evidence that playing the video-game leads to lower exam performance than reading a textbook, neither for multiple-choice nor for essay questions. We also find no gender bias and no effect of announcing the test prior to the learning task or thereafter. However, game behavior appears to be related to test performance, and differently so for different types of learning. Students perceive the two learning tools similarly in terms of understanding requirements or usefulness, but enjoyed the video-game considerably more. Interestingly, although women enjoyed the game less than men, they do not differ in their test performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]