In this research, we compare two languages, Java and Python, by performing a content analysis of words in textbooks that describe important programming concepts. Our goal is to determine which language has better textbook support for teaching introductory programming courses. We used the TextSTAT program to count how often our list of concept…

This article describes the analysis of regression-discontinuity designs (RDDs) using the R packages rdd, rdrobust, and rddtools. We discuss similarities and differences between these packages and provide directions on how to use them effectively. We use real data from the Carolina Abecedarian Project to show how an analysis of an RDD can be…

Having a nice mathematical task is one challenge for a teacher--another is making it come alive for students in the classroom. The pathway to the latter is pedagogy--the range of teaching strategies possessed and activated by the teacher. This article presents a delightful mathematical activity known as Spirolaterals, a geometrical figure formed…

Firms in industry continue to be attracted by the benefits of Big Data Analytics. The benefits of Big Data Analytics projects may not be as evident as frequently indicated in the literature. The authors of the study evaluate factors in a customized methodology that may increase the benefits of Big Data Analytics projects. Evaluating firms in the…

Visual expertise covers a broad range of types of studies and methodologies. Many studies incorporate some measure(s) of observer performance or how well participants perform on a given task. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis is a method commonly used in signal detection tasks (i.e., those in which the observer must decide whether…

I have long incorporated physics simulations in my physics teaching, and truly appreciate those who have made their simulations available to the public. I often would think of an idea for a simulation I would love to be able to use, but with no real programming background I did not know how I could make my own. That was the case until I discovered…

Advances in three-dimensional (3D) printing allow for digital files to be turned into a "printed" physical product. For example, complex anatomical models derived from clinical or pre-clinical X-ray computed tomography (CT) data of patients or research specimens can be constructed using various printable materials. Although 3D printing…

We present results from a classroom-based intervention designed to help a class of grade 10 students (14-15 years old) learn proof while studying trigonometry in a dynamic geometry software environment. We analysed some students' solutions to conjecture-and-proof problems that let them gain experience in stating conjectures and developing proofs.…

Focusing on digital text messages containing information about students' absences and sent to parents by schools, the paper investigates the way school absenteeism is produced within affective assemblages. The paper unfolds a theoretical and methodological approach of "going with" the text messages, in entanglements of affective flows.…

Online tutoring is made possible by using videos to replace or supplement face to face services. The purpose of this research was to examine student reactions to the use of lecture capture technology in a university tutoring setting and to assess student knowledge of some features of Tegrity lecture capture software. A survey was administered to…

The purpose of the current study was to assess the utility, feasibility, and reliability of Fitbit accelerometers to measure physical activity (via steps) of 15 young children simultaneously during recess. Fitbit-recorded steps per minute (SPM) were used as the primary measure to assess levels of activity in children playing in various structured…

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether ontology integrated in an organizational learning environment may support the automatic learning material classification in a specific knowledge area. Design/methodology/approach: An ontology for recommending learning material was integrated in the organizational learning environment…

Practical solid state diodes and transistors have made glass valve technology nearly obsolete. Nevertheless, valves survive largely because electric guitar players much prefer the sound of valve amplifiers to the sound of transistor amplifiers. This paper discusses the introductory-level physics behind that preference. Overdriving an amplifier…

Game-based learning not only contributes to a learning environment that is interesting and engaging for students but also fosters collaboration while meeting educational goals. Recognizing the potential of digital games to promote primary-source use for discovery and problem-solving, the Library of Congress established funding to advance the…

This research study uses geographic information retrieval (GIR) to georeference toponyms and points-of-interest (POI) names from a travel journal. Travel journals are an ideal data source with which to conduct this study because they are significant accounts specific to the author's experience, and contain geographic instances based on the…