Thursday 5 December 2013

4 Mind-Blowing Personality Tests Pictures


1. Studies have shown that children cannot see the couple because they don’t have such images in the primary memory and instead see nine dolphins.
Note: This is a test for “dirty minds.” If you needed more than 3 seconds to see the dolphins then there is a kind of… problem! :mrgreen:

2. Most people who see this image tend to go up the left stairs and go down the right stairs. This reaction is likely to be influenced by the western way of reading from left to right. While those who read from right to left, like the Arabs, tend to give the opposite answer.

3. If you managed to find the man in 3 seconds, then the right part of your brain is more developed than in the average person.

If you found him in about 1 minute, the right part of your brain is of the average person.

If you needed more than 1 minute to find him, the right part of your brain is slow.

4. If you see the girl rotating clockwise, then you are using the right hemisphere of your brain at the moment, and vice versa.

The right hemisphere represents people with artistic flair. The left hemisphere instead is linked to rationalism and generally organized mathematical thinking.

If you can see both directions of rotation, you are likely to have an very high IQ level. Although there is no evidence for this, anyone who can see both directions certainly has a balance between organized thinking and more chaotic, creative thinking.

View the original article here

Geometric Shapes: Simple and Unusual Personality Test

Here is a very simple, but at the same time quite an insightful personality test.


All you have to do is to look at the proposed geometric shapes and choose the one that you think best represents you as a person. In other words, choose the shape that you can clearly identify yourself with. Then arrange the remaining shapes in order of preference.


geometric shapes test


The tireless worker. Exhibits hard work, diligence, perseverance, and always strives for completion. Patience and a methodical nature make squares skilled specialists. A Square  collects information, and has it neatly organized on his shelves, he is able to quickly retrieve the desired facts and earns a deserved reputation of being a scholar in his field.


The Square refers to left hemisphere thinkers, who are characterized by logical thought and mathematical mindsets. Squares analyze and calculate answers to problems, rather than trusting instinct or inference.


Square’s ideal is a planned, regular, life where everything is predictable. They do not like the unexpected or surprises. In the business world, such people often become good administrators and executives but rarely succeed as managers because the constant need for additional information for decision-making deprives them of their speed. In addition, their cold rationality often prevents squares from quickly connecting with other people.


This form symbolizes leadership. Main ability of triangles is to focus on goals and deeply and quickly analyze situations. A Triangle is a very confident person who wants to be right in everything. Triangles find it difficult to admit their mistakes, are easy to train, and absorb information like a sponge. Their career gives their life meaning. Negative qualities: excessive self-absorption. Triangles are very good at presenting the importance of their own work to senior management, can sense profitable business decisions from a mile away, and, struggling for success, may “knock heads” with rivals.


Is a transitional form from one shape to another. People that see themselves as Rectangles are not satisfied with their lives and are busy looking for chances to better their circumstances. The main mental state of a rectangle is a perceived sense of confusion,  bogged by their problems and uncertainty. Their most important features are inconsistent and unpredictable behavior and low self-esteem. Positive qualities: curiosity, inquisitiveness, a lively interest in everything, courage. Tries to do things that have never been done, asks questions that he did not have the spirit for before.


The Circle is a symbol of harmony. Those who choose this shape are interested in good interpersonal relations. The highest value for the circle is people and their well being. This is the most benevolent of the five figures. The Circle is the glue that holds the team or the family together. They stabilize the group and have a high capacity for sympathy and empathy. Circles feel the pain and joy of others as their own. They are right-brain thinkers, not logical but creative and more emotionally charged. The processing of information in such people is not consistent and resembles a mosaic pattern. The main feature of their style of thinking is a focus on the subjective aspects of the problem.


The Zigzag is a symbol of creativity. The Zigzag focuses on imagery. The right-brain thinking zigzag is not fixated on the details, which simplifies the way he views the world, this allows him to construct a holistic and harmonious conceptual view of the world, to see its intrinsic beauty. The Zigzag can not work in one place for a long time – this is after all, boring and there are so many other interesting things to see and experience! The main purpose of the zigzag is the generation of new ideas and methods, and not their actual realization. The Zigzag looks to the future and is more interested in possibilities than in reality.


View the original article here

Five Most Common Thinking Errors

thinking errorsWe all often make errors in our thinking, especially when we are deeply convinced of the truth of what we believe. These errors lead to the fact that it becomes especially difficult to change our minds or to accept any alternative view.


Our way of thinking is closely linked with our emotions and behavior. It is very useful to know when we make thinking errors in order to be able to assess the situation from the outside. Here are 5 major thinking errors that we usually make.


Getting only a specific output of a particular event is a common error of judgment. Proof of a particular part of a case does not make this case completely truthful. You can lose a single battle but win the war. For example, your favorite football team can lose several games of the season, but still be the champion of the country. In reality, the individual events are rarely particularly important. It makes no sense to judge yourself or others because of one mistake.


If you are not a psychic, you probably cannot see the future. Usually, when people try to imagine the future, they obtain a negative view. When you convince yourself that nothing good will happen to you in the future, you will stop trying to carry out the necessary works. Try to do something, without trying to predict the outcome. If something happened in the past, it does not mean that it will definitely happen again.


We think we know what people around us think, but in most cases we are wrong. For example, assuming that someone yawns when talking to you because he is bored, you are ignoring the possibility that people simply do not get enough sleep.


We often project our thoughts and feelings to other people, ignoring the real version of events. There is always a probability that we are wrong in our judgments, and there is an alternative explanation.


This happens when you take a fairly insignificant event and exaggerate its effect several times. For example, speaking in public, you can imagine how the students start laughing at you when you forget the words. Losing a job, you can begin to think that life is terribly unfair, and you will remain poor until the end of your days.


The truth is that this is just a thought of the worst possible scenarios. Most likely, the audience will not notice that you forgot the words, and within a month you will find a job that will be better than the old one.


Try to imagine the events in a less catastrophic view, because they often are nothing but your vision.


Most people love reading newspapers that write about celebrities, athletes and politicians either as heroes or vice versa. Journalists write these narratives to generate interest and increase circulation. However, we all know that in reality this information may not be truthful.


The same is true for any of us. If you do not bathe in the glow of success, it does not mean you are a loser. If you were late at an important meeting, it will not destroy your career forever.


In fact, there are many variations of successes and failures. Think of them as shades of gray rather than as black and white. Try to think of happening things in a less trivial way, and perhaps you will discover a new vision of this world.


View the original article here

The Two Islands: An Unusual Personality Test That Will Surprise You!

the two islandsRead the story below and answer as spontaneously and quickly as possible.


There are two neighboring islands. In the first one live two men: an uncivilized savage and a civilized man. In the other island there are several people, among them a girl who is in love and has a relationship with the civilized man.


The girl wants to go to the opposite island to meet her lover. She asks the only boatman of the island how much he wants to take her there. The boatman says that he does not want money and he will take her to the other island if she is naked in the boat.


The girl is shocked… not knowing what to do she goes to the wise man of the island to ask for help. He listens to her story with attention and gives the following advice: “Do what your heart tells you, my child…” So the girl decides to accept the proposal of the boatman in order to meet her beloved man.


So, they go to the other island. But when they arrive, the savage is on the seafront and gets crazy at the sight of the naked woman so he rapes her… At the same moment the civilized man comes and sees the scene. He goes mad and tells the girl that he does not want her anymore and she must leave immediately…


Evaluate the 5 characters of the story (savage, civilized man, girl, boatman, wise man) from the best to the worst, so that the number 1 is the character that you believe to be the best person of the story and the 5th is the worst of all.












Each character of the story represents a priority in your life:


Savage = how important is sex for you;


Civilized man = importance of other people’s opinion;


Girl = your need for emotional relationship;


Boatman = your need for earning money;


Wise man = how much you rely on logic.


View the original article here

Astonishing Personality Test Used in Finnish Army

personality test mental disordersThis is a personality test that all army recruits in Finland have to take, whether they are women or men. The main goal of the test is to reveal potential mental health disorders in future soldiers so that army physicians and officers are aware and particularly careful of them.


The concept of the test is very simple. The recruit looks at the circles and names all the numbers he sees in them. If he can see numbers in all the six circles, then he is healthy. If the future soldier cannot see numbers in several circles at a time, then he has to be checked for color blindness. If he cannot see only one number, then he may be having the following problems:

Not able to see number in the circle 1. Increased aggressiveness and conflict behavior.


This group of soldiers is recommended to pay most attention to contrast shower and physical exercise.


Not able to see number in the circle 2. Decreased intellectual ability.


Additional measures are not required for soldiers serving in general purpose forces.


Not able to see number in the circle 3. Gluttony.


Enhanced meal and physical exercise are recommended. At the same time, it is recommended to avoid sedentary work or work in the kitchen.


Not able to see number in the circle 4. Sadism.


Soldiers with mild form of sadistic tendencies are recommended to the Troops to Teachers, those with the severe form – to the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Boards.


Not able to see number in the circle 5. Latent homosexuality.


Poorly controllable seizures of attraction to persons of the same sex can take place. Additional measures are not required.


Not able to see number in the circle 6. Schizophrenia.


Full check at psychiatrist is recommended.
P.S. Can you see all the numbers? Don’t worry if you can’t, first of all, the credibility of the test is not guaranteed. I just stumbled upon it on the net and found it really astonishing and uncommon, so I decided to share it. Secondly, it is aimed at revealing potential disorders, i.e. they may never show. To be honest, I also couldn’t see one of the numbers but I won’t tell which :mrgreen:


View the original article here

5 Most Common Nightmares and Their Interpretation (Part 2)

common nightmaresIt is the second part of the article about the most common nightmares and their interpretation. Here are other five nightmare scenarios and their possible meaning:


Even if you have long forgotten your school or college years, you still can occasionally have dreams of the failure at an exam or something like that. Unconscious anxiety about not passing important exams is a common dream, and the grade you get can tell a lot.


If you fail the exam, it may describe your thoughts on whether you deserve the things you have achieved in life. If you could go back and get an estimate for all of your past deeds, would you be satisfied with the result? If your answer is yes, but on the exam in your dream you feel that your score was too low, then your dream reflects your rejection of what you have achieved.


This is quite an ordinary dream. A house in dreams represents the person. Front of the house is your esteem by the others, while the interior is your inner self.


If your home or other possession is damaged or robbed in your dream, maybe it reflects your inner feelings about damage of your inner integrity and turbulent feelings about yourself. You probably feel that you are cheated or that something valuable to you is in danger.


Having problems with your car is a horrible experience, but if you see it in a dream, in real life it could mean something more serious than just oil or tire change. Vehicles in a dream are a physical shell of a person, but they can carry the emotional load. As well as the dreams of home, the look of the car can be your external perception of the world, while what is under the hood is your inner feelings.


Perhaps you run a surprisingly beautiful car, and suddenly find yourself in a mess, and it does not work properly. This situation can tell about your feelings to yourself. At the same time, dreams about road accident or car crash may indicate a feeling of helplessness or lack of control.


Dreams of you having a serious illness or of your death can bring you a lot of stress. However, do not worry. Although the death in your dream can be very painful, in fact it can mean a change or a new beginning. Death can also mean the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another.


Yet not all dreams of death are so positive. In some cases, dreams in which you get injured or ill or die can mean emotional pain or the fear of getting hurt. This kind of dream may also indicate that you are no longer able to handle the situation yourself, and you need to ask for help or advice from other people.


It is another common nightmare that haunts many people. If you dream yourself being attacked or haunted, it is a signal of your body that it is either ready to meet danger face to face or is going to “ran away”. Such a reaction is primary to the human body, since it always needs to choose when faced with the dangers and fears.


Sigmund Freud described such dreams as “what is dreamed by a person who is in trouble.” This anxiety may be associated with both serious and insignificant problems. Since these fears are embodied in a ghostly stalker, the actions you take to avoid the danger talk about how you react to them in real life.


View the original article here

4 Doors: Personality Test That Will Surprise You!

psychological test 4 doorsAnswer the question and follow the instructions. Mark answers in a piece of paper and then see the interpretation. You will be impressed with the results!


You enter a room and see 4 doors around you: a white, a black, a blue and a pink.


In what order will you open the doors and what will you see behind them?


You have the right not to open all the doors if you do not want. Give your answer before you see the analysis and interpretation…












don’t cheat! :)














a bit more patience…














if you are ready, you can finally see the results :)


White: Personal life
Black: Death
Blue: Occupation
Pink: Love


White, you are a person who has self-confidence and cares enough for him/herself.


Pink, you are in love or in an active search of a relationship.


Blue, you put a high priority on your career, which means that you either sideline other spheres of life for the sake of your career, either you chase money too much.


Black, you are depressed or in full introspection. Generally the choice of black door shows a bad psychological condition and sometimes avoidance tendencies and even a full denial.


White, maybe you put your personal life on the back burner, but you have self-esteem and love yourself.


Pink, you are in emotional balance, either because you have a smooth relationship, either because you are a balanced person.


Blue, you spend enough time at work to the detriment of other important areas of life. Sometimes this position indicates a person who has put in to work to fill in the gaps of his/her life.


Black, you have avoidance trends, perhaps not as pronounced as if it was your first choice, but still these trends are strong enough. Many teens have this door in the second place, because often adolescence is associated with tendencies of avoidance.


White, you seem to have given up your life. Usually people who have the white door in the third place have low self-esteem and are inclined to pessimism.


Pink, you are either in a stagnant relationship, or have denied the right to love and be loved.


Blue, you feel comfortable and seem to be satisfied with your job.


Black, you suffer in one of the areas of life. To find out in which, just look at the fourth door you’ve chosen. The problem is overstated in the field shown by the last door and you feel that something is missing from your life and do not feel ‘complete’.


White, you have entirely given up your personal life. Often this answer is given by women who have completely lost themselves in the responsibilities of home, husband, children and grandchildren. In any case, it shows a very vulnerable situation.


Pink, you seem to have completely escaped from the emotional world, either because you live in a completely stagnant relationship, or because you have neglected this part of your life.


Blue, you don’t like your job and work only to make a living.


Black, you are psychologically healthy and have a desire to live.


1. The order of opening the doors is most important.


2. Whatever you imagined behind the doors is a simple notation that shows your emotional attitude to each area.


View the original article here

5 Most Common Nightmares and Their Interpretation (Part 1)

common nightmaresNightmares are an integral part of our dreams. Our pleasant dreams are caused mostly by our dreams and desires, unlike the nightmares that are a manifestation of such feelings as stress and anxiety.


In the nightmares, as well as in all kinds of dreams, all seen images are symbolic, so they should never be interpreted literally. Their interpretation can help you decipher an important message that your subconscious is trying to send you.


Feeling of being lost or trapped in a dream indicates the same feelings experienced by a person in real life in a certain situation. Does anyone make you do something against your will? Do you have exhausted all possible solutions to a problem and feel despair?


Understand that this dream is a direct warning of internal problems, so you should indicate the problem before it is too late.


Do you feel too much pressure or responsibility? These disturbing feelings can lead to a nightmare of falling or drowning. Nightmares about an infinite fall or drowning demonstrate our inner confusion or concern about some issue. Your specific response to this nightmare, most likely, is a mirror of your reactions to some circumstances in reality.


At the same time, such nightmares are a great opportunity to take part in a lucid dream. If you realize that you are dreaming, you can control your fall/drowning and turn it into flying/ swimming. After all, in your dream you can do anything you want.


You call someone in your sleep and you hear endless ringing out? Maybe your hard drive is dead at the moment of writing an important document? Although these dreams may not be classified as nightmares, for some people a hard drive failure is equivalent to a car crash.


If you dream of a technological failure, especially connected with communication, it may mean that you are not able to reach someone on an emotional level. Have lost touch with a good friend? Or maybe a wall has formed between you and your beloved one? If you have such a dream very often, take the time to analyze your relationship and identify areas that need to be “fixed”.


This is one of the most common nightmares of people of all ages. This kind of dream is an estimation of the level of self-confidence. In this case the function of clothes is to hide those things about yourself that you do not want to be learned by others.


If you feel “comfortable” being naked in your dream, then you are safe in revealing your feelings and you have nothing to hide. If you feel confused, it shows your vulnerability, the presence of guilt or shame. And finally, if you do not pay any attention to your nakedness, it could mean a lack of self-awareness.


Thus, if you are hiding something from others or are afraid that one day they will learn it, be prepared to have such an “erotic nightmare”.


Regardless of whether you dream about it or experience it in reality, being in the midst of a natural disaster is a terrible experience. Such disturbing nightmares are always very important, as they can say a lot about the current condition of a person.


Usually they signal an impending disaster in real life. Perhaps you are afraid of not being able to cope with a problem, so you are lost in a lot of debris left after a natural disaster in your sleep. If you have seen something like that, think about what you are currently overburdened with and try to solve the problem efficiently.


The continuation of the article with the next 5 most common nightmares and their interpretation is coming soon… In order not to miss it, you can subscribe to the blog by entering your email address in the field below.


View the original article here

10 Most Common Nightmares And Their Meaning

Our emotions are the source of most dreams, whether nightmares or not. Both pleasant dreams and terrible nightmares are a normal everyday reality for everyone, while some of them are familiar to most of us. Here are 10 most common nightmares and their meaning.


1. Serious illness


 


Agony of the unknown, difficulty accepting a reality.


2. Assault or injury


 


Fear of others and the alleged violence (verbal or physical) we expect from somebody.


3. Car accident


 


Difficulty in control of one’s life or living a life out of control.


4. Drowning


 


Experiencing a stressful situation or being under too much pressure.


5. Falling down


 


Fear of heights, difficulty to keep control over one’s life or even fear of death.


6. Teeth falling out


 


Being unable to face a situation, actions out of control and lack of energy.


7. Disorientation, being lost on unfamiliar roads


 


Experiencing a life out of control or being unable to decide in which direction one should go. Also lack of concentration on specific directions.


8. Failure at an exam


 


Feeling nervous and unprepared about something in the future or a task/an action that was not done as it should have been.


9. Being naked in a public place


 


Feeling vulnerable or exposed to something or someone, being anxious about the secrets that should not be revealed.


10. Being chased


chased nightmare


Trying to avoid an unpleasant situation, sense of removal from reality.


View the original article here

10 Real Reasons That Lie Behind Your Negative Emotions

When you do not get what you want, you can unconsciously cause a sense of anger in you in order to force another person to submit to you. So, anger helps you take control of the situation. Anger helps take the upper hand in the dispute, or take revenge for your failures. Anger can also be used to protect your rights. Anger helps us give the enemy to understand that he must retreat. Anger with yourself can be a way to force yourself to do something, get down to a task.

This is our way of expressing dissatisfaction with ourselves, our achievements. It can also be a form of manifestation of compassion. For example, when you sympathize with what happened to someone and use sadness to express your attitude and reaction.

This is a weak form of anger. It occurs when someone’s behavior provokes you and makes you nervous. It helps us stop the stagnation and encourage ourselves to action. Behind all cases of irritation, lies the desire to bring the situation under control. That is, we get irritated when everything goes wrong and not as we said.

It is a form of self-punishment. Sometimes it helps us avoid responsibility for our mistakes. Sometimes guilt is a form of manifestation of superiority: “I’m so highly developed that I even suffer about my mistakes.”

Feeling of guilt is a very destructive emotion, which signals the need to change something about ourselves. You need to figure out where it came from: forced upon you by your values or indeed you have done something icky. Then you need to analyze the cause of your action, sincerely forgive yourself and promise that this will not happen again. It will be good if you compensate the damage or apologize to those you offended.

Disappointment is a manifestation of discontent in those situations when you do not get what you want.

These emotions are associated with the instinct of self-preservation. Their mission is to protect us, preventing dangerous situations. Fear “paints” pictures of unpleasant surprises and obstacles, our failure, bankruptcy. But its goal is not to disturb you, but to help: to warn of danger, to show the real situation, to indicate the hidden pitfalls, so that you are ready for the difficulties. It is necessary to find a grain of truth in these emotions. Then they change the polarity, charge us with energy and motivate to action.

It occurs when multiple efforts to achieve something do not bring the desired results. Desperation is a deep depression, which gives us the excuse to desist from further attempts.

This is a mild form of rebellion against something. As a rule, it manifests itself in those who do not have the power or the ability to rebel openly. It is a passive manifestation of force and disagreement.

It is also a form of acceptance of control. It is when you fall out of the flow of life, and the others can get nothing from you, so they take over your duties. Sometimes depression is a passive way of expressing anger. It becomes an instrument of sophisticated manipulation of others, and works perfectly, creating a sense of guilt for the person to whom it is addressed.

It may signal that you have to afford to take time off work. Or there is a persistent inner need to give up something. Maybe you’re just tired.


View the original article here

4 Mind-Blowing Personality Tests Pictures

 



stairs illusion


 


 


1. Studies have shown that children cannot see the couple because they don’t have such images in the primary memory and instead see nine dolphins.


 


Note: This is a test for “dirty minds.” If you needed more than 3 seconds to see the dolphins then there is a kind of… problem! :mrgreen:


2. Most people who see this image tend to go up the left stairs and go down the right stairs. This reaction is likely to be influenced by the western way of reading from left to right. While those who read from right to left, like the Arabs, tend to give the opposite answer.


3. If you managed to find the man in 3 seconds, then the right part of your brain is more developed than in the average person.


If you found him in about 1 minute, the right part of your brain is of the average person.


If you needed more than 1 minute to find him, the right part of your brain is slow.


4. If you see the girl rotating clockwise, then you are using the right hemisphere of your brain at the moment, and vice versa.


The right hemisphere represents people with artistic flair. The left hemisphere instead is linked to rationalism and generally organized mathematical thinking.


If you can see both directions of rotation, you are likely to have an very high IQ level. Although there is no evidence for this, anyone who can see both directions certainly has a balance between organized thinking and more chaotic, creative thinking.


View the original article here

10 Most Common Nightmares And Their Meaning

Our emotions are the source of most dreams, whether nightmares or not. Both pleasant dreams and terrible nightmares are a normal everyday reality for everyone, while some of them are familiar to most of us. Here are 10 most common nightmares and their meaning.


1. Serious illness


 


Agony of the unknown, difficulty accepting a reality.


2. Assault or injury


 


Fear of others and the alleged violence (verbal or physical) we expect from somebody.


3. Car accident


 


Difficulty in control of one’s life or living a life out of control.


4. Drowning


 


Experiencing a stressful situation or being under too much pressure.


5. Falling down


 


Fear of heights, difficulty to keep control over one’s life or even fear of death.


6. Teeth falling out


 


Being unable to face a situation, actions out of control and lack of energy.


7. Disorientation, being lost on unfamiliar roads


 


Experiencing a life out of control or being unable to decide in which direction one should go. Also lack of concentration on specific directions.


8. Failure at an exam


 


Feeling nervous and unprepared about something in the future or a task/an action that was not done as it should have been.


9. Being naked in a public place


 


Feeling vulnerable or exposed to something or someone, being anxious about the secrets that should not be revealed.


10. Being chased


chased nightmare


Trying to avoid an unpleasant situation, sense of removal from reality.


View the original article here

Geometric Shapes: Simple and Unusual Personality Test

Here is a very simple, but at the same time quite an insightful personality test.


All you have to do is to look at the proposed geometric shapes and choose the one that you think best represents you as a person. In other words, choose the shape that you can clearly identify yourself with. Then arrange the remaining shapes in order of preference.


geometric shapes test


The tireless worker. Exhibits hard work, diligence, perseverance, and always strives for completion. Patience and a methodical nature make squares skilled specialists. A Square  collects information, and has it neatly organized on his shelves, he is able to quickly retrieve the desired facts and earns a deserved reputation of being a scholar in his field.


The Square refers to left hemisphere thinkers, who are characterized by logical thought and mathematical mindsets. Squares analyze and calculate answers to problems, rather than trusting instinct or inference.


Square’s ideal is a planned, regular, life where everything is predictable. They do not like the unexpected or surprises. In the business world, such people often become good administrators and executives but rarely succeed as managers because the constant need for additional information for decision-making deprives them of their speed. In addition, their cold rationality often prevents squares from quickly connecting with other people.


This form symbolizes leadership. Main ability of triangles is to focus on goals and deeply and quickly analyze situations. A Triangle is a very confident person who wants to be right in everything. Triangles find it difficult to admit their mistakes, are easy to train, and absorb information like a sponge. Their career gives their life meaning. Negative qualities: excessive self-absorption. Triangles are very good at presenting the importance of their own work to senior management, can sense profitable business decisions from a mile away, and, struggling for success, may “knock heads” with rivals.


Is a transitional form from one shape to another. People that see themselves as Rectangles are not satisfied with their lives and are busy looking for chances to better their circumstances. The main mental state of a rectangle is a perceived sense of confusion,  bogged by their problems and uncertainty. Their most important features are inconsistent and unpredictable behavior and low self-esteem. Positive qualities: curiosity, inquisitiveness, a lively interest in everything, courage. Tries to do things that have never been done, asks questions that he did not have the spirit for before.


The Circle is a symbol of harmony. Those who choose this shape are interested in good interpersonal relations. The highest value for the circle is people and their well being. This is the most benevolent of the five figures. The Circle is the glue that holds the team or the family together. They stabilize the group and have a high capacity for sympathy and empathy. Circles feel the pain and joy of others as their own. They are right-brain thinkers, not logical but creative and more emotionally charged. The processing of information in such people is not consistent and resembles a mosaic pattern. The main feature of their style of thinking is a focus on the subjective aspects of the problem.


The Zigzag is a symbol of creativity. The Zigzag focuses on imagery. The right-brain thinking zigzag is not fixated on the details, which simplifies the way he views the world, this allows him to construct a holistic and harmonious conceptual view of the world, to see its intrinsic beauty. The Zigzag can not work in one place for a long time – this is after all, boring and there are so many other interesting things to see and experience! The main purpose of the zigzag is the generation of new ideas and methods, and not their actual realization. The Zigzag looks to the future and is more interested in possibilities than in reality.


View the original article here

The Two Islands: An Unusual Personality Test That Will Surprise You!

the two islandsRead the story below and answer as spontaneously and quickly as possible.


There are two neighboring islands. In the first one live two men: an uncivilized savage and a civilized man. In the other island there are several people, among them a girl who is in love and has a relationship with the civilized man.


The girl wants to go to the opposite island to meet her lover. She asks the only boatman of the island how much he wants to take her there. The boatman says that he does not want money and he will take her to the other island if she is naked in the boat.


The girl is shocked… not knowing what to do she goes to the wise man of the island to ask for help. He listens to her story with attention and gives the following advice: “Do what your heart tells you, my child…” So the girl decides to accept the proposal of the boatman in order to meet her beloved man.


So, they go to the other island. But when they arrive, the savage is on the seafront and gets crazy at the sight of the naked woman so he rapes her… At the same moment the civilized man comes and sees the scene. He goes mad and tells the girl that he does not want her anymore and she must leave immediately…


Evaluate the 5 characters of the story (savage, civilized man, girl, boatman, wise man) from the best to the worst, so that the number 1 is the character that you believe to be the best person of the story and the 5th is the worst of all.












Each character of the story represents a priority in your life:


Savage = how important is sex for you;


Civilized man = importance of other people’s opinion;


Girl = your need for emotional relationship;


Boatman = your need for earning money;


Wise man = how much you rely on logic.


View the original article here

5 Most Common Nightmares and Their Interpretation (Part 2)

common nightmaresIt is the second part of the article about the most common nightmares and their interpretation. Here are other five nightmare scenarios and their possible meaning:


Even if you have long forgotten your school or college years, you still can occasionally have dreams of the failure at an exam or something like that. Unconscious anxiety about not passing important exams is a common dream, and the grade you get can tell a lot.


If you fail the exam, it may describe your thoughts on whether you deserve the things you have achieved in life. If you could go back and get an estimate for all of your past deeds, would you be satisfied with the result? If your answer is yes, but on the exam in your dream you feel that your score was too low, then your dream reflects your rejection of what you have achieved.


This is quite an ordinary dream. A house in dreams represents the person. Front of the house is your esteem by the others, while the interior is your inner self.


If your home or other possession is damaged or robbed in your dream, maybe it reflects your inner feelings about damage of your inner integrity and turbulent feelings about yourself. You probably feel that you are cheated or that something valuable to you is in danger.


Having problems with your car is a horrible experience, but if you see it in a dream, in real life it could mean something more serious than just oil or tire change. Vehicles in a dream are a physical shell of a person, but they can carry the emotional load. As well as the dreams of home, the look of the car can be your external perception of the world, while what is under the hood is your inner feelings.


Perhaps you run a surprisingly beautiful car, and suddenly find yourself in a mess, and it does not work properly. This situation can tell about your feelings to yourself. At the same time, dreams about road accident or car crash may indicate a feeling of helplessness or lack of control.


Dreams of you having a serious illness or of your death can bring you a lot of stress. However, do not worry. Although the death in your dream can be very painful, in fact it can mean a change or a new beginning. Death can also mean the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another.


Yet not all dreams of death are so positive. In some cases, dreams in which you get injured or ill or die can mean emotional pain or the fear of getting hurt. This kind of dream may also indicate that you are no longer able to handle the situation yourself, and you need to ask for help or advice from other people.


It is another common nightmare that haunts many people. If you dream yourself being attacked or haunted, it is a signal of your body that it is either ready to meet danger face to face or is going to “ran away”. Such a reaction is primary to the human body, since it always needs to choose when faced with the dangers and fears.


Sigmund Freud described such dreams as “what is dreamed by a person who is in trouble.” This anxiety may be associated with both serious and insignificant problems. Since these fears are embodied in a ghostly stalker, the actions you take to avoid the danger talk about how you react to them in real life.


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Sunday 24 November 2013

State boarding schools 'at risk'

24 November 2013 Last updated at 00:30 GMT By Judith Burns Education reporter, BBC News  State boarding schools play a vital role in England's education system, a leading head will argue The long-term survival of state boarding schools is at risk because of lack of cash to maintain accommodation, according to a leading head.


State boarding schools in England are in "dire need" of capital investment, Roy Page, of the State Boarding School Association (SBSA), will argue.


Without investment, more schools may lose their boarding houses, Mr Page will tell the SBSA annual conference.


The government suggested schools could raise funds from charitable donations.


Thirty-eight state schools in England offer boarding, to a total of about 5,000 pupils.


In his speech Mr Page, chairman of the SBSA and head of the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, will list three state schools that have closed their boarding houses in recent years.

Vital fabric

More may follow unless the government stumps up the capital for boarding accommodation, he will say.


Mr Page told BBC News that state boarding schools had received no funding to maintain their boarding houses under this government.

Continue reading the main story
Some of our longest-established schools, run by experienced heads, are desperately anxious about the survival of their boarding houses”

End Quote Roy Page State Boarding School Association He said his school, an academy, can apply to the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund, for its academic buildings but this does not cover boarding accommodation.


A recent government offer of grants to train boarding staff is welcome, he will tell the conference, but lack of money for "the literal, physical, bricks and mortar, the bedrooms and the dining rooms of boarding schools" may mean "we end up with wonderfully trained staff in buildings collapsing around them".


For two years the SBSA has been seeking "clarity and security from the government concerning capital investment in the fabric of state boarding schools", he will say.


"Some of our longest-established schools, run by experienced heads, are desperately anxious about the survival of their boarding houses."


He will argue that state boarding schools that care for vulnerable pupils, support ordinary families and prioritise armed forces' children are "a vital part" of the educational system.


He will add that lack of funding for boarding accommodation may mean "a boarding house may look more useful if converted into a sixth-form centre".

Sharing standards

"It's not because the schools are badly managed, it's because they have no capital to maintain their buildings or improve their facilities."


Mr Page told BBC News that Ofsted sets minimum standards for boarding accommodation, which include numbers of pupils sharing a room and the numbers of showers and other facilities.

He said funding per pupil in state boarding schools is around half the average annual fee charged by private boarding schools, which can top £32,000.


"State boarding schools are not allowed to make a profit. Neither are they allowed to borrow. To survive they need state support," he will say.


He is expected to question government plans to fund new state boarding schools when existing schools with expertise in boarding struggle to make ends meet.


A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: "There is nothing to stop any school from accepting philanthropic donations.


"We know that state boarding schools make a valuable contribution to the education system and can change the lives of vulnerable young people."


She added that the government in England was spending £18 billion on school buildings "in this Parliament".


The spokeswoman said: "By next summer we will have collected up-to-date and reliable condition information for the entire schools estate to enable us to target this funding where it is most needed - including state boarding schools."


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New trust to run Al-Madinah school

22 November 2013 Last updated at 16:37 GMT Al-Madinah School The school was described by Ofsted as "dysfunctional" and rated as inadequate A new education trust is to be brought in to run the troubled Al-Madinah free school in Derby, Education Minister Lord Nash has confirmed.


It follows a highly critical Ofsted report and a letter from the minister outlining 17 areas of improvement to be addressed by the school.


The school was described as "dysfunctional" and rated inadequate.


The current trustees have agreed to resign along with the chair of governors, Shazia Parveen.


The Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust, which runs several academy schools across the East Midlands, has been asked to work with the school.

'Swift resolution'

In a letter to the outgoing chair of governors Lord Nash said: "I am not satisfied that you have demonstrated a strong basis for the transformation required at the school.


"I cannot tolerate any child experiencing a poor quality of education in any state funded school and am therefore determined to ensure there is a swift resolution.


"I have decided that the needs of the pupils at Al-Madinah school would be best served by bringing in a more experienced trust with the skills and capability required to deliver the improvements needed.


"The Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust has a track record of providing high quality education to children from a Muslim background and I have no doubt they will apply this expertise at Al-Madinah."


The new trust's Chief Executive Barry Day said: "If we sense that all we are going to get is resistance to everything that we try and do there - we will have to sit back and think about whether this is a project is actually winnable - but I don't believe that is going to happen.


"My job is to go in and talk to people and convince them that ... we are have their best interests at heart. We will give it our best shot."


Ms Parveen issued a statement in response to Lord Nash's letter, in which she said: "The trust will ensure that the transition of Al-Madinah is smooth and the ethos of the faith designated school remains secure.


"We acknowledge the positive input to allow or children to progress and have an academic success and a positive future."

Continue reading the main story Ofsted report September 2012: Al-Madinah school opensAugust 2013: The Education Funding Agency confirms it is investigating alleged financial irregularities at the schoolSeptember: The school faces allegations it is imposing strict Islamic practicesOctober 7: The school reopens almost a week after it was closed during an Ofsted inspection over "health and safety concerns"October 8: Education Minister Lord Nash lays out 17 concerns about the school and says it will close unless "unacceptable" teaching standards improveOct 14: The school amends its policy to make clear women do not have to wear head scarvesOctober 17: The school is described by Ofsted inspectors as "dysfunctional"Oct 25: Muslim community leaders in Derby call for the school governors to resignNov 22: Lord Nash announces a new education trust will be brought inEarlier, a statement on the school's website said the governors would not be stepping down and would work with the Department for Education (DfE) over the future of the school.


The message read: "Just to re-assure parents regarding the rumours circulating... about governors resigning.


"This is not the case and we would urge parents to talk to the PTA [parent-teacher association] and the governors if they are concerned.


"We are working with the DfE to ensure that our pupils future and the future of our school is secure."


On Friday, a DfE investigation into the school's finances was also published.


The report highlighted the school could not demonstrate that it was maintaining proper accounting records as required by the Companies Act.


It identified irregular payments of £19,188.85 which included duplicated payments to a supplier.


There were also concerns in the report that there were too few governors at the school which resulted in decisions being made by just two members of the board.


Lord Nash had written to the Al-Madinah Education Trust on 8 October "placing 17 requirements, which they must satisfy or risk their funding agreement being terminated".


The school's trustees were told to provide a plan by 1 November to show how fit they were to run the school and how it would improve.


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Postgraduate training cash set out

22 November 2013 Last updated at 02:06 GMT By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News Stem cell research Funding is spread across 24 universities More than 3,500 postgraduates will be trained in engineering and science under a £350m scheme announced by the government.


The money will go to 70 new "centres for doctoral training" being set up at 24 universities around the UK.


Universities Minister David Willetts says the centres demonstrate strong partnerships between universities, industry and business.


The government says priority was given to the UK's most important sectors.


These include aerospace, pharmaceuticals, medicine and "high-value manufacturing".


The idea is to bring together expertise from universities and industry to train engineers and scientists "to tackle today's evolving issues and future challenges", says the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, which is allocating the money.


Mr Willetts said: "Scientists and engineers are vital to our economy and society. It is their talent and imagination, as well as their knowledge and skills, that inspire innovation and drive growth across a range of sectors, from manufacturing to financial services.


"I am particularly pleased to see strong partnerships between universities, industry and business among the new centres announced today. This type of collaboration is a key element of our industrial strategy and will continue to keep us at the forefront of the global science race."


Among the universities receiving funding are Imperial College London, University College London and Bristol University, which each have seven centres.


Oxford and Cambridge universities each have six.


The centres will be funded for four years.


One of the centres at Imperial will work to develop new technology for predicting environmental risk, such as that from extreme weather. Another will involve university researchers coming together with people from industry and charities to work on treatments for brain disorders.


The projects at Cambridge include one on nanotechnology and another on the carbon material graphene.


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Free school faces closure

22 November 2013 Last updated at 18:39 GMT By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News Discovery New School in Crawley The Discovery New School is in a Grade II listed building that was renovated before the opening One of the first schools to open under England's free school programme is facing closure if it does not come up with a convincing improvement plan in the next two weeks.


The Discovery New School in Crawley, West Sussex, was reinspected by Ofsted this month after being judged inadequate in June.


The Montessori primary school has been open for just over two years.


Free schools are state-funded but independent.


They can be set up by groups including parents, charities, faith groups and businesses, and more than 170 have opened so far.


Like academies, they have more independence than other schools, with greater freedom over the curriculum, teachers' pay and conditions, and are not linked with local authorities.


The Discovery New School was in the first wave of 24 free schools to open.


Schools Minister Lord Nash has written to the school's governors, saying the government will terminate the contract under which the school is funded if it does not provide an acceptable action plan to improve.


He wrote: "As Ofsted report that very little progress has been made since the school was placed in special measures I remain extremely concerned about the quality of education children are receiving."


The letter goes on to say that the school's actions "demonstrate some progress, but there remain key gaps".


It states: "Due to the ongoing concern regarding the financial management and governance at the academy, including the lack of a formally agreed budget forecast, we will consider the next steps."


The letter suggests places will be found for pupils at other schools in the area if the Discovery closes.

'Fundamental flaws'

The threat of closure comes as another free school - the Al Madinah in Derby - is also under fire.


The Department for Education replaced the trust (governing body) of the school on Friday. Inspectors have described the school as dysfunctional and rated it inadequate.


In a letter to the outgoing chair of governors, Lord Nash said: "I am not satisfied that you have demonstrated a strong basis for the transformation required at the school.


"I cannot tolerate any child experiencing a poor quality of education in any state-funded school and am therefore determined to ensure there is a swift resolution."


Labour's shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said: "As we can see from the evidence of the failings at the prime minister's flagship Al-Madinah and Discovery free schools, his changes are harming standards.


"He and his Education Secretary Michael Gove are refusing to take action to address the fundamental flaws in their schools policy that allows unqualified teachers in classrooms on a permanent basis; a lack of transparency; and a complete failure of oversight."

'Intense scrutiny'

But Natalie Evans, director of the New Schools Network, which supports groups that want to open free schools, said the majority of free schools had been rated good or outstanding by Ofsted and were providing a good education.


"Underperformance in any school is completely unacceptable given the costs to students and their families," she said.


"Despite the intense scrutiny they are under, the overwhelming majority of free schools are delivering on their promise to pupils and parents: providing excellent education whether through bilingual learning, extended days or specialist curricula."


She said swift action was being taken in the case of these two schools, while there were 350 other state-funded schools in special measures, a third of which had "languished" there for more than a year.


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Call to check campus speeches

22 November 2013 Last updated at 14:18 GMT By Angela Harrison Education correspondent, BBC News Student lecture Universities have to accommodate a wide range of political views More universities in the UK could consider checking in advance speeches to be made by some controversial visiting speakers, new guidance suggests.

The umbrella group Universities UK is publishing new guidance setting out possible checks on events.

It follows claims that extremists are using universities to radicalise young people.

The allegations have been denied by the sector.

Universities UK (UUK) says most speakers are uncontroversial but some will express "inflammatory views".

Segregation

Universities need to balance their obligation to encourage free speech with their duty to ensure that the law is not broken, it says.

In 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs that Britain needed to do more to "deradicalise our universities".

The new guidance is aimed at helping universities to "review their existing approach to managing external speakers", UUK says, adding that a number of suggestions would only apply "to events or speakers deemed to be higher-risk".

Continue reading the main story
The easy route would be to ban and boycott discussions on controversial subjects. But universities have a vital role to play in securing free speech and promoting debate”

End Quote Nicola Dandridge Universities UK It suggests that where there are concerns about a speaker saying something that might break the law or lead to public disorder, universities could ask for a copy or summary of a speech in advance and have university officials present to take any action necessary.

Other options might be to make an event ticket-only or open it up to the public, UUK says.

Some universities already check some speeches in advance, it says.

A particular issue highlighted by the report is that of requests from speakers or organisers of events for men and women to be segregated during events.

At a news conference on Thursday, university leaders said this was a "big issue" facing universities.

Nicola Dandridge, UUK chief executive, said: "What emerged from our work on this particular issue is that there is no clearly defined right or wrong here as to whether to allow or outlaw segregation. It is going to very much depend on the facts of the case."

'Inflammatory'

A student group said this year that segregation at talks given by people it described as radical Islamists had become widespread.

Ms Dandridge said the guidance had been produced so that as many talks as possible could take place in universities "safely and within the law".

"External speakers play an important role in university life, not least in terms of encouraging students to think for themselves, challenge other people's views and develop their own opinions.

"Although most speakers are uncontroversial, some will express contentious, even inflammatory or offensive views. Universities have to balance their obligation to encourage free speech with their duties to ensure that the law is observed, the safety and security of staff, students and visitors secured, and good campus relations promoted. In practice, achieving this balance is not always easy.

"The easy route would be to ban and boycott discussions on controversial subjects. But universities have a vital role to play in securing free speech and promoting debate."


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Investigating Student Engagement in an Online Mathematics Course through Windows into Teaching and Learning

         Investigating Student Engagement in an Online Mathematics Course through Windows into Teaching and Learning


Teresa Petty

Associate Professor
Department of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
tmpetty@uncc.edu

Abiola A. Farinde
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
afarinde@uncc.edu

Abstract

The Windows into Teaching and Learning (WiTL) project is a method developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte that allows the facilitation of online clinical experiences for students during their content area methods course. WiTL was developed to address difficulties in securing meaningful clinical placements for interns during online summer coursework. WiTL encompasses both an asynchronous and a synchronous component. Through the use of dialogue, the purpose of WiTL is to engage interns with practicing classroom teachers and with each other as they consider various teaching methodologies and observe these methodologies in practice. The authors describe the WiTL process, its implementation, and ways in which the process has encouraged various levels of student engagement in an online mathematics methods course. The results indicate varying levels of student engagement and suggest that students are more engaged during the asynchronous portion of this study.

Keywords: online content methods courses, student engagement, distance learning, asynchronous online learning, synchronous online learning, online clinical experiences

Introduction

Researchers at one southeastern University were experiencing difficulties with clinical placements during online summer coursework. During a summer school session, the challenge to find either year-round schools or schools that have a later end of year so that methods students can be placed in a classroom to observe teaching practices is problematic. In the past, students were allowed to observe the behavior of adolescents in other settings such as summer camps and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). These observations did not provide an ideal situation in which students could observe classroom teachers in their content area delivering instruction. In an effort to deliver meaningful learning experiences and bridge the gap between theory and practice, Windows into Teaching and Learning (WiTL) was conceptualized and implemented. WiTL offered online clinical observation experiences of practicing teachers in various grades and content areas.

The WiTL process utilized web-conferencing software supported by the University. Students were required to have access to a computer, the Internet, a headset, and a webcam to participate in WiTL activities. Students in methods courses observed the practices of teachers both synchronously and asynchronously. Following synchronous classroom observations, which were delivered via Wimba, methods students were given the opportunity to debrief with the practicing teachers, using a text chat feature in Wimba. Dialogue was exchanged regarding the pedagogical practices of the teachers and the rationale for using particular methodologies. Methods students also participated asynchronously by watching prerecorded videos of the practicing teachers. Following these viewings, they participated in an online threaded discussion, via NiceNet, with each other and the practicing teachers.

This research explored the engagement of university graduate students in an online middle grades/secondary mathematics methods course during summer clinical experiences. Student–student interactions (Moore, 1989) were closely examined through an analysis of the asynchronous threaded discussions and synchronous text chat communications using the engagement framework devised by Perkins and Murphy (2006). The examination revealed various levels of engagement among students in both the synchronous and asynchronous platforms. The guiding research question for this study was: To what extent do students in an online mathematics methods course engage in meaningful discourse and collaboration that encourages them to critically examine teacher pedagogy?

Literature Review

Teacher education programs, through the use of technology, offer online courses that seek to enhance student learning (Nandi, Hamilton, Harland, & Warburton, 2011). Of the many technology-based modes of instruction used in online teacher education courses, online discussion forums are often specifically used as a vehicle for the continual discussion of class topics and concepts. In addition, this learning environment, whether synchronous or asynchronous, facilitates the dissemination and acquisition of knowledge and enables student interaction and collaboration (Levine, 2007). Transforming the traditional learning context, these pedagogical tools allow greater access to classroom peers as well as a fluid exchange of content and resources with the intent of improving learning outcomes.

Although online teacher education courses are an innovative and unique pedagogical approach, their effectiveness is often questioned because student interaction in online discussion forums does not necessarily mean that students are actively engaged in the learning process (McLoughlin & Mynard, 2009; Robinson & Hullinger, 2008). In fact, solely fulfilling the specified participation and time requirements of an online course suggests that students are merely "doing time" rather than "doing education" (Zyngier, 2007). In doing time, students fail to go beyond the content, do not bridge theory and practice, and avoid authentic student engagement. Considering that deep learners are often more engaged than surface learners (Hockings, Cooke, Yamashita, McGinty, & Bowl, 2008) and that pre-service teachers' pedagogical training will influence the lives of their future students, engagement is a poignant topic for online teacher education courses.

When reviewing the literature, we found that at the collegiate level the definitions and measurement of online student-to-student engagement were limited. However, the literature did show that engagement is seen through numerous lenses (Zepke & Leach, 2010): student motivation (Schuetz, 2008), students' social and economic background (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005), institutional support (Kuh et al., 2005), peer interaction (Moran & Gonyea, 2003), teacher behavior (Bryson & Hand, 2007), etc. Although engagement is often difficult to define and measure in online courses, its absence and presence is identifiable. Due to the study's focus on student-to-student engagement, for the purpose of this study engagement is defined by Kuh (2003) as the efforts of the student to study a subject, practice, obtain feedback, analyze, and solve problems. This definition illustrates that engagement cannot be captured through a snapshot but rather has an interpersonal component. Engagement is best observed through interactions with others and through a development of complex ideas. For instance, echoing this definition of engagement, Guthrie and Anderson (1999) state, "social interaction patterns in the classroom can amplify or constrict students' ... attainment of deep conceptual knowledge" (p. 20). Furthermore, within the confines of face-to-face (F2F) schooling, engagement is seen as a multidimensional concept: behavioral, cognitive, and emotional (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). Behavioral engagement measures students' ability to follow school rules, their level of involvement in learning, and participation in extracurricular activity; cognitive engagement is students' investment in and active participation in learning as they move beyond required coursework; and emotional engagement is the positive and negative feelings students hold for school. Aligning – yet moving beyond – the aforementioned definitions, engagement in this study is measured in the context of students' interactions in an online mathematics methods course. Engagement can be identified in this particular learning environment as participants meaningfully contribute to online discussions. Within the asynchronous and synchronous forums, students commented, asked for clarification, posed questions, made inferences, assessed the learning environment, and collectively strategized about how to best bridge content and pedagogy. Their interactions with each other are the focal point of analysis and determine whether student-to-student engagement was present within the online discussions.

One of the challenges of online discussion forums is determining whether quality online engagement is actually occurring or whether students are passively interacting with their peers. In an era where more and more students are learning via online coursework (Murray, Pérez, Geist, & Hedrick, 2012), it is imperative that researchers determine if online learning can equally promote student engagement in comparison to a F2F learning environment. If student engagement is absent or minimized, then full cognitive development in a specific content area is unachievable. Because of this uncertainty regarding online engagement and due to the need to move beyond rote memorization of knowledge, an evaluation of online learning engagement levels must be performed to ensure positive learning outcomes for online students.

Synchronous (occurring in real time) and asynchronous (occurring over time) online discussion forums provide a space for open communication among students. Regardless of person or location, one's thoughts are transmitted to others, constructing new knowledge or further developing existing ideas. While both modes of communication serve a common purpose, asynchronous communication is often deemed more appropriate for facilitating active, meaningful engagement. Recognizing weakness in both communicative resources, Branon and Essex (2001) outline the disadvantages of both types of communication that may consequently hinder student engagement. They list the following restrictions when utilizing synchronous communication: (1) getting students online at the same time; (2) difficulty in moderating large-scale conversations; and (3) lack of reflection time. Similar to synchronous discussions, asynchronous communication equally places limitations on engagement due to the lack of immediate feedback, and the infrequency of students logging in to online discussion forums.

Students' level of engagement during synchronous and asynchronous communication is often challenged because students are not physically present in the same space, supposedly decreasing their opportunity to socially interact, collaborate, give and receive feedback, and render support (Tuckman, 2007). Although both modes of communication possess certain weaknesses, traditional F2F student communication does not guarantee meaningful student-to-student engagement. In fact, bodies in close proximity to one another, occupying a shared classroom, may promote interaction but may fail to facilitate active, engaged learning. Unlike traditional F2F student communication, there are numerous synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication, which are used to promote engagement. The diverse asynchronous (e-mail, listserv, discussion boards, and web logs) and synchronous (chat, instant messaging, and audio and web-based conferencing) modes of communication have the potential to increase interaction and improve online learning environments (Repman, Zinskie, & Carlson, 2005). Through the implementation of effective pedagogical learning principles delivered via online communication, a community of engaged, communicative learners may emerge (Peck, 2012).

As mentioned, although constraints are present in both communication tools, Schellens, Van Keer, and Valcke (2005) affirm that asynchronous discussion boards foster active engagement through a community of learners who teach one another and provide constructive feedback while sharing and gaining information. Im and Lee (2003) advocate the use of asynchronous over synchronous in generating a more effective learning environment. PytlikZillig et al. (2011) also compare synchronous F2F discussions and asynchronous computer-mediated discussions, asserting that computer-mediated discussions produce more effective engagement than F2F discussions.

Moreover, the flexibility and convenience of time, which allows for greater reflection and more collaboration among students, is often cited as a primary reason for why asynchronous discussion forums are a preferred learning resource (Ajayi, 2009; Nandi, Hamilton, & Harland, 2012). While extended time does not necessarily equate to student engagement, the opportunity to engage with others is greater, increasing the likelihood that such engagement may occur. The presence of this engagement, though logical, requires further empirical support. The need for more research on engagement within online forums (Su, Bonk, Magjuka, Liu, & Lee, 2005) reiterates the persistent question of whether students are actively engaged or passively participating. In seeking insight in this matter, we begin with the following research problem: Are students fully engaged in online synchronous and asynchronous courses?

Adding to the literature, this exploratory study examines synchronous and asynchronous student–student interactions (Moore, 1989) in an online middle grades and secondary mathematics methods course for graduate education students. Students' levels of engagement were coded using Perkins and Murphy's (2006) engagement framework. Perkins and Murphy's rubric measures individual engagement in critical thinking in an online asynchronous discussion. While this model was previously used in online asynchronous discussions, answering Perkins and Murphy's call for further research, this study sought additional empirical data by applying their model to asynchronous and synchronous discussions. Perkins and Murphy's model was deemed appropriate and applicable to asynchronous and synchronous modes of communication because different levels of engagement, which were illustrated by students' varying levels of critical-thinking questions and comments, were present in both discussion forums. Identification and measurement of student engagement in critical thinking in both settings revealed that regardless of the online medium, the implementation of sound, student-centered pedagogical practices will foster student engagement. Table 1 provides a detailed classification of the four engagement categories.

Table 1. Perkins and Murphy's (2006) model for identifying engagement in critical thinking

Clarification:
All aspects of stating, clarifying, describing (but not explaining), or defining the issue being discussed.Analyzes, negotiates, or discusses the meaning of the issue.
Identifies one or more underlying assumptions in a statement in the discussion.Identifies relationships among the statements or assumptions.Defines or criticizes the definition of relevant terms. Assessment:
Evaluating some aspect of the debate; making judgments on a situation, proposing evidence for an argument or for links with other issues.Provides or asks for reasons that proffered evidence is valid.Provides or asks for reasons that proffered evidence is relevant.Specifies assessment criteria, such as the credibility of the source. Makes a value judgment on the assessment criteria or a situation or topic.Gives evidence for choice of assessment criteria.Inference:
Showing connections among ideas; drawing appropriate conclusions by deduction or induction, generalizing, explaining (but not describing), and hypothesizing.Deduces relationships among ideas.Strategies:
Proposing, discussing, or evaluating possible actions.Predicts outcomes of proposed actions.Method

Project Description and Participants

The primary goal of WiTL was to provide a meaningful summer clinical experience for students enrolled in an online mathematics methods course. Data were collected from all students (n = 22) enrolled in the online summer mathematics methods course at the researchers' University. Researchers utilized a middle school and a high school based on faculty connections in working within the school and community. The three teachers of middle grades that were invited to participate in this project were identified by their principal as exemplary teachers. All three middle grade levels were represented: one teacher was a sixth-grade mathematics teacher, one a seventh-grade mathematics teacher, and one an eighth-grade mathematics teacher. The three high school teachers that were asked to join were also acknowledged by their principal as exemplary teachers. The three teachers collectively taught Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Advanced Placement Calculus. Prior to the beginning of the summer methods course, each of the practicing teachers selected two exceptional lessons. These lessons were then videotaped during regular classroom instruction using a laptop, wireless headset, webcam, and TechSmith's Camtasia, a software application used for screen video capture.

The methods students viewed these 12 asynchronous videos (two per teacher) and then participated in an online dialogue regarding the practices they observed. These threaded discussions, facilitated through NiceNet, occurred over two weeks and allowed methods students to engage in conversation with the six practicing mathematics teachers and their peers. The conversations (examples provided in data analysis section) included dialogue between students regarding instructional methods and pedagogical thinking concerning the teaching and learning of mathematics for Grades 6 to 12.

The three middle school and three high school mathematics teachers were also asked to allow online mathematics methods students to participate in a live teaching observation. These synchronous teaching observations were facilitated using a computer connected to the Internet, a webcam, a wireless headset, and Saba Centra (the University-supported web conferencing software). These items were chosen because all online cohort students utilize these technological tools throughout their program coursework. Methods students logged on to Centra at the indicated class time to observe the teachers. They viewed six separate teaching episodes and participated in a text chat dialogue with their classmates during the observations. This viewing and interaction allowed students to ask one another questions regarding the classroom environment, classroom management, instructional methods, and pedagogical thinking.

Following the teaching observation, the classroom teacher joined the methods students in Centra to take comments about their teaching and answer questions regarding instructional decision making. Examples are provided in the Data Analysis section.

WiTL was a multifaceted project, and therefore, generated several data sources. These included individual interviews with each classroom mathematics teacher, focus group interviews with methods students at the conclusion of the semester, copies of the asynchronous threaded discussion forum, text chat logs of methods students conversations during the synchronous teaching observations, and archives of both the synchronous and asynchronous sessions. The data essential to this present study are the asynchronous threaded discussions, facilitated through NiceNet, and the text chat logs, facilitated during the synchronous teaching observations via Centra. The following research question guided the analysis of data:

To what extent do students in an online mathematics methods course engage in meaningful discourse and collaboration that encourage them to critically examine teacher pedagogy?

Data Analysis

The threaded discussions were analyzed to determine various levels of student-to-student engagement during online clinical experiences. Researchers used content analysis to quantify levels of engagement based on students' questions and comments in the threaded discussions. Students' levels of engagement with each other were coded using Perkins and Murphy's (2006) engagement framework presented in Table 1. Various levels of analysis occurred. Initially, the researchers evaluated the data independently, determining which level of engagement was represented in the dialogue. Next, the researchers compared their analyses and determined inconsistencies. Finally, inconsistencies were discussed until final consensus was reached. This method of analysis allowed the researchers to establish inter-rater reliability (Neuendorf, 2002). Frequencies for each category were then tabulated.

The text chat logs, generated during the synchronous teaching observations, were analyzed in a similar manner using content analysis. Again, students' levels of engagement with each other were coded using Perkins and Murphy's (2006) engagement framework (see Table 1). Researchers conducted an independent analysis of the data to decide which level of engagement was represented in the various comments and questions stated during text chat sessions. Researchers then compared their analyses to determine inconsistencies. Once more, inconsistencies were debated until consensus was reached, allowing for the establishment of intercoder reliability (Neuendorf, 2002). Frequencies for each category were then recorded.

Results

After the threaded discussions and text chat logs were analyzed, relative frequencies were tabulated. These data are presented in Table 2.

The data, although not conclusive, indicate varying levels of student engagement across both synchronous and asynchronous platforms. This distribution of student outputs across the engagement categories yields interesting results. The asynchronous forum postings show a higher percentage of Strategy engagement (15.2% vs. 7.9%) as well as a higher percentage of Clarification engagement (61% vs. 45.7%). The synchronous forum postings indicate something different. The categories of Assessment (35.3% vs. 17.5 %) and Inference (11.1% vs. 6.3%) indicate higher levels of engagement for the synchronous platform.

Table 2. Frequency of student output – synchronous vs. asynchronous

Asynchronous
(Threaded Discussion) It is important to note that the threaded discussion forum was available to students and classroom teachers for two weeks, while the text chat logs were offered during six synchronous teaching observations with durations of 75 to 90 minutes each. All four categories of engagement were observed in both the threaded discussions and text chat logs. Students in both settings engaged more at the level of clarification. This was apparent as students asked questions and made comments regarding the classroom context (i.e., configuration of the desks/classroom, decoration of the classroom, technology available to students, academic levels of students, etc.). As the level of engagement increased on Perkins and Murphy's (2006) engagement framework, the relative frequency of students' comments and questions decreased with the exception of the Strategies category. This could be warranted due to the time required for students to reflect on teachers' actions and offer possible justifications. All four categories were observed, but as noted above, engagement cannot be solely measured by frequency (doing time). A critical examination of the actual content presented by students during the threaded discussions and text chat dialogues must also be considered when determining students' engagement level.

The data presents examples of authentic student engagement. For example, the following are distinct comments and statements posted by one student and responded to by another student during the asynchronous online discussion forum (NiceNet). In this exchange students share questions they still have about slope and direct variation and suggestions for teaching systems of equations. This exchange reinforces the notion that students can learn important teaching strategies from one another when they have the opportunity to discuss their ideas. The level of engagement based on Perkins and Murphy's (2006) framework is indicated [in brackets, and rendered in bold].

Student 1: "I really like how you [the teacher] make the association between slope and direct variation because that is a topic that my ninth-grade Algebra I students have a hard time with. Do you have any other suggestions on how to make it clearer? [Strategies] Also why did they change the variable to "k" instead of leaving it as "m"? [Clarification] I am a math major (not an education major) and I still am not sure why the variables in direct variation and slope intercept changed. I know it is a little late in the year for this stuff and you may have done this before, but there is a cool activity to do with solving systems. You break the students in groups and have them do an advertisement for a particular method. I make my students show examples, write a definition, make a logo, a slogan and a valid argument as to why their method is better than all the others. I also make them present it in front of the class. They usually have fun with it. [Strategies]"

Student 2: "I am also a math major and have never understood why the variable changed. I look forward to the teacher's answer! [Clarification] Also, thanks for sharing that method! Systems of equations was the topic I struggled the most with teaching this year and am concentrating on to make it better for next year. I love your project idea and am definitely going to implement that into my classroom! [Assessment]"

The exchange below is also taken from the NiceNet threaded discussion. It exemplifies quality engagement during student-to-student interaction. The students really push each other to think about the topic of fractions and consider various situations in which fractions are used. Both students are making connections, providing examples, going beyond the content, and actively contributing to the discussion.

Student 3: "When in real life do we ever really use fractions? I can think of obvious ones: slices of pizza, talking about discounts and sales tax, but other than those, I'm not sure I really know if we DO use fractions. [Assessment]"

Student 4: "I would argue that we use fractions every time we have to use division. If you look at a class and want to know what percentage of the students did their homework, you are going to have to collect the raw data first. If 16 out of 20 students did their homework, that is a fraction, 16/20. After you know that fraction, you are able divide and determine what that number is as a decimal and percentage. I agree that numbers are not usually left as fractions, and that fractions do not always look as polished as decimals do, but they are something that is used in many people's daily lives. [Assessment]"

Student 3: "Thank you for pushing my thinking. However, if we are using a fraction to solve for a percent on a test, wouldn't we convert it to a decimal to understand it better? Maybe it is the way I think and not the way the world works, but I understand 80% much better than I understand 16/20 even though they represent the same amount. Also, will we ever have to multiply, divide, add, or subtract fractions in real life? I absolutely agree that students need to be able to convert fractions to decimals to percents and vice versa, but will it hurt them to use a calculator to always compute with fractions (as in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing)? I am not sure I know the answer to that question ... [Assessment]"

The following are individual comments made by students to students during the synchronous teaching observations via the text chat feature in Centra. In this exchange, students are discussing the note taking methods used by the teacher they are observing. This exchange reveals the ideas that the students have regarding this technique. The level of engagement based on Perkins and Murphy's (2006) framework is indicated.

Student 1: "How structured do you think note taking should be? Right now, they're basically writing exactly what he dictates. [Clarification]"

Student 2: "I think it will depend on my students ... may have to feel it out ... [Assessment]"

Student 3: "I think that note taking is a skill that has to be explicitly taught. [Assessment]"

Student 4: "I agree that it has to be taught, but you can't learn if you always are just copying something ... [Assessment] Maybe this is a good method for younger students who are still in the beginning stages, though. [Inference]"

The exchange below is also taken from the text chat log. During this exchange, students are observing a teacher-centered classroom. The teacher is initiating traditional instructional methods. The students are offering suggestions for getting the middle school students motivated as many of them are visibly disengaged.

Student 1: "Maybe some cooperative learning activities and more game type learning would motivate them a little more. Make the students think they're playing instead of learning. [Strategies]"

Student 2: "They will think it is a reward for passing the test. [Strategies]"

Student 3: "The teacher should consider maybe not teaching new information but readdressing what they did not get. [Strategies]"

The comments/questions presented above demonstrate the various levels of engagement that students exhibited as they participated in both the threaded discussions and the text chat dialogues. Students discuss a variety of issues that they see as they observe teaching practices via synchronous and asynchronous observations.

Limitations

As with most research studies, this study does have its limitations. The most apparent limitation is the small sample size, making the results difficult to generalize. The study was conducted over a short period of time – one semester during the summer. In the course of this study, there were technical difficulties. During two of the synchronous teaching observations, the teachers had difficulty with their wireless headsets, which resulted in periods of no sound for the online methods students who were viewing the teaching observations. This issue was quickly resolved. Another possible limitation relates to the asynchronous threaded discussion. Since this is a monitored forum, students may have felt more inclined to participate and to provide thoughtful responses.

The use of the Perkins and Murphy (2006) framework could also be viewed as a limitation. It was first developed for use with the asynchronous platform. This study took it a step further and utilized it with both asynchronous and synchronous platforms.

Conclusion

In this study, the researchers explored the guiding research question: To what extent do students in an online mathematics methods course engage in meaningful discourse and collaboration that encourage them to critically examine teacher pedagogy? It was determined that students engage in all levels of engagement as defined by Perkins and Murphy (2006) in both asynchronous and synchronous platforms. While asynchronous forum postings show a higher percentage of Strategy engagement (15.2% vs. 7.9%) as well as a higher percentage of Clarification engagement (61% vs. 45.7%), the synchronous forum postings indicate something different. The categories of Assessment engagement (35.3% vs. 17.5 %) and Inference engagement (11.1% vs. 6.3%) presented higher levels of engagement for the synchronous platform. The settings of the individual platforms would certainly encourage this. In the asynchronous environment, students would have more time to reflect and therefore offer strategies. Clarification engagement may be more present in the asynchronous platform because students in the synchronous platform were afforded opportunities to get clarification to these questions during the synchronous settings that were not readily available in the asynchronous setting. This notable constraint does differ from the literature, which asserts that asynchronous is preferable. The results of the WiTL study suggest that the asynchronous and synchronous platforms are emphasizing different types of engagement. Future research studies are needed to determine which method is more beneficial, or if one method is better at engaging students in an online environment.

WiTL proved to be a beneficial experience for methods students. It offered outreach to students across the state through an innovative approach to clinical experiences. WiTL provided the online methods students not only the opportunity to view sound teaching practices, it also allowed them the chance to engage with practicing mathematics teachers to confirm their understandings of methodologies and pedagogical decision making. During a typical clinical observation experience, a student would be placed with one teacher and one classroom. In this online mathematics methods course, students were placed in different classrooms across a variety of schools. WiTL was a unique experience in that it allowed online methods students to observe six different teachers in two different schools and school systems, exposing them to an assortment of teaching styles in a variety of classroom environments. Since WiTL allowed the online methods students to observe the same teachers, an exchange of thoughts and ideas related to the instructional strategies they observed was also facilitated. The WiTL process was equally valuable to the practicing mathematics teachers as it allowed them the opportunity to critically reflect on their teaching practices as they considered questions that the methods students posed. Through WiTL, methods students were able to utilize technology to engage in online clinical experiences at various levels with their peers.

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