Building a Bridge Between Authentic Learning and Service Learning： A Case Study From an English Technical Writing Class

In order to help technical/business writing students transfer their authentic learning experience to service learning practice, this study explores the relationship between authentic learning and service learning through a course research project at a small public university in southwestem Oklahoma, USA. The participants, a small group of technical writing students, engaged in writing a proposal targeting a real-life local problem as well as finding a solution. The study shows that authentic learning, such as writing the proposal for a real-world problem, can generate a potential solution while the service learning portion of the assignment （such as working with the community） can provide a specific real-life location for resolving the problem. The study also shows that the authentic learning experience can inspire the students to move further to serve the community and when students volunteer to help the local community implement the solution, a bridge between the authentic learning and service learning can be built, which can then lead to students＇ enhancement of all round real-life skills and of a sense of serving the community. Finally, the implications of the study for English language teaching in an authentic leaming context also will be discussed.

Project-based Learning （PBL） for Enhancing Chinese College Students＇ English Performance

Project-based learning （PBL） as an instructional approach focuses on student-centeredness through contextualizing learning by presenting students with real world issues and practices that aim at achieving enduring learning effects. As a challenge to traditional lecture-based instruction, PBL may generate positive backwash assessment effects via documenting the process of developing authentic language skills. These skills-oriented outcomes are achieved through proper curricula in appropriate learning situations via various dimensions. However, problems may occur such as management, pressure from administration, evaluation doing their selected projects. teacher/student attitude, class size and proper group process and criteria, and students＇ likely frustrations in

A Custom Haptic Syringe to Improve a VR Local Anesthesia Simulation for Foundational Dental Education: A Feasibility Study

Introduction: This paper presents the design, development, and usability evaluation of a custom haptic syringe aimed to improve the realism of a virtual reality local anesthesia simulation (VRLA), specifically for the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB), that formally used a head mounted device (HMD) and vibration feedback via hand controllers. The custom haptic syringe interface provides a more realistic tactile sensation of plunging a real syringe in a human patient. This pilot study investigated the usability of the custom haptic syringe to replace one of the hand controllers to provide a more realistic and better training experience. Method: A one group pre-post survey investigated student perceptions regarding the effectiveness and usability of a haptic syringe to provide a more realistic experience to train dental students to learn the procedural steps to inject local anesthesia into a virtual patient. Twenty-two third year dental students participated. The pre-post survey examined changes in students’ perceived emotions, preparedness, and effectiveness of the VRLA as a foundational learning strategy prior to entering clinical group practice. Results: While quantitative results on comparable survey questions did not yield statistically significant differences, qualitative open-ended responses revealed a much greater satisfaction using the custom haptic syringe compared to the out of the box controllers. Conclusions: Feedback regarding the haptic syringe showed a substantial step closer to providing a more real experience for students in an effort to create a better bridge between classroom learning and clinical practice in order to prepare students to more confidently and competently work with real clients. Further refinement of the syringe is forthcoming along with a more formal comparative experimental study.