Papers by Mark Winterbottom
Journal of Biological Education, 2020
Makerere Journal of Higher Education, 1970
In open and distance learning (ODL), the teacher and student are separated in time and space for ... more In open and distance learning (ODL), the teacher and student are separated in time and space for most of the time. To ensure continuity of teaching and learning, learner support mechanisms are required. Rumble (1992) contends that for effective support these mechanisms should be decentralized and accessible to students. It is with this understanding that this study examined the effectiveness of Makerere University's study centres in supporting teaching and learning in its ODL programmes. Following a survey design, data was elicited from 422 respondents who included students and staff of the University. This was done using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analysis. The findings were that the centres are relevant to offering remote learner support, especially given the low level of technological advancement in Uganda. However, due to a number of factors, the centres are not offering satisfactory support to the students. These include the centres' indistinct status and mandate; gaps in the University's policies and understanding of ODL; inadequate funding of the centres; communication gaps between the centres and their coordinating unit at the University's main campus; inadequacy of study, ICT and human resources at the centres; and unconducive location and opening hours of the centres. Recommendations for the better performance of the centres are discussed.
Educational studies, Dec 1, 2008
h i g h l i g h t s g r a p h i c a l a b s t r a c t Molecular ozone pathway was responsible for... more h i g h l i g h t s g r a p h i c a l a b s t r a c t Molecular ozone pathway was responsible for degrading around 40 e50% of the O 2 -NA. j-Zj!10 isomers in ozone treatments were significantly degraded by molecular O 3 . Structure reactivity is related individually to n and Z and their combined effect. Peroxone ratio's effectiveness: (1:2) for degradation vs (1:1) for oxidant utilization. At n ¼ 9e11; peroxone (1:1) achieved similar or better degradation than 50 mg/L O 3 .
Journal of Biological Education, Mar 15, 2022
PLOS ONE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been exposed to distressing content about COVID-1... more During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people have been exposed to distressing content about COVID-19 without knowing whether they can trust such content. This indicates a need to examine the effects of social media use on mental health and well-being. Existing research provides an inconsistent impression of such effects. Thus, we examined the relation between exposure to COVID-19 information on social media and well-being and assessed if trust in COVID-19 information on social media moderated this relationship. The sample consisted of 168 adolescents and young adults from the U.K. and U.S. (Mage = 17.4 years). Participants completed measures of exposure to, and trust in, COVID-19 information on social media platforms, and measures of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Results revealed a null to positive relation between exposure to COVID-19 information on social media and well-being across measures. However, when trust was added to the models as a moderator, results indi...
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Mar 1, 2016
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Little research has examined the associations between perceived inclusivity within informal scien... more Little research has examined the associations between perceived inclusivity within informal science learning sites, youth program belonging and perceptions of program career preparation. This study explored relations between these factors at three timepoints (T1 = start of program, T2 = 3 months and T3 = 12 months after start). Participants were a diverse sample of 209 adolescents participating in STEM youth programs within informal science learning sites situated in the United States and United Kingdom (70% females: Mage = 15.27, SDage = 1.60), with 53.1% British and 64.1% non-White. Path analysis revealed that only perceptions of inclusivity for own social identity group (i.e., gender, ethnicity) at T1 were associated with T2 STEM youth program belonging. There was a significant indirect effect of T1 perceptions of inclusivity for one’s own social identity groups on T3 perceptions of program career preparation via T2 program belonging. This study highlights that, over time, percep...
Vocational and Technical Education, 2017
There is urgent need to stem the many failed attempts to improve agricultural education delivery ... more There is urgent need to stem the many failed attempts to improve agricultural education delivery in Africa in a context of growing youth unemployment and food insecurity. Studies show that teachers are ill prepared to engage learners practically, and motivate them towards agricultural careers. Constructively, aligned teaching that matches learning outcomes, teaching methods and assessments has gained currency in pedagogical change. This study examines the pedagogical methods used for secondary school agriculture in Uganda. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey from 80 agriculture teachers and 57 administrators from 60 secondary schools, randomly drawn from 25 districts in Uganda, and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results show that the teaching and learning approaches are teacher-centered and examination oriented. The current focus on national examinations is unable to engage learners in a meaningful way. We recommend system-wide improvements in the teaching based ...
Journal of Biological Education, 2020
Sex Roles
Gender stereotypes are harmful for girls’ enrollment and performance in science and mathematics. ... more Gender stereotypes are harmful for girls’ enrollment and performance in science and mathematics. So far, less is known about children’s and adolescents’ stereotypes regarding technology and engineering. In the current study, participants’ (N = 1,206, girls n = 623; 5–17-years-old, M = 8.63, SD = 2.81) gender stereotypes for each of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) domains were assessed along with the relation between these stereotypes and a peer selection task in a STEM context. Participants reported beliefs that boys are usually more skilled than are girls in the domains of engineering and technology; however, participants did not report gender differences in ability/performance in science and mathematics. Responses to the stereotype measures in favor of one’s in-group were greater for younger participants than older participants for both boys and girls. Perceptions that boys are usually better than girls at science were related to a greater likelihood o...
PLOS ONE
This study explored relations between COVID-19 news source, trust in COVID-19 information source,... more This study explored relations between COVID-19 news source, trust in COVID-19 information source, and COVID-19 health literacy in 194 STEM-oriented adolescents and young adults from the US and the UK. Analyses suggest that adolescents use both traditional news (e.g., TV or newspapers) and social media news to acquire information about COVID-19 and have average levels of COVID-19 health literacy. Hierarchical linear regression analyses suggest that the association between traditional news media and COVID-19 health literacy depends on participants’ level of trust in their government leader. For youth in both the US and the UK who used traditional media for information about COVID-19 and who have higher trust in their respective government leader (i.e., former US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson) had lower COVID-19 health literacy. Results highlight how youth are learning about the pandemic and the importance of not only considering their information source, b...
Youth & Society, May 3, 2022
Visitor Studies, 2021
Abstract The impact of educators in informal science learning sites (ISLS) remains understudied f... more Abstract The impact of educators in informal science learning sites (ISLS) remains understudied from the perspective of youth visitors. Less is known about whether engagement with educators differs based on the age and gender of both visitor and educator. Here, visitors (5–17 years old) to six ISLS in the United States and United Kingdom (n = 488, female n = 244) were surveyed following an interaction with either a youth (14–18 -years old) or adult educator (19+ years old). For participants who reported lower interest in the exhibit, more educator engagement was related to greater self-reported learning. Younger children and adolescents reported more engagement with an adult educator, whereas engagement in middle childhood did not differ based on educator age. Participants in middle childhood showed a trend toward answering more conceptual knowledge questions correctly following an interaction with a youth educator. Together, these findings emphasize the promise of tailoring educator experiences to visitor demographics.
This book provides a range of insights into pupils' learning relevant to the use of informat... more This book provides a range of insights into pupils' learning relevant to the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in primary science. The contributors, who are all experts in their field, draw on practical and theoretical perspectives and: Provide specific ...
This paper examines the place of public libraries in supporting distance learners in Makerere Uni... more This paper examines the place of public libraries in supporting distance learners in Makerere University, exploring the factors which affect utilisation of their services. The study adopted a survey design with 300 B.Ed. students, collecting data through focus group discussions, structured questionnaires and individual interviews.
This article describes an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) initiative to ... more This article describes an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) initiative to enhance the review process for its training awards using a new tool based on the ProGrid ® decision-assist software. Changes that the AHFMR made are analyzed, as is the manner in which the review system was developed and refined, the initial assessment of the value added for applicants, reviewers, and the funding decision-maker, and the implications of this approach for the future. Implementation of the new tool resulted in a number of modifications to the AHFMR's review process in the areas of definition, rationality, fairness, timeliness, and responsiveness. The new process also provides the foundation with increased capacity for performance measurement and program evaluation.
PLOS ONE, 2020
This study explored topic interest, perceived learning and actual recall of exhibit content in 97... more This study explored topic interest, perceived learning and actual recall of exhibit content in 979 children and adolescents and 1,184 adults who visited informal science learning sites and interacted with an adult or youth educator or just the exhibit itself as part of family visits to the sites. Children in early childhood reported greater topic interest and perceived learning, but actually recalled less content, than participants in middle childhood or adolescence. Youth visitors reported greater interest after interacting with a youth educator than just the exhibit, and perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult). Participants in middle childhood recall more when they encounter a youth educator. Adult visitors reported greater interest after interaction with a youth educator than with the exhibit alone or an adult educator. They also perceived that they learn more if they interact with an educator (youth or adult) than just the exhibit and perceived that they learned more if they interacted with a youth educator than an adult educator. Results highlight the benefits of educators in informal science learning sites and document the importance of attention to developmental needs.
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Papers by Mark Winterbottom