Journal of Information Technology and Application in Education

97-104

Authors: Robin Kay

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of video podcasts designed to teach software skills in a preservice teacher education program. It was observed that most preservice teachers used video podcasts one or two times per month to learn specific tasks involving specialty software (e.g., web design, subject-specific, multimedia presentations). The majority of preservice teachers agreed that video podcasts were easy to find, clear, simple to follow, and delivered at a good pace. Preservice teachers specifically enjoyed the just-in-time, instant access to video podcasts. Preference for using video podcasts varied according to gender, age, and level of computer experience. Finally, preservice teachers indicated that the video clips were useful in helping them to learn new software tasks.

108-111

Authors: Erchun Chen, Jie Liu

Abstract- This study focuses on the problems and solutions regarding the application of multimedia technology to the teaching and learning of College English in China. At first, this study points out the existing problems in the teaching and learning of College English in China, mainly including excessive dependence on multimedia technology, the lack of proper capacities among teachers, the lack of the real integration of multimedia technology into the classroom teaching, inappropriate design of the teaching courseware, a large gap between the potentials of multimedia technology and teachers and students’ understanding and proficiency, the insufficiency of students’ awareness and ability of autonomous learning, the lack of good management and maintenance of the multimedia facilities, and the outdated system of teaching evaluation and management. Later, this paper puts forward some suggestions on solving these problems, namely, strengthening College English teachers’ education and professional development, triggering students’ learning potentials and initiatives, integrating multimedia teaching into traditional classroom teaching, and working out a practical and effective system of College English teaching evaluation and management.

119-123

Authors: Liqin Chen, Xuejun Kang, Xiaoling Zhou, Yu Wang, Lei Ma

Abstract-This study established a novel non-invasive and efficient analysis method which can be applied in research of individual’s psychological stress. Because in the different state of psychological stress, the oral secretion of salivary α-amylase will be changed under the control of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal medulla secretion system. Many studies have confirmed that salivary α-amylase measurements may be employed as a non-invasive measure of autonomic (sympathetic) nervous system activation and are related to a variety of behavioral, social, health, and cognitive phenomena in human subjects. In this experiment, a flow injection system for sample analysis and data collection was established to determine the activation of salivary α-amylase. Because flow injection system has the merits of rapid analysis, high precision and accuracy, easily operating and popularizing, it could meet the requirements of quickly and accurately determining of salivary α-amylase. This study collected salivary samples of individual at different times of a day, and drew an individual’s salivary α-amylase secretion curve according to the measured results (one hour for the sampling interval). In addition, after sampling analysis of volunteer’s samples before and after the examination, it was verified that individual’s salivary α-amylase secretion would be changed under psychological stress, which suggested that salivary α-amylase could be used as a biochemical marker of individual’s psychological stress changes. The founded method in this paper is easy to be universalized because of its non-invasive and quick features.