Showing papers in "Education Sciences in 2015"
TL;DR: Feminism, Gender & Universities: Politics, Passion & Pedagogies as mentioned in this paper is a life history of women entering higher education and women's lives over the last 50 years.
Abstract: I look at the changes in higher education (HE) and women’s lives over the last 50 years, drawing on my recent book Feminism, Gender & Universities: Politics, Passion & Pedagogies which is a life history of feminism entering academe. The Robbins Report (cmnd 2154 1963) on HE was published in the same year that I went to university. It inaugurated a process of change and educational expansion that was linked to other major social transformations, including feminism. Its effects have been widely felt such that women now participate in education and employment on unprecedented levels. Indeed, it has opened up opportunities for education and employment for women including individual and social mobility. From my study I show how it opened up opportunities for women from both middle class and working class backgrounds to be first-in-the-family to go to university. I will also argue that whilst there have been very welcome changes in education, and HE especially, such that there is a gender balance of undergraduate students in HE, this does not mean that gender equality has been achieved. Patriarchy or hegemonic masculinity in HE is still strongly felt and experienced despite women’s and feminist involvements in academe over the last 50 years. The question remains about how to transform universities to achieve genuine gender equality across all students and academics in HE.
62 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identified the most effective elements required in online professional development to enable teachers to improve their use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in their classrooms and found that teachers need to engage in three elements: investigation, reflection and constructive dialogue; build a sense of group and individual online presence; and be supported by mentorship that responds to the various cognitive and affective demands of autonomous learners.
Abstract: This study sought to identify the most effective elements required in online professional development to enable teachers to improve their use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in their classrooms Four schools in Queensland were involved, with twelve classroom teachers participating in a year-long online professional development program over the school year supported by an online mentor The online professional development program did not provide course based or sequential learning activities Rather it was design to enable individual learning pathways and draw on the many professional learning opportunities available through web 20 tools and Internet resources The focus was to explore the process of online ICT professional development to contribute to the conceptualization of how teachers learn in the 21st Century Findings indicate that teachers need to engage in three elements: investigation, reflection, and constructive dialogue; build a sense of group and individual online presence; and be supported by mentorship that responds to the various cognitive and affective demands of autonomous learners
56 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on implications for school improvement policy and practice and discuss the increasing influx of immigrants into schools; different reasons families migrate; concerns that arise related to immigrant students; prevailing school practices for addressing immigrant concerns; a framework for broadening what schools and communities do; and policy implications, cautions, and recommendations for embedding immigrant concerns into a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system of student and learning supports.
Abstract: A great deal has been written about immigrant children and youth. Drawing on work done in the USA, this paper focuses on implications for school improvement policy and practice. Discussed are (1) the increasing influx of immigrants into schools; (2) different reasons families migrate; (3) concerns that arise related to immigrant students; (4) prevailing school practices for addressing immigrant concerns; (5) a framework for broadening what schools and communities do; and (6) policy implications, cautions, and recommendations for embedding immigrant concerns into a unified, comprehensive, and equitable system of student and learning supports.
43 citations
TL;DR: Using a blended learning approach is important in order to be able to address different learning styles of the target group and in particular, in class gaming was beneficial and contributed to a meaningful learning experience.
Abstract: The paper demonstrates and evaluates the effectiveness of a blended learning approach to create a meaningful learning environment. We use the term blended learning approach in this paper to refer to the use of multiple or hybrid instructional methods that emphasize the role of learners as contributors to the learning process rather than recipients of learning. Contribution to learning is attained by using in class gaming as pathways that ensure active involvement of learners. Using a blended learning approach is important in order to be able to address different learning styles of the target group. The approach was also important in order to be able to demonstrate different types of challenges, issues and competences needed in project management. Student evaluations of the course confirmed that the use of multiple learning methods and, in particular, in class gaming was beneficial and contributed to a meaningful learning experience.
39 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate children's perspectives of play and how they understand the role of play in their everyday activities and find that play and learning are complex concepts that may be easily dismissed as separate concepts when rather they are deeply intertwined.
Abstract: Play as a learning practice increasingly is under challenge as a valued component of early childhood education. Views held in parallel include confirmation of the place of play in early childhood education and, at the same time, a denigration of the role of play in favor for more teacher-structured and formal activities. As a consequence, pedagogical approaches towards play, the curriculum activities that constitute play, and the appropriateness of play in educational settings, have come under scrutiny in recent years. In this context, this study investigates children’s perspectives of play and how they understand the role of play and learning in their everyday activities. This article reports on an Australian study where teacher-researchers investigated child-led insights into what counts as play in their everyday classroom activities. Children (aged 3–4 years) described play as an activity that involved their active participation in “doing” something, being with peers, and having agency and ownership of ideas. Children did not always characterize their activities as “play”, and not all activities in the preschool program were described as play. The article highlights that play and learning are complex concepts that may be easily dismissed as separate, when rather they are deeply intertwined. The findings of this study generate opportunities for educators and academics to consider what counts as “play” for children, and to prompt further consideration of the role of play as an antidote to adult centric views of play.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article, Coskun et al. described the state of the art in the area of egilimlerin and egilmleri in the field of egile.
Abstract: Bu arastirma ogretmenlerin yasam boyu ogrenme egilimleri ile mesleki oz yeterlik algilari arasindaki iliskinin belirlenmesi amaclanmistir. Arastirma iliskisel tarama modelinde olup Hakkari ili Yuksekova ilce merkezi ilkokul ve ortaokullarinda gorev yapan 362 ogretmen ile yurutulmustur. Arastirmada veriler Diker Coskun (2009) tarafindan gelistirilen "Yasam Boyu Ogrenme Egilimleri Olcegi" ve Capa, Cakiroglu ve Sarikaya (2005) tarafindan gelistirilen "Ogretmen Oz-Yeterlik Algi Olcegi ile elde edilmistir. Arastirma bulgulari analiz edildiginde; ogretmenlerin yasam boyu ogrenme egilimleri (X=4.86) ve mesleki oz yeterlik algilarinin (X=6.83) iyi duzeyde oldugu saptanmistir. Ogretmenlerin yasam boyu ogrenme egilimleri ve mesleki oz yeterlik algilari arasinda pozitif yonlu dusuk duzeyde anlamli bir iliski oldugu tespit edilmistir (r=0.28).
35 citations
TL;DR: The challenges that 21st century educational technologists are, and will be, addressing as they undertake the effective integration of new technologies into K-12 educational systems and learning environments are described.
Abstract: In 1972, Edsger Dijkstra claimed that computers had only introduced the new problem of learning to use them effectively. This is especially true in 2015 with regard to powerful new educational technologies. This article describes the challenges that 21st century educational technologists are, and will be, addressing as they undertake the effective integration of new technologies into K-12 educational systems and learning environments. The expanding Internet, ever more powerful mobile devices, and other innovations make the task of designing effective formal and informal learning challenging, especially in light of the high rate of change in these new technologies. While these technologies introduce many benefits, they are also causing serious threats to system security and personal privacy. Furthermore, as these technologies continue to evolve, ethical issues such as equal access to resources become imperative. Educational technologists must expand their forward-thinking leadership and planning competencies so as to ensure effective use of new technologies.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) was used to study the relationship between expectations about university application and the decision on whether to stay on in full-time education at 16.
Abstract: We show how young people’s expectations about application to university change during the teenage years, drawing on the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). We reveal the pattern of change by family background, prior attainment at the end of primary school (measured by Key Stage 2 tests) and, critically, the combination of the two. We document the relationship between expectations about university application and the decision on whether to stay on in full-time education at 16. We point to the importance of schools in sustaining or changing expectations. We relate the expectations reported by the teenagers in LSYPE to their actual university application decisions by age 20 or 21. Expectations are high but not universally high. Family background gaps in expectations widen during the teenage years.
32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the integration of animal welfare, animal rights, and deep ecology within environmental education and sustainable development is discussed, with particular reference to the ethical underpinnings of educational scholarship and practice.
Abstract: While the original objective of environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD) acquired an awareness of the natural world and its current plight, animal welfare (AW), animal rights (AR), and deep ecology (DE) have often been absent within EE and ESD. AW and AR focus their attention on individual animals, while the DE perspective recognizes the intrinsic value of the environment. In this article, we shall discuss how the integration of these three approaches within EE/ESD can and should be improved, with particular reference to the ethical underpinnings of educational scholarship and practice. This article will argue that these three positions are well placed to enhance the democratic practices of EE/ESD through the adoption of an inclusive pluralism that embraces representation of non-human species and recognizes their interests.
29 citations
TL;DR: This article reviewed the indicators available for judging context, and the existing evidence base on how contextually identified students perform in higher education, and what difference their use would really make to widening participation at HE.
Abstract: In the UK, as elsewhere, the use of ‘contextual’ data has been strongly advocated in order to inform undergraduate admissions decision-making. More than a third of UK universities currently take the socioeconomic or other background context of undergraduate applicants’ attainment into account when deciding whom to shortlist, interview, make standard or reduced offers to, or accept at confirmation or clearing. Even more universities plan to do so in the future. Contextualised admissions policies are considered by many commentators to be intrinsically fairer, and to represent a potentially powerful means of addressing the persistent under-representation of HE students from less advantaged backgrounds, but their impact has not yet been rigorously evaluated. In order to be effective, the indicators must be accurate, appropriate, and complete, and policies for their use must demonstrably widen participation, presumably without compromising student achievement. This paper reviews the indicators available for judging context, and the existing evidence base on how contextually-identified students perform in higher education. It illustrates the considerable difficulties of using any available indicators, alone or in combination, in terms of trustworthiness. And it explains how their use could introduce new injustices while tackling merely the symptoms of stratified participation in HE. This is far from a counsel of despair. We need to widen participation and the use of context stills shows considerable promise. The paper therefore presents the case for a new study by the authors, looking at which of the available contextual indicators are best in practice, and what difference their use would really make to widening participation at HE.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a developmental project on Schulerlabor learning environments for all students with a particular focus on sustainability education in the context of chemistry-related topics, focusing on the learning about protecting and preserving metal objects in science education.
Abstract: In many Western countries, non-formal education has become increasingly recognized as a valuable addition to the traditional educational system. In recent years, a special form of non-formal student laboratories (Schulerlabor) has emerged in Germany to promote primary and secondary practical science learning. This paper describes a developmental project on Schulerlabor learning environments for all students with a particular focus on sustainability education in the context of chemistry-related topics. The goal of reaching all students puts intentional pressure on the development process of learning environments. It forces the Schulerlabors to create a detailed model of differentiation, which can reach all learners of different interests and abilities. This also includes low-achievers and students who have disadvantaged educational biographies. In this sense, the structuring of non-formal learning environments simultaneously becomes a process of innovation with respect to both the curriculum and the teaching methods. In this paper, we present a corresponding model of differentiation and a specific example focusing on the learning about protecting and preserving metal objects in science education. Preliminary results and implications from the accompanying evaluation are also discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that a politicization of epistemic issues is relevant to education through reference to political performances of a curiosity typically considered educationally valuable, and that such politicization helps us interrogate unqualified, uniform, and glorifying treatments of curiosity as an educational aim.
Abstract: Social- and virtue-epistemologies connect intellectual and moral concerns in ways significant for education and its theory. For most educationists, epistemic and ethical virtues are no longer dissociated. However, many political framings or operations of epistemic virtues and vices remain neglected in educational discourses. This article illustrates why a politicization of epistemic issues is relevant to education through reference to political performances of a curiosity typically considered educationally valuable. Curiosity bore political connotations from antiquity to late modernity whose exploration may add critical nuance to educational-philosophical conceptions of epistemic desire. This leads us to the main argument of the article, which is that such politicization helps us interrogate unqualified, uniform, and glorifying treatments of curiosity as an educational aim.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss their experiences of the implementation of a large-scale blended learning project at Unitec, a tertiary institution in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Abstract: E-learning experiences are widely becoming common practice in many schools, tertiary institutions and other organisations. However despite this increased use of technology to enhance learning and the associated investment involved the result does not always equate to more engaged, knowledgeable and skilled learners. We have observed two key prevalences. The first is an ingrained, and often unquestioned, set of beliefs and expectations held by the majority of people who have experienced formal education, and who are involved in the development of eLearning and blended learning experiences. These beliefs tend to impact the overall design of what a blended type of learning experience might consist of. The second prevalence is for educational institutions to embark on large-scale eLearning developments, which by their scale can prove problematic. In part because it is a long time before the school or organisation sees any benefit and there is an up-front cost before any learning value is realised. In this paper we will be discussing our experiences of the implementation of a large-scale blended-learning project at Unitec, a tertiary institution in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Approaches taken to implement the development were iterative and based on a phased rollout, with each subsequent stage being informed by the ones before it. Our discussion draws on personal reflections associated with three different perspectives and a variety of roles during the three initial phases of the change making process. Our overall aim is to share our contextualised experiences, to add to the knowledge base on blended learning, and to provide some general, practical recommendations.
TL;DR: In this article, deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) undergraduate students, who are also vastly underrepresented in the sciences, are involved in interdisciplinary research projects.
Abstract: Scientific undergraduate research in higher education often yields positive outcomes for student and faculty member participants alike, with underrepresented students often showing even more substantial gains (academic, professional, and personal) as a result of the experience. Significant success can be realized when involving deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) undergraduate students, who are also vastly underrepresented in the sciences, in interdisciplinary research projects. Even d/hh Associate degree level students and those in the first two years of their postsecondary careers can contribute to, and benefit from, the research process when faculty mentors properly plan/design projects. We discuss strategies, including the dissemination/communication of research results, for involving these students in research groups with different communication dynamics and share both findings of our research program and examples of successful chemical and biological research projects that have involved d/hh undergraduate students. We hope to stimulate a renewed interest in encouraging diversity and involving students with disabilities into higher education research experiences globally and across multiple scientific disciplines, thus strengthening the education and career pipeline of these students.
TL;DR: In this paper, a set of six criteria for analysing science-technology-society-environment (STSE) issues in regular textbooks as to how they are expected to contribute to students' scientific literacy is proposed.
Abstract: Our article proposes a set of six criteria for analysing science-technology-society-environment (STSE) issues in regular textbooks as to how they are expected to contribute to students’ scientific literacy. We chose genetics and gene technology as fields prolific in STSE issues. We derived our criteria (including 26 sub-criteria) from a literature review of the debate in science education on how to increase scientific literacy. We inspected the textbooks regarding the relationships between science, technology, society, and environment, and considered the presence of the decontextualized and socially neutral view of science as distorted view. We, qualitatively and quantitatively, applied our set of criteria to two German Biology textbooks and identified, in total, 718 STSE statements. Based on the frequencies of different criteria and sub-criteria in the textbooks, we drew conclusions concerning STSE issues and the underlying conceptions of science and technology, which might hinder the furtherance of scientific literacy. The applicability of our approach in other science education contexts is discussed.
TL;DR: This article found significant differences between the earnings of graduates from lower and higher socio-economic backgrounds, even after accounting for a rich array of characteristics, skills and experiences from before individuals went to university, as well as their labour market experiences subsequently.
Abstract: Education—and in particular higher education—is often regarded as a route to social mobility. For this to be the case, however, the link between family background and adult outcomes must be broken (or at least reduced) once we take account of an individual’s education history. This paper provides new evidence on differences in graduates’ earnings by socio-economic background, exploiting rich individual-level data to account for more of the ways in which graduates from different socio-economic backgrounds differ from each other than has been possible in previous research on this topic. We continue to find significant differences between the earnings of graduates from lower and higher socio-economic backgrounds, even after accounting for a rich array of characteristics, skills and experiences from before individuals went to university, as well as their labour market experiences subsequently. These results suggest that it is not enough simply to encourage more young people to go to university, or even to ensure that they graduate with “good” degrees; policymakers interested in increasing social mobility also need to focus on what happens to them once they leave university to ensure that higher education is truly able to “level the playing field” between those from different socio-economic backgrounds.
TL;DR: In this paper, a structural equation modeling of questionnaire data collected among Norwegian preservice teachers showed that performance approach motivation is the factor most strongly associated with citizenship behavior, while intrinsic motivation is also a significant factor, both as a direct and indirect effect, via study absorption.
Abstract: A typical preservice teacher will experience demanding teaching situations during practicum. In such situations, interpersonal support from fellow students may be an important factor if experiences gained during teaching practice are to make a constructive contribution to personal growth for the teacher. Human support from other preservice teachers can bridge a gap that can be filled only to a limited extent by practice supervisors, who also have a role in assessing the students’ practice periods. The phenomenon of preservice teachers helping their co-students—even though, strictly speaking, they have no formal responsibility in this area—is called citizenship behavior here. Structural equation modeling of questionnaire data collected among Norwegian preservice teachers shows that performance approach motivation is the factor most strongly associated with citizenship behavior. Intrinsic motivation is also a significant factor, both as a direct and an indirect effect, via study absorption. The self-efficacy of preservice teachers in teaching situations also has a robust association with citizenship behavior, while experiences involving pupil engagement problems in teaching situations have a negative effect on self-efficacy. Pupil engagement problems also have an adverse impact on absorption.
TL;DR: In this article, Fen et al. presented a model for the 2011-2012 academic year of the Sinif Ogretmenligi program, which was used to evaluate the performance of the program.
Abstract: Bu arastirmada Fen ve Sinif ogretmen adaylarinin elestirel dusunme egilimlerinin program turu, sinif duzeyi, ogretim turu, cinsiyet, mezun olunan lise turu ve anne/baba egitim duzeyi acisindan arastirilmasi amaclanmistir. Tarama modelinde yurutulen arastirmanin orneklemini, 2011-2012 ogretim yilinda Mugla Sitki Kocman Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Ilkogretim Bolumu Fen Bilgisi ve Sinif Ogretmenligi programlarinin 1. ve 4. siniflarinda ogrenim goren toplam 421 ogretmen adayi olusturmaktadir. Elde edilen verilerin analizinde frekans ve yuzde dagilimi, bagimsiz gruplar t testi, tek yonlu varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanilmistir. Arastirma sonucunda ogretmen adaylarinin elestirel dusunme egilimlerinin genel olarak dusuk oldugu tespit edilmistir.
TL;DR: In this paper, Zira et al. discuss the importance of cografies in the context of the Turkish presidential election and their role in the election of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Abstract: Bu betimleyici arastirmanin amaci sinif ogretmenligi adaylarindaki farkli ogrenme stillerinin cografya dersindeki tutum ve basariya etkilerini belirlemektir. Zira, pek cok arastirma sonuclarina gore, ogrenci ogrenme stillerinde farkliliklar vardir ve bu farkliliklar ogrencilerin derslerine yonelik tutumlarini ve basarilarini etkilemektedir. Bu amacla, Kolb Ogrenme Stili Olcegi (Bu ogrenme stil olcegi ogrencilerin hangi ogrenme stilinde oldugunu belirlemeye olanak saglar.) ve Cografya Tutum Olcegi Recep Tayyip Erdogan Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi’nde 350 ogrenciye uygulandi. Buna ilaveten arastirmayi pekistirmek icin 18 ogrenci ile mulakatlar yapildi. Sonuclar, ogrenme stili ile cografya basari arasinda anlamli bir farkin bulunmadigini; bununla birlikte ogrenme stili ile ogretmenler adaylarinin cografya basari puani arasinda kucuk bir anlamli farkin bulundugunu ortaya koymustur.ilkogretim bolumu
TL;DR: This paper proposes the idea of using smartphones, which are ubiquitous and commonly contain off-the-shelf inertial sensors, as the experimental devices, and designs a series of curriculum experiments that can motivate students to utilize ubiquitous low-cost sensors in their future research.
Abstract: Inertial technology has been used in a wide range of applications such as guidance, navigation, and motion tracking. However, there are few undergraduate courses that focus on the inertial technology. Traditional inertial navigation systems (INS) and relevant testing facilities are expensive and complicated in operation, which makes it inconvenient and risky to perform teaching experiments with such systems. To solve this issue, this paper proposes the idea of using smartphones, which are ubiquitous and commonly contain off-the-shelf inertial sensors, as the experimental devices. A series of curriculum experiments are designed, including the Allan variance test, the calibration test, the initial leveling test and the drift feature test. These experiments are well-selected and can be implemented simply with the smartphones and without any other specialized tools. The curriculum syllabus was designed and tentatively carried out on 14 undergraduate students with a science and engineering background. Feedback from the students show that the curriculum can help them gain a comprehensive understanding of the inertial technology such as calibration and modeling of the sensor errors, determination of the device attitude and accumulation of the sensor errors in the navigation algorithm. The use of inertial sensors in smartphones provides the students the first-hand experiences and intuitive feelings about the function of inertial sensors. Moreover, it can motivate students to utilize ubiquitous low-cost sensors in their future research.
TL;DR: Girisimcilik toplumlarin gelismislik duzeylerini arttirmada onemli unsurlarda olusturulmasi dusunulebilir as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Girisimcilik toplumlarin gelismislik duzeylerini arttirmada onemli unsurlardan biridir. Tum toplumlar dunya capinda etkili girisimciler yetistirmek isterler. Ancak bu surec oldukca zor bir surectir. Bu nedenle girisimcilik kulturunun belki de cocukluktan itibaren okullarda olusturulmasi dusunulebilir. Surece bu acidan bakildiginda bu iklimin olusabilmesinde gelecegin ve bugunun ogretmenlerine cok onemli gorevler dusmektedir. Bu calismanin temel amaci, ogretmen adaylarinin girisimcilik duzeylerini belirlemek ve ogretmen adaylarinin girisimcilik duzeylerini cesitli degiskenlere gore incelemektir. Arastirma tarama modelli bir calismadir. 404 ogretmen adayi arastirma grubunu olusturmustur. Veriler kisisel bilgi formu ve Yilmaz ve Sunbul(2009) tarafindan gelistirilen Universite Ogrencileri Icin Girisimcilik Olcegi ile toplanmistir. Bulgulara gore, ogretmen adaylarinin yuksek girisimcilik seviyesinde olduklari ve sadece aile gelirinin ogretmen adaylarinin girisimcilik duzeylerini anlamli olarak etkiledigi sonucuna ulasilmistir.
TL;DR: Veriler et al. as mentioned in this paper, 2013-2014 ogretim yilinin 2. Verilerin analizinde deney ve kontrol grubu ogrencileri ders kitabinda yer alan uniteyle ilgili sorulari cozmusler dir.
Abstract: Calismada, 5. siniflarda okutulan fen bilimleri dersi yasamimizdaki elektrik unitesinin ogretiminde ogrenme amacli yazma etkinligi olarak mektup yazmanin ogrencilerin akademik basarisina etkisi arastirilmistir. Arastirma, 2013-2014 ogretim yilinin 2. doneminde bir devlet ortaokulunda 5. sinif ogrencileri uzerinde yurutulmustur. Konu, once calismaya katilan tum ogrencilere sozlu-yazili anlatim yontemiyle anlatilmistir. Akabinde deney grubundaki her ogrenci, ogrenme amacli yazma etkinligi olarak ilkokul 4. sinif ogrencisine yasamimizdaki elektrik konusunu kolay anlasilir bir sekilde anlatan bir mektup yazmistir. Kontrol grubu ogrencileri ders kitabinda yer alan uniteyle ilgili sorulari cozmuslerdir. Veriler, Parasiz Yatililik ve Bursluluk ile Seviye Belirleme sinavlarinda sorulan sorular arasindan secilen coktan secmeli sorularin olusturdugu basari testi kullanilarak elde edilmistir. Verilerin analizinde deney ve kontrol grubu icin iki orneklemli bagimsiz gruplar t-testi kullanilmistir. Arastirmanin bulgularina gore, 5. sinif fen bilimleri dersi yasamimizdaki elektrik unitesinde, ogrenme amacli yazma etkinligi olarak mektup yazmanin, ogrencilerin akademik basarisini arttirdigi saptanmistir.
TL;DR: The extent to which evidence-based reading comprehension practices are not making their way into secondary reading classrooms is revealed and insight is offered into factors that teachers state as influencing their instruction for students with LD.
Abstract: Reading comprehension is a significant concern for adolescents with learning disabilities (LD), particularly in secondary schools in the United States (US) where content is taught primarily through textbooks. Surprisingly little is known about the actual reading instruction for students with LD in secondary classrooms. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the reading comprehension instruction in US secondary special education classrooms. Eight special education teachers in urban high schools were observed and interviewed. Findings showed that teachers implemented a number of reading comprehension practices, not all were considered “best practice”. The most frequently observed practices included reading aloud, questioning, seatwork, activating prior knowledge, and using graphic organizers. Explicit instruction in how and when to use reading comprehension strategies, however, was not observed. This study reveals the extent to which evidence-based reading comprehension practices are not making their way into secondary reading classrooms and offers insight into factors that teachers state as influencing their instruction for students with LD.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a self-study paradigm befitting educational contexts, by drawing on the reflective narratives of three participants who held a range of different roles, and, hence, perspectives within the change process.
Abstract: This paper draws on an initiative where we experienced being new, radical, and, from some viewpoints, dangerously progressive at Unitec—a Polytechnic/Institute of Technology in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The initiative was driven by a need to improve student experiences of interdisciplinary learning and teaching, and to develop a common semester for students transitioning to a bachelor degree programme, as well as a new suite of interdisciplinary qualifications at postgraduate level. This discussion paper is situated within a self-study paradigm befitting educational contexts, by drawing on the reflective narratives of three participants who held a range of different roles—and, hence, perspectives within the change process. Interpretations and implications are discussed using the lens of the Inclusive Framework, to illustrate personal, professional, and political elements. Our overall aim is to add to current understandings of change within the higher education sector. However, this is a study of our own experiences and we are not making claims that we are in the possession of “truth”, but, rather, we seek to identify aspects that may have relevance in other contexts. We conclude that navigating the next phase of transformative change in our context will involve seeking resolutions to key emerging questions. This includes exploring notions of multiple innovators, creating agile development environments in education and exploring the concept of time as multifaceted.
TL;DR: In this paper, the Calismanin Problemasis sosyal bilgiler ogretmenlerinin bu konuda bilgi ve yeterliliklerini artirmayi amaclamaktadir.
Abstract: Bu calisma Sosyal Bilgiler ogretmenlerinin tartismali konulardaki ogretim becerilerini gelistirmeyi amaclayan bir eylem arastirmasidir. Calismanin problemini; sosyal bilgiler ogretmenlerine lisans egitimleri sirasinda tartismali konularin siniflarda nasil ele alinacagi ile ilgili dogrudan bir egitimin verilmemesi nedeniyle sosyal bilgiler ogretmenlerin bu konulari siniflarina getirmekten kacinmalari olusturmaktadir. Calisma sosyal bilgiler ogretmenlerinin bu konuda bilgi ve yeterliliklerini artirmayi amaclamaktadir. Bu amacla sosyal bilgiler ogretmenlerine 6 gun suren bir egitim verilmistir. Veriler katilimcilara ontest ve sontest uygulanmasiyla toplanmistir. Toplanan veriler hem yuzde ve frekans olarak rapor edilmis hem de ontest ve sontest skorlari arasinda istatistiksel olarak anlamli bir fark olup olmadiginin belirlenmesi icin wilcoxon testi ile analiz edilmistir. Sonuclar ogretmenlerin tartismali konularin sosyal bilgiler derslerinde kullanimi ile ilgili onemli kazanimlar sagladiklarini gostermektedir.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on a number of blended learning activities conducted in two subjects of a Master of Architecture degree at a major Australian university, where students were surveyed for their perceptions about the opportunity for learning afforded by the on-line components, and also for their perceived level of engagement.
Abstract: This paper reports on a number of blended learning activities conducted in two subjects of a Master of Architecture degree at a major Australian university. The subjects were related to “professional practice” and as such represent a little researched area of architectural curriculum. The research provides some insight into the student perceptions of learning opportunity and engagement associated with on-line delivery modes. Students from these two subjects were surveyed for their perceptions about the opportunity for learning afforded by the on-line components, and also for their perceived level of engagement. Responses to these perceptions of traditional and on-line modes of delivery are compared and analysed for significant differences. While students were generally positive in response to the learning experiences, analysis of the results shows that students found the traditional modes to assist in their learning significantly more than on-line modes. Students were neutral regarding the opportunity for engagement that on-line modes provided. Analysis of the students’ gender, age and hours of paid work was also conducted to ascertain any relationship with attitudes to the flexibility of on-line delivery; no significant relationship was detected. This study has shown that students were generally resistant to on-line engagement opportunities and their ability to support learning.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed an action learning approach to help first year students to gain employment skills and training right from the start of their studies so that their overall employability increases; their confidence level in networking with industry and within the workplace increases; and so that they are successfully able to obtain employment after finishing their studies.
Abstract: This project work addresses the crucial need to encourage undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to gain employment skills and training right from the start of their studies so that their overall employability increases; their confidence level in networking with industry and within the workplace increases; and so that they are successfully able to obtain employment after finishing their studies. This initiative is a stepping-stone employability exercise which focuses specifically on first year students to help them engage with industry right from the start of their course. It is proposed that they would gain some realistic work experience both individually and as part of group within a virtual work environment using an action learning approach. The virtual environment used was based on SecondLife, a popular virtual reality programme. A pilot scheme was set up and run at Brunel University during the summer of 2014 using eight self-selecting first year students. The scheme’s outputs were extensively monitored and evaluated to assess its impact on the development of employability skills. This approach may prove a cost effective way of letting students gain an insight into the workplace whilst improving these skills. It may also prove a way for employers to select from a large range of students the best to actually undertake their real work-based internships.
TL;DR: In this paper, a test-son test kontrol gruplu deneysel desen kullanilmistir, on (KR-20=0.74) ve son (KR20= 0.75) basari testleri gelistirilmirmir.
Abstract: Sosyal ag destekli bilisim teknolojileri egitiminin ortaokul ogrencilerinin akademik basarilarina etkisini degerlendirmeyi amaclayan bu calismada, on test-son test kontrol gruplu deneysel desen kullanilmistir. Arastirmanin calisma grubu, 32 ogrenci deney ve 32 ogrenci kontrol grubu olmak uzere toplam 64 ogrenciden olusmaktadir. Veri toplama araci olarak, on (KR-20=0.74) ve son (KR-20=0.75) basari testleri gelistirilmistir. Deney grubuna, bilisim teknolojileri egitimi yuz yuze ve sosyal ag destekli ogrenme ortami ile butunlestirilerek verilmistir. Kontrol grubuna ise, sadece yuz yuze bilisim teknolojileri dersi verilmistir. Sonuc olarak, sosyal ag destekli bilisim teknolojileri egitiminin, deney grubu ogrencilerinin akademik basarilarinda olumlu yonde anlamli bir fark yarattigi gorulmustur.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new relationship that contemporary Turkish composers established with locality is discussed, based on the new relationship they established with local music, which became a significant debate topic since the establishment of Turkish Republic.
Abstract: This article is based on the new relationship that contemporary Turkish composers established with locality. Locality became a significant debate topic since the establishment of Turkish Republic. It has not been only a debate topic but also became a trend as a practice method. Developments in music encountered in Europe and America correspondingly influenced Turkish music. Local music has been music
TL;DR: In this article, Semerci et al. this article presented the YANDE (Ogretmen ve Ogretmen Adaylari Icin Yansitici Dusunme Egilim) (YANDE) project.
Abstract: Bu arastirmanin temel amaci, ilkogretim matematik ve sinif ogretmenligi ogretmen adaylarinin yansitici dusunme egilim duzeylerini belirlemek; bu duzeylere cinsiyet ve bolum degiskenlerinin etkisini incelemektir. Arastirma, tarama modeliyle yapilan bir calismadir. 250 sinif ogretmenligi ogretmen adayi, 315 ilkogretim matematik ogretmenligi ogretmen adayi olmak uzere arastirmanin calisma grubunu toplam 565 ogretmen adayi olusturmustur. Veriler kisisel bilgi formu ve Semerci(2007) tarafindan gelistirilen “Ogretmen ve Ogretmen Adaylari Icin Yansitici Dusunme Egilim (YANDE)” olcegi yardimiyla toplanmistir. Elde edilen sonuclara gore hem sinif hem de ilkogretim matematik ogretmen adaylarinin yansitici dusunme egilim duzeyleri cok yuksek bulunmustur. Kadin ogretmen adaylarinin yansitici dusune egilim duzeyleri cok yuksek, erkek ogretmen adaylarinin ise yuksek bulunmustur. Yansitici dusunme egilim duzeyleri uzerinde cinsiyet ve bolum degiskenlerinin ortak etkisinin olmadigi belirlenmistir.