Showing papers on "Coursework published in 1978"

A study of the relationship between some of the cognitive and contextual factors in student learning.

Abstract: The study of the phenomenon of learning has attracted psychologists and educationalists for many years as an interesting and challenging problem. Learning as it is practised at the level of higher education has been less widely investigated, however. At this level it is a highly complex cognitive activity that does not easily reduce to well-defined experimental learning situations. For this reason, the thesis takes a holistic approach to the study of learning which sees learning as an activity which is related both to the subject-matter content of a learning situation and to the contextual factors that surround it. The study is based on previous research work within each of these areas, in an attempt to define the important factors that influence a student's approach to his study, and to establish the nature of the relationships between them. The research methods used have in part replicated previous research, and in part extended the application of these methods from experimental learning situations to real learning situations, i. e. to learning tasks that students engage in as part of their academic coursework. By considering a series of case studies of students working on several different learning tasks, it is possible to show that a student's approach to a task depends to some extent on his perception of that task, and on his perceptions of the circumstances within which he is doing it. The students are not easily categorised as adopting one particular learning style consistently, instead they are responsive to the conditions of the particular task in determining the form of their approach. This is the argument of the thesis: that student learning styles are both content-and context-dependent.

An Exploratory Investigation of Student Perceptions of Computer Simulation as an Educational Tool

Abstract: " The general literature which covers the teaching of various business administration courses is being increasingly comprised of explanations and instructions relative to the utilization of computer simulations, strategic games and optimization techniques. The number of readily available simulation devices is multiplying on an hourly basis as text publishers, professional associations and others venture forth with their individual contributions to this specific aspect of the educational process. At times it seems that the techniques of computer simulation have become the present day successors to the case approach which assumed ubiquitous proportions just a few years ago. At that time, and in some places still, no self respecting professor of business would, or for that matter in a professional sense could, admit the use of cases and case analysis was not a part of his or her coursework. As a result of such a wholehearted adoption of this particular academic technique there were the inevitable problems of over use and inappropriate use. Thus it was not uncommon to find college students with little or no background in a particular subject embarking on attempts to analyze cases of varying degrees of complexity. The inevitable result of such a policy is that an otherwise highly useful pedagogical tool becomes little more than a futile exercise in shared ignorance. In summation, the problem of the overuse of the case approach was attributed in some degree to a headlong rush into the technique with almost no concomitant efforts to evaluate either the general effectiveness of such devices or the true impact of the use on the learning process in general and on the students in particular. Thus it is in this spirit of exploration that the authors of this paper have undertaken to add in some small degree to what appears to be a general lack of investigation as to the academic impact of the use of simulation techniques in the typical college classroom. We share a common concern that those of us who are interested in computer simulation are frequently somewhat mesmerized by the descriptions of the programs and what they are ostensibly designed to accomplish and thus tend to neglect an equally important dimension of our responsibility; namely, what do the students think and how do they react to the use of simulations in classroom. "

A Case for Skills Training

Abstract: Being an additional empirical demonstration that supervised practice in counseling is needed beyond didactic coursework.

Required Preparation in Reading for Secondary Teachers

Abstract: In Fall, 1977, a survey was conducted on requirements for secondary teachers in the area of reading instruction. Information from state certifying agencies show a majority of states have some requirements. The results of the survey, when compared to results of two earlier surveys, show increasing interest in secondary reading. REQUIRED PREPARATION IN READING FOR SECONDARY TEACHERS Walter J. Lamberg UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Introduction In Fall, 1977, a survey was conducted on requirements for secondary teachers in the area of reading instruction. Information from state cer tifying agencies show a majority of states have some requirements. The results of the survey, when compared to results of two earlier surveys, show increasing interest in secondary reading. The Survey As the Undergraduate Adviser for Secondary English and Reading, I was interested in the nature and extent of required preparation in in struction in reading. Officials responsible for teacher certification in all states and the District of Columbia were sent a questionnaire. The following information was requested: (1) whether or not there were requirements, (2) the number of required hours of course work, (3) the "content" of required courses, and (4) whether or not there was a move to establish requirements, in the event no requirements were in effect. All agencies responded. Six substituted or added statements from their offices which detailed requirements; the rest returned the completed questionnaire. Results Of the 51 agencies, 30 had some kind of requirement, as reported in Table I. Twenty-three required 3 or more hours of course work. Three hours were the minimum required (by 15 states); 12 was the maximum. Seven agencies had an unspecified number of hours. Two agencies required a demonstration of knowledge or competence, but did not require course work. Twenty-one agencies had requirements for all secondary teachers. Five had requirements only for secondary English teachers; 3, only for Secon dary Reading teachers. One state indicated that only some (unspecified) teacher education programs had requirements. Agencies were asked to indicate which of the following areas of reading were required: (1) content-area (i.e., reading directly related to subjectareas, such as English, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics); (2) developmental reading (development of general areas of comprehension, vocabulary, and flexibility; not necessarily directly related to subjects); (3) remedial (for students with reading difficulties); and (4) beginning (for students unable to read). Four agencies required coursework which covered all four areas of reading. One state required the first three areas. Four required content-area and developmental reading. Eight required only I

The Effect of Prior Information on Attitude Change

Abstract: An 18 month longitudinal study tested the assumption that the amount of prior political information influences the degree of ideological attitude change under conditions of exposure to counterattitudinal presentations. Male and female college students (n = 97) served as Ss, and the study was conceived as a natural experiment in which the attitudes of beginning freshmen were exposed to the questioning and challenge of college coursework. Results indicated that well and moderately informed students changed their political orientation less than poorly informed students.

Field Coursework Stresses Social Science Methods.

Abstract: s o c i a l science methodology in the field can be combined with journalism studies to provide another dimension of practical learning for news-editorial and public relations students. Although journalism internships provide students with much of what they need in professional orientation and experience, internships seldom give them intensive practice in the use of social science methods. Such practice can prove invaluable to any student, particularly those concerned with journalism’s role in solving community problems. I’ve attempted the social science/journalism field work approach in two courses, with gratifying success. Central to the approach are three major requirements: (1) Every field work project must have a media relationship, with the project developing to a significant degree each student’s sense of profession; (2) Both the need and opportunity must exist for working with social research data; (3) There must be a promise of service, via a final project report, to some group or agency, public or private. Involved in the approach are: (1) intensive preparation in the classroom and library (with some computer sessions) before the discussions of projects begin, and (2) the willingness of the teacher to give students considerable independent work and to spend much time in individual sessions dealing with such research rudiments as content analysis, descriptive survey and simple experimental method. By mid-semester, students should have completed their own trial proposals for field work projects. During the second half of the semester, the classroom becomes “home office”

Meeting mutual needs: Staffing through student interns

Abstract: Agencies and organizations involved in community development activities continually need additional staff members to meet growing backlogs of projects and problems. Concurrently, colleges and universities around the country have developed programs in experiential education. Through it students are provided with off‐campus learning experiences that help integrate theoretical coursework with practical application. The service‐learning nature of these internships provides an excellent opportunity for community development organizations to meet their staffing needs while simultaneously providing students career experiences. Although academic internship programs exist throughout the nation's college campuses, they are both difficult to locate and frustrating to use.