Showing papers on "Coursework published in 1997"

Coursework Selection: Relations to Academic Self-Concept and Achievement

Abstract: Theoretical models posit that self-concept as well as prior accomplishments influence choice behavior. Structural equation models were used to examine the paths from school grades and self-concept to subsequent coursework selection (N = 246). Paths from self-concept to wanting to take a particular subject and, to a lesser extent, actually taking it were significant, but school grades did not contribute consistently beyond the effects of self-concept. When general academic self-concept (GASC) was added to these models, paths from GASC to coursework selection were negative, and paths from the specific components of self-concept increased; a positive self-concept in a specific school subject contributes even more to selection of that subject if self-concepts in other school subjects are lower. The major results were consistent across Years 8 and 10 and reasonably consistent across nine school subjects. The finding that specific components of self-concept are more strongly related to subsequent course selecti...

Concerns and Perceptions of Beginning Secondary Science and Mathematics Teachers.

Abstract: This study is an exploratory research project to: (1) identify the concerns that beginning science and mathematics teachers have about being a new teacher; and (2) identify the perceptions that these teachers have about the effectiveness of their preservice program in relation to their concerns. Program, in this context, is defined as pedagogy coursework, content coursework, and undergraduate experiences relevant to teaching. The participants for this study consisted of 11 beginning (less than 2 years experience) secondary and middle school science (n = 8) and mathematics (n = 4; dual assignment) teachers who were involved in the Salish Project at Purdue University during the 1993–1994 school year. The national Salish Project, in which Purdue University is a participant, is a research project designed to study secondary science and mathematics preservice programs across the nation. The primary data sources for the study were telephone interviews using an interview guide. The interview guide consisted of four questions that asked about the school community, what was learned by the participants during their first year of teaching, advice that the participants would like to give to new teachers, and how well the preservice program prepared them for their first year of teaching. The interview transcripts were analyzed using a cross-case inductive analysis based from a phenomenological perspective. The new teacher concerns that emerged were: class assignments, curriculum development, time management, classroom management, and presentation of the content. Curriculum development, class assignments, and presentation of content have significant implications for the secondary science and mathematics preservice program. The perceptions that emerged about the preservice program were: content course work is too specific; some of the pedagogical coursework has limited usefulness; there is a need for more field experiences; and being an undergraduate teaching assistant eases the transition in becoming a teacher. All four of these perceptions have implications for the improvement of a secondary science preservice program. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed 81:29–50, 1997.

A Longitudinal Test of a Model of Academic Success for At–Risk High School Students

Abstract: Whereas previous researchers have described at–risk students' deficiencies, in the present study their academic success was investigated. Longitudinal data from 8,100 high school students participating in a national study were used to test a model of at–risk students' school learning. The results indicated that ability, quality of schooling, student motivation, and academic coursework are important predictors of academic achievement. Although the present findings indicate that student motivation may have a stronger impact on at–risk students' achievement than on the achievement of high school students in general, overall school learning influences appear very similar to those found for high school students in general.

Academic effects of providing peer support in general education classrooms on students without disabilities

Abstract: We studied the academic effects on peers without disabilities of serving as peer supports for students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Three peers were studied using a range of indicators, including academic engagement, coursework performance, and social validity assessments. Peers assisting a student with disabilities via curricular adaptation, assignment completion, and social facilitation constituted the multicomponent independent variable. We used withdrawal or multiple baseline designs to demonstrate positive benefits for peers for all measures used. In addition, follow-up data for 2 peers indicated that the positive changes associated with serving as a peer support were maintained for up to 2 months. Our results are discussed in relation to the possible academic and social effects of providing peer supports in general education classrooms for students with and without disabilities.

Long-Term PDS Development in Research Universities and the Clinicalization of Teacher Education

Abstract: In the past decade, educational reformers have created professional development schools (PDSs) similar to those the Holmes Group (1986) and the Carnegie Forum (1986) advocated. PDSs aims are now commonplace: provide exemplary education for preservice teachers, support continuing professional development of experienced teachers, and involve schools and universities in collaborative research. Underpinning this work is the assumption that school reform and the reform of teacher education require simultaneous renewal (Goodlad, 1994, p. 236). Collaboration should transform the school and university cultures (Case, Norlander, & Reagan, 1993; Stoddart, 1993) and result in improved teacher education and increased learning in schools. For this reason, Robinson and Darling-Hammond (1994) conclude, PDSs are much more than a fashionable new idea. They are an imperative of professional responsibility in education (p. 217). Creating PDSs has resulted in new staffing patterns. In research-oriented universities, clinical faculty are assuming increasingly important roles in teacher education (Fullan, Galluzzo, Morris, & Watson, 1996). The place and role of non-tenure-track faculty undoubtedly will expand as programs increase and enrich connections between schools and universities. The American Association of University Professors has expressed concern that increased use of non-tenure-line faculty for university instruction will result in lower educational quality (American Association of University Professors, Committee G, 1993). However, the most recent Holmes Group report (1995) argues that clinical faculty should form a living bridge between campus and practice as they share with colleagues on campus responsibilities associated with the Professional Development School agenda and with the development and operation of professional studies programs. Differentiated roles will be developed, where faculty having their tenure with the schools collaborate with faculty tenured with the university in making significant contributions to programs of teaching and inquiry (p. 62). The Department of Educational Studies at the University of Utah is experimenting with a variety of staffing patterns that include clinical faculty (Ellsworth & Albers, 1995; Fullan et al., 1996). The department, centrally responsible for secondary and elementary school certification programs, is large and diverse, combining undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs and specialty areas in teaching and learning strategies; and cultural, critical, and curriculum studies. Members of the department have been involved in PDS-related work since the late 1970s (Nutting, 1982). We conducted a study of seven current and former PDS sites and interviewed more than 60 informants to identify program strengths, weaknesses, and issues requiring attention (Bullough, Kauchak, Crow, Hobbs, & Stokes, 1996). The place of clinical faculty in teacher education emerged as a critical issue, resulting in a second, descriptive case study (Yin, 1989), which we report in this article. In this article, we explore through the eyes of clinical, non-tenure-track, and tenure-line university faculty the increased use of clinical faculty in teacher education programs, a shift resulting in what we call the clinicalization of teacher education. Four sections follow. First, we present a brief institutional history of our PDS work and the staffing patterns that evolved. Second, we describe the study. Third, we present themes emerging from our data. Finally, we consider implications of our findings for future PDS development. PDS: A Brief History In the late 1970s, University of Utah faculty and staff, anticipating PDSs, created elementary Professional Development Centers (PDCs) as sites for pre- and inservice teacher education and research (Nutting, 1982). In the late 1980s, the Department of Educational Studies restructured elementary and secondary teacher preparation programs to include extensive field components and extended coursework and was thus in a strong position to respond to the Holmes Group (1986) agenda to establish Professional Development Schools, despite no external funding. …

Flexible coursework delivery to Australian postgraduates: How effective is the teaching and learning?

Abstract: The educational implications of non-traditional delivery methods atpostgraduate level are not yet well understood. A major question is whetheradvantages of access and flexibility are accompanied by trade-offs inlearning experiences and outcomes. In this paper we address the effectivenessof delivery methods currently used in postgraduate coursework programs inAustralia. We draw heavily on a national study of flexible delivery methodsin postgraduate education, conducted in 1995. Following a nation-wide survey, we investigated the effects of deliverytechnologies on learning and teaching in seven postgraduate courses.Information was collected, mostly by taped interview, from staff andstudents, and also from course documentation. We present here a typology,based on teaching and learning characteristics, by which we found it usefulto group delivery methods. We identify and discuss four major issuesconcerning the effects of these delivery methods on learning and on teaching,under the headi ngs learner control of learning, interaction and socialexchange, teachers as supporters of student learning and feedback inteaching. As well, we report, according to the typology, the effects ofspecific technologies on teaching and learning. We conclude that on the score of encouraging intellectual independencemany non-traditional delivery methods are fairly robust – on managingcomplexity or uncertainty and encouraging a lively critical inquiry, theyfare less well. From what we have seen, the most effective strategies atpostgraduate level use integrated delivery approaches to create flexiblelearning environments with premiums on individual time management andpractical application of learning. Considerably more detailed evaluation ofthe resulting learning outcomes is needed.

Towards a reconceptualisation of the doctorate: Issues arising from comparative data relating to the EdD degree in Australia

Abstract: The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Australia has burgeoned to the extent that in the 1990s more than half of Australian universities have introduced the award and more than 550 students have enrolled. A survey of EdD provision found that, although literature provided by universities indicated that the awards were professional in orientation, the structures of the awards were typically academic: coursework plus thesis with the majority being one-third coursework. The nature of the awards was likely to be academic in the majority of cases. Questions raised by these findings underpinned the rethinking of the nature of professional doctorates via an argument that placed the context of the professional as central, with the culture of academia being less central. The reconceptualisation is explored further through a consideration of policy issues including the nature of programmes and the relations between academics and professionals.

Coursework Assessment, Class Size and Student Performance: 1984‐94

Abstract: Student grades in higher education (HE) have improved markedly over the past decade. However, resources have also declined, student — staff ratios have worsened, class sizes have increased and there is known to be a negative relationship between class size and performance so there is understandable scepticism about the interpretation that standards have improved. The spotlight has inevitably fallen on how assessment is being undertaken. The largest single change in assessment in the past decade has been a marked increase in the proportion of coursework — assignments during modules which are marked — contributing to degree results. A study of assessment on a large modular degree programme was undertaken. It was found that modules with a high proportion of coursework assessment produced higher average module marks than those with a high proportion of assessment by examinations, and that subject areas which used more coursework assessment also produced higher average marks. An increase in average st...

Educational Law: A Requisite Course for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education Programs.

Abstract: Today's schools function in a complex legal environment. A wide range of legal issues influence the lives of teachers, students, parents, and administrators (Fischer, Schimmel, & Kelly, 1995). Some legal decisions, such as how local education will be financed or where the next new school building will be located, relate to general control of the school curriculum. Other decisions deal with issues of classroom teachers' authority as they perform duties required by their job assignments (Nolte, 1983). Recent court proceedings reflect an increase in settlements related to educational matters (Hartmeister, 1995). The National Education Association (NEA) reports approximately 14,500 teacher employment disputes in 1992-1993, resulting in expenditures of $24,650,000 by the organization's legal fund (Patterson & Rossow, 1996). NEA figures do not include tort claims. Applying a finding by Underwood and Noffke (cited in Pell, 1994) that 42.5% of all education cases involve employee issues to the information supplied by the NEA, we extrapolate that in 1992-1993, teachers and their districts were involved in at least 27,500 legal disputes in such matters as employee relations, negligence, special education, and discipline practices (p. 38). Focus of this Study Society is becoming more legally complex. To be more responsive to society and to better serve children's interests, future teachers require a firm understanding of the law related to children (Sametz, 1983). In this article, we present information about the amount of educational law required by the various states during undergraduate and graduate preservice teacher certification programs. We describe Louisiana teachers' self-perception of knowledge of educational law gleaned from their preservice courses. We consider educational law concepts suggested for preservice teacher education by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and those suggested by the Teacher Certification Committee (1993) of the National Organization on Legal Problems of Education (NOLPE), a nonadvocacy group of education law attorneys, public and private school administrators, and college and university professors. Finally, we suggest recommendations affecting the emphasis on educational law for preservice and inservice teacher education. Research Methods We surveyed all 50 United States state teacher certification bureaus about whether they require an educational law course or the study of legal issues affecting teachers as part of required teacher education coursework prior to certification. We examined Louisiana teachers' perceptions of the educational law content in the teacher preparation programs they completed. We also report comments, concerns, and apprehensions relating to educational law and the classroom setting expressed by the participating educators. State data reflect findings from 480 participating teachers (of 800 teachers surveyed) working in 12 locations throughout Louisiana. We chose each school site for its proximity (within 30 miles of a college or university with undergraduate and graduate education programs). Schools representing varying organizational patterns and demographic regions of the state were chosen for the survey. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) of Louisiana mandates certification standards for subject matter areas in which an educator must exhibit competency to become certified as a teacher. Similar mandates exist for educators seeking administrative certification (Louisiana Department of Education, 1985). The Difficulty at Hand We see a problem, however, with the teacher certification model in Louisiana that prompted our research. Very little, if any, room exists within present certification standards for a course in educational law for undergraduate or graduate education programs. Currently, state certification standards require only those students seeking certification in administration and/or supervision to include at least one course in educational law. …

Against-the-Grain Teacher Education: A Study of Coursework, Field Experience, and Perspectives:

Abstract: Several teacher preparation programs foster a substantive and critical stance toward children's education (Clift, Houston, & Pugach, 1990; Feiman-Nemser, 1990; Grant & Secada, 1990; Novak, 1994; Tabachnick & Zeichner, 1991; Valli, 1992), what Cochran-Smith (1991, p. 279) refers to as learning to teach against the grain. Research on what happens in the classrooms and field experiences of these programs is rare. Teaching against the grain stems from and generates critical perspectives on the macrolevel relationships of power, labor, and ideology. Teaching against the grain is also deeply embedded in the culture and history of teaching in individual schools and biographies of teachers and their individual and collaborative efforts to alter curricula, question common practices, and resist inappropriate decisions. Feiman-Nemser (1990) notes that most of these teacher education programs combine a progressive social vision with critical reflection on schooling. Our purpose was to explore ways in which a group of elementary preservice student teachers experienced teacher education coursework and early field experiences designed to foster a commitment to teach in a socially and pedagogically progressive manner. We particularly investigated the against-the-grain perspectives that these students internalized at this point in their education. Methodology We used a methodology emphasizing the students' existential experiences (e.g., Erickson, 1986; Glaser & Strauss, 1975; Lincoln & Guba, 1985). This methodology combines a variety of data-gathering methods stressing interpretive field studies and analysis grounded in recorded data. The Setting The Master's Teacher Education Program (MTEP) is a graduate level, three-semester sequence of professional coursework and field experiences to foster understanding and commitment among prospective teachers to teach against the grain. Faculty with progressive educational perspectives were asked to work in the MTEP; however, the course titles and organization are similar to the conventional teacher education program. We collected data for this study during the semester prior to student teaching, during which the students took art education, language arts/reading education, and social studies education, and an early field experience/seminar. We focused on data collected from the social studies education class and the early field experience and seminar, the core of the semester's work. The course, Elementary Social Studies Curriculum, had three goals: empowering future teachers to alter conventional education, strengthening the link between progressive views of education and society and teaching children, and encouraging reflective analysis as an integral aspect of becoming a teacher (Adler & Goodman, 1986; Goodman, 1986). During the course, students developed and taught an original unit. Data Sources Following theoretical sampling guidelines (Glaser & Strauss, 1975) and using case history interviews, we selected 15 students as informants. We included students from diverse social and economic backgrounds and of different ages, races, and gender. They held a variety of ideologies about teaching, learning, children, and society. We collected additional, limited data from the MTEP instructors and used relevant print material as further data. In particular, we used students' final term papers, in which they articulated their philosophy of education and how this philosophy guided their practice. Data Collection We recorded interviews on audiotape and observations in field notes. The research team of the research director and three assistants observed students during each 3-hour session of the social studies education class, at least one session of their other courses, and in early field placements and related seminars. We used the following questions to guide initial observations: How is the university classroom and field placement organized? …

Integrated Teaching of Experimental and Communication Skills to Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Students

Abstract: The joint teaching of an undergraduate Experimental Projects Lab and a Communications Practicum is discussed. Written and oral assignments developed, shaped, and peer reviewed as part of the communications practicum, are used to satisfy the written and oral requirements for the experimental projects subject. The joint structure serves to educate students in a variety of aspects of professional practice including solving open-ended problems, system-level integration of disciplinary coursework, project development and planning, oral and written communication, peer review, and teamwork. The paper describes the unique features of this educational strategy, and represents a progress report following a three-year experimental implementation of the new course format. Assessment of the effectiveness of the courses is presented based on student evaluations and comments from the instructors. A high level of satisfaction with this new model is expressed, suggesting that both the quality of the research performed and the students' ability to transmit an understanding of that research to others have been enhanced.

Training Rural Educators in Kentucky through Distance Learning: A Model with Follow-up Data.

Abstract: The Training Rural Educators in Kentucky through Distance Learning (TREK-DL) project trains special education personnel in moderate/severe disabilities and early childhood special education. The components of the dynamic model include (a) satellite, compressed video, and on-site delivery systems; (b) support services from the university, state, and federal government ; and (c) various methods of team teaching. In addition to describing the model and the program content, this article discusses the results of a survey of the TREK-DL project students that was conducted to validate the effectiveness of the project and to refine the delivery of the project as it continues. Finally, implications are discussed that may pertain to other institutions of higher learning that are delivering coursework via distance learning technology.

Restructuring Schools To Be Math Friendly to Females

Abstract: Recent reports indicate that although girls enter school more math- ready than boys, many are outdistanced by mates in math achievement by the time they graduate. Why is this? What happens to girls as they go through school that puts them at a math disadvantage? How can we change schools so that the lifelong impact of mathematics coursework can work in girls' favor?

Projects that integrate engineering, physics, calculus, and English in the Arizona State University Foundation Coalition freshman program

Abstract: The Foundation Coalition at Arizona State University, USA, has been offering a novel first-year program in engineering for the last three years. This program integrates coursework in English composition and rhetoric, calculus, freshman physics and introductory engineering concepts through student projects. The projects increase in complexity as the term progresses, to keep pace with students' increasing knowledge of science and engineering. The purpose of this paper is to describe the projects, the process used to deliver them and their impact on the learning in this class.

Curriculum changes to meet challenges: preparing MFT students for managed care settings.

Abstract: Fledgling therapists who graduate from family therapy training programs will have to navigate the world of managed care. In this article, faculty of University of San Diego share changes in its accredited training program that prepare students for practice in an increasingly multidisciplinary world where health maintenance organizations and other versions of managed care predominate. The paper touches on contextual issues, provides a detailed outline of coursework presenting basic knowledge and skills involved in clinical practice in a managed care environment, and comments on clinical placements and the challenge of helping the next generation of clinicians "fit" into the future of health care delivery while maintaining their unique identity as family therapists.

Evolution of Higher Education

Abstract: Universities and colleges in the United States are encountering a turbulent climate. The quality of their future in many ways depends on how well they respond to evolving realities in the larger world beyond their walls. Ultimately the most significant change affecting universities may be the continuing revolution in information technology. Improved information technology has made possible new methods of education. A high-level[*][1] Kellogg Commission letter to the presidents and chancellors of state universities and land-grant colleges[†][2] included this comment: “…the number of profit and nonprofit competitors to the traditional higher education has exploded. Our institutions now contend with an enormous variety of educational vendors offering postsecondary coursework, training, degrees, diplomas, and courses of one kind or another….” The letter cited as an example the University of Phoenix, “a publicly traded, accredited, for-profit institution of higher education” that “provides distance-learning opportunities to more than 20,000 students annually.” The importance of information technology has been repeatedly emphasized by Donald Langenberg, chancellor of the University of Maryland system. The University of Maryland uses information technology internally and externally. A master of science degree in computer systems management is available on the Internet. Students from Minnesota, Australia, Texas, and Saudi Arabia are participating. A particularly attractive market for such innovative educational options is the large and growing portion of the population aged 25 and older who want or need to update their skills or expand their knowledge. Public universities have experienced financial problems as many state legislatures lowered their appropriations. Universities in general have increased tuitions faster than inflation. Partly as a result, parents are questioning the quality of the instruction provided. Opinion is widespread that the teaching of undergraduates has a low priority. The criticism and budget cuts directed at universities have created unease and a corresponding search for solutions. A number of commissions have been formed to do studies and make recommendations. They tend to agree that the status quo cannot be maintained. Change will not come easily. Customary practices regarding tenure decisions that have existed for decades have become entitlements. The rigid departmental structure has become outmoded. Many of the best opportunities for significant scholarship lie in multidisciplinary areas. Yet a comment in the Kellogg Commission letter is to the effect that society has problems; universities have departments. The prestige of the presidency of universities has diminished and, as a result, so has the ability of presidents to bring about needed change. The average length of time a president spends in office has declined. Currently, the principal criterion on which presidents are judged is their ability to garner big contributions from individuals, foundations, or the legislature. Thus, faculty members must initiate and cooperate actively in responding to the changed realities. A core recommendation of the Kellogg Commission is the creation of enhanced learning communities whose top priority is facilitating learning by students. Undergraduates would receive special attention. Professors would also be learners. The barriers between departments would be lowered. The criteria employed in decisions concerning tenure would place enhanced weight on the quality of teaching and on innovative scholarship in improving that quality. In seeking to attain a secure role for themselves in the future, universities have some advantages. They have generous alumni who remember their alma mater. And they provide parents of rebellious 18-year-olds a respectable way of getting their children out of the nest. Electronic communication may be the way of the future, but human dialogue conducted with friendly enthusiasm is to be treasured. If truly interacting learning communities were established, universities would be uniquely valuable. They would be alert custodians of the world's increasing heritage of knowledge. Their graduates would be better equipped for service to society and better motivated to engage in lifelong learning. Universities would merit the increased respect, approval, and financial support they so sorely need. [1]: #fn-1 [2]: #fn-2

The Value of Student Organizations and the Role of Faculty Advisers.

Abstract: The entire system of higher education has been undergoing considerable public scrutiny in the last several years, and questions about the priorities of universities in conjunction with funding pressures have caused institutions to look more closely at operating systems and assumptions. Out of all this re-examination, a strong call has emerged for re-emphasizing undergraduate education and for enhancing faculty-student interactions. This seems to be a particularly apt time to examine pubic relations education within this framework; this section of universities has received its own share of questions and concerns from public relations professionals. Indeed, some have argued that there should not be any public relations curriculum in universities, suggesting that a broad liberal arts degree would be preferable (Schwartz, Yarbrough, and Shakra, 1992). For those who do support public relations education, there seems to be broad agreement about the need for professional contact and hands-on experiences to be integrated as a key aspect of public relations curriculum (Schwartz, Yarbrough, and Shakra, 1992). This kind of professional interaction and hands-on experience may be approached in a variety of ways. Many universities have incorporated professional public relations experience into job descriptions for faculty (as a review of Spectra job listings over the last several years would indicate) in the hopes that the more practical aspects of the profession would be woven into courses (Hoskins, 1981). Many programs invite professional guest speakers into classes, workshops, conferences, and open lectures. Others build in projects that require students to conduct public relations work for clients as part of coursework. Many also offer internship programs that allow students to work in professional public relations environments. One option that has grown steadily is the presence of Public Relations Student Society of America chapters on campuses. This is an extra-curricular activity in the form of a student organization that offers a great opportunity to address concerns for higher education. This paper explores the research regarding the value of student organizations in general and PRSSA in particular, builds a case for supporting such activities and their advisers, and reports the results of a survey of PRSSA faculty advisers' perceptions. Recommendations for support are provided along with directions for future research. Student organizations Extra-curricular or co-curricular activities have long existed on college campuses, and, recently research has been conducted regarding their impact on education. The research that has been conducted offers consistent and strong support for the value of student organizations to both students and the universities that sponsor them. One key area of strength has been in the area of student retention. Evidence has come from a variety of sources that extracurricular activities, and specifically student organizations, play a central role in reducing dropouts and encouraging student retention (Tinto, 1987; Austin, 1975; Christie and Dinham, 1990; Noel, Levitz, Saluri, and Associates, 1985; Abrahamowicz, 1988; Billson and Terry, 1982; Lenning, Sauer, and Beal, 1980; Ramist, 1981). Much of this work argues that participation in such activities involves students more directly in college life (e.g., Austin, 1975) and that the social integration involved in these activities enhances student commitment to universities (e.g., Tinto, 1987; Christie and Dinham, 1990). Other research suggests that extracurricular activities in general, and student organizations in particular, have numerous benefits for student development beyond staying in school. The Report of the Study Group on Excellence in Higher Education (1984) called involvement the most important condition for improving undergraduate education, and noted that student organizations are a key way students become involved in education. …

Service-Learning and the Development of Expert Citizens.

Abstract: A research project used data from a national comparative study to examine whether service learning improved students' problem solving or contributed to a more complex understanding of social issues. In a pilot study, students with no, limited, and intensive service-learning experience were interviewed about a social problem and how they would solve it. When the interviews were analyzed for differences, a number of themes emerged. The students with extensive experience and well-integrated service learning tended to approach the social problems related to their service in a more complex and thorough way and were more likely to have well-developed strategies for citizenship action.than those with limited experience. In a more systematic study, an interview protocol was designed to allow students to analyze problems related to their service both before and after their service learning semester. Subjects were 55 college students from 6 colleges who were interviewed at the start and end of the spring semester of 1996, most of whom participated in either an intensive service-learning class where the service was integrated into the course or in a class where service was an option, and 12 students in classes with service options who did not choose the option. Expertise in social problem solving and community action resulted from service learning, and careful integration of service into the course rather than making it an option helped instructors design more effective community-based instruction. (Contains 13 references.) (YLB) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) C.fThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. "PER SION TO REPRODUCE THIS MAT L HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE E ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Service-Learning and the Development of Expert Citizens Janet Eyler, Dwight E. Giles, Jr. Vanderbilt University Susan Root, Alma College and Julianne Price Michigan State University Why Study Service-Learning? "Service, combined with learning, adds value to each and transforms both" (Honnet and Poulsen, 1989) This quote captures the core of widely held practitioner belief about what is unique in service-learning Learning improves the quality of service today and more importantly helps sustain it throughout a citizen's life; service transforms learning, changing inert knowledge to knowledge and competencies that students can use in their communities. And this practitioner wisdom about effective learning is consistent with a long tradition of experiential learning theory from Dewey to modern cognitive scientists. When students as part of their coursework perform community service, they have the opportunity to address authentic problems in the field and bring critical analysis to bear; service-learning encourages students to generate and answer real questions and helps them develop a nuanced understanding of issues in situational context. (Giles and Eyler, 1994; Anderson, 1989; Bransford ,1993; Bransford and Vye, 1989; Eyler and Halteman, 1981) This belief that service leads to better learning has led to a virtual explosion of servicelearning programs (O'Brien, 1993) While the political support for such programs has grown, there is very little empirical research to go along with the social and theoretical justifications for service-learning. The need to anchor programs in a knowledge base has led to a growing demand for research information about the effects of service-learning on cognitive outcomes. Most of the research that has been done focuses on the effects of service on attitudes and values. While there is some limited evidence that service can increase conventional classroom knowledge acquisition (Markus, Howard and King, 1993), most studies have not shown an impact on increased factual knowledge. There is growing evidence that the unique contribution of service is more likely to involve improvements in problem solving or more complex understanding of social issues. (Eyler and Giles, in press) This paper is based on data gathered as part of a national comparative study that seeks to fill this critical gap in the research literature. Using the theoretical perspective developed by cognitive scientists concerned with how 'experts' and 'novices' deal with ill structured problems this study will: 1. Compare problem solving strategies of students with extensive service experience and less extensive experience. 2. Identify changes in students' problem solving over the course of a semester in which they participated in a class with a community service component. 3. Compare changes in problem solving over the course of a semester between students who had intensive service-learning classes with well developed integration of service and subject matter with students who experienced their service-learning as an add on option to the class or who did not participate in a service option. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 Methods of the Study Pilot Study. In a pilot study , students with no service experience, limited service-learning experience and intensive service-learning experience were interviewed about a social problem and how they would solve it. When these interviews were analyzed for differences a number of themes emerged. The 'expert' or `benchmark' students with extensive experience and well integrated service-learning tended to approach the social problems related to their service in a more complex and thorough way than those who had limited experience; they were also more likely to have well developed strategies for citizenship action. Those with limited experience were more likely to jump to quick solutions and tended to form simplistic analyses; their suggestions for action were also simplistic such as suggestions that the problem of children performing poorly in school could be solved by " just telling their parents to pay more attention to them." (Eyler, Root and Giles, in press) These patterns were similar to those noted in the expert/novice literature about ill structured problems i.e. the type of problems faced by social scientists and those addressing community problems. In problem solving, experts devote significantly greater amounts of time to problem representation, while novices tend to jump to a quick solution. Once a problem is clearly described, experts tend to engage in "forward" or data-driven reasoning, considering the specifics of a problem and then generating a solution, while novices tend to engage in "backward reasoning," creating a hypothesis relatively early in problem solving and then seeking confirmatory evidence. Social science experts tend to adopt one of two heuristics for solving problems: problem decomposition, breaking the problem into manageable subproblems or problem conversion, transforming the problem into a familiar problem with a known solution. Their causal analysis is more complex. They tend to provide general solutions to problems, followed by solutions to subproblems which are integral to the overall solution. And these solutions are linked to the earlier problem diagnosis. Experts also generate solutions in which a large number of statements are devoted to "argument," i.e. justifications for the proposed solution. Finally, experts just know more about the problem and its context; they are able to formulate solutions based on their experience with similar problems and similar contexts and they are able to apply it in novel situations. (Voss et al., 1983; Swanson et al, 1990) Current Study .Because the pilot confirmed the relevance of expert/novice theory to the learning that might be expected in service-learning, a more systematic study was attempted. An interview protocol was designed to allow students to analyze problems related to their service both before and after their service-learning semester. Fifty five college students from 6 colleges were interviewed at the beginning and end of the spring semester of 1996. Most students were participants in either an intensive service-learning class where the service was integrated into the course or in a class where service was an 'add on' option less central to the day to day work of the class. e.g. one class studied public policy related to the health care crisis and AIDS and also participated in a spring break service trip, another class allowed students to choose to volunteer as tutors in lieu of another assignment. There were also 12 students who participated in classes with service options, but who did not choose this option. The interviews took about 50 minutes each and were audio taped and transcribed for analysis. Students also completed questionnaires about their service and servicelearning history. Interview protocols were analyzed using variables that emerged from the expert/novice literature and from the earlier pilot study. These included: problem finding; problem locus; solution locus; causal complexity; solution complexity; community solution strategy; and personal strategies for community action. Analysis was performed using hierarchical multiple linear regression using reflective integration as the primary predictor and controlling for age, gender, previous community service and previous participation in service-learning classes. A .05 level of significance was adopted although nearly all results were significant at .01 or more.

A Student's Guide to Studying Psychology

Abstract: Part 1 Introduction to psychology: what is psychology? perspectives within psychology the psychoanalytic perspective the biological perspective developmental psychology humanistic psychology the behaviourist perspective the cognitive perspective social psychology. Part 2 A study guide to lectures, seminars, and tutorials: practical classes contact time generally lectures seminars preparing for the seminar why bother with seminars? tutorials some final points about seminars and tutorials. Part 3 A guide to essay writing and referencing: stages in essay writing example of essay plan some important points about coursework essays a guide to writing style a guide to referencing, N. McLaughlin Cook citing sources in text, S. Thomas, K. Morgan direct quotations presentation of a reference section. Part 4 A guide to research methods and empirical research report writing: research methods - the quantitative/qualitative distinction, literature searching, sampling procedures, the experimental method, the quasi-experimental method, the non-experimental method, data, statistical analysis and causal inference, qualitative approaches ethics in research the empirical research report writing - structure of the report, the title, abstract, introduction, results, discussion, references, appendices. Part 5 After the degree - opportunities for a graduate of psychology: graduate status post- graduate training and research applied psychology clinical psychology educational psychology occupational/organizational psychology criminal/forensic psychology health psychology sports psychology other applications preparing your curriculum vitae CV. Appendices: example of a completed essay coursework critical evaluation of essay example of a practical write-up two examples of examination essays unseen exams.

Incorporation of Internet Databases into Pharmacotherapy Coursework

Abstract: The Internet is an international computer network that allows communication among institutions and individuals. The World-Wide Web (WWW) is the name of the system developed to facilitate the exploration and retrieval of information on the Internet. The availability of the WWW to access the Internet appears to be a major advance in communication and information technology. The purpose of this project was to assess and enhance student ability to access appropriate pharmacotherapy data using the Internet and to evaluate selected Internet sites as resources for our Pharmacotherapy of Neoplastic Diseases course. Students were assigned activities that required the use of Internet databases. The project evaluation administered at the conclusion of the course asked students to characterize their prior experience with the Internet and to respond to evaluative statements about the Internet assignments. These responses revealed that the class had very limited exposure to Internet sites dealing with biomedical sciences prior to this class. In addition, students consistently rated Internet assignments as positive learning experiences. Continued incorporation of Internet assignments into the curriculum of this course is planned.

Utilizing a Problem-Based Approach on the World Wide Web.

Abstract: In 1997, Southwest Missouri State University faculty tried delivering coursework via the Internet. The first step in the process was to assess the medical model of problem-based learning for its adaptability to use on the Internet. The faculty determined that problems could be developed, put on the Internet, and monitored without denigrating the educational process. The next step was to find the right type of course and develop appropriate mechanisms for inquiry. The choice was an upper level curriculum course dealing with administration, development, and evaluation of a school district's curriculum. The course was flexible, with process generally more important than content. The next step was problem development. Faculty generated research-based problems using expected student outcomes from the course syllabus. The next step was developing structures or embedded parameters and using them to give some direction to students without tarnishing the problem-based delivery model. The final component was monitoring student progress and providing Socratic questioning, often via e-mail, fax, teleconferencing, and telephone. Project evaluation included exit interviews, surveys, participant debriefing, and comparison of examination scores with scores from a control group. Results indicated that experimental group members' scores compared favorably with those of the control group. Participants had positive feelings about course methodology. (SM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************************

Ethnic diversification in clinical psychology graduate training.

Abstract: Thirty-eight directors and 334 advanced graduate students from clinical psychology programs completed a survey on ethnic minority training offered in clinical doctoral programs. Comparisons were made between directors' and students' ratings on the following variables: students' level of interest in ethnic minority training, the importance of this training, and the effectiveness of the clinical programs' minority-related education. Minority and nonminority students' responses were also compared on these variables. Supplementary data were collected on ethnic minority education in coursework, research, and clinical practica. Findings indicate that students, relative to clinical directors, assign more importance to ethnic minority training and lower efficacy ratings to their programs' ethnic minority education. The results also suggest that minority students feel more strongly about the value of ethnic minority training than do their nonminority peers and the directors. The implications of these results are discussed, and recommendations are made to address identified problems.

Gerontological training in apa accredited clinical and counseling psychology programs

Abstract: Clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs accredited by the American Psychological Association were surveyed to assess their coverage of gerontological issues. Responses from 103 programs (50.2% return rate) revealed that all departments offered some curricular coverage of these issues and that 64% of the departments offered specific coursework in aging or adult development. Other opportunities for students included work at gerontology centers, certificate programs, and departmental faculty with specializations in gerontology. On the other hand, aging specializations, postdoctoral and re‐specialization opportunities were extremely limited, and a relatively low number of students had obtained clinical or research experience with this population. The responding programs reported a perceived low level of need to incorporate additional training in gerontological issues and also reported a low level of current incorporation of such training. Although progress has been made in attending to gerontolog...

Students’ Perceptions of Coursework in the GCSE: the effects of gender and levels of attainment

Abstract: Summary Summary Coursework is an integral part of the GCSE framework, valued for its motivational qualities and its curricular validity. It is a common perception, widely reported in the national press and educational media, that coursework can be held at least partly accountable for differential performances at GCSE; coursework, it is argued, advantages girls. This article reports on an analysis of data arising from a project which offered an opportunity to study current and post-GCSE students’ perceptions of coursework. The outcomes indicate that, when categorised by their relative levels of attainment, girls’ and boys’ perceptions show limited evidence of homogeneity. In other words, to suggest that girls’ and boys’ perceptions of coursework are a function of gender is a gross over-simplification. Other factors are at play and further, more specific and tailored research is essential if we are to understand how best to optimise the benefits that are claimed for coursework.

Coursework Masters Degrees and Quality Assurance: implicit and explicit factors at programme level

Abstract: The contemporary Australian postgraduate context is an elaborate setting in which to consider the nature of quality assurance in higher education. The masters degree, in particular, has been marked over the past decade by rapid growth in student numbers, the gradual dominance of coursework delivery, and diversity in course goals and structure. Through case study research of ten coursework masters programmes an attempt was made to identify the individual factors that are contributors to course quality. The policies and activities that academic staff associate with course quality and quality assurance are reported and analysed. A dividing line can be drawn between explicit institutional quality assurance, as formulated in policy, and the implicit perceptions and actions of staff. It is argued that the design of effective quality assurance at programme level requires a better appreciation and accommodation of both.

Growth, Standards and Quality: the case of coursework master's degrees

Abstract: Taught master's degrees are a growth area in the English‐speaking world. This article documents that and, in the process, shows something of the diversity of programmes. While there are strengths in diversity, diversity can also be a source of problems for educational consumers, problems that are compounded by tacit, uneven notions of the standards that define master's level achievement. Nor do commonly‐followed approaches to the promotion of quality in higher education sit well with consumers’ interests, particularly given pressures on academics that are associated with the casualisation and intensification of their work. The conclusions are that a better research base would be helpful to all concerned; that attempts to make clearer what programmes offer have some value; and that disciplinary networks have some power to clarify standards and quality in coursework master's programmes.

EdTech Does It Online at Pepperdine University.

Abstract: As a middle-aged educational professional you've decided to finally pursue that dream of an advanced degree. But you have a job and other responsibilities and you can't move near the university that offers you the best program for your interests (not to mention the best financial package!). Does this mean you can't pursue those dreams? Today, technology is bringing changes to the university campus that do allow you to pursue these dreams. The "virtual university" is here and with it has come a new concept of how professional development and life-long learning might be delivered. But in the process of changing how universities offer programs to the life-long learner we have to learn how to best use the technology, rather than simply placing it into existing models of university education, or even of today's concept of distance learning. * What Will a Virtual University Look Like? The words "virtual university" imply the concept of a learning "campus" without walls or physical spaces where students may never meet each other face to face. But John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid respond: "We ... doubt that the university will dissolve into cyberspace so easily."[1] Technology does offer appealing alternatives for providing life-long learning opportunities to those for whom a traditional university setting does not work. University administrators, as Brown and Duguid say, are being pushed by the attractiveness of low-cost, technologically mediated teaching "in the direction of maximum distance, minimum cost, and a virtual university."[1] But perhaps neither "virtual" nor "university" are the right models for what students need. Sherry Turkle talks about liminality in Life on the Screen.[2] This concept, first introduced by the anthropologist Victor Turner, means a moment when things are betwixt and between. Turkle says that today's liminality may not be temporary. We will move among and between many models of learning, exploring those most appropriate for the time, the learner and the technology. Brown and Duguid, as well as Chris Dede, suggest we are shifting from the knowledge delivery model used in both traditional learning and in today's distance learning models, to the creation of distributed learning communities. However, unless approached thoughtfully, Brown and Duguid argue, universities "risk making inaccessible all the valuable insights into communities that students previously gathered by default." "To succeed, distributed learning must balance virtual and direct interaction in sustaining communion among people," says Chris Dede. "A relationship based only on telephone conversation lacks the vibrancy that face-to-face interchange provides. Similarly while digital video will broaden the bandwidth of virtual interactions on information infrastructures, teleconferencing will never completely substitute for direct personal contact. We can expect a variety of social inventions to emerge that provide the best of both worlds."[3] * Pepperdine University's Transition Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology, in the fall of 1995, began offering a doctoral program in Educational Technology.[4] This innovative program combines face-to-face sessions with online communication in a manner uniquely suited to the mid-career professional. Face-to-face sessions are held three times during a trimester, primarily on weekends. One week of class is held on weeknights per trimester. The remaining required hours are spent in online meetings. One group of students is admitted per year and that track follows a prescribed sequence of coursework over a two-year period. Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology is located in Culver City, California. In the past, students in the education doctoral program resided primarily in the Los Angeles basin. In its first year, the Educational Technology doctoral program attracted students from as far away as Vanderhoof, British Columbia. …