Showing papers on "Curriculum published in 2000"

The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture

Abstract: of assessments used to give grades or to satisfy the accountability demands of an external authority, but rather the kind of assessment that can be used as a part of instruction to support and enhance learning. On this topic, I am especially interested in engaging the very large number of educational researchers who participate, in one way or another, in teacher education. The transformation of assessment practices cannot be accomplished in separate tests and measurement courses, but rather should be a central concern in teaching methods courses. The article is organized in three parts. I present, first, an historical framework highlighting the key tenets of social efficiency curricula, behaviorist learning theories, and "scientific measurement." Next, I offer a contrasting socialconstructivist conceptual framework that blends key ideas from cognitive, constructivist, and sociocultural theories. In the third part, I elaborate on the ways that assessment practices should change to be consistent with and support socialconstructivist pedagogy. The impetus for my development of an historical framework was the observation by Beth Graue (1993) that "assessment and instruction are often conceived as curiously separate in both time and purpose" (p. 291, emphasis added). As Graue notes, the measurement approach to classroom assessment, "exemplified by standardized tests and teacher-made emulations of those tests," presents a barrier to the implementation of more constructivist approaches to instruction. To understand the origins of Graue's picture of separation and to help explain its continuing power over presentday practice, I drew the chronology in Figure 1. A longerterm span of history helps us see that those measurement perspectives, now felt to be incompatible with instruction, came from an earlier, highly consistent theoretical framework (on the left) in which conceptions of "scientific measurement" were closely aligned with traditional curricula and beliefs about learning. To the right is an emergent, constructivist paradigm in which teachers' close assessment of students' understandings, feedback from peers, and student self-assessments would be a central part of the social processes that mediate the development of intellectual abilities, construction of knowledge, and formation of students' identities. The best way to understand dissonant current practices, shown in the middle of the figure, is to realize that instruction (at least in its ideal form) is drawn from the emergent paradigm, while testing is held over from the past. Historical Perspectives: Curriculum, Psychology, and Measurement

From Preparation to Practice: Designing a Continuum to Strengthen and Sustain Teaching

Abstract: This paper was written to stimulate discussions and debate about what a professional learning continuum from initial preparation through the early years of teaching could be like. Drawing on a broad base of literature, the author proposes a framework for thinking about a curriculum for teacher learning over time. The paper also considers the fit (or misfit) between conventional approaches to teacher preparation, induction and professional development and the challenges of learning to teach in reform-minded ways and offers examples of promising programs and practices at each of these stages. The paper is organized around three questions: (a) What are the central tasks of teacher preparation, new teacher induction, and early professional development? (b) How well do conventional arrangements address these central tasks? (c) What are some promising programs and practices at each stage in the learning to teach continuum that promote standards-based teaching and enable teachers to become active participants in school reform?

Eager to learn : educating our preschoolers

Abstract: Executive Summary Context of the Report and Committee Charge New Understandings of Early Childhood Development and Pedagogy Variation Among Children Quality in Education and Care Features of Quality Programs Curriculum and Pedagogy Assessment in Early Childhood Education Recommendations Future Research Needs Conclusions Introduction What Does the Science of Learning Contribute Toearly Childhood Pedagogy? The Importance of Individual and Cultural Variations Preschool Program Quality Curriculum and Pedagogy: The What and How of Earlychildhood Professionals The Preparation of Early Childhood Professionals Program and Practices Standards Conclusions and Recommendations Appendix A Scientific Evidence Appendix B Biographical Sketches Index

Toward a Theory of Anti-Oppressive Education

Abstract: This article reviews the developing literature on anti-oppressive education (i.e., education that works against various forms of oppression) by summarizing and critiquing the four primary approaches that educational researchers have taken in conceptualizing (1) the nature of oppression and (2) the curricula, pedagogies, and policies needed to bring about change. These four approaches to anti-oppressive education are Education for the Other, Education About the Other, Education that Is Critical of Privileging and Othering, and Education that Changes Students and Society. Engaging in anti-oppressive education requires not only. using an amalgam of these four approaches. In order to address the multiplicity and situatedness of oppression and the complexities of teaching and learning educators also constantly need to "look beyond" the field of educational research to explore the possibilities of theories that remain marginalized, including post-structuralist and psychoanalytic perspectives. This article concl...

Instructional Policy and Classroom Performance: The Mathematics Reform in California

Abstract: Educational reformers increasingly seek to manipulate policies regarding assessment, curriculum, and professional development in order to improve instruction. They assume that manipulating these elements of instructional policy will change teachers’ practice, which will then improve student performance. We formalize these ideas into a rudimentary model of the relations among instructional policy, teaching, and learning. We propose that successful instructional policies are themselves instructional in nature: because teachers figure as a key connection between policy and practice, their opportunities to learn about and from policy are a crucial influence both on their practice and, at least indirectly, on student achievement. Using data from a 1994 survey of California elementary school teachers and 1994 student California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) scores, we examine the influence of assessment, curriculum, and professional development on teacher practice and student achievement. Our results bear out the usefulness of the model: under circumstances that we identify, policy can affect practice, and both can affect student performance.

SuperVision and Instructional Leadership: A Developmental Approach

Abstract: All chapters conclude with â Exercises,â â References,â and â Suggested Readings.â I. INTRODUCTION. 1. SuperVision for Successful Schools. SuperVision: A New Name for a New Paradigm. Supervisory Glue as a Metaphor for Success. Who Is Responsible for SuperVision? Organization of This Book. Supervision and Moral Purpose. Practitioner Reflection: When is Collegiality Real? II. KNOWLEDGE. 2. The Norm: Why Schools Are as They Are. The Work Environment or Culture of Schools. The Legacy of the One-Room Schoolhouse. Blaming the Victim and Structural Strain. Viewing School Culture in the Context of the Larger Culture. To Qualify, Summarize, and Propose. 3. The Exception: What Schools Can Be. Background to School Effectiveness Studies. Early Effective Schools Research. The Second Wave of Effective Schools Research. Context Studies in Effective Schools Research. Has Effective Schools Research Outlived Its Usefulness? The Legacy of Effective Schools Research. From Effective Schools to School Improvement. A Cause Beyond Oneself. Connecting School Improvement to the Local Community and Larger Society. What to Do with Successful Schools Research: Some Propositions. 4. Adult and Teacher Development within the Context of the School: Clues for Supervisory Practice. Adults as Learners. Adult and Teacher Development. Developmental Theories of Motivation and Teacher Development. Development: Ebb and Flow. Propositions. 5. Reflections on Schools, Teaching, and Supervision. Effective Teaching Research: A Historical Perspective. Cautions Concerning Effective Teaching Research. The Coast of Britain. Effective and Good Schools: The Same? Changing Views: New Emphasis on Constructivist Teaching and Learning. Instructional Improvement and Effective Teaching. Beliefs about Education. Supervision Beliefs. Supervisory Platform as Related to Educational Philosophy. Checking Your Own Educational Philosophy and Supervisory Beliefs. What Does Your Belief Mean in Terms of Supervisor and Teacher Responsibility? The Authors' Supervisory Platform. Summary, Conclusions, and Propositions. III. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. 6. Supervisory Behavior Continuum: Know Thyself. Outcomes of Conference. Valid Assessment of Self. Johari Window. Cognitive Dissonance. Comparing Self-Perceptions with Other Perceptions. Summary, Conclusions, and Preview. 7. Developmental Supervision: An Introduction. Case Study One. Case Study Two. Case Study Three. Case Study Four. Developmental Supervision. Summary and a Look Ahead. 8. Directive Control Behaviors. Directive Continum of Behaviors. A History of Overreliance on Control. Issues in Directive Control. When to Use Directive Control Behaviors. Moving from Directive Control toward Directive Informational Behaviors. 9. Directive Informational Behaviors. Directive Continum of Behaviors. Comparing Directive Control and Directive Informational Statements. Issues in the Directive Informational Approach. When to Use Directive Informational Behaviors. Moving from Directive Informational toward Collaborative Behaviors. Practitioner Reflection: The Lesson Plan (by Julie N. Diehl) 10. Collaborative Behaviors. Collaborative Continum of Behaviors. Collaborative Behaviors with Groups. Issues in Collaborative Supervision. When to Use Collaborative Behaviors. Moving from Collaborative toward Nondirective Behaviors. Collaboration and Cooperation. 11. Nondirective Behaviors. Nondirective Continum of Behaviors. Initiating Nondirective Supervision. Nondirective, Not Laissez Faire, Supervision. Issues with Nondirective Supervision. When to Use Nondirective Behaviors. Nondirective Supervision, Teacher Collaboration. Practitioner Reflection: A Nondirective Approach as Iâ m Developing (by Lynn M. Rasmussen) 12. Developmental Supervision: Theory and Practice. Rationale for Developmental Supervision. Applying Developmental Supervision. Not Algorithms, But Guideposts for Decisions. IV. TECHNICAL SKILLS. 13. Assessing and Planning Skills. Personal Plans. Assessing Time. Changing Time Allocations: Planning. Assessing and Planning within the Organization. Ways of Assessing Needs. Analyzing Organizational Needs. Planning. Models Combining Assessment and Planning. Strategic Planning. Planning: To What Extent? 14. Observing Skills. Formative Observation Instruments Are Not Summative Evaluation Instruments. Ways of Describing. Quantitative Observations. Quantitative and Qualitative Instruments. Qualitative Observations. Tailored Observation Systems. Types and Purposes of Observations. Further Cautions When Using Observations. 15. Research and Evaluation Skills. Alternative Approaches to Research and Evaluation. Judgments. Key Decisions in the Evaluation Process. Evidence of Program Outcomes. Overall Instructional Program Evaluation. Other Considerations for Evaluation. Teacher Evaluation. V. TECHNICAL TASKS OF SUPERVISION. 16. Direct Assistance to Teachers. Clinical Supervision. Comparing Clinical Supervision with Teacher Evaluation. Integrating Clinical Supervision and Developmental Supervision. Peer Coaching. Other Forms of Direct Assistance. Establishing Procedures for Direct Assistance. Developmental Considerations in Direct Assistance. 17. Group Development. Dimensions of an Effective Group. Group Member Roles. Applying Developmental Supervision of Groups. Dealing with Dysfunctional Members. Resolving Conflict. Preparing for Group Meetings. Procedures for Large-Group Involvement. Practitioner Reflection: Working Toward the Big Picture (by Susan Maxey) 18. Professional Development. Why the Need for Professional Development? Characteristics of Successful Professional Development Programs. Integrating Schoolwide, Group, and Individual Professional Development. Alternative Professional Development Formats. Examples of Effective Professional Development Programs. Stages of Professional Development. Matching Professional Development to Teacher Characteristics. The Nuts and Bolts. Teachers as Objects or Agents in Professional Development. Practitioner Reflection: Professional Development as Time Will Spent (by Cheyl Granade Sullivan) 19. Curriculum Development. Sources of Curriculum Development. Teacher-Proof Curriculum. Curriculum Development as a Vehicle for Enhancing Collective Thinking About Instruction. What Should Be the Purpose of the Curriculum? What Should Be the Content of the Curriculum? How Should the Curriculum Be Organized? In What Format Should the Curriculum Be Written? Curriculum Format as Reflective of Choice Given to Teachers. Relationship of Curriculum Purpose, Content, Organization, and Format. Levels of Teacher Involvement in Curriculum Development. Integrating Curriculum Format with Developers and Levels of Development. Matching Curriculum Development with Teacher Development. 20. Action Research: The School as the Centerof Inquiry. Action Research: The Concept. How Is Action Research Conducted? A Developmental Approach to Action Research. Decisions about Action Research. Action Research: Vehicle for a Cause beyond Oneself. Examples of Action Research. Action Research Leagues. Shared Governance for Action Research. Examples of Shared Governance for Schoolwide Action Research. Suggestions for Action Research. Conclusion: Focus, Structure, and Time for Development. VI. Cultural Tasks of Supervision 21. Facilitating Change Chaos Theory Postmodern Theory Close to Home: Education Change Theory Change at the Individual Level 22. Addressing Diversity Achievement Gaps Among Economic, Racial, and Ethnic Groups A Society or School Problem? Cultural Clashes Culturally Responsive Teaching Culturally Responsive Schools Gender Equity Equity for Sexual Minorities Overarching Patterns Connecting the Technical Tasks of Supervision to Cultural Responsiveness 23. Building Community Democratic Community Moral Community Professional Learning Community Community of Inquiry Engagement with the Larger Community Five Attributes, One Community Conclusion Appendix A: What Is Your Educational Philosophy? Appendix B: Review fo Interpersonal Behavior in Four Supervisory Appraoches. Name Index. Subject Index.

AMEE Guide No 20: The good teacher is more than a lecturer - the twelve roles of the teacher

Abstract: Teaching is a demanding and complex task. This guide looks at teaching and what it involves. Implicit in the widely accepted and far-reaching changes in medical education is a changing role for the medical teacher. Twelve roles have been identified and these can be grouped in six areas in the model presented: (1) the information provider in the lecture, and in the clinical context; (2) the role model on-the-job, and in more formal teaching settings; (3) the facilitator as a mentor and learning facilitator; (4) the student assessor and curriculum evaluator; (5) the curriculum and course planner; and (6) the resource material creator, and study guide producer. As presented in the model, some roles require more medical expertise and others more educational expertise. Some roles have more direct face-to-face contact with students and others less. The roles are presented in a 'competing values' framework-they may convey conflicting messages, e.g. providing information or encouraging independent learning, helpi...

Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technologies.

Abstract: Schools today face ever-increasing demands in their attempts to ensure that students are well equipped to enter the workforce and navigate a complex world. Research indicates that computer technology can help support learning, and that it is especially useful in developing the higher-order skills of critical thinking, analysis, and scientific inquiry. But the mere presence of computers in the classroom does not ensure their effective use. Some computer applications have been shown to be more successful than others, and many factors influence how well even the most promising applications are implemented. This article explores the various ways computer technology can be used to improve how and what children learn in the classroom. Several examples of computer-based applications are highlighted to illustrate ways technology can enhance how children learn by supporting four fundamental characteristics of learning: (1) active engagement, (2) participation in groups, (3) frequent interaction and feedback, and (4) connections to real-world contexts. Additional examples illustrate ways technology can expand what children learn by helping them to understand core concepts in subjects like math, science, and literacy. Research indicates, however, that the use of technology as an effective learning tool is more likely to take place when embedded in a broader education reform movement that includes improvements in teacher training, curriculum, student assessment, and a school's capacity for change. To help inform decisions about the future role of computers in the classroom, the authors conclude that further research is needed to identify the uses that most effectively support learning and the conditions required for successful implementation.

How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice

Abstract: How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice provides a broad overview of research on learners and learning and on teachers and teaching. It expands on the 1999 National Research Council publication How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, Expanded Edition that analyzed the science of learning in infants, educators, experts, and more. In How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice, the Committee on Learning Research and Educational Practice asks how the insights from research can be incorporated into classroom practice and suggests a research and development agenda that would inform and stimulate the required change. The committee identifies teachers, or classroom practitioners, as the key to change, while acknowledging that change at the classroom level is significantly impacted by overarching public policies. How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice highlights three key findings about how students gain and retain knowledge and discusses the implications of these findings for teaching and teacher preparation. The highlighted principles of learning are applicable to teacher education and professional development programs as well as to K-12 education. The research-based messages found in this book are clear and directly relevant to classroom practice. It is a useful guide for teachers, administrators, researchers, curriculum specialists, and educational policy makers.

How Long Does It Take English Learners to Attain Proficiency

Abstract: One of the most commonly asked questions about the education of language minority students is how long they need special services, such as English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and bilingual education. Under the U. S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Civil Rights Act in Lau v. Nichols (1974), local school districts and states have an obligation to provide appropriate services to limited-English-proficient students (in California now referred to as EL or English learner students), but policy makers have long debated setting time limits for students to receive such services. The purpose of this paper is to pull together findings that directly address this question. This study reports on data from four different school districts to draw conclusions on how long it takes students to develop oral and academic English proficiency. Academic English proficiency refers to the ability to use language in academic contexts, which is particularly important for long-term success in school. Two of the data sets are from two school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area and the other two are based on summary data from reports by researchers in Canada. The data were used to analyze various forms of English proficiency as a function of length of exposure to English. The clear conclusion emerging from these data sets is that even in two California districts that are considered the most successful in teaching English to LEP students, oral proficiency takes 3 to 5 years to develop, and academic English proficiency can take 4 to 7 years. The data from the two school districts in Canada offer corroboration. Indeed, these estimates of the time it takes may be underestimates, because only students who remained the same district since kindergarten were included. While critics of bilingual education have claimed that use of the native language delays the acquisition of English (a claim that is without foundation in the academic literature on bilingualism), it is worth noting that only one of the three districts offered bilingual education. The analysis also revealed continuing and widening gap between EL students and native English speakers. The gap illustrates the daunting task facing these students, who not only have to acquire oral and academic English, but also have to keep pace with native English speakers, who continue to develop their language skills. It may simply not be possible, within the constraints of the time available in regular formal school hours, to offer efficient instruction that would enable the EL students to catch up with the rest. Alternatives such as special summer and after-school programs may be needed. The results suggest that policies that assume rapid acquisition of English – the extreme case being Proposition 227 that explicitly calls for “sheltered English immersion during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one year” – are wildly unrealistic. A much more sensible policy would be one that sets aside the entire spectrum of the elementary grades as the realistic range within which English acquisition is accomplished, and plans a balanced curriculum that pays attention not just to English, but to the full array of academic needs of the students.

Bridging Practices: Intertwining Content and Pedagogy in Teaching and Learning to Teach

Abstract: Subject matter and pedagogy have been peculiarly and persistently divided in the conceptualization and curriculum of teacher education and learning to teach. This fragmentation of practice leaves t...

School-based mental health services: a research review.

Abstract: This paper provides a synthetic review of research on school-based mental health services. Schools play an increasingly important role in providing mental health services to children, yet most school-based programs being provided have no evidence to support their impact. A computerized search of references published between 1985 and 1999 was used to identify studies of school-based mental health services for children. Study inclusion was determined by (i) use of randomized, quasi-experimental, or multiple baseline research design; (ii) inclusion of a control group; (iii) use of standardized outcome measures; and (iv) baseline and postintervention outcome assessment. The application of these criteria yielded a final sample of 47 studies on which this review is based. Results suggest that there are a strong group of school-based mental health programs that have evidence of impact across a range of emotional and behavioral problems. However, there were no programs that specifically targeted particular clinical syndromes. Important features of the implementation process that increase the probability of service sustainability and maintenance were identified. These include (i) consistent program implementation; (ii) inclusion of parents, teachers, or peers; (iii) use of multiple modalities; (iv) integration of program content into general classroom curriculum; and (v) developmentally appropriate program components. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Working memory deficits in children with low achievements in the national curriculum at 7 years of age

Abstract: Background. Close links between children's capacities to store and manipulate information over brief periods have been found with achievements on standardised measures of vocabulary, language comprehension, reading, and mathematics. Aim. The study aimed to investigate whether working memory abilities are also associated with attainment levels in the national curriculum assessments at 7 years of age. Sample. Eighty-three children aged 6 and 7 years attending local education authority schools participated in the study. Methods. Working memory skills were assessed by a test battery designed to tap individual components of Baddeley and Hitch's (1974) working memory model. Children were assigned to normal and low achievement groups on the basis of their performance on national curriculum tasks and tests in the areas of English and mathematics. Results. Children with low levels of curriculum attainment showed marked impairments on measures of central executive function and of visuo-spatial memory in particular. A single cut-off score derived from the test battery successfully identified the majority of the children failing to reach nationally expected levels of attainment. Conclusions. Complex working memory skills are closely linked with children's academic progress within the early years of school. The assessment of working memory skills may offer a valuable method for screening children likely to be at risk of poor scholastic progress.

The Disposition Toward Critical Thinking: Its Character, Measurement, and Relationship to Critical Thinking Skill

Abstract: Theorists have hypothesized that skill in critical thinking is positively correlated with the consistent internal motivation to think and that specific critical thinking skills are matched with specific critical thinking dispositions. If true, these assumptions suggest that a skill-focused curriculum would lead persons to be both willing and able to think. This essay presents a researchbased expert consensus definition of critical thinking, argues that human dispositions are neither hidden nor unknowable, describes a scientific process of developing conventional testing tools to measure cognitive skills and human dispositions, and summarizes recent empirical research findings that explore the possible relationship of critical thinking skill and the consistent internal motivation, or disposition, to use that skill. Empirical studies indicate that for all practical purposes the hypothesized correlations are not evident. It would appear that effective teaching must include strategies for building intellectual character rather than relying exclusively on strengthening cognitive skills

The Knowledge Factory: Dismantling the Corporate University and Creating True Higher Learning.

Abstract: One day, you will discover a new adventure and knowledge by spending more money. But when? Do you think that you need to obtain those all requirements when having much money? Why don't you try to get something simple at first? That's something that will lead you to know more about the world, adventure, some places, history, entertainment, and more? It is your own time to continue reading habit. One of the books you can enjoy now is knowledge factory dismantling the corporate university and creating true higher learning here.

Handbook of Research Design in Mathematics and Science Education

Abstract: Contents: Preface. Part I: The Need to Address Priority Problems. R. Lesh, B. Lovitts, A.E. Kelly, Purposes and Assumption of This Book. A.E. Kelly, R. Lesh, Trends and Shifts in Research Methods. R. Lesh, B. Lovitts, Research Agendas: Identifying Priority Problems and Developing Useful Theoretical Perspectives. T.A. Romberg, A. Collins, The Impact of Standards-Based Reform on Methods of Research in Schools. J. Confrey, Improving Research and Systemic Reform Towards Equity and Quality. Part II: Reflecting on Instruments and Methods. R. Lesh, D. Clarke, Formulating Operational Definitions of Desired Outcomes of Instruction in Mathematics and Science Education. J.P. Mestre, Progress in Research: The Interplay Among Theory, Research Questions, and Measurement Techniques. H.F. Cline, E.B. Mandinach, The Corruption of a Research Design: A Case Study of a Curriculum Innovation Project. Part III: Teaching Experiments. R. Lesh, A. Kelly, Multitiered Teaching Experiments. J. Confrey, A. Lachance, Transformative Teaching Experiments Through Conjecture-Driven Research Design. L.P. Steffe, P.W. Thompson, Teaching Experiment Methodology: Underlying Principles and Essential Elements. P. Cobb, Conducting Teaching Experiments in Collaboration With Teachers. M.A. Simon, Research on the Development of Mathematics Teachers: The Teacher Development Experiment. Part IV: Classroom-Based Research. D.L. Ball, Working on the Inside: Using One's Own Practice as a Site for Studying Teaching and Learning. H.M. Doerr, P.P. Tinto, Paradigms for Teacher-Centered Classroom-Based Research. A. Feldman, J. Minstrell, Action Research as a Research Methodology for the Study of the Teaching and Learning of Science. J.N. Moschkovich, M.E. Brenner, Integrating a Naturalistic Paradigm Into Research on Mathematics and Science Cognition and Learning. K. Tobin, Interpretive Research in Science Education. Part V: Clinical Methods. G.A. Goldin, A Scientific Perspective on Structured, Task-Based Interviews in Mathematics Education Research. J. Clement, Analysis of Clinical Interviews: Foundations and Model Viability. R. Lesh, M. Hoover, B. Hole, A. Kelly, T. Post, Principles for Developing Thought-Revealing Activities for Students and Teachers. R. Hall, Videorecording as Theory. R. Lesh, R. Lehrer, Iterative Refinement Cycles for Videotape Analyses of Conceptual Change. J. Roschelle, Choosing and Using Video Equipment for Data Collection. Part VI: Curriculum Design as Research. M.T. Battista, D.H. Clements, Mathematics Curriculum Development as a Scientific Endeavor. D. Clements, M.T. Battista, Designing Effective Software. J. Roschelle, N. Jackiw, Technology Design as Educational Research: Interweaving Imagination, Inquiry, and Impact. D. Dennis, The Role of Historical Studies in Mathematics and Science Educational Research. Part VII: Toward Assessment Design. K.K. Tatsuoka, G.M. Boodoo, Subgroup Differences on the GRE Quantitative Test: Based on the Underlying Cognitive Processes and Knowledge. S.M.A. Cooper, Cautions and Considerations: Thoughts on the Implementation and Evaluation of Innovation in Science Education. W.M. Stroup, U. Wilensky, Assessing Learning as Emergent Phenomena: Moving Constructivist Statistics Beyond the Bell Curve. L. Liebovitch, A. Todorov, M. Wood, K. Ellenbogen, When Using the Mean Is Meaningless: Examples From Probability Theory and Cardiology.

Pupil Participation and Pupil Perspective: 'carving a new order of experience'

Abstract: School improvement, as Ruth Jonathan (1990, p. 568) has said, is not merely a matter of 'rapid response to changing market forces through a trivialised curriculum', but a question of dealing with the deep structures of school and the habits of thought and values they embody. To manage school improvement we need to look at schools from the pupils' perspective and that means tuning in to their experiences and views and creating a new order of experience for them as active participants.

Students' Experiences of Ability Grouping—disaffection, polarisation and the construction of failure†

Abstract: This paper reports findings from the first two years of a four-year longitudinal study into the ways that students' attitudes towards, and achievement in, mathematics are influenced by ability-grouping practices in six schools. Through the use of questionnaires administered to the whole cohort of 943 students, interviews with 72 students and approximately 120 hours of classroom observation, the relative achievement in, and the changes in attitudes towards, mathematics are traced as the students move from year 8 to year 9, with students in four of the six schools moving from mixed-ability grouping to homogenous ability groups or 'sets'. Ability-grouping was associated with curriculum polarisation. This was enacted through restriction of opportunity to learn for students in lower sets, and students in top sets being required to learn at a pace which was, for many students, incompatible with understanding. The same teachers employed a more restricted range of teaching approaches with 'homogeneous' groups tha...

Schooling resources, educational institutions and student performance: The international evidence

Abstract: The paper suggests that international differences in educational institutions explain the large international differences in student performance in cognitive achievement tests. A microeconometric student-level estimation based on data for more than 260,000 students from 39 countries reveals that positive effects on student performance stem from centralized examinations and control mechanisms, school autonomy in personnel and process decisions, competition from private educational institutions, scrutiny of achievement, and teacher influence on teaching methods. A large influence of teacher unions on curriculum scope has negative effects on student performance. The findings imply that international differences in student performance are not caused by differences in schooling resources but are mainly due to differences in educational institutions.

Social and Emotional Learning: A Framework for Promoting Mental Health and Reducing Risk Behavior in Children and Youth

Abstract: Many programs have been developed to help schools enhance students' health and reduce the prevalence of drug use, violence, and high-risk sexual behaviors. How should educators choose among these? This article describes selection criteria based on theory, research, and best educational practice that identify key social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies and program features. The SEL competencies for students include 17 skills and attitudes organized into four groups: awareness of self and others; positive attitudes and values; responsible decision making; and social interaction skills. The 11 program features critical to the success of school-based SEL programs emphasize curriculum design, coordination with larger systems, educator preparation and support, and program evaluation. Developed by the Collaborative to Advance Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the SEL framework can be used to guide selection of research-based prevention programs that address health, substance abuse, violence prevention, sexuality, character, and social skills.

Course Improvement through Evaluation

Abstract: The national interest in improving education has generated several highly important projects attempting to improve curricula, particularly at the secondary-school level. In conferences of directors of course content improvement programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation, questions about evaluation are frequently raised.1 Those who inquire about evaluation have various motives, ranging from sheer scientific curiosity about classroom events to a desire to assure a sponsor that money has been well spent. While the curriculum developers sincerely wish to use the skills of evaluation specialists, I am not certain that they have a clear picture of what evaluation can do and should try to do. And, on the other hand, I am becoming convinced that some techniques and habits of thought of the evaluation specialist are ill-suited to current curriculum studies. To serve these studies, what philosophy and methods of evaluation are required? And, particularly, how must we depart from the familiar doctrines and rituals of the testing game?

Proof, explanation and exploration: an overview

Abstract: This paper explores the role of proof in mathematics education and provides justification for its importance in the curriculum It also discusses three applications of dynamic geometry software - heuristics, exploration and visualization - as valuable tools in the teaching of proof and as potential challenges to the importance of proof Finally, it introduces the four papers in this issue that present empirical research on the use of dynamic geometry software

Engaging minds : learning and teaching in a complex world

Abstract: "Engaging Minds: Learning and Teaching in a Complex World" involves readers in a stimulating, informative, comprehensive exploration of teaching and learning. It prompts examinations of the complexities of learning, pedagogy, and schooling while refusing simplistic notions or unresolvable tensions that sometimes infuse popular debates. A variety of sophisticated, interactive pedagogical features and graphic displays draw readers into new ways of thinking about and responding to the ideas and information presented. Topics include: * the biological and social roots of perception; * historical and contemporary perspectives on learning; * emergent understandings of intelligence, creativity, and diversity; * complexities and contingencies of self concept; and * technology, its impact on cognition, and its place in schooling. In addition to conceptual reviews of these topics, the text provides elaborated descriptions of many specific teaching events, in different subject areas and at all age levels, followed by interpretations which include suggestions for teachers. Written by authors with over 60 years collective experience as teachers at all levels of formal education, "Engaging Minds" offers fresh and insightful perspectives on topics such as lesson planning, classroom management, assessment and evaluation, learner diversity, inclusivity, and technology. It will be of interest to undergraduate students in teacher education, experienced teachers, and graduate students. This is an ideal text for courses in curriculum and instruction, curriculum and learning theory, social foundations of education, human development, or an excellent companion volume for any subject-specific teaching methods course.

Learning and Teaching about Values: A review of recent research

Abstract: (2000). Learning and Teaching about Values: A review of recent research. Cambridge Journal of Education: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 169-202.

Building Employability Skills into the Higher Education Curriculum: A University-wide Initiative.

Abstract: Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer sufficient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. Employability skills include the following abilities: the retrieval and handling of information; communication and presentation; planning and problem solving; and social development and interaction. The University of Luton has established an initiative to ensure that each of its students engages with these skills and has embedded this within the academic curriculum for all disciplines. Central to the initiative has been the creation of detailed templates that describe the University’s expectations for each undergraduate level. The article describes the Luton initiative and includes some initial comments on its impact.

From the "Good Kids" to the "Worst": Representations of English Language Learners across Educational Settings

Abstract: Based on year-long ethnographic case studies following U.S. immigrants in their last year of secondary school and first year in a 2-year community college, this article contrasts prevalent institutional images of what it means to be an English language learner in these two educational settings. The article draws on the notion of representation, or archetypal images of learner identity, arguing that representation offers a means of understanding how seemingly self-evident and unchanging identities emerge in a particular social context out of ever-evolving processes of identity (re)creation. The article compares representations of ESL student identity in the two educational institutions and illustrates the manifestation of these representations in class curricula and spoken and written interactions. Prevalent institutional images of ESL student identities were appropriated and recreated by students and educators in one context and resisted by students in another. Contending that representation is an inevitable part of human meaning making and identity formation, the article suggests that images of students and of their backgrounds, experiences, and needs not only inform curriculum but also have significant consequences for students' identities and attitudes toward classroom learning.

Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms

Abstract: For the past one hundred years, Americans have argued and worried about the quality of their schools. Some have charged that students were not learning enough, while others have complained that the schools were not in the forefront of social progress. In this authoritative history of education in the twentieth century, historian Diane Ravitch describes this ongoing battle of ideas and explains why school reform has so often failed. "Left Back" recounts grandiose efforts by education reformers to use the schools to promote social and political goals, even when they diminished the schools' ability to educate children. It shows how generations of reformers have engaged in social engineering, advocating such innovations as industrial education, intelligence testing, curricular differentiation, and life-adjustment education. These reformers, she demonstrates, simultaneously mounted vigorous campaigns against academic studies. "Left Back" charges that American schools have been damaged by three misconceptions. The first is the belief that the schools can solve any social or political problem. The second is the belief that only a portion of youngsters are capable of benefiting from a high-quality education. The third is that imparting knowledge is relatively unimportant, compared to engaging students in activities and experiences. These grave errors, Ravitch contends, have unnecessarily restricted equality of educational opportunity. They have dumbed down the schools by encouraging a general lowering of academic expectations. They have produced a diluted and bloated curriculum and pressure to enlarge individual schools so that they can offer multiple tracks to children withdifferent occupational goals. As a result, the typical American high school is too big, too anonymous, and lacks intellectual coherence. Ravitch identifies several heroic educators -- such as William T. Harris, William C. Bagley, and Isaac Kandel -- who challenged these dominant and wrong-headed ideas. These men, dissidents in their own times, are usually left out of standard histories of education or treated derisively because they believed that all children deserved the opportunity to meet high standards of learning. In describing the wars between competing traditions of education, Ravitch points the way to reviving American education. She argues that all students have the capacity to learn and that all are equally deserving of a solid liberal arts education. "Left Back" addresses issues of the utmost importance and urgency. It is a large work of history that by recovering the past illuminates a future.

Evaluation of a brief multiple-stimulus preference assessment in a naturalistic context

Abstract: We evaluated a brief multiple-stimulus preference assessment within the context of an early intervention program for 3 children who had been diagnosed with autism. Subsequent curriculum-based reinforcer evaluations confirmed the predictions of the preference assessments. In addition, eight additional preference assessments that were conducted over a period of 1 month indicated generally stable preferences for 2 of the 3 participants.

The integration ladder: a tool for curriculum planning and evaluation.

Abstract: Summary Integration has been accepted as an important educational strategy in medical education. Discussions about integration, however, are often polarized with some teachers in favour and others against integrated teaching. This paper describes 11 points on a continuum between the two extremes. • Isolation • Awareness • Harmonization • Nesting • Temporal co-ordination • Sharing • Correlation • Complementary • Multi-disciplinary • Inter-disciplinary • Trans-disciplinary As one moves up the ladder, there is less emphasis on the role of disciplines, an increasing requirement for a central curriculum, organizational structure and a requirement for greater participation by staff in curriculum discussions and planning. The integration ladder is a useful tool for the medical teacher and can be used as an aid in planning, implementing and evaluating the medical curriculum.

The Role of Classroom Assessment in Teaching and Learning. CSE Technical Report.

Abstract: Introduction and Overview Historically, because of their technical requirements, educational tests of any importance were seen as the province of statisticians and not that of teachers or subject matter specialists. Researchers conceptualizing effective teaching did not assign a significant role to assessment as part of the learning process. The past three volumes of the Handbook of Research on Teaching, for example, did not include a chapter on classroom assessment nor even its traditional counterpart, tests and measurement. Achievement tests were addressed in previous handbooks but only as outcome measures in studies of teaching behaviors. In traditional educational measurement courses, preservice teachers learned about domain specifications, item formats, and methods for estimating reliability and validity. Few connections were made in subject matter methods courses to suggest ways that testing might be used instructionally. Subsequent surveys of teaching practice showed that teachers had little use for statistical procedures and mostly devised end-of-unit tests aimed at measuring declarative knowledge of terms, facts, rules, and principles (Fleming & Chambers, 1983). The purpose of this chapter is to develop a framework for understanding a reformed view of assessment, where assessment plays an integral role in teaching and learning. If assessment is to be used in classrooms to help students learn, it must be transformed in two fundamental ways. First, the content and character of assessments must be significantly improved. Second, the gathering and use of assessment information and insights must become a part of the ongoing learning process. The model I propose is consistent with current assessment reforms being advanced across many disciplines (e. Wilson for their thoughtful comments on drafts of this chapter. It is also consistent with the general argument that assessment content and formats should more directly embody thinking and reasoning abilities that are the ultimate goals of learning (Frederiksen my emphasis is not on external accountability assessments as indirect mechanisms for reforming instructional practice; instead, I consider directly how classroom assessment practices should be transformed to illuminate and enhance the learning process. I acknowledge, though, that for changes to occur at the classroom level, they must be supported and not impeded by external assessments. The changes being proposed for assessment are profound. They are part of a larger set of changes in curriculum and theories of teaching and learning, which many have characterized as a paradigm change. Constructivist learning theory, invoked throughout this volume, is at the center of these important …