Showing papers on "Curriculum published in 2012"

A comparative analysis of international frameworks for 21st century competences: Implications for national curriculum policies

Abstract: National curricula need to change drastically to comply with the competences needed for the 21st century. In this paper eight frameworks describing 21st century competences were analysed. A comprehensive search for information about 21st century competences was conducted across the official websites of the selected frameworks, resulting in 32 documents that were analysed in detail. Travers and Westbury’s framework of curriculum representations was used to determine horizontal and vertical consistency between the frameworks. The frameworks were compared on their underlying rationales and goals, their definition of 21st century competences, and the recommended strategies for the implementation and assessment of these skills in educational practice. In addition three international studies were examined to analyse how various countries (EU member states, OECD countries) and schools (SITES studies) deal (or not) with 21st century competences. The findings indicate a large extent of alignment between the frameworks about what 21st century competences are and why they are important (horizontal consistency), but intentions and practice seemed still far apart, indicating lack of vertical consistency. The implications of the implementation of 21st century competences in national curriculum policies are discussed and recommendations are provided.

The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professional education. A BEME systematic review: BEME guide no. 23

Abstract: Background: Case-based learning (CBL) is a long established pedagogical method, which is defined in a number of ways depending on the discipline and type of ‘case’ employed. In health professional education, learning activities are commonly based on patient cases. Basic, social and clinical sciences are studied in relation to the case, are integrated with clinical presentations and conditions (including health and ill-health) and student learning is, therefore, associated with real-life situations. Although many claims are made for CBL as an effective learning and teaching method, very little evidence is quoted or generated to support these claims. We frame this review from the perspective of CBL as a type of inquiry-based learning.Aim: To explore, analyse and synthesise the evidence relating to the effectiveness of CBL as a means of achieving defined learning outcomes in health professional prequalification training programmes.Method: Selection criteria: We focused the review on CBL for prequalification ...

Our Princess Is in Another Castle: A Review of Trends in Serious Gaming for Education

Abstract: Do video games show demonstrable relationships to academic achievement gains when used to support the K-12 curriculum? In a review of literature, we identified 300+ articles whose descriptions related to video games and academic achievement. We found some evidence for the effects of video games on language learning, history, and physical education (specifically exergames), but little support for the academic value of video games in science and math. We summarize the trends for each subject area and supply recommendations for the nascent field of video games research. Many educationally interesting games exist, yet evidence for their impact on student achievement is slim. We recommend separating simulations from games and refocusing the question onto the situated nature of game-player-context interactions, including meta-game social collaborative elements.

Critical success factors for e-learning in developing countries: A comparative analysis between ICT experts and faculty

Abstract: This study identifies the critical success factors that influence the acceptance of e-learning systems in developing countries. E-learning is a popular mode of delivering educational materials in higher education by universities throughout the world. This study identifies multiple factors that influence the success of e-learning systems from the literature and compares the relative importance among two stakeholder groups in developing countries, ICT experts and faculty. This study collected 76 usable responses using the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. The results reveal 6 dimensions and 20 critical success factors for e-learning systems in developing countries. Findings illustrate the importance of curriculum design for learning performance. Technology awareness, motivation, and changing learners' behavior are prerequisites for successful e-learning implementations. Several recommendations are provided to aid the implementation of e-learning systems for developing countries which have relevance for researchers and practitioners. Limitations as well as possible research directions are also discussed.

Considerations for Teaching Integrated STEM Education

Abstract: Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is vital for the future success of students. Integrated STEM education is one way to make learning more connected and relevant for students. There is a need for further research and discussion on the knowledge, experiences, and background that teachers need to effectively teach integrated STEM education. A support, teaching, efficacy, and materials (s.t.e.m.) model of considerations for teaching integrated STEM education was developed through a year-long partnership with a middle school. The middle school was implementing Project Lead the Way’s Gateway to Technology curriculum. The s.t.e.m. model is a good starting point for teachers as they implement and improve integrated STEM education.

Teacher Agency in Curriculum Making: Agents of Change and Spaces for Manoeuvre

Abstract: In the wake of new forms of curricular policy in many parts of the world, teachers are increasingly required to act as agents of change And yet, teacher agency is under‐theorised and often misconstrued in the educational change literature, wherein agency and change are seen as synonymous and positive This article addresses the issue of teacher agency in the context of an empirical study of curriculum making in schooling Drawing upon the existing literature, we outline an ecological view of agency These insights frame the analysis of a set of empirical data, derived from a research project about curriculum making in a school and further education college in Scotland Based upon the evidence, we argue that the extent to which teachers are able to achieve agency varies from context to context based upon certain environmental conditions of possibility and constraint, and that an important factor in this lies in the beliefs, values and attributes that teachers mobilise in relation to particular sit

Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering.

Abstract: Engineering education research (EER) has been on the fast track since 2004 with an exponential rise in the number of Ph.D.s awarded and the establishment of new programs, even entire EER departments. The National Research Council’s Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER) report (National Research Council, 2012) captures the state-of-the-art advances in our understanding of engineering and science student learning and highlights commonalities with other science-based education research programs. The DBER report is the consensus analysis of experts in undergraduate education research in physics, chemistry, biology, geosciences, astronomy, and engineering. The study committee, chaired by Susan Singer, also included higher education researchers, learning scientists, and cognitive psychologists. A central aspect of the DBER report is the focus on and application of research in the education, learning, and social-behavioral sciences to science and engineering curricula design and teaching methods. Froyd, Wankat, and Smith (2012) identified five major shifts in engineering education in the past 100 years: 1. A shift from hands-on and practical emphasis to engineering science and analytical emphasis 2. A shift to outcomes-based education and accreditation 3. A shift to emphasizing engineering design 4. A shift to applying education, learning, and social-behavioral sciences research 5. A shift to integrating information, computational, and communications technology in education

The Turn Once Again Toward Practice-Based Teacher Education:

Abstract: Current work to identify the core teaching practices that should be included in teacher education curriculum is a part of a long-standing tradition of reform in American teacher education. This article situates the proposals of Hiebert and Morris and the contemporary work to which it is linked within this historical tradition and identifies several issues that need to be addressed by this current work. These include the task of developing a system that unlike performance-based systems in the past is evidence-based, manageable, and sustainable, and that does not ignore important aspects of good teaching.

Team-based learning: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 65

Abstract: Team-based learning TM (TBL) is an instructional strategy developed in the business school environment in the early 1990s by Dr Michaelsen who wanted the benefits of small group learning within large classes. In 2001, a US federal granting agency awarded funds for educators in the health sciences to learn about and implement the strategy in their educational programs; TBL was put forward as one such strategy and as a result it is used in over 60 US and international health science professional schools. TBL is very different from problem-based learning (PBL) and other small group approaches in that there is no need for multiple faculty or rooms, students must come prepared to sessions, and individual and small groups of students (teams) are highly accountable for their contributions to team productivity. The instructor must be a content-expert, but need not have any experience or expertise in group process to conduct a successful TBL session. Students do not need any specific instruction in teamwork since they learn how to be collaborative and productive in the process. TBL can replace or complement a lecture-based course or curriculum.

Leaving Engineering: A Multi‐Year Single Institution Study

Abstract: Background As estimates continue to indicate a growing demand for engineering professionals, retention in engineering remains an issue. Thus, the engineering education community remains concerned about students who leave engineering and must work to identify the factors that influence those students’ decisions. Purpose (Hypothesis) Our purpose was to identify a set of factors describing the experiences of students’ in a college of engineering that are strong influences on decisions to leave and study how those factors are related to both predictor variables (e.g., high school preparation) and future behaviors (e.g., new major chosen). Design/Method We solicited survey data from students who had recently transferred out of a large engineering college. We conducted exploratory factor analysis to determine the main factors for leaving engineering and then used these factors to answer the research questions. Results Results indicate that both academic (e.g., curriculum difficulty and poor teaching and advising) and a non-academic factor (lack of belonging in engineering) contribute to students’ decisions to leave engineering. We did find differences for some factors between majority and non-majority students; however, there were no gender differences. Conclusions Both academic and non-academic factors contribute to students’ decisions to leave engineering; however, our sample indicated the non-academic factors may be a stronger influence. Implications for educators focus on addressing both academic and the belonging factor and include examining pedagogical activities that may be less welcoming to a wide variety of student groups, providing opportunities for meaningful faculty interaction and other activities designed to support students pursuing engineering degrees.

Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era : Teaching and Learning in an Age of Accountability

Abstract: This landmark text was one of the first to introduce and analyze contemporary concepts of curriculum that emerged from the Reconceptualization of curriculum studies in the 1970s and 1980s. This new edition brings readers up to date on the major research themes (postmodernism,ecological, hermeneutics, aesthetics and arts-based research, race, class, gender, sexuality, and classroom practices) within the historical development of the field from the 1950s to the present. Like the previous editions, it is unique in providing a comprehensive overview in a relatively short and highly accessible text. Provocative and powerful narratives (both biography and autoethnography) throughout invite readers to engage the complex theories in a personal conversation. School-based examples allow readers to make connections to schools and society, teacher education, and professional development of teachers. Changes in the Third Edition New Glossary - brief summaries in the text direct readers to the Companion Website to read the entire entries New analysis of the current accountability movement in schools including the charter school movement. More international references clearly connected to international contexts More narratives invite readers to engage the complex theories in a personal conversation Companion Website–new for this edition

Learning to write, reading to learn : genre, knowledge and pedagogy in the Sydney school

Abstract: This book presents the research of the 'Sydney School' in language and literacy pedagogy. Widely known as genre-based pedagogy, the research is cutting-edge, but is built on 30 years of developments in the field, in a unique collaboration between functional linguists and literacy educators. This collaboration has transformed linguistic and pedagogic theory into a powerful, comprehensive methodology for embedding literacy teaching in educational practice. The book is written to be useful for practitioners, researchers and students, building up pedagogic, linguistic and social theory in steps, contextualized within teaching practice. Topics covered include the genre-based writing pedagogy, genres across the school curriculum, pedagogy for learning through reading, and the pedagogic metalanguage developed in the research. On one hand this volume offers educators an unparalleled set of strategies for transforming educational outcomes; on the other it offers researchers powerful tools for investigating and redesigning educational practice.

Large-Scale Academic Achievement Testing of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract: The first large-scale, nationwide academic achievement testing program using Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford) for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in the United States started in 1969. Over the past three decades, the Stanford has served as a benchmark in the field of deaf education for assessing student academic achievement. However, the validity and reliability of using the Stanford for this special student population still require extensive scrutiny. Recent shifts in educational policy environment, which require that schools enable all children to achieve proficiency through accountability testing, warrants a close examination of the adequacy and relevance of the current large-scale testing of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. This study has three objectives: (a) it will summarize the historical data over the last three decades to indicate trends in academic achievement for this special population, (b) it will analyze the current federal laws and regulations related to educational testing and special education, thereby identifying gaps between policy and practice in the field, especially identifying the limitations of current testing programs in assessing what deaf and hard-of-hearing students know, and (c) it will offer some insights and suggestions for future testing programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Reading Like a Historian: A Document-Based History Curriculum Intervention in Urban High Schools

Abstract: Enthusiasm about the instructional potential of primary sources dates to the late nineteenth century and has been echoed recently in the work of literacy experts, historians, and educational psychologists Yet, no extended intervention study has been undertaken to test the effectiveness of primary source instruction in real history classrooms This study, with 236 11th-grade students in five San Francisco high schools, represented the first extended curriculum intervention in disciplinary reading in an urban district The Reading Like a Historian (RLH) curriculum constituted a radical departure from traditional textbook-driven instruction by using a new activity structure, the “Document-Based Lesson,” in which students used background knowledge to interrogate, and then reconcile, historical accounts from multiple texts A quasi-experiment control design measured the effects of a 6-month intervention on four dimensions: (a) students’ historical thinking; (b) their ability to transfer historical thinking st

Empathy training for resident physicians: a randomized controlled trial of a neuroscience-informed curriculum

Abstract: Background Physician empathy is an essential attribute of the patient–physician relationship and is associated with better outcomes, greater patient safety and fewer malpractice claims.

Experiential learning: Transforming theory into practice

Abstract: Whilst much is debated about the importance of experiential learning in curriculum development, the concept only becomes effective if it is applied in an appropriate way. We believe that this effectiveness is directly related to a sound understanding of the theory, supporting the learning. The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to the theories underpinning experiential learning, which are then expanded further in an AMEE Guide, which considers the theoretical basis of experiential learning from a social learning, constructionist perspective and applies it to three stages of medical education: early workplace experience, clerkships and residency. This article argues for the importance and relevance of experiential learning and addresses questions that are commonly asked about it. First, we answer the questions 'what is experiential learning?' and 'how does it relate to social learning theory?' to orientate readers to the principles on which our arguments are based. Then, we consider why those ideas (theories) are relevant to educators--ranging from those with responsibilities for curriculum design to 'hands-on' teachers and workplace supervisors. The remainder of this article discusses how experiential learning theories and a socio-cultural perspective can be applied in practice. We hope that this will give readers a taste for our more detailed AMEE Guide and the further reading recommended at the end of it.

World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students

Abstract: Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction: To Create Is Human 1. The Wrong Bet: Why Common Curriculum and Standards Won't Help 2. The Changed World: The Need for Entrepreneurs 3. What Makes an Entrepreneur: The Entrepreneurial Spirit 4. Achievement Gap vs. Entrepreneurship Gap: The Myth of Education Giants 5. China vs. the U.S.: How the Best Education Stifles the Entrepreneurial Spirit 6. From Accident to Design: A Paradigm Shift 7. Freedom to Learn: Student Autonomy and Leadership 8. Product-Oriented Learning: Works That Matter 9. The Globe Is Our Campus: Global Entrepreneurs and Enterprises 10. Create a World-Class Education: Principles and Indicators Index

Pedagogy For Employability

Abstract: This guide, produced by the HEA, constitutes a revised and updated version of the Pedagogy for Employability publication first published in 2006. The publication has been updated with the practitioner in mind – those teaching in the classroom and those engaging with policy and student interactions in other ways, such as careers guidance and learning development workers. Practitioners are our focus, as we discuss the policy and institutional context that frames the environment within which people work. The early sections of this publication are intended to illuminate the possibilities and constraints that operate in different national, institutional and departmental situations, having a direct impact on the way that teaching and learning takes place between practitioners and students. Case studies of learning and teaching that support the development of student employability, in the classroom, through distance and part-time learning and in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, are provided throughout the publication. In the later sections of the publication we focus particularly on the curriculum and learning and teaching practice.

Effects of High School Course-Taking on Secondary and Postsecondary Success

Abstract: Using panel data from a census of public school students in the state of Florida, the authors examine the associations between students’ high school course-taking in various subjects and their 10th-grade test scores, high school graduation, entry into postsecondary institutions, and postsecondary performance. The authors use propensity score matching (based on 8th-grade test scores, other student characteristics, and school effects) within groups of students matched on the composition of the students’ course-taking in other subjects to estimate the differences in outcomes for students who take rigorous courses in a variety of subjects. The authors find substantial significant differences in outcomes for those who take rigorous courses, and these estimated effects are often larger for disadvantaged youth and students attending disadvantaged schools.

Academic Staff Development as a Catalyst of Curriculum Change Towards Education for Sustainable Development: An Output Perspective

Abstract: Implementing education for sustainable development (ESD) in university curricula poses a new challenge to the academic system. In recent years many universities have undertaken activities towards its implementation and numerous case studies of such processes have been documented. However, it remains a great challenge to change university curricula in such a way that they are transformed into ‘built-in’ sustainability. How then can deep-rooted implementation be facilitated? It has been argued that learning processes which can enable transformative changes largely depend on academic staff and their capabilities and willingness to support such processes. Although there are only few examples that focus on academic staff in higher education as a starting point to bring about change, research indicates promising opportunities to do so. In this context this article describes the case of an academic staff development programme which was implemented at the Universidad Tecnica del Norte (Ecuador) and analyses the extent to which such a programme has positive effects on transformative changes towards a sustainable university. The analysis of the programme shows that it not only facilitated the personal competence development of the participating academic staff and changed their teaching practice, but also that it influenced the general organizational development of the university. The results of this case study thus highlight the potential benefits of ESD academic staff development programmes in terms of their relevance for initiating individual learning processes as well as for facilitating social learning and, in this respect, confirm the idea that the competence development of academic staff is an essential prerequisite for a sustainability paradigm shift in higher education.

Heterogeneity in Human Capital Investments: High School Curriculum, College Major, and Careers

Abstract: Motivated by the large differences in labor market outcomes across college majors, we survey the literature on the demand for and return to high school and postsecondary education by field of study. We combine elements from several papers to provide a dynamic model of education and occupation choice that stresses the roles of the specificity of human capital and uncertainty about preferences, ability, education outcomes, and labor market returns. The model implies an important distinction between the ex ante and ex post returns to education decisions. We also discuss some of the econometric difficulties in estimating the causal effects of field of study on wages in the context of a sequential choice model with learning. Finally, we review the empirical literature on the choice of curriculum and the effects of high school courses and college major on labor market outcomes.

YouTube: An emerging tool in anatomy education

Abstract: The use of online social networks in medical education can remodel and enhance anatomy teaching and learning; one such network is the video-sharing site YouTube. Limited research in the literature exists on the use of YouTube as a platform for anatomy education. The aim of this study is to assess student's perceptions and patterns of usage of this resource, as well as the effectiveness of YouTube videos within a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. The study was conducted on 91 second-year medical students for whom video links were suggested throughout the academic year. In addition, the Human Anatomy Education (HAE) Channel was launched on YouTube to support classroom teaching with videos that emphasized applied aspects of anatomy. The results demonstrated that 98% of the students used YouTube as an online information resource, albeit in different frequencies. Out of the 86% who have been to the HAE Channel, 92% agreed/strongly agreed that the channel helped them learn anatomy. The study also reports the popularity of and awareness about using YouTube as a social network as well as in learning. Based on these findings, YouTube can be considered as an effective tool to enhance anatomy instruction if the videos are scrutinized, diversified, and aimed toward course objectives. Faculty of average computer literacy should be enabled to produce videos on their own YouTube channels to support independent learning and integration in a PBL curriculum. The methods described for capturing and editing the videos can be used as a prototype. Anat Sci Educ. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.

Is Adding the E Enough? Investigating the Impact of K-12 Engineering Standards on the Implementation of STEM Integration

Abstract: The problems that we face in our ever-changing, increasingly global society are multidisciplinary, and many require the integration of multiple science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts to solve them. National calls for improvement of STEM education in the United States are driving changes in policy, particularly in academic standards. Research on STEM integration in K-12 classrooms has not kept pace with the sweeping policy changes in STEM education. This study addresses the need for research to explore the translation of broad, national-level policy statements regarding STEM education and integration to state-level policies and implementation in K-12 classrooms. An interpretive multicase study design was employed to conduct an in-depth investigation of secondary STEM teachers' implementation of STEM integration in their classrooms during a yearlong professional development program. The interpretive approach was used because it provides holistic descriptions and explanations for the particular phenomenon, in this case STEM integration. The results of this study demonstrate the possibilities of policies that use state standards documents as a mechanism to integrate engineering into science standards. Our cases suggest that STEM integration can be implemented most successfully when mathematics and science teachers work together both in a single classroom (co-teaching) and in multiple classrooms (content teaching—common theme).

Task-based Instruction

Abstract: Task-based is a kind of instruction in which language learners, performing activities, are engaged in meaningful, goal-oriented communication to solve problems, complete projects, and reach decisions. Tasks have been used for a broad range of instructional purposes, serving, for example, as units of syllabuses, activities for structure or function practice, and language focusing enhancements to content-based curricula. In this literature, some issues related to task-based instruction will be discussed.

Five Major Shifts in 100 Years of Engineering Education The authors discuss what has reshaped, or is currently reshaping, engineering education over the past 100 years up until the current emphasis on design, learning, and social-behavioral sciences research and the role of technology.

Abstract: In this paper, five major shifts in engineering education are identified. During the engineering science revo- lution, curricula moved from hands-on practice to mathemat- ical modeling and scientific analyses. The first shift was initiated by engineering faculty members from Europe; accel- erated during World War II, when physicists contributed mul- tiple engineering breakthroughs; codified in the Grinter report; and kick-started by Sputnik. Did accreditation hinder curricular innovations? Were engineering graduates ready for practice? Spurred by these questions, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) required engineering programs to formulate outcomes, systematically assess achievement, and continuously improve student learning. The last three shifts are in progress. Since the engineering science revolution may have marginalized design, a distinctive feature of engineering, faculty members refocused attention on cap- stone and first-year engineering design courses. However, this third shift has not affected the two years in between. Fourth, research on learning and education continues to influence engineering education. Examples include learning outcomes and teaching approaches, such as cooperative learning and inquiry that increase student engagement. In shift five, tech- nologies (e.g., the Internet, intelligent tutors, personal compu- ters, and simulations) have been predicted to transform education for over 50 years; however, broad transformation has not yet been observed. Together, these five shifts characterize changes in engineering education over the past 100 years.

Five Major Shifts in 100 Years of Engineering Education

Abstract: In this paper, five major shifts in engineering education are identified. During the engineering science revolution, curricula moved from hands-on practice to mathematical modeling and scientific analyses. The first shift was initiated by engineering faculty members from Europe; accelerated during World War II, when physicists contributed multiple engineering breakthroughs; codified in the Grinter report; and kick-started by Sputnik. Did accreditation hinder curricular innovations? Were engineering graduates ready for practice? Spurred by these questions, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) required engineering programs to formulate outcomes, systematically assess achievement, and continuously improve student learning. The last three shifts are in progress. Since the engineering science revolution may have marginalized design, a distinctive feature of engineering, faculty members refocused attention on capstone and first-year engineering design courses. However, this third shift has not affected the two years in between. Fourth, research on learning and education continues to influence engineering education. Examples include learning outcomes and teaching approaches, such as cooperative learning and inquiry that increase student engagement. In shift five, technologies (e.g., the Internet, intelligent tutors, personal computers, and simulations) have been predicted to transform education for over 50 years; however, broad transformation has not yet been observed. Together, these five shifts characterize changes in engineering education over the past 100 years.

Assessment: examining practice in entrepreneurship education

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop knowledge about the nature of student assessment practice in entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approach – This paper introduces general assessment practice issues and highlights key considerations. It explains prior research on assessment practice in entrepreneurship education and argues that there is too little empirical research on the subject. Finally, it outlines a typology of entrepreneurship education that highlights variation between different: forms; learning outcomes; subjects; and, possible methods of assessment practice. The methodology for the study gathers data from course outlines (syllabi) and explains how these were collected and analysed.Findings – The results show that educational practice in entrepreneurship education continues to be dominated by the “About” form and highlight that there are different cultures of assessment practice in the UK and the USA. The paper finds compelling evidence that different forms are using asse...

Education, globalization and social change

Abstract: PART 1: CLASSIC TEXTS PART 2: CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF SOCIAL CHANGE PART 3: EDUCATION, GLOBALIZATION AND THE NATION STATE PART 4: EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE AND THE GLOBAL LABOUR MARKET PART 5: THE FAMILY, OPPORTUNITY AND SOCIAL MOBILITY PART 6: POWER, CULTURE AND THE POLITICS OF IDENTITIES PART 7: CHANGING EDUCATION AND TEACHERS' WORK PART 8: CURRICULUM, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT PART9:UNIVERSITIES, HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING PART 10: EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT