材料热处理卓越工程师培养模式的探索

福州大学依托教育部"材料科学与工程专业卓越工程师培养计划"项目,借鉴欧美高等工程教育模式,将卓越工程师培养计划与材料热处理工程师的培训认证相结合,从培养计划、教学大纲、实训基地和教师队伍等方面构建了完善的材料科热处理卓越工程师培养体系。通过一系列教学改革和实践探索,使得材料热处理工程师培养工作富有成效,为进一步推动我国卓越工程师培养计划的实施具有积极的参考意义。     

卓越焊接工程师培养的实践探索

中国石油大学依托教育部"材料成型及控制工程专业卓越工程师培养计划"项目,借鉴德国高等工程教育模式,将卓越工程师培养计划与国际焊接工程师的培训认证进行有机结合,从培养方案制定、课程结构组织、实践基地和师资队伍建设等方面构建了完善的卓越焊接工程师培养体系。通过一系列实践探索和教学改革,卓越焊接工程师培养工作取得了具有积极意义的研究成果,这对进一步推动我国工程类专业卓越工程师培养计划的实施具有一定借鉴作用。     

基于“卓越计划”的生物工程改革研究

"卓越计划"是我国实施的高等工程教育重大改革项目,旨在培养国内实践型工程人才。本文以"卓越工程师教育培养计划"的培养大纲来探索课程教学改革,并以成都学院生物工程专业为例进行了简单的研究,以期对地方院校构建实践教育平台提供更好的借鉴。     

卓越背景下实践教学方法改革与学生工程实践能力培养

"卓越计划"是我国工程教育的重大改革,强化学生的工程实践能力是卓越工程师培养的主要目标之一。本文从分析实践教学方法改革与学生工程实践能力培养之间的关系入手,结合我校两个"卓越计划"试点专业的建设情况,探讨实践教学方法的改革与创新,为保障卓越工程师的培养质量提供参考和借鉴。     

论高校卓越工程师培养的伦理向度

本文分析源于风险社会、复杂工程以及课程失衡所导致的高等工程教育的伦理危机,提出培养卓越工程师必须凸显工程价值观、工程选择观、工程实践观三个伦理要素,并进一步构建了高校卓越工程师培养的工程伦理课程总体框架及工程伦理理论、工程伦理实践、工程伦理拓展课程模块。     

面向“卓越工程师”培养的《食品工厂设计》课程体系改革

"卓越工程师教育培养计划"是我国高等工程教育的重大教学改革项目,针对《食品工厂设计》课程的特点,提出了面向"卓越工程师"培养的理论和实践教学体系改革方案,提升教学效果,将该门课程打造成为食品科学与工程专业的精品课程。     

校企合作“卓越工程师”培养模式比较

"卓越工程师"培养计划是我国人才培养的重要策略,是高校改革的重大举措。国外发达国家工程人才培养有较为成熟的体系和模式,可以为我国的"卓越工程师"培养提供借鉴。国内高校办学指导思想不明确、工程教学资源匮乏,工程实践环境不良是困扰"卓越工程师"教育计划的难点。     

面向工程教育专业认证,加强工程训练中心建设

高等学校工程教育专业认证是我国当前高等教育关注的焦点工作,工程训练中心是提升学生工程实践能力的重要平台。面向工程教育专业认证,加强工程训练中心建设,是推动本科教育内涵式发展的重要抓手。宁波工程学院电子与控制工程训练中心以工程教育专业认证标准为指导,积极探索"产学合作、项目驱动"运作模式,努力构建实景式SMT和GE工程训练环境,精心设计典型工程训练项目,在推进"卓越工程师教育培养计划"试点专业实践教学中取得了阶段性成效,为培养符合专业认证标准的卓越工程师后备人才提供了良好的支持条件。     

“卓越计划”之工程师伦理责任教育

工程师伦理责任教育是工程教育的重要组成部分,是"卓越计划"职业道德教育体系中必不可少的组成部分。积极有序地开展高校工科专业大学生的工程师伦理责任教育,既是社会发展和时代进步的迫切要求,也是工科大学生素质教育和今后就业的客观需要,更是贯彻"卓越计划",为培养造就高质量各类卓越工程师提供后备人才资源保障的必由之路。     

机械专业卓越工程师培养实施的思考

实施卓越工程师教育培养计划是我国高等工程教育面临的重大迫切任务。针对安徽工程大学机械设计制造及其自动化专业,简要介绍了卓越机械工程师培养的目标与要求,分析了现有的本科培养模式中教学与实践环节存在的问题,给出了实施卓越机械工程师的培养举措。     

水利水电工程专业“工程地质”野外实践教学改革研究

"工程地质"是水利水电工程专业一门实践性很强的专业基础课程。对于工程地质野外实践教学,如何在较短的时间内来达到教学目标,是一项亟待深入研究的教学课题。武汉大学(原武汉水利电力大学)从上个世纪50年代开始,为水利水电工程专业的本科生开设了工程地质野外实践教学课程。为了适应新时期对大学生综合能力培养的要求,教学改革也是非常必要和紧迫的。本文分析了2010年实习地点由湖北省赤壁市改为秭归县三峡库区后,对教学理念、教学内容和教学手段等方面进行教学改革的总结与思考。     

工程类课程的微课教学模式创新与实践——参加全国首届高校教师微课教学比赛的思考

教育部于2013年启动了全国首届高校教师微课教学比赛,自此,微课教学理念的普及开始在我国高等院校拉开了序幕。基于参加首届微课比赛的制作,本文对工程类课程的微课教学进行了初步的探讨,通过选课内容、课堂设计、教学评价及发展方向这几个方面,详细阐述了微课的教学理念及应用前景。随着研究的不断深入,未来的微课教学会以更加规范化、专业化的形象出现在网络课堂。     

Promoting accountability and enhancing efficiency： Using national education accounts to track expenditure flows

Increasing accountability and efficiency in the use of public and out-of-pocket financing in education are critical to realizing the maximum impact of the meager allocations to education in most developing countries. While broad estimates and numbers are routinely collected by most national ministries and state departments of education, the lack of accuracy and reliability as well as the obtuse nature of recording and presentation of the data does not facilitate any serious policy use. A major advance in this area has been brought about by the development of NEA （National Education Accounts）, which is a new tool for measuring education expenditures in a systematic policy-~endly manner. In essence, NEAs measure the ＂financial pulse＂ of an education system, answering 4 key questions： Who is financing education？ How much do they spend？ How are funds distributed across different education providers, levels and activities？ Who benefits from or receives the services？ NEAs gather information on all spending from public, private and donor sources, and provide a snap-shot of all expenditures on education in the state or country. While not an auditing tool, it provides real time information on the flow of funds that can be used for evidence-based decision-making. It provides information to policy-makers, enabling them to discern systcm-wide inequities and identify areas that require changes in policy. In addition, the use of a standard classification of expenditures allows for data from NEAs to be comparable between and within countries. This paper provides an assessment of accountability and efficiency in the use of public and private resources in the education sector in 2 states of Nigeria. Using comparative data from implementation of education accounts in 2 states of Nigeria, it presents a breakdown of education spending by public and private sources as well as donor agencies, by types of providers, by geographical regions and by category of expenditures. It analyzes educational expenditures for the 2 states in the context of state government priorities for education, and proposes a novel way of tracking trends in education spending as a means for policy-makers to organize a strategic vision supported by resources and to evaluate the outcome of policies.     

Puppets in science lessons Experiences and stories from Norwegian teachers who are using puppets

Ten teachers, from preschool to secondary school have tried out puppets as a stimulus in science lessons. Data were gathered by teachers answering a questionnaire and by interviewing the teachers. We report what teachers have experienced by using puppets in science classrooms and in science activities in preschools. Data indicate that the puppet can be used to stimulate science both in preschool, primary school and secondary school. Probably the puppet must be used in different ways in preschool and primary school than in secondary school to get the pupils to accept them. This pilot study has given us courage and ideas to start a following-up study in using puppets in science.     

Values—— A study of teacher and student perceptions in four countries

The study aimed to assess and compare the values prevalent among the students and teachers of Universities in Bangladesh, Japan, USA and Germany. The sample consisted of 480 students and 236 teachers. The sample included 120 undergraduate students Japan; 120 undergraduate students from Bangladesh; 120 undergraduate students from USA, and 120 undergraduate students from Germany. The faculty sample included 60 teachers from Japan, 60 teachers from Bangladesh; 60 teachers from USA, and 56 teachers from Germany. To identify the value preferences of the individuals a list of 10 values, pro-social, achievement, power over others, security, self direction, otherworldliness, fatalism, narcissism, inner directed, and conservative, based on previous values studies by Singh and Parek were prepared. The first five values were identified in previous studies as functional （Singh, 1975） and other five were identified as dysfunctional （Parek, 1988） in the context of national development of Asian cultures. The results revealed that Bangladeshi students held stronger preferences for values identified as functional values than for those identified as dysfunctional. Japanese students indicated stronger preferences for the values identified as functional values except narcissism. The American students indicated a preference for three of the five values identified as functional but also ranked narcissism and other worldliness as third and fifth preferred values respectively. German student showed a preference for functional values, except narcissism which they also ranked as third. Bangladeshi teachers＇ preferences for functional values were higher than dysfunctional values. Japanese teachers indicated a preference for functional values except narcissism. American teachers preferred functional values except other worldliness. German teachers＇ value preferences were also functional, except for narcissism which they ranked as fifth. Students and teachers in the four countries sampled indicate preferences for values identified as functional with few exceptions. This research suggests that value preferences among university students and teachers are more similar than different, suggesting a homogenizing effect （Boli, 2005） on human values.     

Developing schools as professional learning communities： The TL21 experience

Over the last 2 decades, Irish schooling and society have gone through a period of significant structural and policy-driven change. To meet the emerging needs of the knowledge/learning society, schools and teachers are challenged to develop their capacities as ＂active learning communities＂. This places greater demands on teachers and schools to reflect on their classroom practices, to utilise a wider repertoire of pedagogic styles more suited to the needs of the 21st century learners and so that meaningfully collaborate with their fellow professionals. Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century （TL21） was a 4-year （2003-2007） multi-pronged research and development project involving the Education Department at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth （NUIM） and 15 post-primary schools. The project sought to address a number of key aims in terms of developing schools as professional learning communities, including addressing the isolation and insulation which teachers can, and do experience in their day-to-day professional lives and prioritize quality in teaching and learning as a key challenge for school development planning. This paper attempts to succinctly frame the key developments and findings which emerged over the duration of this process.     

The effects of globalization phenomena on educational concepts

It is becoming more and more apparent that globalization processes represent, theoretically as well as practically, a challenge for educational sciences and therefore, it must be addressed within the sphere of education. Accordingly, educational conceptions have to adapt to globafization phenomena and focus more on alternative and innovative educational concepts. The observable phenomena that appear as part of globalization then lead to the following question： Is there still space for educational concepts like emancipation, self-determination, equal opportunities and fairness in distribution, democracy and common sense？ The most indispensable tools for the development of equitable and peaceful contemporary education perspectives are a differentiated reflection on globalization phenomena and consequences, an intensive analysis and disclosure to address （global） conflict lines, the questioning of well-established concepts, the formation and embodiment of visions of the global future and the articulation of innovative education concepts. Modern social and political structures and practices have to be reoriented to combat the negative effects of globalization processes through the incorporation of more humane, socially fair and ecological principles. Educational science is sure to make an important contribution in making this a reality.     

The use of music to teach life skills to students with emotional disabilities in the classroom

This article discusses the teaching of life skills to urban American youths who are highly fascinated with the hip-hop culture--songs, raps, miming, lyrics, dressing and musical rhythms, especially individuals with emotional disabilities in the public schools. This is an instructional curriculum strategy to encourage positive and active participation of these students, promote perfect school attendance, encourage good behaviors, deal with anger management and motivate committed learning in the classroom. The instructors＇ understanding of students＇ culture, learning needs and styles, and using such background knowledge to educate them become imperative in this setting. These urge for innovative and leadership projects in the author＇s special education classroom necessitated the application of hip-hop music to teach life skills, reading and other functional skills in the classroom. The outcome was positive and rewarding to both the teachers and students. There are recommendations for interested teachers to devise creative teaching methods, differentiated instruction and appropriate classroom management practices to attain student achievement.     

Inclusive education： Proclamations or reality （primary school teachers＇ view）

This paper deals with 2 focal points of inclusive education, which is the integral segment of the current education reform in the Bosnia and Herzegovina： its position in various proclamations and in primary school teachers＇ reality, i.e., legislative aspects vs. everyday situation in primary schools. The survey research was carried out through the 5-level Liken scale, on the sample of 105 primary school teachers working in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton （specific for its education reform implementation）. The aim was to examine the attitudes of the direct implementators of the education reform and the inclusive education （2003-2009）--primary school teachers, with particular reference to： teachers＇ acquaintance with inclusive education requirements; their involvement in its designing, planning and organization; relevant professional education; school preparedness for inclusive education; level of partnership with relevant subjects; and evaluation of the inclusive education implementation. The results obtained have indicated exactly the lack of the mentioned as the main issues of the implementation of inclusive education within compulsory primary schools in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Therefore, this paper gives a kind of guidelines for the improvement of the inclusive education, derived directly from the teachers＇ everyday experiences, problems, proposals, notes and suggestions.     

Measuring success： Evaluating educational programs

This paper reveals a new evaluation model, which enables educational program and project managers to evaluate their programs with a simple and easy to understand approach. The ＂index of success model＂ is comprised of five parameters that enable to focus on and evaluate both the implementation and results of an educational program. The integration of these parameters forms a complete and comprehensive picture, which in turn provides the most information on the success or failure of the program. The parameters are： （1） the relevance index, referring to an evaluation of predefined objectives; （2） the efficiency index, referring to the fiscal efficiency of the program; （3） the effectiveness index evaluating the attainment of the program＇s objectives; （4） the impact index gauging the effect on the consumers, for whom the program is undertaken; and （5） the final parameter is the program＇s sustainability index. Since Israel＇s education strategy currently leans towards site-based monitoring and evaluation, such a model can potentially be of great help to school management and staff.