Discrete Choice Modeling in Education: An Innovative Method to Assess Teaching Practices

Self‐reported measures are an easy, time‐efficient, and low‐cost way to collect research data compared to other assessment methods. They are, however, characterized by several limitations regarding the quality and the clarity of the data they produce, especially when they are implemented in education. The main purpose of the current study was to use a method called discrete choice modeling (DCM) in education, in order to develop a self‐reported instrument that will reduce the bias for socially desirable responses and to assess teachers’ practices in physical activity. DCM method has the ability to overcome the respondents’ tendency to answer in a socially desirable way. A nationally representative sample of 531 Greek early educators participated in this study and were administered a self‐assessment questionnaire based on DCM. Results showed that the DCM based newly developed instrument manages to assess effectively educators’ practices and provided evidence of the applicability of the method in education. Further implications and future recommendations regarding the effective application of DCM in education are discussed.     

Evaluating the Implementation of an Olympic Education Program in Greece

The aim of this study was to develop an instrument for evaluating how an education program has been implemented. Such evaluation can provide insight into the effectiveness of a program. Examined here was the Olympic Education Program used in Greek schools since 2000. In it, students learn the history of the Olympic games and the importance of exercise for health along with the principles and values of sports and volunteerism. The evaluation instrument underlying this study addressed the following six factors: ‘facilities’, ‘administration’, ‘educational material’, ‘student–teacher relationships’, ‘educational procedures’, and ‘training’. Results indicate that the instrument, while adequate for assessing effectiveness, should be combined with advanced statistical methods.     

Co-teachers’ attitudes towards planning and instructional activities for students with disabilities

Co-teaching is considered a means for improving the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. This research employs a mixed methods research approach to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards co-teaching practices for students with disabilities in Greek schools. In total, 400 co-teachers completed a survey questionnaire and 10 of them participated in semi-structured interviews, in which they reported co-teaching practices with regard to planning and evaluation activities, co-teaching models, content of teaching and instructional grouping arrangements. The participants stated that the time they spend to plan and evaluate together is insufficient and that they need more time to perform these activities. In addition, co-teachers were found to use their limited time to separate rather than to co-plan or evaluate co-teaching activities. They reported inconsistencies in the rating of co-teaching activities during planning and evaluation. Even though co-teachers approved a specific stance towards all models of co-teaching, they mainly noted that they implemented supportive co-teaching. Also, they stated that they modify the content of teaching for their students with disabilities, but they limit this practice to individual teaching in order to assist these students to overcome specific difficulties. Finally, co-teachers indicated that they prefer to teach the students with disabilities in mixed ability groups rather than to teach them individually out of the class. The results of this research support those of previous studies with regard to the planning needs of co-teachers and the prevalence of the supportive co-teaching model. In addition, our results inform the field about diverse approaches and inconsistencies in delivering the curriculum and the grouping arrangements for students with disabilities. We argue that professional development on the practical implementation of co-teaching and administrative support are necessary to enhance co-teachers’ activities towards the development of an inclusive culture.     

The contribution of system and control theory to new technologies

Over the last five decades, modem directions in technological areas such as wireless networks and communications, complex robotic systems, satellites and space structures have been immensely benefited by the use of system and control＇s conceptual framework. Estimation, stability, controllability, robustness, optimality, adaptation, information and statistical engineering are only some of the fundamental ingredients of the so-called new and emerging technologies, which are within the collective preview of this paper. Furthermore, these two, contrarily to technological trends, well established fields of science have been continuously supported by formal modelling techniques, and advanced computational and simulation tools, which enable the analysis and design of new powerful and effective methodologies. Consequently, in this article the authors＇ aim follows two equal directions. At first, the authors would like to provide a profusion of many practical examples and real life problems arising in different application areas that may have in the past abstractly engaged the authors＇ attention and have offer a wealth of opportunities for creative system modelling and practical solutions development. That is the core of our paper. However, in order to be more explicit, and to further illustrate the authors＇ thoughts, the case of a tele-medicine-assisted home support system is used; a system of great interest in the emerging field of information technology and medical health care. Secondly, by developing the necessary conceptual framework and some more efficient methods, important and straightforwardly challenges are inevitably derived. Moreover, a strong effort to develop a formal approach requires the definition of a generic system framework. It is a central objective of this paper to clarify and unify the alternative notions of a ＂conceptual model＂ and thus, to create a basis for the systematic development of formal methods, control/information architectures and decision-making strategies. AMS （Classification）： 97U50, 97U70, 97U80, 97D99.     

A pedagogical analysis of science textbooks: How can we proceed?

This paper discusses some of the available frameworks for the pedagogical analysis of school science textbooks. First, it distinguishes between (a) studies which focus on elements of textbooks, such as the content, vocabulary, illustrations used, and the teaching methods promoted; and (b) those which consider the principles that organize the content and the form of presentation. In attempting to consider the sorts of principles that may be used in the studies categorised under (b), two crucial issues are discussed. The first issue refers to the relationship between scientific knowledge and school knowledge, which, as the relevant literature suggests, might not be conceived merely as a simplified “casting” of the scientific structure, but rather should be understood as a complex social process. The second issue explicitly addresses the nature of the pedagogic relationship and the place of the pedagogic text within it. Recent views about the nature of knowledge, it is argued, would suggest a reconceptualisation of the teaching activity, and indicate a model according to which the three elements of the teaching situation-the content, the pupil and the teacher—are seen as being (re)constituted in their articulation within and through the text(book). Thus, for example, what is to be a competent pupil in this approach is a function of the text. On the basis of these considerations, three approaches to the analysis of science textbooks are discussed: the socio-cognitive, the sociolinguistic and the socio-epistemic. The relative merits of the third approach are considered, and some examples are used from Greek science textbooks.     

Using dialogue as a means to promote collaborative and inclusive practices

This study discusses the results of a collaborative action research project in a multi-disciplinary school for children with disabilities. The aim was to alter practices and views of the professionals concerned in order to promote the inclusion of four children in mainstream schools. Three interrelated programmes were designed and implemented over two years in order to foster the process of collaboration and inclusion. The main purpose was to prompt the different professionals to adopt new roles, and the dialectic method was used as the main means to this end. To collect data, a systematic research diary, a number of participant observations and interviews with the professionals were used. The findings indicate that the result of collaborative action research that integrated the dialectic as a method of interpreting and deconstructing the practices and the views of professionals was to promote the children’s inclusion through the enhancement of effective and just practices.     

An International Study of Prospective Teachers’ Initial Teaching Conceptions and Concerns: the case of teaching ‘combustion’

An important task of science teachers should be to take pupils’ (pre)conceptions and learning difficulties into account and to negotiate about the meanings of specific concepts. In this context, teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge plays an important role. This article presents an international study of Dutch, Finnish, English and Greek pre-service teachers’ conceptions and concerns of how to teach the concept of combustion. The prospective science teachers were invited to prepare a lesson about this concept for pupils of junior secondary school level. The prospective teachers were not allowed to consult any textbook. Research data were obtained from audio-taped semi-structured interviews with the prospective teachers. In addition, their written lesson plans and their answers to an accompanying questionnaire were collected and analysed. The results reveal a number of important characteristics of prospective teachers’ views and concerns regarding the teaching of combustion. The implications of the study for science teacher education will be presented.     

Children's models of the ozone layer and ozone depletion

The views of forty primary students about ozone and its depletion were recorded through individual, semi-structured interviews. The data analysis resulted in the formation of a limited number of models concerning the distribution and role of ozone in the atmosphere, the ozone depletion process, and the consequences of ozone depletion. Children's models involve a variety of alternative conceptions which indicate the presence of a number of different target obstacles; that is, critical factors constraining children's understanding and thus preventing the construction of adequate models. Five target obstacles were identified: (1) the lack of conceptual distinction between ultraviolet and other forms of solar radiation; (2) the lack of the absorption mechanism of ultraviolet rays by ozone; (3) the conceptualisation of the atmosphere as an entirely homogeneous mixture of its constituent gases; (4) the non-localisation of the ozone layer around the earth; and (5) the lack of interpretation of the ozone hole as a decrease in the concentration of ozone. The identification of those target obstacles constitutes the first step for the design and evaluation of appropriate teaching aims and material.     

Market-level information and the diffusion of competing technologies: An exploratory analysis of the LAN industry

Market-level information diffused by print media may contribute to the legitimation of an emerging technology and thus influence the diffusion of competing technological standards. After analyzing more than 10,000 trade media abstracts from the Local Area Networks (LAN) industry published between 1981 and 2000, we found the presence of differential effects on the adoption of competing standards by two market-level information types: technology and product availability. The significance of these effects depends on the technology's order of entry and suggests that high-tech product managers should make strategic use of market-level information by appropriately focusing the content of their communications.