Moral judgement changes among undergraduates in a capstone internship experience

This mixed-methods study explored the moral growth of undergraduates in a recreation management internship experience. The quantitative phase reported moral judgement gains in Personal Interest and Post-conventional schema, and N-2 scores, as measured by the Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT-2), among 33 interns. The case-study method used a pattern matching technique to show congruence between the theoretical patterns of Neo-Kohlbergian theory of moral development and observed patterns of judgement and action among 10 intern cases representing low and high levels of post-conventional reasoning as measured by the DIT-2.     

德国大学生的就业指导和实习管理

德国是科研型大学的创始者,但是德国大学在注重培养学生科研能力的同时,也非常注重学生的应用能力。因此形成了一套切实有效的实习管理方法和制度,使学生在校期间就能有机会广泛地接触社会、理论应用于实践。不仅提高了教学质量,也提升了学生的就业能力。     

浅析大学生本科期间实习的经验与启示

实习已经成为大学生求职的必备经验与必经之路,实习生也逐渐成为企业与单位重要的劳动资源以及后备人才,所以研究单位接受实习生的用意、大学生实习的目的以及大学生本科期间寻找实习的有效途径具有非常重要的现实意义。     

Examining student learning and perceptions in social annotation-based translation activities

Limited research has been conducted on how to incorporate computer-supported collaborative learning into translation instruction despite the potential benefits. A study was conducted with a group of college English majors in China to examine the effects of using a social annotation tool to encourage student interaction during translation activities. The results showed that students made greater improvement when they completed the translation assignments with the support of a social annotation tool than when they completed the assignments in the traditional way. In addition, students had a positive attitude toward the use of the social annotation tool.     

Learners,learning and new technologies

In 1997 the UK Government introduced a major five‐year programme to support and evaluate the successful use of new technologies in life‐long learning. Known as the National Grid for Learning (NGfL) Strategy, this ambitious vision addresses ICT infrastructure, content and practice. Recent OECD studies suggest that the main issues addressed through the NGfL are common to those being tackled throughout the developed world (OECD 2002). This paper will look at the implications of these strategies for curriculum improvement and reform. A theorisation of the possible relationships between different features of ICT and learning will be offered. Finally the contrast between home and school based use of technologies, and the implications for learning will be considered.Apprentis, apprentissage et nouvelles technologies. En 1997, le gouvernement britannique a lancé un programme d'envergure de cinq ans pour soutenir et évaluer l'emploi réussi de nouvelles technologies dans l'éducation tout au long de la vie. Ce programme est connu sous le nom de la stratégie du National Grid for Learning (NGfL), une vision ambitieuse qui touche à l'infrastructure des TIC, leur contenu et leur pratique. Des études récentes de l'OCDE suggèrent que les buts principaux recherchés par le NGfL sont communs avec ceux recherchés dans tous les pays développés (OCDE 2002). Cet article étudie les implications de ces stratégies pour l'amélioration du curriculum et la réforme et prétend montrer que l'e-mail, les conférences par informatique et le web peuvent potentiellement changer la nature des rapports entre apprenants, enseignants, écoles, communautés locales, nationales et internationales. L'article considère trois perspectives de TIC éducatives: comme outil, soutien pour l'enseignement et agent révolutionnaire et leurs relations avec l'évaluation. Finalement, le contrat entre la maison et l'usage des technologies basées à l'école et leurs implications pour l'enseignement seront considérés.Lerner, Lernen und neue Technikologien. 1997 führte die Regierung des Vereinigten Königreiches ein umfangreiches Fünfjahresprogramm ein, um die erfolgreiche Verwendung neuer Technologien im lebenslangen Lernen zu unterstützen und auszuwerten. Diese als 'National Grid for Learning Strategy (NGfL)' bekannte ehrgeizige Vision ist auf ICT- Infrastruktur,, Inhalt und Übung fokussiert. Neue OECD Studien legen nahe, daß sich die durch das NGfL angesprochenen Hauptfragen jenen, die ¨uberall in der entwickelten Welt gestellt werden, (OECD 2002) gleichen. Dieses Papier betrachtet die Auswirkungen dieser Strategien auf Lehrplanverbesserung und -Reform und wird belegen, dass E-Mail, E-Conferencing und die Nutzung des Web die Art der Beziehungen zwischen Lernenden, Lehrern, Schulen sowie lokalen, nationalen und internationalen Gemeinschaften potentiell verändern können. Dann werden drei Perspektiven von Bildungs-ICT im Verhältnis zur Einschätzung betrachtet: als Werkzeug, als Lernunterstützung und als 'revolutionärer Agent'. Zuletzt wird der Kontrakt zwischen Zuhause und der schulischen Verwendung von Technologien und die daraus sich ergebenden Auswirkungen auf das Lernen betrachtet.     

New directions for lifelong learning using network technologies

The requirements placed on learning technologies to support lifelong learning differ considerably from those placed on technologies to support particular fragments of a learning lifetime. The time scales involved in lifelong learning, together with its multi‐institutional and episodic nature are not reflected in today’s mainstream learning technologies and their associated architectures. The article presents an integrated model and architecture to serve as the basis for the realisation of networked learning technologies serving the specific needs and characteristics of lifelong learners. The integrative model is called a ‘Learning Network’ (LN) and its requirements and architecture are explored, together with the ways in which its application can help in reducing barriers to lifelong learning.     

e-Assessment and the student learning experience: A survey of student perceptions of e-assessment

This paper describes a piece of research carried out at the University of Bradford into student perceptions of e-assessment. An online questionnaire was delivered to 130 undergraduates who had taken part in online assessment (either formative or summative) during the academic year 2007–2008. The survey looked at six main dimensions: (1) affective factors, (2) validity, (3) practical issues, (4) reliability, (5) security, and (6) learning and teaching. The aim of the survey was to identify possible risks in planning e-assessments, as well as to gauge student opinion. The findings of the survey indicated a range of opinions across the student body, with greatest concern about the fairness of item banking. It was also found that the most positive aspect of e-assessment in the eyes of students concerned the benefits that it can bring to teaching and learning. In addition, the paper concludes that age and gender did not significantly affect student responses in any of the areas studied.     

Task-related and social regulation during online collaborative learning

This study investigated how students collaborate in a CSCL environment and how this collaboration affects group performance. To answer these questions, the collaborative process of 101 groups of secondary education students when working on a historical inquiry task was analyzed. Our analyses show that group members devote most of their efforts to regulation of task-related activities. For example, by formulating plans or strategies or monitoring task progress. Group members also engaged in social activities often (e.g., disclosing personal information, joking). Less attention was paid to exchange of task-related information (e.g., asking task-related questions) and regulation of social activities (e.g., planning and monitoring the collaboration). Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the interrelationships between the different collaborative activities. This analysis showed that collaborative activities can be grouped in four broad categories: discussion of information, regulation of task-related activities, regulation of social activities, and social activities. These activities were then used to predict group performance using multiple regression analysis. No effect of discussion of information and regulation of task-related activities on group performance were found. Regulation of social activities positively affected group performance, whereas social interaction negatively affected group performance. As in this study no inferences could be made about the causal relation between collaboration and performance, future research should attempt to focus on this relationship, for example by investigating more closely how different individual and group factors affect collaboration and group performance.     

Distinguishing social and asocial learning using diffusion dynamics

Theoretical models predict that the cumulative number of individuals displaying a socially learned novel behavior will follow an accelerating pattern over time, whereas asocial processes have been associated with linear or decelerating functions. This raises the possibility that the shape of the diffusion curve may reveal something about the learning processes involved. If true, this would be particularly useful for identifying social transmission in observational field studies. Published data are reviewed and are found to provide limited support for this view. The use of accelerating curves as a diagnostic is challenging because (1) alternative theoretical models make similar predictions, (2) clear supporting empirical data are lacking, and (3) practical considerations frequently make accurate construction of the diffusion curve difficult.     

Intelligent design: student perceptions of teaching and learning in large social work classes

Research into the effects of large classes demonstrates that students are disadvantaged in terms of higher order learning because interactions between teachers and students occur at lower cognitive levels. This has significance for social work education, with its emphasis on the development of critical thinking and problem solving, both higher order cognitive skills. This paper reports on quantitative and qualitative research that explored social work students’ perceptions of different teaching and learning strategies in a large mental health course designed with reference to principles of student‐centred learning and constructive alignment. Findings revealed that well‐integrated design, relevance to the real world and teacher enthusiasm were seen as most useful by students, rather than particular learning strategies per se. Higher satisfaction ratings and grades were also associated with this student‐centred course compared with an earlier traditional lecture‐style course. The paper concludes that design based on the interplay between diverse learning activities, including lecture input, strengthened the student‐centred orientation of learning and recommends further research that compares learning outcomes associated with these contrasting approaches to professional education.     

Flow experience and positive affect during hypermedia learning

In this study positive affective states, experienced by users of a one-hour learning program, in a hypermedia learning environment were assessed. It was expected that a positive mood would occur during learning that would be correlated with high training/learning success. Furthermore, the experience of flow was used to indicate whether the challenges and skills were balanced. The results showed that the users of the training program were put into a positive mood. About a quarter of the users experienced flow. Positive moods were associated with higher training success and positive affect was correlated with total knowledge and content knowledge. An association between flow and training success was not observed. The perceived probability of success did not influence learning but a high perceived probability of success was considered as comparably more pleasant than a low perceived probability of success. The results are discussed in the context of self-directed learning.     

Building bridges to student learning: Perceptions of the learning environment,engagement, and learning outcomes among Chinese undergraduates

The study examined the relationships among students’ perceptions of the learning environment, prior academic achievement, engagement, and learning outcomes (cumulative university GPA, generic skills development, and learning satisfaction) with a sample of 2,616 seniors from a full-time research-oriented university in Mainland China. The results supported a model which showed that students’ perceptions of the learning environment and prior academic achievement had direct effects on learning outcomes, and indirect effects via their engagement. The effects, however, varied depending on the type of the outcome in question: (1) Student engagement mediated the relationship between course experience and generic skills development, (2) cocurricular experience positively predicted learning satisfaction, (3) first semester GPA positively predicted cumulative university GPA, and (4) National College Entrance Examination scores did not correlate with any other factor. A major proportion of the variance in the three types of learning outcomes was accounted for by the model, showing its effectiveness in predicting university students’ learning. Implications for improving undergraduate education in China are provided.     

University students’ perceptions of a fair learning environment: a social justice perspective

This study aimed to identify the manner in which university students construe ‘fair treatment’ and how justice related processes are perceived to influence students’ psychological identification with their academic department. In the first study, 342 undergraduate psychology students completed two questionnaires: one measured various aspects of interpersonal, procedural and outcome fairness in their department, and the other measured their level of psychological identification with the department. Students construed the fairness of their learning environment in terms of two conceptually distinct justice factors: respectful partnership between staff and students reflecting primarily interpersonal justice considerations; and systemic fairness reflecting a concern for accessible information and effective problem‐solving procedures. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that although both justice factors significantly influenced students’ psychological identification with their department, interactional justice concerns (i.e., respectful staff–student partnership) were most strongly predictive. In the second study (n = 87), students’ perceptions of fairness were found to share substantial variance with their ratings on the good teaching and clear goals scales of the Course Experience Questionnaire.