Teachers’ beliefs, instructional behaviors, and students’ engagement in learning from texts with instructional pictures

This study investigated the relations between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and students’ self-reported engagement in learning from texts with instructional pictures. Participants were the biology, geography, and German teachers of 46 classes (Grades 5-8) and their students. Teachers’ instructional behaviors and students’ engagement in learning from texts with instructional pictures were assessed by means of student ratings. Teachers’ beliefs about using texts with instructional pictures in their teaching were assessed by a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that the more teachers believed that students should be taught clear strategies on how to learn from texts with instructional pictures the more engagement was reported by their students. A multilevel mediation model showed that the association between teachers’ beliefs and students’ self-reported engagement was mediated by teachers’ perceived instructional behavior.     

Teacher Beliefs: The Impact of the Design of Constructivist Learning Environments on Instructor Epistemologies

Promoting student epistemological development is seen as a goal of higher education. Further, the epistemological beliefs of instructors have been shown to affect their teaching beliefs and behaviors. Some argue that only when instructors are epistemologically advanced will they be able to engage in pedagogical activities that encourage student epistemological development. This study examines the impact of the design of constructivist learning environments on university instructors’ epistemological belief systems. Constructivist learning environments are technology-based environments that present learners with authentic problems, that are supported by cases similar to the problem being posed, and learning-support strategies such as modeling, coaching, and scaffolding. Instructors’ epistemologies might be impacted by engaging in constructivist learning environment design because the process requires instructors to think about their discipline in non-traditional ways. Results of this qualitative inquiry suggests that instructors who are in a zone of ‘readiness’ for intellectual growth could experience epistemological growth from this experience.     

The Conditional and Interaction Effects of Epistemological Beliefs on the Self-Regulated Learning of College Students: Motivational Strategies

This study examines the conditional and interaction effects of each of four dimensions of the epistemological beliefs of college students regarding the ability to learn, the speed of learning, the structure of knowledge, and the stability of knowledge on six measures of the motivational components of self-regulated learning strategies (intrinsic goal orientations, extrinisic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy, control of learning and test anxiety). Students with more sophisticated beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning were more likely than their peers to use educationally productive motivational strategies in their learning. Beliefs about one’s ability to learn and the structure of knowledge had the most significant and substantial effects on students’ use of self-regulated motivational strategies. Although a student’s belief about the stability of knowledge by itself had a statistically significant effect on only one motivational strategy, this belief did have four statistically significant interaction effects with beliefs about ability to learn and the structure of knowledge. Implications of these findings for theory, research, policy and practice are examined.     

The change in epistemological beliefs and beliefs about teaching and learning: a study among pre-service teachers

This study investigated the change in Singaporean pre-service teachers' epistemological beliefs and beliefs about learning and teaching over the course of a teacher preparation program. An online survey was administered during the first week of a nine-month program and the same survey was administered after the 413 participants had completed all their course work and teaching practice. Participants exhibited significant changes in epistemological beliefs and beliefs about learning and teaching – participants indicated more relativistic epistemological outlooks and less constructivism in beliefs about teaching. At the end of the teacher preparation program, they seemed to less value effort in learning and believed more in innate ability.     

非英语专业新生的英语学习信念与英语课堂焦虑的相关研究

大部分非英语专业新生在英语课堂里有较高的焦虑度,而部分英语学习信念与英语课堂焦虑有显著的负相关关系,也就是说英语学习信念可能是导致焦虑的原因之一。外语学习信念和外语课堂焦虑是二语学习过程中两个重要的个体差异变量,研究两者之间的关系是二语研究的重要课题。     

Three worlds of instructional design: State of the art and future directions

Three worlds of ID are distinguished. The Worldof Knowledge stresses the analysis of learningoutcomes in knowledge structures and theselection of instructional strategies forparticular outcomes; the World of Learningfocuses on particular learning processes andthe synthesis of strategies that support thoseprocesses; the World of Work focuses onreal-life task performance and strategies thatsupport learners while they work on authenticproblems. Contributions to this Special Issueare discussed within the three-world framework.Implications for future research are discussed,stressing the promise of mental models as atheoretical construct that may help to buildbridges between the three worlds.     

Epistemic beliefs in action: Spontaneous reflections about knowledge and knowing during online information searching and their influence on learning

In the present study it was investigated whether high school students are spontaneously able to reflect epistemologically during online searching for information about a controversial topic. In addition, we examined whether activating epistemic beliefs is related to individual characteristics, such as prior knowledge of the topic and argumentative reasoning skill; also whether learning from the Web is influenced by epistemic beliefs in action and the ability to detect fallacies in arguments. The participants (N = 64) were students of Grade 13, who were asked to think aloud during navigation. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. Findings reveal that most participants spontaneously activated beliefs about all four dimensions identified in the literature, that is, about the simplicity/complexity, certainty/uncertainty, justification, and source of knowledge, at different levels of sophistication. Most epistemic reflections were about the source of knowledge. Two patterns of contextualized epistemic beliefs emerged and significantly influenced learning from the Web, which was also affected by participants' ability to identify argumentative fallacies.     

当代西方建构主义教学理论评析

当代西方建构主义教学理论在认识论、学习观、教学观等方面都有自己独到的见解 ,有明显的积极意义。但作为发展中的教学理论 ,它仍有其片面性和不完善之处。如忽视了间接经验、真理的绝对性和外部技能训练的必要性等 ,对建构主义教学理论本体和理论实践中的一些问题还不能很好地给予回答     

知识表征与教学设计——网站设计课堂教学中的知识类型分析与应用

教学过程中存在着不同类型知识的传授,采用何种方法更有利于知识的表达、获取和运用呢？文章结合网站设计这门课程,主要从陈述性和程序性两大知识类型来阐述教学过程中如何运用知识表征理论来进行教学。     

Signs of Erosion: Reflections on Three Decades of Problem-based Learning at Maastricht University

Nowadays many schools in higher education implement problem-based learning to foster active learning processes by students. In some schools with a number of years of experience with this approach, phenomena can be observed which indicate signs of wear. The implementation of a large-scale innovation such as problem-based learning (PBL) seems to provoke different activities and attitudes in those actors who are most involved. Students and staff members seem to behave in a way which could be counterproductive to the development of self-directed learning. In the first part of this paper, we briefly describe the cognitive psychological background of PBL. In the second part various adjustments observed in problem-based curricula and their effects on students’ learning are analyzed. Arguments are presented about adverse effects on the implementation of this educational innovation. Special attention is given to teachers’ concerns. In the third part suggestions are made about ways to revitalize PBL processes as well as suggestions about effecting educational innovations on a more solid basis     

物理情境学习中抛锚式教学模式的应用--"运动的合成和分解"一节的教学探索

在新课程背景下 ,进行抛锚式教学可以为教师在物理学科教学中设计以学生为中心的学习环境 ,为进行情境学习提供参考。本文以“运动的合成和分解”一节的教学为例 ,阐述了这种教学模式的应用过程。实践表明 ,情境学习的新见解能实现物理教学上的创新。     

《工程力学》网络课程的总体策划及教学设计

本在阐述了网络课程的教学设计理论及教学设计方法的基础上,通过对《工程力学》网络课程进行总体策划和教学设计,论述了以正确的教学思想为指导、分析学习的特征、分析教学内容、选择教学媒体等设计理念及设计方法,介绍了《工程力学》网络课程的基本情况、功能模块和设计开发具有仿真性、交互性和实践性的网络课程的方法。     

Digital Learning Playground: supporting authentic learning experiences in the classroom

This study proposes a platform to provide a near-authentic environment, context, and situation for task-based learning. The platform includes two projection screens (a vertical and a horizontal screen) combined for situated or authentic learning. The horizontal screen extends the vertical screen scene to form a space for learning activities and performance. The platform creates learning situations using robots as surrogates of students to accomplish real-life tasks. Kolb's four-stage experiential learning cyclical model was adopted in the learning design. A simple practice was developed to examine the effect on teaching children English as a foreign language. The results reveal that children could engage deeply and feel more enjoyment using the system. Moreover, as surrogates for students to imagine that they are accomplishing real-life missions, robots could be a vital element of authentic learning in future classrooms.     

Review of current studies in instructional design theory in Korea: major trends and future directions

This article reviewed recent studies of instructional design theory in Korea to explore major trends and suggest future directions. Based on the analysis of 40 articles from the Journal of Educational Technology between 1994 and 2006, this study identified six trends: little emphasis on the conceptualization of instructional design theory; dominant interest in instructional design theories for higher-order thinking skills or self-regulated learning; special interest in instructional design theories for motivation and interactivity; emergent studies on the generic topic of instructional theories; heavy emphasis on instructional design theory for computer or Web environment; and sparse developmental research. Future directions of study for instructional design theory in Korea are suggested in response to issues arising from these trends.     

Conceptualizing Organizational Dimensions of Instructional Supervisory Practice: Implications for Professional Learning Environments in Schools

This study explored the organizational nature of the professional learning environments of teachers, administrators, and other peer professionals in schools. A conceptual model of the organizational structure and effects of instructional supervisory practices was developed to guide the empirical investigation. The model is based on an organizational conception of instructional supervision in which the variety of supervisory behaviors, interactions, and decision making engaged in by school personnel contributes to a unique organizational/supervisory (O/S) climate infusing a school's professional learning environment. Six meaningful dimensions of O/S climate were empirically derived. Climate variable linkages to various indices of school effectiveness were posited and explored using quantitative and qualitative methods. The study's qualitative findings revealed additional school-level, organizational context factors which further explicated the O/S climate and professional learning environment constructs and quantitative supervisory climate/effectiveness linkages identified in the study's original conceptual model. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An examination of what metaphor construction reveals about the evolution of preservice teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning

Examination of prospective teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning on entry to teacher education programs, and tracking the development of these beliefs in light of academic and field-based experiences, is a critical task for teacher educators. The study examines metaphor construction as a tool to gain access to, and promote the development of, prospective teachers’ beliefs through the incorporation of reflective activities that integrate academic and field-based experiences. Specifically, this research examines how metaphorical representations of preservice elementary teachers’ in the United States and Europe changed and examines the factors influencing the development of beliefs and the modification of metaphors.     

The differential influence of instructional context on the academic engagement of students with behavior problems

The teacher–student interactions of 39 students exhibiting high externalizing behavior problems and 59 students exhibiting average behavioral adjustment from urban elementary schools were directly observed. Comparisons between these students within four different instructional contexts indicated that levels of student engagement were significantly related to both behavior and classroom context. Although teachers’ use of behavioral management strategies was minimal, it was significantly related to the type of instructional context in which it occurred. Findings are discussed in terms of how different instructional contexts place unique demands and offer distinct affordances for students with behavior problems. A more comprehensive understanding of the influence of these environmental contexts can allow teachers to scaffold task demands to bring them within the domains of the student's ability.     

基于知识协同的应用型本科院校教师教学创新研究与实践

从应用型本科院校的办学定位出发,指出教师教学模式所存在的问题。基于知识协同的角度解释了教师传授学术或专业知识和培养应用型本科教育教学创新的内涵,阐述了教学理念、教学方法和手段、教学管理的更新,并以安徽省某高校应用型物流管理本科人才培养的教学改革为例,提出一些具体的措施,力图为解决应用型本科人才培养过程中的不适应问题提供参考。     

西藏地区中小学数学教师认识信念的调查研究

本研究选取西藏地区353名中小学数学教师作为研究对象,通过问卷调查、访谈的方法,采用描述性统计、独立样本t检验和单因素方差分析等探索西藏中小学数学教师认识信念的现状和背景因素差异。研究发现:西藏中小学数学教师的数学认识信念总体上呈进步倾向,在教师自身认识信念上则存在显著的学校位置差异,并且职称对数学教师的数学认识信念、教龄对数学教师的学生信念、学历对数学教师的数学学习信念和数学教学信念均产生一定影响。     

Approaching and avoiding arguments: The role of epistemological beliefs, need for cognition, and extraverted personality traits

Because argumentation may promote deeper processing of content, this study examined factors affecting students’ dispositions to engage in argument, specifically epistemological beliefs, need for cognition, and extraversion (assertiveness and warmth). An instrument developed by [Infante and Rancer, 1982] was used to measure dispositions to approach or avoid arguments. Subjects were 238 undergraduates who completed surveys of the relevant constructs. Contrary to expectation that epistemological beliefs would predict the approach component by affecting the perceived usefulness of argumentation, regression analysis indicated that epistemological beliefs instead predicted the avoidance component (as did a desire to maintain warm relationships). Need for cognition predicted the approach component, whereas assertiveness predicted both. The need to better understand why some students avoid arguments is discussed.