Explanations in STEM Areas: an Analysis of Representations Through Language in Teacher Education

Constructing explanations of scientific concepts is one of the most frequent strategies used in the science classroom and is a high-leverage teaching practice. This study analysed the explanations provided by student teachers in STEM areas from a socio-materiality perspective focused on verbal and nonverbal language and representations. The study was conducted in a hybrid research format by scholars and a preservice teacher. First, the study compared the representational elements used by 86 student teachers to construct explanations about various concepts in a roleplay setting. Next, a positioning analysis was done by a preservice teacher, to a selection of five of these explanations focused on the concept of “force”. The positioning analysis highlighted the embedded voices in the construction of explanations, with a focus on the intersection between science and language. The results showed that the student teachers created explanations as static artefacts, mainly using examples, graphs and images to clarify the concepts. The voices of learners and scientists were mostly absent from the explanations, which led to the presentation of explanations in STEM areas as finished and unquestionable artefacts, with references neither to nature nor to the history of science. We reflect on the meanings attributed to learning to be a practitioner in the context of interconnecting science and language through explanations, as a process of meaning (re)production within the classroom. Implications for teacher education are discussed in order to enhance student teachers’ awareness about constructing knowledge by enacting explanations in the science classroom.

     

Assessment in the Service of Student Learning: Three Cases in Point

Three examples of extant testing practices (i.e., a classroom instructor's use of a simple pre-post design, the practice of teaching to the test, and the think aloud verbal protocol) are discussed to illustrate the contention that assessment in the service of testing and learning does not necessarily involve radically different assessment practices. It is demonstrated that activities already familiar to teachers and assessment specialists can powerfully inform student learning and teaching practice.     

浅谈小学语文学科教学与教育信息化的融合

小学语文教学与教育信息化有效融合,具有鲜活地呈现教学内容、丰富教学手段、激发学习兴趣等优越性,因此语文教师在教学中也应当意识到信息化在课堂中的重要性,创新教学方法。本文立足于小学语文教学实践,首先对小学语文学科教学与教育信息化融合的可行性进行了初步分析与探讨,其次对教育信息化在小学语文教学中的运用价值进行了探索。     

问题引领式教学在高中政治教学中的运用

在高中政治教学中运用问题引领式教学法实施课程教学,能促进教师全方位地了解并熟悉学生的综合情况,然后依此设立课堂问题情景,组织并引导学生进行问题的讨论与探索.如此,不仅能帮助学生形成主动学习与独立思考的习惯,还能推进学生创造性思维的发展.基于此,本文在分析高中政治教学中存在问题的基础上,探讨了问题引领式教学在高中政治课堂...     

Comparing Problem-Based Learning and Traditional Instruction in High School Economics

Abstract

The potential differences in the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) and traditional instructional approaches regarding high school students' attainment of economics concepts and principles and attitude toward learning economics were examined. The authors also considered potential interactions between learning outcomes in PBL and traditional instructional contexts and differences in students' academic ability, entering knowledge of economics, attitude toward economics, negative feelings after failure, preferred level of task difficulty, and behavioral response to failure. No differences between PBL and traditional classes were found regarding unit-specific student learning outcomes, although there was a difference in changes in general economics knowledge measured at the beginning and end of the semester, with the traditional classes learning more.     

“互联网+”背景下的数学教学策略研究

“互联网+”不仅丰富了初中课堂的教学形式,更加深了学生学习的体验。“互联网+”技术在课堂中的有效应用,能够转变传统的课堂教学模式,创设出极为开放的、宽松的学习环境和氛围,互联网以其丰富的课程资源,提升了初中数学教学质量。通过分析初中数学课堂教学现状及出现的问题,指出“互联网+”背景下提升课堂教学有效性的路径。     

浅谈智慧教室环境下的高中信息技术教学

智慧教室是一种在信息技术支持下的建构创新性课堂教学模式的教学空间,智慧教室作为智能化教学环境在高中信息技术课堂上的应用,极大地提高了高中生学习兴趣,打造出高效课堂,提高了教学质量。文章主要介绍了智慧教室环境下的高中信息技术教学。     

导学互动模式在高中数学教学中的应用探研

导学互动是一种以导学结合和互动探究为特征的教学模式,能够使学生在课堂中的学习主动性和积极性获得提升,也能够使高中数学课堂氛围变得更加活跃,以提升高中学生数学学习水平,达到有效教学的目标。文章以高中数学教学存在的主要问题为出发点,着重探讨导学互动模式在高中数学教学中的有效应用。     

基于合作学习的高中英语教学策略刍探

在核心素养背景下,高中英语课堂教学从传统的“知识型课堂”转变为“能力型课堂”。因此,教师可基于“自主、合作、探究”的原则,充分借助小组合作学习模式,不断提升高中英语课堂教学效率。文章分析高中英语核心素养内涵、合作学习内涵及合作学习应用于高中英语教学的意义,并探究具体应用策略。     

成人高校大学英语课堂危机探析

随着信息技术的发展以及教育对象的年轻化,成人学生对大学英语课堂中教师有限的口头信息传递不满足,甚至以缺课相抵制,课堂危机因此产生。作为教师,应当积极面对课堂危机,反思课堂教学,及时转变观念,以"有效教学理论"为依托,使用"任务型教学模式",将课堂交还学生,将教师的"教"变为学生的"学",让课堂成为师生共同发展的希望的田野。     

互动教学在高中英语教学中的运用探微

高中英语课程是高中阶段的基础文化课程,旨在为学生继续学习英语和终身发展打下良好基础。在英语教学中,教师可不断创新教学方法,引入互动教学模式,以激发学生的英语学习积极性,提高英语课堂教学效率。文章分析互动教学模式概念,探讨互动教学模式在高中英语教学中的运用策略。     

语文课堂主题型教学模式探赜

教师在语文教学中运用主题型教学模式有利于整合教材知识,让学生快速地理解和掌握文本知识,为学生后面的学习构建良好的知识框架。文章分析主题型教学模式运用于初中语文课堂教学的重要性,并对初中语文课堂运用主题型教学模式的策略进行探讨。     

Teaching and Learning Science Through Song: Exploring the experiences of students and teachers

This qualitative, multi-case study explored the use of science-content music for teaching and learning in six middle school science classrooms. The researcher sought to understand how teachers made use of content-rich songs for teaching science, how they impacted student engagement and learning, and what the experiences of these teachers and students suggested about using songs for middle school classroom science instruction. Data gathered included three teacher interviews, one classroom observation and a student focus-group discussion from each of six cases. The data from each unit of analysis were examined independently and then synthesized in a multi-case analysis, resulting in a number of merged findings, or assertions, about the experience. The results of this study indicated that teachers used content-rich music to enhance student understanding of concepts in science by developing content-based vocabulary, providing students with alternative examples and explanations of concepts, and as a sense-making experience to help build conceptual understanding. The use of science-content songs engaged students by providing both situational and personal interest, and provided a mnemonic device for remembering key concepts in science. The use of songs has relevance from a constructivist approach as they were used to help students build meaning; from a socio-cultural perspective in terms of student engagement; and from a cognitive viewpoint in that in these cases they helped students make connections in learning. The results of this research have implications for science teachers and the science education community in developing new instructional strategies for the middle school science classroom.     

THE EFFECT OF KNOWLEDGE LINKING LEVELS IN BIOLOGY LESSONS UPON STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE STRUCTURE

Knowledge structure is an important aspect for defining students’ competency in biology learning, but how knowledge structure is influenced by the teaching process in naturalistic biology classroom settings has scarcely been empirically investigated. In this study, 49 biology lessons in the teaching unit blood and circulatory system in 9th grade German classrooms were videotaped and analyzed. Before the lesson, a questionnaire was administered to the students to solicit their responses about learning motivation. After the lesson, students’ learning outcomes on knowledge structure were examined with the concept mapping method. The video coding used in this study focused on the knowledge linking levels during the biology lesson. Out of the 49 classes, those with the highest and those with the lowest linking levels were selected based on the coding results. In high-linking classes, interrelated facts were introduced more often in the lessons, whereas in the lessons of the low-linking classes, isolated pieces of knowledge were predominant. The results from the concept mapping task showed that the students in the high-linking classes constructed more correct relations among the concepts compared to the students in the low-linking classes. The results remained stable even after controlling for learning motivation. These findings confirm the importance of teaching interrelated facts and concepts instead of isolated facts for fostering students’ knowledge structure. As a result, based on the Bavarian biology curriculum, we develop materials and programs to enable students, student teachers, and teachers to focus on interrelated facts and basic concepts instead of isolated facts in biology lessons.     

The Relative Merits of Explicit and Implicit Learning of Contrasted Algebra Principles

Knowledge representations that result from practicing problem solving can be expected to differ from knowledge representations that emerge from explicit verbalizing of principles and rules. We examined the degree to which the two types of learning improve problem-solving knowledge and verbal explanation knowledge in classroom instruction. We presented algebraic addition and multiplication problems to 153 sixth graders randomly assigned to two conditions. Students in the explicit learning condition had to verbally compare contrasted algebra problems. Students in the implicit learning condition had to generate and solve new problems. On three follow-up tests over 10 weeks, students in the explicit learning condition exhibited better problem-solving knowledge than students in the implicit learning condition, as well as some advantages in verbal concept knowledge. Implicit learning showed some advantages on not directly taught but incidentally learned aspects. Overall, this outcome favors the explicit learning of concepts. Explicit comparison fostered student performance on non-verbal and verbal measures, indicating that verbalization facilitates effective comparison.     

Constructive alignment in economics teaching: a reflection on effective implementation

The typical approach to student-centred learning in Economics has focused on innovation within the classroom, with little thought given to how this complements teaching and learning and, crucially, assessment. This paper reflects on the implementation of constructive alignment in a final year managerial economics course. It demonstrates how it is possible to design coursework assessment for economics which both encourages constructivist learning, while also limiting the potential for plagiarism. The successful assessment allows students’ autonomy in selecting what evidence matches the assessment requirements. Further, the teaching, learning and formative assessment activities recommended are crafted to directly align with the requirements of the summative assessment. This structured alignment process, by providing repeated formal and informal feedback, produces levels of student engagement and reflection that facilitates deeper learning.     

民族院校蒙汉双语专业《汉语文选》课堂教学改革探索

《汉语文选》课程是内蒙古民族大学蒙古学学院面向蒙汉双语专业开设的学科核心课程。随着课堂教学改革的深入推进,如何转变传统的教学观念、探索新的教学方法、优化教学手段、提高学生学习兴趣,是《汉语文选》课程亟需解决的问题。从以下几方面对该课程教学进行了探索与改革:第一,多种教学方法合理并用,营造师生良性互动的课堂氛围;第二,创建以"第一课堂"为主,"第二课堂"为辅的教学模式;第三,改革传统考试模式,建立科学合理的考核模式;第四,组织编写符合时代发展和学生需求的新教材。     

小学数学混合式教学探究

混合式教学模式是教学新形势下的新型教学模式,能够有效提升数学教学的有效性。在小学数学课堂教学中运用混合式教学,能使学生对数学学习更感兴趣。教师应引导学生养成自主学习、深入学习数学的心理,使小学数学教学模式成为更适合社会培养数学人才的有效教学模式。     

教师对大学英语网考的不适应性分析及相关对策研究

介绍了网考的概念及优势,分析了教师对网考的种种不适应性,并提出了相关对策,即:更新教学理念,转变教学重点;提高教学内容趣味性,注意教学材料选择多样性;倡导"教师授课+学生自主"的教学模式。     

小学课堂教学中运用小组合作式学习的策略研究

目前,很多国家在课堂教学中普遍采用小组合作学习的教学模式,其原因在于这种模式可以对学生的自主学习起到很好的推动作用,同时也可以让学生在合作学习中对情感认知等方面有所提升,可以看作是一种比较新颖的教学模式,同时也可以是策略体系中的一种。笔者就小组学习如何实施,才可以在小学课堂教学中有效的发挥其独特的作用进行系统的分析和研究。