On the front-line: Teachers as active observers of pupils’ mental health

There is a growing expectation that schoolteachers should not only act as educators by delivering the national curriculum, but also be more involved as tier one mental health professionals. In this role they are expected to assume some responsibility in the early identification of children's mental health problems and to refer these children for appropriate support as required [NHS Health Advisory Service. (1995). Together we stand: The commissioning, role and management of child and adolescent mental health services. London, UK: HMSO]. In this paper, we examine teachers’ experiences in light of these expectations and in the context of greater inclusion. We undertook in-depth interviews, to explore teachers’ views on competency and training in mental health management. Our findings indicate a widespread perception that teachers feel inadequately prepared to manage pupils with mental health needs. The findings are discussed with reference to the changing role of the teacher, current education policy and teacher training.     

网络环境下师范院校教师的素质

在网络环境下，以计算机技术为基础的现代信息技术被广泛应用于教育教学中，教学模式发生根本性的变化，这就要求师范院校教师不断对自己的教育教学活动进行研究、反思，掌握在网络环境下新教学媒体的应用和操作技能，对自己的知识、经验与现代教育技术进行重组，才能不断适应新的变革。     

Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning

A Personal Learning Environment or PLE is a potentially promising pedagogical approach for both integrating formal and informal learning using social media and supporting student self-regulated learning in higher education contexts. The purpose of this paper is to (a) review research that support this claim, (b) conceptualize the connection between PLE, social media, and self-regulated learning, and (c) provide a three-level pedagogical framework for using social media to create PLEs that support student self-regulated learning. Implications for future research in this area are provided.     

Understanding MOOC continuance: An empirical examination of social support theory

ABSTRACT

Learning outcomes is mediated by multi-channel learning environment and social engagement. Both factors may play a significant role in understanding motivation to learn in massive open online courses (MOOCs). The goal of this study was twofold: a. to compare behavior intention patterns of traditional e-learning platform and MOOCs participants; b. to examine relationships between behavior intention and perceived social support. Therefore, this study applies the concepts of technology acceptance model and social support theory to examine the underlying the determinants of learners’ continuance intention factors for MOOCs in Taiwan. In addition, this study adopts perceived convenience, computer self-efficacy, sense of community, and perceived gains as the constructs of social support perspective. Our examination reveals that sense of community, and perceived gains influence learners’ behavior intention of both general e-learning platform and MOOCs. However, perceived convenience and computer self-efficacy did not influence learners’ behavior intention for traditional e-learning platform, but still have efforts for MOOCs. In summary, our results show that the social support theory and technology acceptance model could be the suitable examination model to investigate the behavioral intentions for MOOCs. These findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications.     

University teaching and social cohesion in the age of AIDS: A South African case study

In the context of ongoing social divisions, lack of coherent leadership by government, and even divisiveness over medical advances and public health mandates, how might universities respond? What university actions can support social cohesion in a society splintered by class, race, gender, colonial legacies, the history of apartheid, and HIV/AIDS? More specifically, what approaches to university teaching of HIV/AIDS might foster social cohesion? During 2006, I interviewed 22 instructors at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) at three campuses. The interviewees were faculty members in education, sociology, history, psychology, theology, gender studies, and theater. I observed numerous classes that focused on HIV/AIDS and interviewed approximately 40 undergraduate, honours (4th year), and graduate students. I found that the curriculum and teaching went beyond the technical, individualistic, rational, self-interested assumptions and approaches (such as how to distribute information and condoms) typical of much safe-sex education. The courses explicitly critiqued assumptions, beliefs, and stereotypes that contribute to social divisions and stigma. The teaching efforts consciously included cultural understandings, specifically Zulu cultural understandings of health, community responses, and individuals within communal relationships. The approaches explicitly connected HIV/AIDS with social divisions and inequities of power. The teaching promoted an awareness that public health initiatives (and church or counseling responses) are fraught and controversial. Thus, the teaching tried to place its own ideas within history and society, offering a post-colonial/critical understanding of knowledge, theories, and social “solutions.” In foregrounding social divisions in relation to AIDS, these programmes promoted a critical-edged social cohesion.     

The educational use of social annotation tools in higher education: A literature review

This paper presents a literature review of empirical research related to the use and effect of online social annotation (SA) tools in higher education settings. SA technology is an emerging educational technology that has not yet been extensively used and examined in education. As such, the research focusing on this technology is still very limited. The literature review has aimed at presenting a comprehensive list of SA empirical studies not limited to a particular research method or study domain. Out of more than 90 articles that were initially found, only 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the included studies were eight experimental or quasi-experimental studies and eight evaluation/survey studies. The SA empirical research has provided some evidence regarding the potential effectiveness of integrating social annotation tools into learning activities. Findings from the gathered literature were synthesized to provide recommendations for using SA technology in educational settings.     

Disrespecting teacher: The decline in social standing of teachers in Cape Town,South Africa

This paper examines the declining levels of respect for teachers in two communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Education has been identified as a key area of reform and redress, but a critical skills shortage and under-resourced schools are hindering progress. Data from current and former teachers illustrate how the social and institutional capital of education is being replaced by a focus on economic capital, undermining the prestige of teaching as a career. These problems reflect trends elsewhere in the world and require action to prevent further shortages in education.     

"国际汉语教师中国志愿者计划"志愿者语言习得理念纵深式个案调查

本研究运用“语言习得理念分类详表”，个案追踪一期接受“国际汉语教师中刚志愿者计划”培训的志愿者语言习得理念的变化，并与有经验的对外汉语教师的二语习得理念进行异同比较。研究发现志愿者习得理念总体并无明显变化，而且与有经验教师存在较一致的共识，某些具体理念变化也表明他们正逐渐向有经验教师所持有的理念靠拢。本研究分析了这一现象的原因，指出今后应关注志愿者不同教育背景、经历和心理认知所带来的不同语言习得理念及其影响，并通过强化培训，帮助他们尽量消弭错误理念所引起的不良影响。     

The loneliness of the long-distance learner: social networking and student support. A case study of the distance-learning MA in translation at Bristol University

Using the translation programme at the University of Bristol as a case study, we shall argue in this paper that distance delivery can have a very positive impact on recruitment but that the quality of the students’ experience depends upon the capacity of the organisation to support course development and delivery, both in terms of instructional design and management of student support. Using evidence from a survey of current students and the reflective logs that are produced as part of the assessment, we shall consider the opportunities which new technologies afford for distance learning provision and attempt to identify some of the constraints, internal and external, which threaten to inhibit growth and development.     

Twitter,cyber-violence,and the need for a critical social media literacy in teacher education: A review of the literature

Multiliteracies and new literacies pedagogies advocate for expanded ideas of literacy, which focus heavily on the use of digital technologies within the classroom. Yet there is little discussion within the discipline regarding the ethical implications of using social media in teacher education. This is of particular concern given the potential for online spaces to be unsafe. In particular, the social media site Twitter, used and promoted by many educators to collaborate within professional learning networks, is rife with misogyny and racial violence. Through a review of the current literature on social media use in teacher education, and a multi-disciplinary perspective on issues of cyber-violence, I will discuss the ethical implications for teacher educators who want to use Twitter as a pedagogical tool and offer strategies to develop critical social media literacy practices.     

Nurturing identity formation in adolescence through narrative learning: a dialogue between the pedagogies of media literacy and religious education

ABSTRACT

In these last four decades or so, adolescence became understood as the time when young people ask fundamental questions about themselves, each other, the world, and one’s past, present and future life that seek unity of purpose and coherence. For most young people the digital media are popular modalities through which they seek, consciously or unconsciously, meaningful answers to such questions. Multimodal spaces are sites for adolescent identity construction, a reality that prompted media educators to focus more on youth as authors of multimodal productions that provide opportunities to create narratives of self. RE has been increasingly justified by the support it provides students to become subjects of life, and the potential to provide opportunities for meaning-making. This essay explores how these functions of RE become more possible through the creative pedagogy of MLE and the digital technologies it utilizes for storytelling, especially photography and film-making which can engage the processes of interpretation and meaning-making, imagination and critical reflection. The creativity of MLE can be positively utilized in RE for meaning-making and identity formation. This paper draws upon the Maltese context in which RE is more of a confessional nature (CRE). This model could significantly benefit from such an endeavour.     

Patterns of student writing in a critical thinking course: A quantitative analysis

Two studies assessed student writing in a critical thinking course. The first study examined initial and final versions of a term paper. Linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) analyses of essays revealed significant differences in linguistic variables and some differences in cognitive variables. The second study examined student essays at the beginning and end of the semester. Taken together, the studies indicate that students express themselves with less tentativeness at the end of the semester, and are consistent with the suggestion that students move from relativism to commitment during the course of a semester. In addition, the results indicate that the LIWC may detect differences between different writing genres.     

‘Breaking Ground’ in the use of social media: A case study of a university earthquake response to inform educational design with Facebook

On September 4 2010, a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Canterbury region in the South Island of New Zealand. The response from the University of Canterbury was immediate and carefully co-ordinated, with the university's web-based environment and a responsive site developed on the social media platform ‘Facebook’ becoming prominent sources of support for many months. This case study illustrates how the university effectively utilised these environments and their impact within the wider university community. Case study methodology draws upon literature from the fields of social media, social network communities and crisis informatics. The findings propose that social media can effectively support information sharing, communication and collaboration in higher education contexts, in particular in times of crisis, but suggest there needs to be a defined purpose to integrate these within an institution's communications strategy given the resource implications and range of social media already used by students.     

对外汉语教师素质与培训研究的回顾与展望

新中国对外汉语教师队伍建设的研究始于20世纪80年代。近十年学界针对对外汉语教师素质、教师培训和专业人才培养的研究均有所建树。以往研究的不足在于,我们对教师应具备怎样的知识结构和能力结构论述较多,而对知识与能力的关系以及如何培养、认定教师的教学能力未能作更深入的研究;对如何通过量化分析、跟踪调查的方式评估教师培训成效的研究也应当加强。而在当前汉语国际推广的新形势下,我们需要拓宽研究领域,并将我们的研究重心转移到汉语教学志愿者和海外中小学汉语教师的培训上。     

Building a Network for Preserving Intangible Cultural Heritage through Education: A Study of Indonesian Batik

This study aims to discuss a strategy to preserve intangible cultural heritage in education and to deliberate on the batik network in Pekalongan, Indonesia. To investigate the network, this study adopted a framework based on the actor–network theory (ANT). The research data was obtained through observation, interviews and document analysis. Interviews were conducted with eight interviewees who are working professionals in batik. The study achieved the following results: 1. Cultural heritage education needs to connect with the needs of everyday life within the context of the current situation and the social environment. 2. A successful cultural heritage educational network must include the efforts of industry, government, schools, museums and research institutions so that everyone can derive maximum benefit from the network and achieve a sense of accomplishment. 3. Attentiveness to conscious cultural heritage contributes to the promotion of education. Batik knowledge is built by interactions between batik workers, batik, batik museums, school teachers, and workshops or classes, such as student work in schools.     

The forgotten schools. Current status of special schools for pupils with social,emotional and behavioural difficulties in Germany: a complete national survey

The article reports on a survey of special schools for children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in Germany. The schools were asked by standardised mail questionnaire about their organisational structures. The rate of return was 77% and a total of 397 schools were included in the interpretation of data. The questionnaire asked for several items to analyse the structural elements and organisational compositions of the schools. Rather than measuring the effects of instruction and treatment in the separate school settings, the present study is basic research aiming at stocktaking of the current organisational status of these schools that have barely been the focus of research. The number of structural problems that SEBD schools in Germany have to face is enormous, according to the findings. It is arguable whether optimal service delivery and support to the pupils is possible under the general conditions revealed by the present study, e.g., inadequate number of teachers and other staff members (and thus insufficient staff for child guidance), only a few schools offering full‐time schooling services, and in only a few instances do we find inter‐agency collaboration.     

新经济常态的商务智能融合趋势研究——一个学术谱系回溯视角

互联网、大数据、人工智能的技术创新扩散,商务智能迭代与实体经济组织深度融合克服了传统商务智能的局限性。然商务智能内在规律性研究尚处起步阶段,高度情境依赖的内生性动因尚少研究。以契合诠释科技革命和产业变革发展的动态能力理论与技术融合理论研究线索,采用引文共线分析法将Web of Science(WOS)作为引文数据库,基于学术谱系回溯文献视角,统计商务智能文献归属的研究领域分布与共属性特征,提炼跨领域学科间关联链关系;使用层次聚类算法,对被引文献数据进行聚类分析;配合VOSviewer的共线统计,反映商务智能与实体经济融合共线关联链、交叉研究趋势和研究热点;发现商务智能与实体经济融合效应启示;为传统产业升级中商务智能与实体经济发展的系统化过程提供理论依据,也为企业家、创业者和投资人的经济活动与组织行为策略提供实践参考。