Usefulness of concept maps in college chemistry laboratories: Students' perceptions and effects on achievement

The problem addressed by this study is that first-year college chemistry students learn little of the conceptual material associated with chemistry experiments they perform. The thesis of this research is that the construction of prelab and postlab concept maps help students understand the concepts involved in the experiments they perform. The study was conducted using 32 non–science majors enrolled in a first-year chemistry course. The experimental group constructed prelab and postlab concept maps, while the control group wrote essays explaining the conceptual chemistry of the four experiments used in this study. Both groups took 25-item achievement tests 1 week after each experiment. Prelab and postlab concept maps were scored and evaluated for significant differences. Five students were interviewed to investigate their perceptions regarding the usefulness of concept maps in chemistry laboratories. No significant differences were found between treatment groups with respect to students' conceptual understanding as determined by the multiple choice achievement tests. Students responded very positively toward the use of concepts maps in the laboratory. They felt strongly that constructing prelab and postlab concept maps helped them understand the conceptual chemistry of the experiments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 1015–1029, 1998     

Schooling children with disabilities: Parental perceptions and experiences

Schooling of children with disabilities has become an important development agenda, as also emphasized in the SDGs. This paper examines how parents of children with disabilities from low income families living in a rural community in India understand and experience the schooling of their child with disabilities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with mothers. Findings suggest that mothers greatly valued schooling both for its short and long term benefits; however they were acutely aware of the poor quality of schooling on offer. While parents emerged as strong enablers in supporting their child's schooling they were seemingly devoid of agency to enable their child with disabilities to access meaningful education.     

Parents’ perceptions and children's experiences of early intervention – inclusive practice?

This paper explores the experiences of early intervention for three families in England. The case study research considers parental perspectives and children's experiences of early intervention: what do parents want and what are children's experiences? In particular the ways in which parents and children participate in early intervention programmes in order to support learning will be explained. Case study data includes interviews with four parents. The early intervention experiences of three children with Down Syndrome aged 3–4 years old will be described and placed within the context of early years and inclusive education policy and practice in England ( DfES, 2001, 2003a,b; 2004a; TSO, 2003; QCA, 2000 ). Recent recognition within Government policy towards increased parental involvement in the learning of young children will be considered within the context of inclusive education and early years policy and practice. The ways in which parents are encouraged to be involved in developing the learning of their children and their support from professional services will be considered. The parents’ views and experiences enable a conceptualisation of the implementation of policy and practice, in relation to the opportunities provided and the difficulties encountered. The tensions identified raise questions about whether parents are receiving the kinds of support they need and expect, and in particular whether suitable consideration has been given to the pedagogic models being applied through early intervention programmes.     

School psychology students' perceptions of their practicum experiences

We surveyed a national sample of 139 school psychology students to better understand their perceptions of their practicum experiences. Specifically, we examined the students' reports of the types of activities in which they engage during practicum experiences and their perceptions of their school‐based supervisors' activities. This information is potentially important as school psychology engages in a paradigm shift. Although most school psychology programs may teach students the proposed new and expanded roles, it is unclear whether field‐based experiences are congruent with such university‐based training. Results indicate that students spent the majority of their practicum time in assessment‐related activities. They were generally satisfied with their practicum experience and supervisor, although many knew little about the range of their supervisor's activities. Most field‐based practicum supervisors appeared to provide limited modeling of new and expanded roles. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 727–736, 2006.     

Students' perceptions of an innovative university laboratory program

This paper presents some of the findings of a naturalistic study of a first year university biology laboratory. We report on the affective outcomes for a field trip and a practical exercise that incorporated innovations aimed at increasing the scientific realism and students' responsibility in the learning process. Concern with assessment procedures and a perceived lack of teaching support dominated outcomes for students. Feelings of confusion, lack of satisfaction and hostility were evoked. Recognition of the need to foster greater student input into the learning process is commended, but this paper raises issues about the strategies utilised. Specializations: conceputual understanding in biology students, laboratory work. Specializations: curriculum and assessment in science, teacher Education, metacognition.     

Students' experiences of learning in a research environment

Research into the research–teaching ‘nexus’ has undergone significant changes in focus and methodology. From an initial quantitative concern with correlating measurements of research productivity and teaching effectiveness, the empirical emphasis has shifted in favour of exploring the experiences of participants (academics and students). This paper reports the findings of interviews carried out in a New Zealand university with 34 students studying across a range of levels in physics, geography and English. In particular, it focuses on students’ understandings of the purpose of a university education and on students’ experiences of research—how ‘visible’ it is for them, where it is located and who engages in it. Analysis reveals that students’ relationship with research varies across the disciplines in both a spatial and temporal dimension according to the ways in which knowledge is conceived of and explored. Accordingly, some students have an early sense of proximity to and/or participation in a research community, while for others, research remains, through their undergraduate years, a remote phenomenon.     

Students' experiences with popular music: the case of Beijing,China

Since the 1980s, the establishment of a socialist market economy has quickened the pace of China's economic development; at the same time, increased modernization and globalization have influenced, to varying degrees, the development of music and music education. With reference to 12 secondary schools in Beijing, this empirical study examines Chinese students' preferences for popular music in their daily lives, and in what ways and to what extent they prefer to learn popular music in school. Data were drawn from survey questionnaires completed by 2,423 secondary students in the 12 schools, together with follow-up interviews with 55 of these students, between March and May 2012. This study provides empirical data that both supplements and challenges existing literature on popular music and music education in a Chinese context. It also highlights a discussion on the complex relationships between students and teachers and between Chinese authorities and teachers regarding the introduction of popular music into school music education.     

The perceptions and experiences of young people with a BESD/SEMH classification

Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, previously Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD), is the most frequently occurring category of Special Educational Need (SEN) in secondary schools in England, associated with school exclusion and poorer outcomes in later life. This study explores the perceptions of young people of the “label” BESD/SEMH and their school experiences. A social constructionist grounded theory approach was used to analyse data from semi-structured interviews with nine young people with a statement of SEN for BESD. Findings show that eight of the participants were previously unaware of their classification of BESD and that it was predominantly negatively evaluated. The grounded theory model arising from the research describes the perceptions of young people of the struggles and strengths that they experience at school. Teacher–pupil relationships were found to contribute to both strengths and struggles at school depending on their perceived quality. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.     

University-district partnerships to improve field experiences: Associations with candidate perceptions and performance

Education Preparation Programs (EPPs) are increasingly pressured to demonstrate alignment between program supports and candidates’ outcomes. Using mixed methods, we studied the Early Field Immersion School (EFIS), an effort to improve candidates’ early field experiences. Participants included 171 candidates enrolled in a graduate certificate program and 11 university-based faculty. EFIS candidates spent increased time in early field experiences, yet EFIS was not associated with candidates’ performance at program exit. Although we found that while candidates and faculty alike valued EFIS supports, participation was negatively associated with perceptions of preparedness. We discuss these discrepancies and offer suggestions for ongoing research.     

Objects of conflict: (re) configuring early childhood experiences of gender in the preschool classroom

This qualitative research paper discusses how the material environment of preschool classrooms contributes to early childhood experiences of gender. It applies poststructuralist and posthumanist concepts – primarily Barad’s agential-realism – to analyse ethnographic data extracts drawn from the author’s semi-longitudinal study in a UK nursery. This data focuses on two specific areas of the classroom, the ‘home corner’ and the ‘small world’, and the paper argues that these areas and the objects contained within them can support or challenge/queer gender roles depending on temporal material-discursive conditions. It concludes with specific thinking points for practitioners, arguing that applying these theoretical concepts to explore gender in the early years produces interesting perspectives on how rigid, binary gender roles can be challenged effectively in non-discursive ways within classrooms.     

Students' perceptions of clinical attachments across rural and metropolitan settings

For many years, medical students at the University of Sydney undertook their clinical clerkships in traditional metropolitan teaching hospitals, which were regarded as the ‘gold standard’ for clinical training. In 2001 the university established a rural clinical school at which increasing numbers of students now complete a significant proportion of their medical education. The aim of the study reported here is to examine students’ perceptions of what facilitates their learning in clinical settings and to compare their perceptions across rural and metropolitan settings. Focus groups were conducted to collect students’ views on their experiences of learning in clinical settings. The findings were used to generate a questionnaire with items designed directly from focus‐group data ensuring content validity. The questionnaire was sent to all students in the 2004 cohort. Exploratory factor analysis was used to provide evidence of construct validity. The internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Factor scores were computed to compare students’ perceptions across the two settings. Four factors were extracted: (1) clinical teachers’ orientation to teaching; (2) opportunities to develop clinical skills; (3) supportiveness of the clinical setting; and (4) student confidence and sense of self‐efficacy. Students rated the rural experience more highly and positively than the metropolitan hospital experience with regard to all four factors. This study highlights the positive role that rural attachments can play in providing an educationally sound learning experience. The findings are important in the context of both the drive, among medical programs worldwide, to seek out additional and alternative settings for clinical education and the national agenda to foster student interest in rural careers through positive rural training experiences.     

Students' perceptions of teaching and learning in first-year university physics

The transition from school to university involves substantial change in the structure and organization of teaching, and in the nature and purpose of learning contexts. This paper, which reports some data from a broader study of learning and teaching in first year university physics, focuses on aspects of the school-university transition. In particular, we report perceptions of first year physics students about how they should learn physics, what it is intended they should learn, and what they believe to be the functions of the various teaching situations in which they are placed.     

Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty in the chemistry classroom laboratory

Although the literature on both academic dishonesty and scientific misconduct is extensive, research on academic dishonesty has focused on quizzes, exams, and papers, with the virtual exclusion of the classroom laboratory. This study examined the distinctions undergraduate chemistry majors made between academic dishonesty in the classroom laboratory and scientific misconduct in the research laboratory. Across the spectrum of undergraduate chemistry courses, from the introductory course for first‐semester chemistry majors to the capstone course in instrumental analysis, we noted that students believe the classroom lab is fundamentally different from a research or industrial lab. This difference is so significant that it carries over into students' perceptions of dishonesty in these two environments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 47–64, 2004     

Students' perceptions of Blackboard and Moodle in a Portuguese university

The use of learning management systems (LMS) has grown considerably in universities around the world. The University of Minho (UM) has pioneered in this area in Portugal, adopting Blackboard as its official LMS. Moodle is also used in UM in scattered initiatives, allowing for interesting comparisons. Previous studies comparing Blackboard and Moodle have been confined to limited samples and focused on students' perceptions only. In this paper, we also try to relate those perceptions to the impact of the LMSs on student level of engagement. We assess the extent and depth of use of the two LMSs, presenting the results of a study of students' perceptions and experience with both Blackboard and Moodle. Unlike previous studies, more students (46.5%) stated a preference for Blackboard over Moodle, while 34.7% preferred Moodle, and nearly 20% had no preference. Factors that might explain these results are explored in some detail. By and large, a basic utilisation is made of both platforms, as little more than electronic document repositories, in what Francis and Raftery, in 2005, designate as a Mode 1 level of engagement. We could, however, detect some instances of a more sophisticated Mode 2 utilisation, particularly with Moodle, underlining the role of faculty in integrating a sophisticated use of LMSs when designing their courses.