New Literacies for New Learners: The Need for Digital Technologies in Primary Classrooms

Abstract

All students must start learning new literacies skills early if they are to gain the skills they will need as adults. Integrating these skills into classroom instruction at a young age is especially important for economically disadvantaged students. Moreover, the interactive nature of the Internet and other digital tools may hold special learning opportunities for young children. New literacies instruction not only is necessary and appropriate for young children; it will define their future.     

The Support Model for interactive assessment

The two most common models for assessment involve measuring how well students perform on a task (the quality model), and how difficult a task students can succeed on (the difficulty model). By exploiting the interactive potential of computers we may be able to use a third model: measuring how much help a student needs to complete a task. We assume that every student can complete it, but some need more support than others. This kind of tailored support will give students a positive experience of assessment, and a learning experience, while allowing us to differentiate them by ability. The computer can offer several kinds of support, such as help with understanding a question, hints on the meanings of key concepts, and examples or analogies. A further type of support has particular importance for test validity: the computer can probe students for a deeper explanation than they have so far given. In subjects like geography or science, markers often would like to ask ‘yes, but why?’, suspecting that students understand more than they have written. We describe a series of studies in which students were given a high level task as an oral interview and then as an interactive computerised assessment with varying types of support. Implications of the support model for future modes of assessment are discussed.     

Perspectives in Science — Exploring Science,Technology and Society

Abstract

The National Film Board of Canada is breaking new ground in educational technology with a pilot series of ‘interactive’ videos entitled Perspectives in Science. The series, aimed at the junior high school level, addresses issues of environmental and sociological concern not traditionally dealt with in formal science curricula. This paper examines the rationale behind the development of the Perspectives in Science video series. Science curriculum guidelines across Canada are being re‐written to reflect a change in education strategies that will encompass not only the teaching of scientific concepts, but also the applications of those concepts, as well as the implications of utilizing those concepts. Referred to as the ‘S‐T‐S’ connection, or, Science‐Technology‐Society, the new focus has been extensively documented by the Science Council of Canada and is currently causing a stir in the science teaching community as teachers scramble to find audio‐visual productions that address these new concerns and, at the same time, engage their students.

This paper also explains the design concept for presenting materials on S‐T‐S in an interactive model. Each video includes a short, open‐ended drama, followed by a number of ‘interactive components’. The tapes are ‘interactive’ in that teachers and students can choose to follow the material linearly or search for specific segments using the running time code as an electronic page reference. The interactive components consist of documentary style discussions with Canadians involved in some aspect of the scientific, technological, and societal issues presented, animated sequences, experiments, and filmography. The videos investigate issues of water, biotechnology, and toxic waste—with additional topics on soil, forestry, and air in production.

Finally, this paper documents the formative evaluation of the series noting the favourable response of teachers and students to the design concept and material content. The findings of this research indicated that the interactive video was both timely and appropriate for science teaching in view of major changes now being made to science curricula.     

Cross-Cultural Differences in Student Expectations

ABSTRACT

International students represent a growing market segment for colleges and universities in the U.S. As universities begin to target international students, it will become imperative that university administrators and faculty understand what these students expect once they arrive on campus. The present study, utilizing 686 U.S. and 338 Australian business students was designed to explore university service expectations from a cross-cultural perspective. Results indicate that expectations of Australian students are greater than those of U.S students on three dimensions of service quality. Implications for university administrators and faculty, along with future directions, are discussed.     

International alumni affairs and an emerging trans-national public service landscape

ABSTRACT

International alumni affairs is a relatively new addition to the landscape of higher education, particularly outside the elite sphere of the Ivy League and Oxbridge. These privileged institutions have seen comparatively high numbers of international students enrol for many years and have gradually developed a formalised alumni presence in any number of countries worldwide. This paper analyses the current public or community service operations of international alumni clubs representing American colleges and universities. An exploratory document analysis will produce an initial typology of service-oriented activity, and in select institutional cases will also evaluate to what extent the priorities of independent alumni clubs align with the institutional priorities of the home institution. Attention is paid to the sustainability of these service-oriented efforts, relevance to the local environment, and direct support of university faculty, staff and students.     

The Impact of Supply and Demand on Doctorates in Physical Education Teacher Education: The Future of the Profession

ABSTRACT

Quality preparation of doctoral students is a key to the survival of physical education teacher education. Past research has revealed a shortage of students graduating with a doctoral degree in physical education and a general reluctance of teachers to leave their jobs to pursue an advanced degree. As the number of universities preparing new physical education teacher education assistant professors decreases, those in the profession are concerned for the future of teacher education. Unlike other professions that prepare more doctoral students than the market can accommodate, this is not the case for physical education teacher education doctoral programs. This article will provide summary information on supply and demand, which will be used to identify trends and recommendations for the future. This article will explore the status of doctoral programs in the United States and whether university programs will be able to prepare a sufficient number of professors to replace the aging physical education teacher education professoriate.     

Class acts? Working class student officers in students’ unions

Abstract

This article explores the recent emergence of ‘working-class student officer’ roles in students’ unions associated with elite UK universities. These student representative roles are designed to represent the interests of working-class students within their universities and sit alongside student representatives for liberation groups and/or student communities. Based on interviews with postholders and using Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field and Reay’s applications of a ‘reflexive habitus’, I explore how these students have come to assert a public and political ‘working-class student’ identity within their universities. Their commentaries reveal the ‘makings of class’ in a context where students are very aware of claims for recognition and the ‘hidden injuries of class’ and offer an insight into how working-class students are finding new ways to navigate their classed identities in HE.     

Examining interactive whiteboard-based instruction on the academic self-efficacy,academic press and achievement of college students*

Abstract

The study reported here examined college students’ academic self-efficacy, ‘academic press’ and learning achievement, as well as the association between these three variables within learning contexts using interactive whiteboard-based instruction. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using a sample (n = 103) of first-year college students in China. Participants were taught English by either an interactive whiteboard-based or traditional lecture-based instructional approach for three months. The results showed that the interactive whiteboard-based instructional intervention cultivated higher levels of academic press and academic self-efficacy among students and a significant, positive correlation was identified between these two variables. Students’ learning achievement was not affected by the instructional intervention. These results indicate that interactive whiteboard-based instruction offers some distinct benefits. In future work, additional research is needed to clarify how the instructional model relates to understanding learning achievement.     

Student Performance in Three Classroom Settings

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of interactive television in teaching an MSW foundation research methods course. Specifically, the performance of distant students who received instruction via interactive television was compared with the performance of their peers who received simultaneous face-to-face instruction in an interactive television classroom on-campus and with students who took the course in a traditional classroom. This retrospective analysis of student performance, spanning a four-year period, found that students performed comparably regardless of the setting for the course. The three groups of students studied did not differ statistically on their combined midterm/final examination test scores, the required course paper, or final course grades.     

Turning Minds On and Faucets Off: Water Conservation Education in Jordanian Schools

Abstract

An evaluation was conducted to measure the impact of a curriculum implementation through the Jordan Water Conservation Education Project funded by USAID. This study examined the effect of recommending water conservation at the household level and the impact of using interactive teaching methods to promote conservation behaviors among students and their families. The evaluation used a postintervention design with random selection of participants. Comparisons were made among 671 students (424 experimental, 247 control) belonging to high school eco-clubs in central Jordan. Most students were girls in rural settings. The experimental group consisted of students whose teachers implemented an interactive curriculum and promoted household water-conservation behaviors. Teachers of students in the control group did not participate in the curriculum implementation, but those students were exposed to lectures about biodiversity issues. The results indicate that students who were exposed to the new curriculum demonstrated a higher level of knowledge about water conservation and performed recommended behaviors more often than students in the control group.     

A desktop publishing course: An alternative to internships for rural universities

Technical writing programs housed in geographically isolated universities face great challenges in regard to getting students career‐related work experience. A course in desktop publishing can provide students at rural schools with experience equivalent to internships. In the desktop publishing course I taught at Murray State University, in addition to learning principles of layout and design, students faced many challenges like those that will confront them in the workplace. They worked on projects that entailed real financial constraints and deadlines; they were required to modify their work after receiving reviews from several different individuals. In addition to providing students with experience, the course provided benefits to the university in terms of services and public relations.     

Higher education students’ experiences of a short-term international programme: Exploring cultural competency and professional development

Background: Globalisation trends such as increased migration to and within European countries have led to even greater cultural diversity in European societies. Cultural diversity increases the demand of cultural competency amongst professionals entering their work field. In particular, healthcare professionals need knowledge and skills to equip them to work with clients from different cultural backgrounds. Within higher education (HE), the professional development of cultural competency should ideally feature in undergraduate education and is often promoted as a by-product of a study abroad period. However, recognising that logistical and financial barriers often exist for extended study abroad, one alternative approach could be participation, at home or abroad, in a short-term international programme set within students’ own HE institutions.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore HE students’ experiences of participating in international ‘short-term mobility week’ programmes at three European universities.

Methods: Each university involved in the research offered short-term programmes for healthcare professions students at their own institution, where both local students and students from abroad could participate. Participants were healthcare students in the programme at one of the three universities. Data were collected through focus group interviews (4–8 students per group; n = 25). The data were transcribed and then analysed qualitatively, using a content comparison method.

Results: The analysis identified six categories, which reflected students’ journeys within the short-term international experiences.

Conclusions: The analysis suggested that, for these students, engagement in a short-term mobility week programme provided valuable opportunities for encounters with others, which contributed to personal and professional development, greater confidence in the students’ own professional identities, as well as an increasing sense of cultural awareness.     

Analysing the quality of Australian universities’ student anti-bullying policies

ABSTRACT

Bullying has been a topic widely researched in schools and the workplace, however, comparatively there is a paucity of research into bullying among university students. This is an oversight, as bullying may also have negative consequences for university students, ranging from anxiety to suicidal ideation. Anti-bullying policies are an important part of bullying prevention and intervention, however, due to Australian Federal legislation, policies for students are not mandatory at universities. To be an effective prevention and intervention strategy, anti-bullying policies and procedures should be informative, supportive, well publicised, and student user friendly. Through analysing the anti-bullying policies and procedures from 39 Australian universities, using a 37-item analysis tool adapted from Purdy and Smith as well as thematic analysis, this study aims to determine if Australian universities are providing students with the information and support they need to be able to report bullying to their university and study in a safe environment. Both strengths and weaknesses were found in 37 individual universities’ student anti-bullying policies and procedures, as well as overall trends displayed by universities Australia-wide. The overall paucity of information and consistency, as well as the poor user-friendliness of many of the documents, highlights the need for changes to be made. Without the reform of student anti-bullying policies and procedures in Australian universities, students will be unsupported and ill-equipped to identify and report bullying. Universities will also run the risk of gaining a bad reputation and not promoting a bully-free culture for students in which to learn and socialise.     

Rural Undergraduates at Elite Universities: Learning Experience and Identity

Abstract

The decline in the proportion of rural students at major universities has caused widespread social concern. Special enrollment programs in recent years have increased the proportion somewhat. However, the situation at elite universities in China’s transition period is different than before. There are few studies addressing the learning experiences of rural students in the new period. This study uses qualitative methods to research 32 case studies of rural undergraduates at four elite universities in Shanghai. Based on Bourdieu’s concepts of capital, field, and habitus, this study finds a mismatch between the habitus of respondents and that of elite universities, which leads to an awkward initial school experience. In accordance with the operating logic of the academic field, they are able to achieve an increase in cultural capital by virtue of their own efforts. This complex class experience also has a far-reaching impact on identity through the individual’s response to their own emotions. This conflicted identity is expressed as feeling like either a “country bumpkin” in the big city or a “city person” from the country.     

Introductory Cultural Anthropology: A Multimedia Presentation

Abstract

The study investigated the interactive effects of professors' instruction strategies and students' conceptual levels on the motivation to learn of 83 postsecondary students randomly assigned to either direct or nondirect instruction groups. Statistically significant interactions revealed that highly structured teaching methods maximized the motivation of students with low conceptual levels, whereas teaching methods that were low in structure enhanced the motivation of high-conceptual-level students. The findings expand previous research and offer insights into how professors can influence students' motivation to learn academic course content.     

Outreach and support for Australian university students with learning disabilities

Abstract

Although students with learning disabilities (LD) are increasing in Australian universities (Smith, Carroll, & Elkins, 1999), limited data is available about this group and the services available to them. This paper reports the results of a 1996 survey of university outreach, transition and orientation programs to attract potential students with LD and assist them in adjusting to higher education study. The availability of generic and specialist support services and accommodations was also investigated.

Universities promote awareness of disability support services widely in outreach to prospective students and at application and/or enrolment, although students with LD are seldom specifically targeted. Formal programs to assist students from equity groups or students with disabilities to consider tertiary study are most frequently directed at high school students; only one quarter of the universities had outreach programs which might include adults with LD. Most universities offer a comprehensive range of support to students with LD through both generic and disability services. Approaches to the documentation of diagnostic assessment and the establishment of need for accommodation are however variable, and raise issues of equity which are of concern to disability support staff.     

Re/producing the global middle class: International Baccalaureate alumni at ‘world-class’ universities in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

This research investigated educational pathways into a Global Middle Class characterised by professional or managerial careers and cosmopolitan sensibilities. The focus was International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) alumni with upper-middle-class backgrounds at ‘world-class’ universities in Hong Kong. The first objective was to investigate if and how the education of IBDP alumni at Hong Kong universities shapes self-perceptions of cosmopolitan sensibilities, university experiences, and economic futures. The second objective was to investigate how the IBDP and Hong Kong universities offer an educational pathway for the existing Global Middle Class to reproduce their social position and for local families to enter the Global Middle Class. Interview findings illuminated how cosmopolitan sensibilities meant that the students may be well-positioned for careers and lifestyles of the Global Middle Class. Nevertheless, there were paradoxes of cosmopolitan sensibilities as the students perceived a lack of belonging to their universities and a disconnection with the local society.     

The Influence of technologies on financing options

Abstract

International higher education is a major source of revenue in many developed countries. Historically the top destination countries for international students have included USA, UK, France and Australia. The key countries where most international students are recruited from include China, India and other parts of Asia. The extant literature has mostly examined the factors influencing international students to study in Western countries. A new trend is now emerging with an accelerating growth of international students in countries such as China and other parts of Asia. This mixed-methods study addresses the gap in the literature by exploring the factors that influence international students’ choice to study undergraduate or postgraduate courses in China. The study found that China is becoming an important destination choice for international students due to the distinctiveness of the Chinese language, the rise of its universities in global rankings and the country’s economic growth.     

A preliminary study of multiple college admission criteria in Taiwan: the relationship among motivation,standardized tests,high school achievements,and college success

ABSTRACT

A new college admission policy will be implemented in Taiwan in 2022. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between admission criteria and college success. Data was obtained from the Taiwan Higher Education Database; a sample size of 8443 students from 156 universities was used in this study. By using the structural equation model, this study tested a research model that included factors such as motivation, standardized test scores, high school achievements, and college success. The findings revealed that the General Scholastic Ability Test scores (in Chinese, English, Social Studies) and high school average academic grades are significantly associated with college success. A student’s motivation to complete a certain major can significantly predict the quality of student effort and influence college success. These findings highlight the importance of some admission criteria and provide practical implications for educational policy-makers, school administrators, students, and parents.     

University students with learning disabilities: Results of a national survey

Abstract

Despite increasing attention to disadvantaged students in Australian universities, data on students with disabilities is sparse. This paper reports the results of a 1996 national survey on students with learning disabilities (LD) in Australian universities. The data collected from disability support staff indicate that in 1996 they supported approximately 1000 students with LD: this group of students comprised 12% of all supported students with disabilities. The gender ratio of supported students with LD did not differ significantly from that of all university students, but the supported students with LD were more likely to be studying part‐time, less likely to be studying for a higher degree, and less likely to be aged under 20 years.