The inclusion of pupils perceived as having social and emotional behavioural difficulties in mainstream schools: a focus upon learning

This article focuses upon the relationship between social and emotional behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and learning. It argues that, while inclusion is desirable in principle, it can be highly problematic in practice. Further, it explores the contested nature of the concept of SEBD and the nature of support for pupils categorised as such. The article draws upon a case study which evaluates a group work approach devised by the author to support pupils experiencing SEBD within a mainstream secondary school, within a deprived area. The study (N = 69) established benchmark measures relating to pupil attendance, discipline sanctions, attainment and pupil attitudes and followed the progress of the pupils until one to two years after completion of the intervention. The findings indicate that the intervention did not reduce the differential in performance in National Tests between the Support Group pupils and comparator groups but it did impact positively upon dispositions towards learning.     

Priorities for primary education? From subjects to life-skills and children's social and emotional development

To what needs and purposes should the primary curriculum be chiefly directed in the coming decades? In a first step towards revising the primary curriculum, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) invited responses to an open online call to ‘have your say’ on priorities for primary education. Respondents were asked to share their views in 100 words or less. Six priorities for primary education were identified across the 960 responses. These focused on developing children's life-skills; communication skills; well-being; literacy and numeracy skills; motivation and engagement; and their sense of identity and belonging. Across the priorities, there is recognition that skills learned in the primary years are related to one another and the extent to which children develop these is likely to have wide-ranging effects on their future experience as learners. Findings call for a revision of traditional, content-based curriculum subjects towards a better alignment with the needs of today's primary school children beginning with a more explicit focus on life-skills, and children's social and emotional development. Finally, we note the common ground across early childhood, primary and post-primary sectors and highlight the potential to align our values and vision for children and young people's education from the earliest years through adulthood.     

社会性学习及其研究趋势综述——兼论Laffey团队的社会性学习研究项目

社会性学习是社会性计算技术在学习领域中的应用。近年来随着以Web2.0为标签的社会性计算技术及其在社会领域中的广泛应用以及在线学习的普及,社会性学习领域所涌现的问题以及针对性的研究已经吸引了众多研究团队的投入。本文首先概述了社会性学习研究的相关背景,接着采用个案分析及访谈的方式,对Laffey团队正在开展的社会性学习研究项目进行了综述与分析,最后结合这些分析提出了我们在社会性学习领域的研究如何从中得到借鉴。     

Giving or receiving feedback: which is more beneficial to students’ learning?

Assessment is a key component of the education process and strategies involving peer-feedback are considered beneficial to student learning. This study aims to analyse the benefits giving and receiving feedback have for students’ development of cognitive and metacognitive, affective and professional competences. One-hundred and eighty-eight students enrolled in teacher education answered a survey. Results indicate that, after providing feedback, the students perceived a better learning experience and an increased sense of commitment to their own learning and their colleagues’ progress. A key finding from this study was the role of students in their own learning. As most participants recognised, providing feedback helped them improve their learning, which is a clear indicator that students want to adopt an active role in their own learning and consider their involvement critical in the design of teaching and learning experiences. To achieve the greatest advantages, feedback must be accompanied by tutoring and mentoring to ensure positive connections with the task, address doubts and clarify the comments received.     

学习障碍儿童社会技能研究的新进展

学习障碍儿童社会技能研究主要围绕社会技能缺失、社会技能训练有效性和社会技能研究方法方面进行。社会技能缺失研究主要探讨学习障碍儿童社会技能缺失成因、分类以及社会技能缺失是否是一种学习障碍等问题。影响学习障碍儿童社会技能训练有效性的因素主要包括干预的频率和强度、干预方法、治疗完整度和训练效果的迁移与保持等。社会技能研究方法的研究主要包括对现有社会技能评定量表和测量方法的分析与评价以及对新的社会技能研究方法———最小可觉差法和功能分析法的特征分析和有效性评价。     

Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude of strategies critical for success in the twenty-first century. Students drive their own learning through inquiry, as well as work collaboratively to research and create projects that reflect their knowledge. From gleaning new, viable technology skills, to becoming proficient communicators and advanced problem solvers, students benefit from this approach to instruction.     

美国社会情绪学习标准体系及其应用

基于科学研究和实践经验相结合的美国社会情绪学习项目有助于提高学生情商,改善学习和生活态度,降低问题行为,提高学习成绩。本文从社会情绪学习的发展历程、内容框架与标准体系、具体应用等几个方面来介绍美国社会情绪学习的基本模式,为促进我国教学改革、学生的情感教育以及良好公民的培养提供参考。     

学习障碍与社会技能缺失的关系

很多研究试图揭示学习障碍与社会技能缺失的关系,探讨社会技能起缺失是否是学习障碍儿童特有的现象。研究者围绕学习障碍定义关于社会技能缺失的表述,学习障碍儿童社会技能缺失成因,学习障碍子类型与社会技能缺失的关系以及学习障碍儿童社会技能缺失元分析研究四个方面对这一问题进行研究。研究学习障碍与社会技能缺失的关系对教育者开展干预工作具有重要的指导意义。将来的研究应关注学习障碍儿童社会技能缺失的类型特点和发展特点。     

图式理论原则下的计算机辅助大学英语视听说教学

图式理论是认知心理学家用以解释心理过程的理论。本文运用图式理论,阐述了图式理论与计算机视听说之间的关系,并提出了运用图式论指导计算机视听说教学的方法。     

New technology,new pedagogy? Employing video podcasts in learning and teaching about exotic ecosystems

This paper examines the experiences of undergraduate university students in response to the employment of video podcasts to support learning and teaching about exotic ecosystems. Six, 15–20‐minute podcasts were made accessible to students through a virtual learning environment, either online or to download to mobile technology. The students were free to watch the podcasts whenever and wherever they chose to. The perceived and actual effectiveness of the technology was assessed by written questionnaire, focus groups and summative assessment results. Students agreed that the podcasts were effective in supporting learning and teaching on the course, largely by offering a flexible and visual learning experience. The podcasts were also perceived as a useful resource for revision and assessment, providing visual images that stimulated factual recall and highlighted knowledge gaps. There were no significant differences, however, in examination essay grades comparing cohorts prior to and post adoption of podcasts. The key to improving the student learning experience appears to lie not in adopting new pedagogy, but in reflexively developing the existing pedagogic strategies employed by both teachers and learners. Of primary importance is uniting the individual learning experience of podcasts with group exploration and critical discussion in a collaborative learning framework.