Enhancing transfer of learning through post-course reflection

Abstract

This article investigates how a structured post-course follow-up reflection activity affects the depth of reflection and facilitates the transfer of learning. The research is reflective, based on the findings from the Action Learning Management Practicum, a 3^rd year paper at Massey University, New Zealand. The initial reflections at the end of the course generally went no deeper than students “noticing”, or “making sense” of the experiences. With the benefit of distance and time away from the course, the students' reflection was deep and insightful. The findings suggest that the post-course reflection activity enables participants to “make meaning” from their experiences with the benefit of time and distance from the initial post-course reflection, thus enhancing the transfer of learning. The article argues for an extension and adaptation to Kolb's “Experiential Learning Cycle” model in relation to the time of reflection based on the empirical evidence provided.     

“当代中国政府与行政”“互联网+”课程改革路径探索

“当代中国政府与行政”作为公共管理学专业课程,是“z世代”目前公共管理学的必修课程。因此,亟待深入探索符合“Z世代”学习与表达的课堂方式,并借助现代互联网的各类技术,为教师和学生提供一些较为新颖的课堂模式。对课题前面的冲击与挑战深入分析,希望从根本上解决高校理论课程中存在的学生学习积极性差、学习成果转化率低及教育者的教学手段单一等问题,列举了三种“互联网+”语境下的课程改革路径,并提出了保证该路径顺利发展的相应保障措施,为高校相近课程实验教学模式改革提供参考。     

A study of teaching presence and student sense of learning community in fully online and web-enhanced college courses

This paper focuses on two components of a model for online teaching and learning—“teaching presence” and “community”. It is suggested that previous research points to the critical role that community plays in academic success and persistence in higher education. Through a review of recent literature it is proposed that teaching presence–viewed as the core roles of the online instructor–is a promising mechanism for developing learning community in online environments. This investigation presents a multi-institutional study of 1067 students across 32 different colleges that further substantiates this claim. An instrument to assess instructor teaching presence (“The Teaching Presence Scale”) is presented and validated. Factor and regression analysis indicate a significant link between students' sense of learning community and effective instructional design and “directed facilitation” on the part of course instructors, and highlights interesting differences between online and classroom environments. Alternative hypotheses regarding student demographics associated with variables such as age (the “net generation” effect) and gender are also examined. Despite recent assertions that younger students are or soon will be too sophisticated to “feel at home” in largely text-based asynchronous learning environments, no significant effects were found by demographic differences examined. Recommendations for online course design, pedagogy, and future research are included.     

“桥梁软件+毕业设计”关联教学模式探究与实践

从桥梁软件课程的教学需要出发,对桥梁软件+毕业设计关联教学模式进行了探究与实践。该教学模式基于教育心理学中的学习迁移和知识迁移现象,学生将在软件课程中学到的软件应用技能用于毕业设计的结构计算体现了知识迁移,软件课程学习与完成毕业设计因所需知识有重叠而存在学习迁移。采用该模式,软件课程教学与毕业设计完成应有时间交叉,毕业设计选题应为一座桥梁设计,软件课程期末考核提交的计算书应作为毕业设计提交的计算说明书组成部分。实践表明,该模式调动了学生软件课程学习积极性,提高了专业知识的学习效率和运用能力,保证了毕业设计完成质量。     

Rethinking Initial Teacher Education for Further Education Teachers: From a standards‐led to a knowledge‐based approach

This paper is a critique of the initial teacher education (ITE) of further and adult education teachers in the UK. It argues that the employer‐led, national standards model in the UK is not the basis for ITE and professional development because it takes no account of learning in the workplace, disregards the multi‐specialist and professional dimensions of professional practice and marginalizes the importance of knowledge. In the critique of the “standards‐led model” the paper draws upon research and ideas on work‐based learning, seeing the learning of teachers in the workplace as a complex relationship with many “experts” in multiple, often conflicting learning contexts. The paper stresses the importance of seeing work‐based learning as more than just “learning by doing” to one that sees it as an intentional structuring of participatory activity. In other words, a “pedagogy of the workplace”. Finally the paper suggests that learning is not just a process of “participation”, but a learning zone where different types of knowledge and pedagogy are learnt and transformed. In highlighting the importance of knowledge the paper draws upon theories of professional knowledge that suggests that certain types of knowledge cannot be gained in the workplace alone, therefore focusing on the issues of the different types of knowledge, their acquisition and their transformation or recontextualisation.     

The transfer of reflective engagement from social work education into the workplace: a study of the value of scaffolded reflection

The focal concern of this article is the investigation of the transfer and sustainability of the reflective process into the work environment. Specifically, the identification of the variables which support or challenge practitioners to continue the ongoing process of reflection in practice contexts is addressed. The article describes a study carried out over a seven-year period with students/graduates from a master's in social work (MSW) professional qualification programme in Ireland. The research involved gathering data on participants’ experiences of reflective teaching and learning while on the course and in the initial years of their work as practitioners. In the early phases of the data collection, participants referred to developing epistemological awareness through the reflective process while on the course. This was in the context of a scaffold for reflection through journal writing and mentored portfolio inquiry. The outcomes of the study offer considerable insight into the challenges and value of developing a reflective teaching and learning environment in professional education. In particular, the work highlights how it impacts positively on professional practice.     

课程思政背景下“药理学”教学改革初探

“药理学”是生物制药专业的核心课程,在专业教育中占有重要地位。在课程思政背景下,教师不仅要向学生传授专业知识及技能,而且要开展健康意识、职业道德、关爱病患、科学精神及终身学习教育,帮助学生树立正确的人生观和价值观。为达成教书和育人的双重目标,教研组教师从改革“药理学”课程建设内容、实施线上线下混合教学模式及优化课程考核方法三方面进行探索,以期为“药理学”课程思政教学改革提供参考。     

Math Anxiety,Need for Cognition,and Learning Strategies in Quantitative Communication Research Methods Courses

To understand student learning in undergraduate quantitative communication research methods course, this study examined relationships between perceptions of course topic difficulty, course topic understanding, and their relationship with students’ level of math anxiety, need for cognition, and learning strategies. A total of 196 participants voluntarily took part in this study. Results revealed that a higher level of math anxiety leads to a higher level of perceived learning difficulty for topics in the course and leads to a lower level of content understanding of the topics. For topics related to “Research Methods and Measurement,” a higher level of need for cognition results in a lower level of perceived learning difficulty and results in a higher level of content understanding. Use of critical thinking learning strategy has a significantly positive effect on perceived content understanding of topics related to “Research Methods and Measurement,” as does elaboration learning strategy on that of “Statistics.”     

A professional development model for the positive practice of school‐based reading consultation

This paper reports on two years of a multiyear consultation/professional development project based on socioconstructivist principles (situated cognition, social context, and scaffolded instruction) that are consistent with key elements of positive psychology. The consultation model used a case analysis framework to engage 12 elementary school teachers in workshops, demonstration lessons, ad hoc inquiry groups, and coaching. Interview, questionnaire, and field note data from the participants identified “control and choice,” “focus on student needs,” “applicability to classroom practices,” “direct instruction of skills,” and “consultant feedback” as key elements of the model. Changes in classroom practices were reported by 78% of the participants with changes in confidence noted from pre‐ to posttests. Better learning for students was mentioned by 89% of the teachers. Discussion focuses on critical theoretical elements associated with positive psychology. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 51–65, 2004.     

28 Days Later: Twitter Hashtags as “Just in Time” Teacher Professional Development

Researchers have argued that Twitter has potential to support high-quality professional development (PD) that can respond to teachers’ questions and concerns just in time and “on the spot.” Yet, very little attention has been paid to instances where Twitter has made just-in-time learning possible. In this paper, we examine one instance of timely professional development on Twitter, in which 3,598 users used an educational hashtag—#educattentats—to create a temporary affinity space supporting French teachers preparing to discuss recent terrorist attacks with their students. We describe this just-in-time PD by focusing on participants and modes of participation, the spread of the hashtag in its first hours and the growth and eventual decline of the hashtag over the course of 28 days. The results of this study suggest that #educattentats served effectively as just-in-time professional development for teachers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.     

COMPASS-AIM: A University/P–12 Partnership Innovation for Continuous Improvement

COMPASS-AIM is a set of processes and tools used by participants in a research–practice partnership (RPP) to improve organizational capacities and individual and team competencies for organizational learning and improvement. The “COMPASS” team includes teams of teachers and school leaders who work with a university researcher and expert professional developers. Improvement teams begin by COMParing practices in their own setting to those in higher performing schools identified through research. The next few phases involve Assessing priorities based on those comparisons, Selecting levers (i.e., drivers) to improve a priority area, and Setting a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal or goals designed to address the priority area. Once a “COMPASS” team establishes a goal or goals, the process has it take AIM at Action planning, Implementation, and Monitoring progress through periodic “check the pulse” meetings. Throughout these phases, participants use self-assessment tools, case studies, and a variety of other research reports to inform their work. This research utilization-focused approach bridges research and practice, while accommodating for variability in desired outcomes, affordances, and constraints for change in different school and district contexts.     

工作过程导向的程控交换设备运行与维护课程开发

开发工作过程导向课程是职业教育改革的重要内容,是培养学生综合职业能力的有效手段.工作过程导向的“程控交换设备运行与维护”课程开发经历了职业岗位分析、工作任务分析和学习过程分析三个阶段.第一阶段,通过对职业岗位所含工作任务的分析,归纳出了典型工作任务;第二阶段,通过对完成典型工作任务所需能力的分析,确定了课程的教学目标;第三阶段,以课程教学目标为框架完成了学习情境和学习活动的设计.典型工作任务的挖掘和学习情境的构建是课程开发中的难点.     

Expansion of Biology Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) During a Long-Term Professional Development Program

Experienced teachers possess a unique teaching knowledge comprised of an inter-related set of knowledge and beliefs that gives direction and justification to a teacher’s actions. This study examined the expansion of two components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of three in-service teachers in the course of a professional development program aimed at designing new teaching and learning materials suggested by the teachers themselves. The research presents an enlargement of previous PCK representations by focusing on a detailed representation of two main PCK domains: teaching and learning, including ten PCK components that emerged in the course of data analysis. This representation enabled revealing the unique PCK held by each teacher and to characterize the expansion of the two components of the participating teachers’ PCK during the long-term professional development program. Retention of major parts of the expanded PCK a year after termination of the program implies that designing and implementing new teaching and learning materials based on the teachers’ experiences, needs, and knowledge in a workshop format accompanied by biology and science education courses might provide a powerful means for PCK expansion. We recommend that designers of professional development programs be aware of the unique PCK held by each teacher in order to promote meaningful professional development of each teacher. Moreover, the PCK representations that were identified in the course of this study enabled clarifying the “orientation toward teaching science” category of PCK which appears to be unclear in current literature.     

Consultants’ Learning within Academia: Five devices for the design of university-based learning opportunities for management consultants

This paper explores the ways in which it is possible for universities to design learning opportunities for management consultants. Drawing on a successful practice in The Netherlands and using the literature on learning, development of competencies and career theory, it investigates selected aspects of this particular “market”, comparing the conventions governing the practice of consultants with those of academic practice. Its subsequent argument for the successful design of learning opportunities for professional consultants is organised around a discussion of five learning “devices”: (1) a self-reflective design practice; (2) a design process operating along three dimensions - the acquisition of knowledge and/or techniques, development of professional competencies, and personal and professional transitions; (3) treating knowledge as a process rather than a product; (4) building on learning experiences in work and on anticipated performances; and (5) a prohibition of “ego” in consultants' learning. The paper concludes with some reflections on the use of these devices elsewhere.     

基于文化自信的《文化市场营销学》课程思政教学设计与实践

立足于国家发展需求和高校人才培养目标,以新闻学专业的文化市场营销课程为例,构建"三维两轮一体"课程思政教学模式,即以"专业理论知识学习、案例分析、实践应用"共同构成三维立体的教学内容,"第一、二课堂"双轮驱动并行,以期实现理论指导和实践锻炼辩证统一的"一体化"教学效果.     

Does learning in clinical context in anatomical sciences improve examination results,learning motivation,or learning orientation?

The preclinical compulsory elective course “Ready for the Operating Room (OR)!?” [in German]: “Fit für den OP (FOP)”] was implemented for students in their second year, who were simultaneously enrolled in the gross anatomy course. The objective of the study was to determine whether the direct practical application of anatomical knowledge within the surgical context of the course led to any improvement in learning motivation, learning orientation, and ultimately examination results in the gross anatomy course, as compared with a control group. Within the scope of five teaching sessions, the students learned surgical hand disinfection, suturing techniques, and the identification of commonly used surgical instruments. In addition, the students attended five surgical demonstrations performed by surgical colleagues on cadavers. Successful learning of these basic skills was then assessed based on an Objectively Structured Practical Examination. Learning motivation and learning orientation in both subgroups was determined using the SELLMO‐ST motivation test and the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory test. While a significant increase in work avoidance was identified in the control group, this was not the case for FOP participants. Similarly, an increase in the “deep approach” to learning, as well as a decrease in the “surface approach,” was able to be documented among the FOP participants following completion of the course. The results suggest that students enrolled in the gross anatomy course, who were simultaneously provided with the opportunity to learn in clinical context, were more likely to be successful at maintaining learning motivation and learning orientation required for the learning process, than students who attended the gross anatomy course alone. Anat Sci Educ. 7: 3–11. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

专业能力与职业素养的发展应当一体化——浅谈技工院校专业教学中职业素养的培养

目前,一些技工院校的专业课教师在探索如何在工学一体化的专业课教学中培养学生的职业素养。他们的课程教学设计方案虽然很用心,也有不少创意,但是往往忽视企业的工作组织形式和客户需求与标准,“以学生中心”的理念也没有完全落到实处。在进行工学一体课程教学设计时,教师应该根据企业的工作组织形式确定学生学习分组原则,关注学生成长尤其是职业素养的发展,了解、落实客户的需求,解决工作过程中“成人”与“成事”的统一性;准确理解职业素养与专业活动的关系,通过科学设计的每一节课的目标与内容、策划与设计、实施和评价、反思和构建等环节,使学生在完成具体工作任务的过程中,既提高知识和技能,又提升职业素养。     

“双万计划”驱动下烟草学专业核心课程教学模式改革探索

在教育部“双万计划”建设背景下,根据烟草学专业基础课程教学的实际情况和特点,课程组结合国内外著名高校优良做法,探索出一系列切实可行的核心课程教学方案。创新性地提出以学生为主体、需求为导向,结合生产实际经验积累+现代信息技术支持,边研究边实践,线上线下结合的课程教学体系,提高学生自主学习能力和专业创新能力,使学生从“我学会”到“我会学”。为我国高等农林院校一流课程建设新模式提供实践经验,为栽培类专业课程教学提供理论依据与支撑。     

“内外科疾病康复学”课程思政教学设计及实践

以课程思政建设为研究背景,通过“内外科疾病康复学”课程思政教学改革,选择2016级康复治疗学学生作为对照组(2019年春季教学时未开展思想政治教学),接受传统的课程教学;选择2017级康复治疗学学生作为实验组(2020年春季教学时开展思想政治教学),接受课程思政教学,对两组学生的期末考核结果进行分析,并对实验组进行问卷调查,以探讨“内外科疾病康复学”课程思政的教学设计及实践效果。研究表明,“内外科疾病康复学”课程思政教学可以促进理论知识与临床应用相结合的能力,学生的临床思维及综合分析能力得到提高,学习动力、学习兴趣得到激发,知识记忆效率提高。研究结论可以为其他基础专业课程的思想政治教育提供参考。