Preferences for Team Learning and Lecture-Based Learning Among First-Year Undergraduate Accounting Students

This study investigates students’ preference for team learning and its effectiveness, compared to lecture-based learning. A quasi-experiment was set up in a financial accounting course in the first-year undergraduate of the Economics and Business Administration Program, where students had to choose between one of the two learning methods (team learning or lecture-based) and subsequently followed their preferred method of pedagogy. The quasi-experiment was administered for a first-year undergraduate class, with data for 291 students. The first objective of this study is to investigate students’ preference in relation to their gender, ability, motivation, and learning strategy. The second objective is to explore whether a team-based approach is more effective than lecture-based learning, when students participate in their preferred method. The results show that female students had a higher preference for team learning than male students. Furthermore, students with a preference for team learning had a lower ability level, were more intrinsically motivated, had less control of their learning beliefs, were more help seeking, and were more willing to share their knowledge with peers. The team learning approach resulted in increased performance, compared to the lecture-based setting, while controlling for differences in gender and ability. This beneficial impact of team learning on performance was not found for other courses (in which team learning was not implemented), leading to the conclusion that team learning offers an appropriate learning method at the university level for a first-year course. Implications for student learning, faculty members, and institutional policy are discussed.     

The Examination of a Pullout STEM Program for Urban Upper Elementary Students

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a pullout STEM program (STARBASE) makes reading and math scores decrease and examine its impact on urban fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding STEM education and careers. We employed a mixed-methods, case study approach that involved two published and one indigenous instrument composed of Likert scales, semantic differential scales, and open-ended items, along with structured interviews. Results indicate that it is possible for reading, math, and social studies scores to be unaffected when implementing a STEM pullout program, as adjusted trends (for ethnicity and socioeconomic status) are not statistically different from those of non-STARBASE school divisions in the area. Additionally, the Black/White achievement gap, as measured by standardized test scores, was substantially closed over the last decade within STARBASE schools. Quantitative measures revealed few differences in student attitudes from pre- to posttest. Student qualitative responses were overwhelmingly positive. Students wanted more STARBASE time in the regular school year. Students, particularly Black students, also wanted an increase in career education opportunities. Implications regarding curricular changes aimed at STEM education and model adoption are addressed.     

Establishing Appropriate Conditions: Students Learning to Apply a Theorem

During a sequence of tutorials conducted by the first author, it became evident that students were not seeing how to apply the theorem concerning a continuous function on a closed and bounded interval attaining its extreme values in situations in which it is necessary first to construct the closed and bounded interval by reasoning about properties concerning asymptotes. The paper describes 1 tutorial with 10 students and a follow-up revision session with 2 of the students the same day concerning the use of this theorem in which the tutor used the pedagogic strategy of learner-generated examples. The students’ responses and the tutor’s observations are analysed using constructs of example spaces, structure of attention and dimensions of possible variation.     

Exploring the Values Undergraduate Students Attribute to Cross-disciplinary Skills Needed for the Workplace: an Analysis of Five STEM Disciplines

Journal of Science Education and Technology - Employers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields report that recent graduates are deficient in important skills such as...     

Sharing the Responsibility: Using a Transdisciplinary Team Approach to Enhance the Learning of Students With Sever Disabilities

The traditional approach of providing related services to students with severe disabilities in a pull-out, isolated fashion is presented as less effective than a transdisciplinary approach. Characteristics of the transdisciplinary model include: strong family focus, collaborative consultation, and integrative service delivery. This article clarifies the problems inherent in the traditional approach to service delivery with regard to student progress. Rationale for supporting documentation and case examples all highlight the benefits of a more integrative approach. Strategies for transitioning from a traditional to a transdisciplinary model are presented and ideas for future research are suggested to further substantiate this recommended approach.     

It Takes a Team to Run a Restaurant: Introducing Elementary Students to the Interrelatedness of Occupations

This action-oriented classroom career guidance activity introduces elementary school students to the need for workers to work together in operating a newly opened restaurant. Through the use of pantomime and role play, students quickly realize that running a restaurant requires a variety of employees who work well together as members of a team.     

STEM the Boredom: Engage Students in the Australian Curriculum Using ICT with Problem-Based Learning and Assessment

The well-being of modern economies and societies is increasingly requiring citizens to possess capabilities in integrating knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering and science to solve problems. However, by the end of schooling, the majority of Australian students show little interest in these discipline areas and have no plans to continue study or work in them; many refer to these disciplines as boring. Further, they typically have little experience in integrating knowledge and skills from these disciplines and/or in applying this to solve relevant problems. Therefore, there is a need to engage students with such learning experiences to develop their interest and capabilities, particularly during the early years of secondary schooling. This is not easy for teachers to respond to, but with the support of modern digital technologies and the new Australian curriculum, the potential is expanded and the challenge is more readily achievable. However, appropriate pedagogies need to be supported that include more authentic approaches to assessment. Learning activities need to support students to integrate knowledge and skills across discipline areas in tackling real problems, and this also needs to be reflected in how students are assessed. In this paper, I will draw on personal experience as a teacher, a review of recent literature, components of the Australian Curriculum, and findings from research projects associated with my University research centre, to argue for, and illustrate how, teachers can orchestrate powerful learning activities to promote an interdisciplinary approach to STEM.     

激发大学生学习动机的课堂教学策略研究

学习动机影响着大学生的学习行为、学习效果,在其学习活动中具有举足轻重的作用。当前一部分大学生学习动机不足,有大学生本人的原因,也有来自课堂教学的因素,作者分五个方面对激发大学生学习动机的课堂教学策略进行了讨论。     

构建学习型实验团队 提升工科大学生创新能力

实验教学对于培养工科大学生创新意识、创新精神,形成创新能力具有重要的作用。在实验教学的诸环节中,实验小组的团队协作因素对创新能力的培养有重要的传导作用。在分析学生实验团队现状的基础上,基于工科大学生创新能力的提升,提出了构建学习型实验团队的思路和方法。     

小学生学习负担比较研究

本文从校日制度、周课时数、课程设置、课程难度、家庭作业、心理负担等方面,对英国、美国、法国、德国、日本、俄罗斯和其它一些国家的小学生学习负担进行了比较,发现我国小学生学习负担偏重,认为适当减轻小学生学习负担是必要的。     

Using GIS to Apply Learning across the Undergraduate Criminal Justice Curriculum

Geographical information systems (GIS) utilization has exploded in criminal justice over the last decade, but there is scant mention of pedagogical models published in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education, with a content analysis revealing just one GIS-based article published since 2001. This work proposes a GIS-based pedagogical model to move the discussion beyond crime mapping to applying, integrating, and enhancing learning across the criminal justice curriculum. Four pertinent data sources from New York City are integrated to provide an example framework for studying NYPD stop and frisk policy in upper level undergraduate-level criminal justice courses. Using ArcGIS specifically, the model incorporates sociology, criminological theory, corrections, diversity/multiculturalism, research methods, statistics, policing, and policy knowledge to coalesce prior student learning, while enhancing spatial thinking and analytical skills relative to an important social policy. Example maps, assignments, and approaches are included, as are the limitations of such a pedagogical model.     

Exploration of a Blended Learning Approach to Reading Instruction for Low SES Students in Early Elementary Grades

This study investigated the potential benefits of a blended learning approach on the reading skills of low socioeconomic status students in Grades 1 and 2. Treatment students received English language arts instruction that was both teacher-led and technology-based. Comparisons were made with control students who received the same English language arts instruction without the blended learning component. Results showed significantly greater pretest/posttest gains on a standardized reading assessment for the treatment students compared to the control students. The greatest discrepancy occurred in reading comprehension. A sub-analysis of low-performing English language learner students in the treatment group revealed the largest reading gains. At posttest, these students performed at the level of non-English language learner students in the control group. Results indicated a blended learning approach can be effective in enhancing the reading skills of low socioeconomic students.     

高校“学生辅导员”队伍建设探析

伴随我国社会主义市场经济体制的不断完善和高等教育的深化改革,传统的高校学生思想政治工作管理理念、途径和模式均面临着新的挑战。充分挖掘优秀学生党员及学生干部资源,设立专门的＂学生辅导员＂,发挥其在学生管理工作中的优势作用,无疑对高校思政管理工作模式的革新大有裨益。     

民族院校学生英语学习困难的应对策略

由于受到母语发音习惯以及民族思维定势作用的影响,民族院校学生出现英语学习困难。该文在对民族医学院校学生英语学习情况调查研究的基础上,提出了相应的教学策略。笔者认为,这些困难是可以通过努力来克服的。     

新形势下小学生学习兴趣的培养策略研究

兴趣是学习的动力,激发和培养学生学习数学的兴趣对于提高学生的数学成绩,培养学生的数学思维有着积极意义。对小学生数学学习兴趣这一主题展开调查研究,有助于了解目前小学生数学学习现状及其学习兴趣的状况,并研究培养小学生学习数学学习兴趣的策略。     

Mission to Planet Markle: Problem-Based Learning for Teaching Elementary Students Difficult Content and Practices

Research in Science Education - Young children can struggle to learn difficult disciplinary content and important skills for practicing science. Problem-based learning (PBL) may be useful for...     

The Role of Humor in Learning Physics: a Study of Undergraduate Students

We all know that they do it, but what do students laugh about when learning science together? Although research has shown that students do use humor when they learn science, the role of humor in science education has received little attention. In this study, undergraduate students’ laughter during collaborative work in physics has been investigated. In order to do this, a framework inspired by conversation analysis has been used. Empirical data was drawn from two video-recorded sessions in which first-year engineering students solved physics problems together. The analysis revealed that the students’ use of humor was almost exclusively related to physics. Five themes identified summarize the role of humor in the group discussions: Something is obvious, Something is difficult, Something said might be wrong, Something is absurd, and Something said is not within informal norms.This study shows that humor may contribute not only to a good working atmosphere and thereby to the students’ learning but also how humor interrelates with both disciplinary culture of physics and its epistemology. The students do not only create and re-create humor that facilitates their social interactions, but through humor they constitute local norms of science and engage with the disciplinary discourse.