The significance of context for curriculum development in engineering education: a case study across three African countries

Curriculum reform is a key topic in the engineering education literature, but much of this discussion proceeds with little engagement with the impact of the local context in which the programme resides. This article thus seeks to understand the influence of local contextual dynamics on curriculum reform in engineering education. The empirical study is a comparative analysis of the context for curriculum reform in three different chemical engineering departments on the African continent, located in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. All three departments are currently engaged in processes of curriculum reform, but the analysis shows how the different contexts in which these efforts are taking place exert strong shaping effects on the processes and outcomes for that reform.     

创业校友在大学生创业教育中的作用研究

创业教育之于高校人才培养质量的提高具有重要的战略意义,科学实效的创业教育需要高校整合多方资源才能达成目标。其中,创业校友是高校进行创业教育不可多得的宝贵资源。故,本文试图阐明创业校友在高校创业教育中的作用,指出高校发挥创业校友作用的基本原则,并据此找出高校在创业教育中发挥校友作用的可行路径以资借鉴。     

面向校友需求的大学校友会功能与机构设置

大学校友会是由校友组成的一种非营利性社团,虽形式上可登记为独立法人实体,但无法脱离大学而独立运营,本质上属于大学内部的职能机构。为让大学获得校友资源的支持,校友会须通过积极的行动,将基于事实层面的学缘关系建构成蕴含社会资本的校友网络。校友会的功能定位与机构建设,可遵循“需求—功能—结构”范式,以满足校友需求为导向,确定校友会主要功能并设置对应的执行机构,通过有针对性的满足校友需求的持续性互动参与,在校友网络中建立起互惠和互信的承诺和期望,让校友网络中的校友资源成为大学可获得的社会资本。     

研究模式课程发展理念与高校国家安全教育实践探索

研究模式课程发展是实践性和反思性的,课程发展与评估整合为一,教师在发展课程的同时以行动研究方式对自身教学行动进行评估。教师是研究者和评估者,通过课程发展与评估、教师成长及学生学习成效互动的过程提升课堂实效。以高校国家安全教育实践积极探索研究模式课程发展经验,总结研究模式课程发展理念和规律,基于知识有趣、易学和有用而设计教学过程评估指标。     

论精品课程的特征

"一流性"是精品课程最突出的特性和最重要的内涵,"五个一流"是精品课程的高层次与高水平特征;"先进性"是精品课程高质量和高水平的体现,"四项先进"是精品课程的高质量与示范性特征;"特色性"作为精品课程独有的风格和不可替代的品质,"三大特色"是精品课程的独特性与创新性特征。     

构建理工科大学文化素质教育课程体系的研究

论述了文化素质教育的重要意义,调查了理工科大学文化素质教育通识课程建设与实施的现状,提出了构建文化素质教育通识课程的六条原则,构建了三大类的课程体系,阐述了该课程体系的基本特征。     

中学体育课程改革的实证研究

2002年新修订的《体育与课程健康标准》的实施标志着我国已迈入新一轮体育课程改革的新阶段,与以前的改革相比,此次课程改革从指导思想和内容框架方面均发生了根本性的变化。面对新的体育与健康课程标准,从成就背后找出存在的问题,深入剖析产生这些问题的原因,以体育教育目的与体育课程改革的目标为出发点,围绕存在的问题提出一些具有针对性的意见和建议。     

后现代课程观与校本课程开发

校本课程开发已成为我国当前课程改革的一项重要任务。我国香港、台湾及其他部分省啼课程开发中存在着共同的不足之处，主要原因在于缺乏教育理念的转变，印从现代数育观向后现代数育观的转变。校本课程开发应以后现代课程观作指导。     

Conceptualising strategic alignment between curriculum and pedagogy through a learning design framework

Abstract

Improved clarity concerning the relationship between curriculum and pedagogy in higher education is needed to address issues concerning learning and teaching quality. This paper explores the relationship between curriculum and pedagogy and argues for a stronger and more explicit link between the two. On that basis, the paper proposes a conceptual learning design framework that has the potential to act as a clarifying tool for academic developers and academics as they conceptualise and develop contemporary learning environments for effective learning. Reflections on the implication of the framework for practice are discussed.     

A triangular approach to integrate research,education and practice in higher engineering education

Separate approaches in engineering education, research and practice are not very useful when preparing students for working life; instead, integration of education, research and industrial practices is needed. A triangular approach (TA) as a method to accomplish this integration and as a method to provide students with integrated expertise is proposed. The results from the application of TA, both at the course and programme level, indicate that the approach is suitable for developing engineering education. The student pass rate for courses where TA has been used has been higher than for previous approaches, and the student feedback has been very positive. Although TA aims to take both theoretical and practical aspects of engineering as well as research and education into account, the approach concentrates mainly on activities and therefore leaves the goals of these activities as well as the values behind these goals uncovered.     

Reframing primary curriculum through concepts of place

Australian curricula name “sustainability” as a key priority area with implications for preparing pre-service teachers. In the research that generated this paper, we asked: How can framing teaching through space and place inform pre-service teachers’ pedagogical thinking and practice? In new third year Bachelor of Education (primary) subject Understanding Space and Place, Australian teacher education students shared online responses to focus questions and readings framing education through place, designed and taught a unit of study “beyond the classroom” to children in their professional placements and reflected on changes in their theoretical, philosophical, and curriculum goals. Data from these forum posts were analysed through Somerville’s three “enabling place pedagogy” categories of embodiment, storylines, and cultural contact zones. Many students came to re-imagine their teaching roles and understand how a place pedagogy framework can operate to expand the possibilities of teaching and learning sustainability through creative and embodied place-making experiences in local places.     

Reflections from dual-mode alumni on the differences between distance and F2F education

The relevant literature is rich enough about the differences between distance and face to face education. However, the number of studies examining these differences from the viewpoint of dual-mode alumni, those graduated from both distance and face to face education programmes is limited. In this study, opinions of 33 dual-mode alumni from Turkey were analysed. As a result of an inductive content analysis, seven themes were determined. The themes relating to the differences between distance and face to face education were reputation, workload, experience, tuition fees, quality, procrastination and flexibility, respectively. Contrary to expectations, five out of seven themes were found out to be in favour of distance education. The theme of reputation consisted of the most important difference between distance and face to face education. Another interesting theme related to campus life was procrastination which is to the detriment of face to face education. At the end of the study, future research directions and practical implications are presented.     

Anatomy of curriculum: Digging to the core

This viewpoint commentary, written from the perspective of a teacher who has helped to educate students in a wide variety of educational environments, is a reaction to the article published in Anatomical Sciences Education on developing of core syllabuses for the anatomical sciences. After reflecting on the definitions of both curriculum and syllabus and their importance as roadmaps for effective instruction, the value of core knowledge and core syllabuses in anatomical sciences was explored. Encouragement for the pursuit of the project proposed in the original article was provided; however, the reminder to not allow any curriculum or syllabus to prevent instructional flexibility was emphasized. Several constructive questions (regarding democracy in curriculum development, the proposed rating scale, and the desirability of reaching local or national consensus before seeking global agreement) were advanced for consideration. Anat Sci Educ 7 326–328. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.     

关于高校校本课程开发的几点思考

高校校本课程开发是一种与国家课程开发相对应的课程开发策略。高校校本课程开发的主要特征表现为课程开发是民主开放的过程，能尊重学校师生的独特性和差异性，是教育制度内权利与资源的重新分配，也是课程理论与课程实践不断丰富和完善以及国家课程开发的重要补充。高校校本课程开发面临着国家政治、经济、文化改革和高校自身改革的良好机遇，同时也遇到高校内部管理体制、教育观念、师资队伍和课程开发能力等现状的严峻挑战。高校校本课程开发的基本条件为明确教育哲学、办学宗旨、改善学校组织、强化教师培训、调动学生积极性、增加投入以及加强课程开发的评价等。     

Building capacity through action research curricula reviews

In Australia, graduates of Master of Public Health (MPH) programmes are expected to achieve a set of core competencies, including a subset that is specifically related to Indigenous health. This paper reports on the methods utilised in a project which was designed using action research to strengthen Indigenous public health curricula within MPH programmes at Australian universities. This aim is achieved through the use of three interlinked ‘action–reflection’ cycles, involving individual Indigenous public health academics who, through their membership in a scholarly network, have undertaken a series of curriculum reviews, which have in turn influenced organisational change in universities. The project results demonstrated how action research can successfully strengthen Indigenous public health curricula.     

Negotiating authority through jointly constructing the course curriculum

Understanding how authority is negotiated in teacher education classrooms can inform efforts to foster democratic teacher education practices and prepare future teachers to teach democratically. We know very little, however, about how authority is negotiated in different classroom contexts, particularly in teacher education settings. This qualitative study examined how authority was negotiated in an undergraduate teacher education course in which I – as the teacher of the course – involved students in actively determining the content, method, and assessment of the course through jointly constructing the course curriculum. Using self-study methodology to understand more deeply the problems embedded in my practice as a beginning teacher-educator, I generated themes from the data using the constant comparative method. The findings suggest that deriving legitimacy from mutually recognized sources, working from shared purposes, and confronting students’ deeply rooted familiarity with authoritarian teaching practices present potential frameworks for negotiating authority in teacher education – while illuminating the challenges of teaching democratically in authoritarian contexts. Such insights are important for helping future teachers experience alternatives to conventional teaching while accounting for the complexity of learning to bring democratic values to life in classrooms at all levels.     

Determinants for the commitment relationship maintenance between the alumni and the alma mater

This study aims to find determinants for the commitment relationship between alumni and alma mater. Based on the literature, satisfaction and image are proposed as drivers of commitment. A survey applied to 2544 alumni in a Portuguese university provides data analyzed through a structural equation modeling technique. The results present ‘image of education’, ‘image of communication’ and ‘satisfaction with social and academic environment’ as determinants of the commitment relationship, which provide important clues for the marketers’ decision-making process when developing activities geared towards alumni. This process should emphasize aspects relating to their willingness to give back, academic and relationship quality, and institutional values. Within the Higher Education market, this study underscores the need to maintain and reinforce the relationship with alumni, and contributes to the scarce Portuguese literature on alumni matters.     

面向工程教育专业认证教学档案袋的构建与实施

教学档案是工程教育专业认证专家重点考查的资料,教学档案袋内容的丰富程度和管理规范程度直接影响了工程教育专业认证的通过与否.以工程教育专业认证为契机,以上海交通大学航空航天学院航空航天工程专业为例,结合疫情环境下的课程在线教学,对课程教学档案构建进行探索,分析了教学档案袋对课程发展的促进作用,并通过在具体的实施中发现问题...