Congruence between intention and strategy in university science teachers' approaches to teaching

This paper describes the results, and some implications, of an empirical study of the congruence between intention and strategy of university science teachers' approaches to teaching in their first year science courses. The study drew upon the results of a previous phenomenographic study which identified qualitatively different approaches to teaching. An approaches to teaching inventory was subsequently developed which included scales representing the intentions and strategies identified in the first study. This inventory was distributed to a sample of university teachers of first year science courses in Australia. The results confirmed the proposed relationship between intention and strategy, and showed that a Student-focused Strategy was associated with a Conceptual Change Intention, while a Teacher-focused Strategy was associated with an Information Transfer Intention. It is concluded that the traditional form of academic development focussing on teaching strategies (for example, activity based strategies) is unlikely to be successful without an ongoing focus on the intentions which are associated with the strategy.     

Qualitative variation in constructive alignment in curriculum design

Constructive alignment has emerged as a powerful curriculum design idea, but little is known of the extent to which the effectiveness of this idea is a function of qualitative variation. This article introduces a model of qualitative variation in constructive alignment, and uses the results from known alignment studies to test the model. The research reviewed reveals that university teachers have at least two qualitatively different experiences of the core elements of constructive alignment. The teachers who describe their approaches to teaching as involving conceptual change/development intentions with student-focused strategies were found to be likely to see the intended learning outcomes for students in more holistic terms, and assessment as an integral part of that teaching approach. When teachers had more of an intention to transfer information using teacher-focused strategies, they saw the object of study more in terms of parts (concepts, definitions, formulae) with assessment focused on those parts. The implications of this qualitative variation in constructive alignment for curriculum design and for the quality of the outcomes of student learning is discussed.     

The Learning Intention of Low-Qualified Employees: A Key for Participation in Lifelong Learning and Continuous Training

In our continuously changing society, a need for updating one’s skills and knowledge puts pressure on safeguarding the labour market position of low-qualified employees. However, prior research and official statistics show that employees with a lower level of education tend to participate less in training than highly-educated individuals. This limited participation is associated with employers offering fewer opportunities to low-qualified employees, but also with the fact that low-qualified employees themselves might be less willing to participate. In other words, their learning intentions are assumed to be weaker and more restricted than the learning intentions of highly-educated employees. The article reports on a quantitative survey research on the learning intentions of 406 low-qualified employees. The results showed that employees who participated in formal job-related learning activities during the last 5 years had a stronger learning intention than those who did not. Next, the results of the stepwise regression showed that self-directedness, financial benefits, self-efficacy, and autonomy were significant positive predictors of the learning intentions of low-qualified employees. Also, the limited number of possibilities or opportunities to learn was not significant. The results indicated that a learning intention can lead towards the participation in learning activities, but participation is not merely initiated by offering opportunities for learning. Organisational aspects such as job autonomy and financial benefits can stimulate the learning intention of an employee. Finally, regarding the socio-demographic variables, only limited differences were found. In short, employees with no educational qualifications and a full-time contract had the lowest intention to learn.     

有效的大学英语词汇教学策略探究

词汇教学在大学英语教学中至关重要。目前在大学英语教学中,制约学生英语学习的只要问题是词汇。词汇作为学习语言的基础,在教学中常用的教学策略有:在语境中教、学词汇;通过联想,加深对词汇的理解与记忆;掌握词汇记忆、学习策略,培养习得词汇的自我意识;注重情感因素,培养学生学习词汇的积极动机。在教学中合理运用这些策略,有利于改进学生的英语学习状况,通告学生掌握词汇的能力,为学生学好英语打下坚实的基础。     

跨学科协作学习何以有效——STEM教育中CSCL应用效果的元分析

STEM教育注重通过跨学科的协作学习发展学生的知识和技能。近年来,计算机支持的协作学习(CSCL)被广泛应用于STEM教育。然而,其效果如何?其采用的各类技术和教学策略对学习效果有何影响?上述问题的明确有助于完善STEM教育中跨学科的协作学习设计。基于对2009至2019年间发表在国际期刊上的142项相关实验和准实验研究成果的元分析发现:在STEM教育中应用CSCL整体上有助于提升学习效果,且相较于过程类和情感类,其对认知类学习效果的作用最为明显;从学科来看,其对科学、工程学和教育学的影响相对较大;从采用的技术来看,通信技术、动态呈现技术和共享共建技术对学习效果的影响更加显著;从教学策略来看,案例式、游戏化、知识建构和探究式等教学策略更能提升学习效果。因此,在将CSCL应用于STEM教育时,应当加强针对情感类目标的设计以激发高水平的认知活动和认知成果,注重发挥共享共建类技术在知识可视化表征、知识追踪等方面的作用,通过整合多种教学策略推进协作探究学习。     

Factors associated with students' intentions to engage in science learning activities

The determinants of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders' intentions to perform science learning activities were investigated. Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action was used to assess students (n = 254) on their laboratory and nonlaboratory behavioral intentions, which required using the two determinants included in the theory (attitude toward the behavior and subjective norm) as well as five external variables identified by the researcher. The five external variables were gender, grade, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status as determined by the range of the family's annual income, and attitude toward science. Two models were tested. The first model included the two determinants as predictor variables and behavioral intention as the criterion. The second model involved the analysis of the two determinants as they were considered in subgroups according to the five external variables. This model also included interaction terms. For laboratory learning activities, the two determinants (attitude toward behavior and subjective norm) were found to contribute collectively to the prediction of behavioral intention, accounting for almost a fourth of the variance. For nonlaboratory learning activities, the two determinants accounted for over a fourth of the variance in behavioral intention. Testing of the second model revealed that for both laboratory and nonlaboratory behavioral intentions, no interaction terms were significant. The results of post hoc tests on significant predictors of behavioral intentions for laboratory and nonlaboratory activities are reported. Implications of this study on future research are also discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 455–473, 1999     

Understanding the Use of Student-Centered Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Chemistry Courses

A growing body of research suggests that student-centered teaching methods are associated with positive learning outcomes for undergraduate students. Yet, the extent of their use and factors leading to their adoption in fields, such as chemistry, continue to be under-explored. Utilizing survey data collected during 2015, we begin to fill this gap, first by considering the degree to which faculty and instructors use and plan to use various student-centered teaching methods in their undergraduate chemistry courses. Then, we examine three potential factors that may help us understand variation in (1) use of and (2) intentions to implement student-centered methods: attitudes toward teaching methods; teaching approaches; and institutional characteristics. Importantly, our findings suggest attitudes and individual teaching approaches are significant predictors of the use and intention to implement student-centered methods in the classroom. Perhaps surprisingly, several institutional factors examined (such as class size, percentage of time spent teaching, and type of institution) play no significant role. Given the positive student outcomes associated with various student-centered methods reported in literature, these findings suggest potential avenues for faculty and instructors’ professional development toward further implementation of these methods.

     

Implementation Intentions for Improving Self-Regulation in Multimedia Learning: Why Don’t They Work?

Abstract

Learners face several self-regulatory challenges during multimedia learning: choosing adequate cognitive strategies (cognitive self-regulation), relying on their own learning abilities (motivational self-regulation), and investing sufficient effort (behavioral self-regulation). Implementation intentions (plans that help transform intentions into action) can support self-regulation. We expected that cognitive, motivational, or behavioral implementation intentions improved learning, compared to a control group. In a first experiment, we found weak evidence that cognitive and behavioral implementation intentions improved learning, whereas motivational implementation intentions reduced learning. However, replication failed in two follow-up experiments. Our findings contradict previous research and suggest that implementation intentions are not suitable to support multimedia learning. Future research should focus on possible boundary conditions that could account for the unexpected and unstable findings.     

Beyond the Walls: Conceptualizing Natural Environments as “Third Educators”

This research examined preservice early childhood educators' perceptions of outdoor settings and their intentions to use outdoor settings in their teaching practice. Students enrolled in an early childhood education program (n?=?110) at a university in the Great Lakes region completed surveys that assessed perceptions of natural settings, intentions to use natural settings in future teaching, knowledge of the benefits of nature for children, and personal nature relatedness. Participants reported relatively high intentions to use natural settings in future teaching, as well as knowledge of the benefits of nature for children, but moderate levels of personal nature relatedness. Participants were more likely to select “maintained” settings such as parks for educational purposes, and more “natural” settings, especially those with water, for personal purposes. Knowledge of the benefits of nature experiences, the perceived difficulty in using natural settings, and personal levels of nature relatedness each significantly predicted intention to use natural settings in future teaching. We recommend that teacher preparation programs provide: opportunities for students to observe and/or interact with children as they engage in unstructured play in natural environments; opportunities to engage in both structured and unstructured learning experiences in natural environments; and preparing students to provide appropriate supervision in natural environments.     

Beginning teacher burnout in Queensland schools: Associations with Serious Intentions to Leave

In keeping with repeated calls to investigate high early career turnover within the teaching profession, the present study investigated the hypothesis that a significant positive association between burnout and turnover intention would be observed in teachers at the beginning of their careers. A sample of 112 Australian teachers working in their first or second academic year was surveyed in 2004. Respondents were administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI: Maslach, Jackson & Leiter 1996) and asked about serious intentions to leave their job and/or profession. Meaningful and significant associations between serious intentions to leave and all three MBI subscales were found. The findings suggest a realistic and straightforward explanation for the alarmingly high early career attrition rates that are now commonly reported for the teaching profession in a number of countries.     

开放远程教育英语学习过程及影响因素的实证分析

以开放远程教育英语教学的全过程作为研究视角,根据远程教育的自我决定动机理论和语言学习策略理论,通过实证分析方法,并结合教学反馈,探讨了成人学生英语学习的社会情境、学习动机、学习策略与学习效果之间的关系,并对提高远程英语教学效果,提出了建构自主支持的社会情景,解决实际问题提升学习动机,改进相应的教学策略,引导远程学习取得实效等相关的建议。     

Teachers’ beliefs and intentions concerning teaching in higher education

A questionnaire measuring nine different aspects of teachers’ beliefs and intentions concerning teaching in higher education was distributed to teachers at four institutions in the United Kingdom, yielding 638 complete sets of responses. There was a high degree of overlap between the participants’ scores on the subscales measuring beliefs and intentions, and analyses of both sets of scores yielded two factors reflecting an orientation towards learning facilitation and an orientation towards knowledge transmission. However, teachers’ intentions were more orientated towards knowledge transmission than were their beliefs, and problem solving was associated with beliefs based on learning facilitation but with intentions based on knowledge transmission. Differences in teachers’ intentions across different disciplines and between men and women seemed to result from different conceptions of teaching, whereas differences in teachers’ intentions across different institutions and between teachers with different levels of teaching experience seemed to result from contextual factors. Teaching intentions thus reflect a compromise between teachers’ conceptions of teaching and their academic and social contexts     

从管理策略的运用看学生对大学英语网络自主学习模式的适应性

随着大学英语教改的深入,基于网络的自主学习模式在实际教学中被推广普及,通过实验揭示学生的学习适应性与其学习管理策略的应用之间的关系。结果显示:对这种学习模式表现为适应的学生比不适应的学生在管理策略运用方面有明显的优势。因此,教师可以根据学生管理策略的运用情况,观察和预测学生的学习适应性和学习效果。     

技能鉴定中“项目教学”的开发与组织

技能鉴定中“项目教学”,是指学生在教师指导下,通过完成一个完整的“工作项目”而进行学习的教学模式。其目的是在课堂教学中把职业技能鉴定标准同理论教学与实践教学有机地融合在一起,从而提高学生的学习兴趣,充分发掘学生的创造潜能,提高学生解决实际问题的综合能力,提高了技能鉴定的合格率。     

Thinking Strategies: Its Effectiveness in the Teaching of Multiplication Facts to Low Achievers of Mathematics

Many students have found the learning of multiplication a difficult task. Without mastering multiplication facts, a student will always resort to fundamental strategies which may be undesirable in problem-solving. Many teachers and educators agree that learning basic facts in the four operations are the fundamental steps that precede learning harder facts. Referring to the aspect of computational errors, Knifong and Holton (1975) indicated that computational errors accounted for 49% of the total errors made by 35 students who sat for the Metropolitan. Achievement Test. Suydam (1975) and NCTM (1977) stressed the importance of basic facts even though calculators and lately computers have been introduced into the school curriculum. The purpose of this study was to investigate the methodology of teaching basic facts which would alleviate the problems of teaching these facts to low achievers of Mathematics. A review of studies on thinking strategies shows that very few were carried out in learning the thinking strategies, particularly in multiplication using low achievers as the target. The success of using thinking strategies to teach multiplication number facts to most students does not imply its success in teaching all students. One of the intentions of this study is to investigate what strategies are useful in helping the low achievers in learning mathematics.     

试论小学道德与法治教学中活动情境创设

新时期,道德与法治教师要不断转变自己的教学方式和方法,与时俱进,吸引小学生学习的注意力,激发小学生学习的兴趣,充分调动学生学习的积极性、主动性和创造性,进一步提高小学生学习的效率和质量,不断提高小学生的道德与法治意识。本文首先是通过相关信息的调查了解到,当前小学道德与法治教学的现状,发现了小学道德与法治教学的问题,其次是根据所发现的问题提出相关策略。     

On the dynamics of students' approaches to learning: The effects of the teaching/learning environment

This study investigates the effects of the learning/teaching environment on students' approaches to learning (i.e. combination of intention and learning strategies) and compares a lecture based to a student-activating setting within the first year of elementary teacher education. Data collection (N = 790) was carried out using a pre-test/post-test method by means of the Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory (ALSI). Though students' approaches were similar at the start of the course, a clear distinction was found after experiencing the lecture based and student-activating teaching/learning environments. However, the direction of change was opposite to the premise that student-activating instruction deepens student learning. Instead, the latter pushed students towards a Surface Approach to learning and students' Strategic Approaches suffered significant lowering.     

Student self-assessment: why do they do it?

Abstract

This study explores factors that predict students’ self-assessment intentions and practices using a framework based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A total of 1425 Hong Kong students (Primary 4 to Secondary 3) participated in this study. Students’ intentions and practices pertaining to self-assessment and the predictors of their intentions and practices were assessed with 11 self-report scales aligned to the TPB constructs. The psychometric properties of scales were examined with Rasch analysis and the relations among the variables were investigated with path analysis based on Rasch-calibrated person measures. The results showed that attitude, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and perceived controllability were statistically significant predictors on intention to self-assess, while self-efficacy and intention had significant influence on self-assessment practice. Psychological safety was also found to have relatively weak but significant impact on both self-assessment intention and practice. This study lays a foundation for future investigations on how to promote meaningful self-assessment behaviour which is crucial for self-regulated and life-long learning.     

Making Content Easier or Adding More Challenge in Year One University Physics?

This paper argues that lecturers may provide insufficient challenge when teaching first year university physics courses, which may contribute to unsatisfactory learning outcomes. Comparisons in learning outcomes between a traditional teaching group and a constructivist orientated teaching group were investigated along with lecturers' and students' perceptions of those courses by interview and survey. Three main findings emerged from this study. The lecturers emphasised the students' poor physics background and adopted strategies to diminish the possible cognitive challenge in their teaching design. However, the students' concerns about the difficulty of the course seemed to be very minor. Finally, this study found that a teaching strategy of increasing the cognitive challenge for the students was likely to encourage an adoption of a comprehension learning approach, highlight the needs for learning university physics, and to promote cognitive engagement and learning commitment.