University Students’ Knowledge Structures and Informal Reasoning on the Use of Genetically Modified Foods: Multidimensional Analyses

This study aims to provide insights into the role of learners’ knowledge structures about a socio-scientific issue (SSI) in their informal reasoning on the issue. A total of 42 non-science major university students’ knowledge structures and informal reasoning were assessed with multidimensional analyses. With both qualitative and quantitative analyses, this study revealed that those students with more extended and better-organized knowledge structures, as well as those who more frequently used higher-order information processing modes, were more oriented towards achieving a higher-level informal reasoning quality. The regression analyses further showed that the “richness” of the students’ knowledge structures explained 25 % of the variation in their rebuttal construction, an important indicator of reasoning quality, indicating the significance of the role of students’ sophisticated knowledge structure in SSI reasoning. Besides, this study also provides some initial evidence for the significant role of the “core” concept within one’s knowledge structure in one’s SSI reasoning. The findings in this study suggest that, in SSI-based instruction, science instructors should try to identify students’ core concepts within their prior knowledge regarding the SSI, and then they should try to guide students to construct and structure relevant concepts or ideas regarding the SSI based on their core concepts. Thus, students could obtain extended and well-organized knowledge structures, which would then help them achieve better learning transfer in dealing with SSIs.     

Multilevel Multivariate Regression: An Illustration Concerning School Teachers’ Perceptions of their Pupils

Survey data on teachers’ perceptions of the ability and of the economic circumstances of their pupils are used to illustrate multilevel multivariate linear regression. The main substantive conclusions are that (i) on average, teachers in a school share beliefs about the pupils, and that these beliefs form a fairly coherent view in which economic disadvantage is seen to go along with low ability, but that (ii) individual teachers within the school vary substantially around this average. These conclusions have a bearing on the debate about school ‘ethos’. The main methodological conclusion is that investigating such topics can be made more subtle and more able to respect the complexities of educational structures by adopting both a multilevel and a multivariate approach, and that computer software now exists to achieve this. Résumé Les données d’une enquête sur les perceptions des enseignants relativement aux capacités de leurs élèves et à leur appartenance socio-économique ont été utilisées ici pour illustrer l’utilisation de la méthode de régression lin?aire multiple sur plusieurs niveaux. Les conclusions principales sont les suivantes: (i) en moyenne, dans une école, les enseignants échangent sur leurs croyances par rapport à leurs élèves, et l’on peut remarquer une grande cohérence dans le fait de croire qu’être issu d’un milieu économique désavantagé va de pair avec des capacités moins grandes; (ii) mais on peut constater que le point de vue des enseignants — pris individuellement — s’écarte considérablement de cette moyenne. Ces conclusions alimentent le débat sur le “génie” (“ethos”) à l’école. Sur le plan méthodologique, on peut principalement conclure au bien-fond? du choix d'une approche … la fois multiple et sur plusieurs niveaux dans le cas d'investigations, telles celle-ci, portant sur des thématiques nécessitant beaucoup de finesse et de respect envers la complexit? des structures de l’éducation. Relevons encore que le software est actuellement disponible pour effectuer des démarches de ce type. (Traduction: Catherine Cusin, Collaboratrice scientifique du CSRE, Aarau, Suisse.)     

The Effects of Teachers’ Training on Pupils’ Achievement: The Case of Elementary Schools in France

This investigation examines the effects of teachers’ training on pupils’ achievement in French and mathematics. The aim of the research is to compare the effectiveness of three samples of elementary school teachers with different levels of experience and training. Using a multilevel model, the results demonstrate that training enhances the effectiveness of novice teachers. In addition, experience was also found to have a positive effect. Neither training nor experience have a significant effect on equity, defined as the capacity of reducing the initial gap between high and low achieving pupils.     

Teachers’ use of PowerPoint in kindergarten: An empirical investigation in China

Nowadays, with the rapid progress of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the integration of ICTs in education has attracted more and more attention of educators and researchers. However, there are different situations between developed and less-developed nations both in ICT application and in ICT research. PowerPoint is a readily available and most popular tool for teaching in some less-developed countries. Under this particular circumstance, it is not an outdated issue to explore teachers’ use of PowerPoint in teaching. Thus, this paper systematically looked at teachers’ PowerPoint use in the setting of Chinese kindergartens. Specifically, four questions were explored: (i) the status of PowerPoint-related infrastructures in the kindergartens; (ii) teachers’ use of PowerPoint in teaching; (iii) teachers’ design, competences and training related to PowerPoint; (iv) teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward PowerPoint in teaching. A sample of 62 kindergarten teachers was investigated with a self-created questionnaire. Finally, it was found that the kindergartens had been well equipped with PowerPoint-related equipments; teachers frequently implemented teaching activities with PowerPoint and in an intelligent manner; the majority of teachers had positive perceptions and attitudes toward PowerPoint’s general effects, but there was an imbalance of perceptions and attitudes toward children’ emotional-social aspects and children’s cognitive aspects. Besides, the influencing factors of the availability and access to PowerPoint equipments in kindergartens, PowerPoint’s location, teachers’ using years of PowerPoint, teachers’ knowledge and skills, teachers’ training were also emphasized by this study.     

Effects of a Developmentally Based Intervention With Teachers on Native American and White Early Adolescents’ Schooling Adjustment in Rural Settings

This study reports the effectiveness of a developmentally based, teacher professional development intervention aimed at improving early adolescent school adjustment. Teachers in rural schools in a Northern Plains state took part in professional development activities across a year. Following a randomized control trial design, Native American and White students’ (N = 165) social, behavioral, and academic adjustment was assessed in intervention compared with control schools. Regression analyses, controlling for baseline and demographic variables, indicated that students in intervention schools improved in achievement, and improved or sustained beginning-of-year schooling dispositions, and perceptions of the school social/affective context, in comparison with evident declines for students in control schools. Native American students more so than White students evidenced particular gains in achievement and perceptions of the school social/affective context.     

A Study on Teachers’ Occupational Belief in Local Universities and Colleges: Based on the Survey of a College in Xiamen

Abstract:

In higher education institutions (HEI), teachers’ occupational belief is an important factor to promote teachers’ development and maintain their occupational stability, so the research of teachers’ occupational belief has become more and more significant. This study took the teachers in a local college as samples. The following four aspects were analyzed: living conditions, occupational reputation, role expectation, and development expectation. According to the results of the survey, there are some new findings. For living conditions, the salary satisfaction of teacher is low and many of them show the tendency to resign. For occupational reputation, the overall evaluation of their reputation is at a general level. For role expectation, these teachers face different difficulties and also suffer the pressure in various aspects, especially in school requirements and their own demands. For development expectation, their satisfaction with promotion opportunities and working environment conditions is also low. Male and female teachers show noticeable discrepancy on public evaluation of teachers’ occupational reputation. Teachers with different discipline background and teaching ages have obviously different attitudes on public evaluation and individual evaluation of teachers’ occupational reputation. Teachers with different education background vary with each other on the issue of working pressure.     

University Supervisors’ Creative Ability and Their Appraisal of Student Teachers’ Classroom Performance: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Through a content analysis of university supervisors’ written reports of observations of student teachers’ classroom performance, twenty-three categories of statements made by university supervisors about student teachers and their teaching performance were identified. Scores on the Remote Associates Test and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking were correlated with relative frequency of use of the content categories. Correlations supported the hypotheses that more creative supervisors will be aware of a greater number of factors in a student teacher’s performance, will tend to use broad general factors in assessing a student teacher’s performance rather than specific, detailed ones, and will be more sensitive to factors involving teacher-pupil relationships than will their less creative colleagues.     

Teachers’ Use of YouTube in the United Arab Emirates: An Exploratory Study

Teachers around the world are using YouTube movies for different purposes. This mixed-methods study was a preliminary investigation of United Arab Emirates teachers’ perceptions about YouTube's advantages in the classroom, current practices, and major challenges faced. Forty-five teachers completed an open-ended questionnaire. Results indicated that perceived advantages included supporting the learning process, increasing interest and efficiency, and enriching content. Moreover, findings revealed that the majority of participants were using videos for presentation purposes in teacher-led classrooms. Connectivity, technical issues, appropriateness of content, and administrative support were perceived as major challenges.     

Assessment in the Kindergarten Classroom: An Empirical Study of Teachers’ Assessment Approaches

Within the current accountability framework of public education, kindergarten teachers face the challenge of balancing traditional developmental programing and current academically oriented curriculum. Central to this challenge is teachers’ uses of assessment to measure and communicate student learning in relation to their curricular stance. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth examination of three teachers’ approaches to assessment within the current context of kindergarten education in order to elucidate potential approaches to bridging developmental and academic demands. Based on data collected from teacher interviews and classroom observations, three profiles are constructed that link focal teachers’ curricular stances with their approach to assessment. The paper concludes with a discussion on assessment within kindergarten education and areas for future research in the field.     

Retaining Black Teachers: An Examination of Black Female Teachers’ Intentions to Remain in K-12 Classrooms

Sixty years after Brown v. Board of Education, retention trends indicate that there is a Black teacher shortage. Research shows that Black teachers’ retention rates are often lower than the retention rates of White teachers. Black teachers report low salaries, lack of administrative support, and other school variables as reasons for leaving the teaching profession. Seeking to alter the predominantly White, middle class teaching force and potentially impact students’ educational experiences, this qualitative study examines twelve Black female teachers’ intentions to remain in the K-12 classroom. Utilizing conventional content analysis, three themes emerged regarding the retention of Black female teachers. Conclusions, recommendations, and implications are offered for school administrators and educational policymakers.     

Observation: The Impact of Teachers’Behavior in Teacher-students Interactions on Pupils’Motivation

To find out in what ways the teacher’s behavior in interactions could motivate students effectively,a two-day observation concerning the relationship between the teacher’s behavior in teacher-students interactions and students’motivations in the classroom was carried out in a primary school in Scotland.The author illustrated the basic content of classrooms observed and the methods of collecting and analyzing the data.Then,it focused on the discussion of the data and related literacy.Finally,it drew the conclusion that the positive feedback,explanations for the reason of doing the task and enthusiastic actions could effectively motivate students to learn.     

Improving Prospective Teachers’ Counseling Competence in Parent-Teacher Talks: Effects of Training and Feedback

Counseling parents concerning students’ learning processes is considered to be an increasingly important competence area of teachers. However, few educational programs exist specifically focusing on improving this essential teacher competence, particularly in early teacher education. The current study, which took place at a German university, describes the evaluation of a corresponding training program for prospective teachers as well as a process-oriented feedback intervention. We conducted a quasi-experimental study with three treatment groups (training group, training + feedback group, control group) combining pre-, post-, and follow-up test measures with time–series data. By means of multivariate repeated measures MANOVAs and time-series analyses, we were able to demonstrate that prospective teachers’ counseling competence can be successfully fostered by training and individual process-oriented feedback. Our results provide several practical implications concerning the improvement of teachers’ counseling competence within the context of teacher education.     

A Rational Examination of Integrating “Classics” into University General Education Curriculum: An Empirical Survey Based on N University

Abstract

The power of general education curriculum comes from the enduring classics. The authors apply research methods such as questionnaire survey, interview, and observation to investigate the state of general education curriculum implementation at N University and analyze problems faced by incorporating classics. Based on this, the authors propose that universities should rationally review the practical value of “classics” in general education and enhance the effective integration of classics into general education curriculum by improve the texts for teaching, instruction methods, teaching personnel, and assessment modes, to achieve general education’s objective of cultivating the “whole person.”     

Intervening to Improve Teachers’ Need-supportive Behaviour Using Self-Determination Theory: Its Effects on Teachers and on the Motivation of Students with Deafblindness

Research on Self-Determination Theory has shown that teachers’ need-supportive behaviour is associated with student motivation and engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing the motivation of students with congenital and acquired deafblindness by enhancing teachers’ need-supportive behaviour. To assess the intervention effect, this study follows a multiple case-study design. Teacher questionnaires were administered and video observations of teacher–student interactions were made during pre-test, post-test and follow-up phases. The results showed that teachers provided involvement most, followed by structure and autonomy support. Teachers’ provision of structure and autonomy seems to improve most after the intervention. In general, teachers of students with congenital deafblindness showed larger intervention effects than teachers of students with acquired deafblindness. The results also provide indications that students’ levels of engagement improved after the intervention.     

Language in Science Classrooms: An Analysis of Physics Teachers’ Use of and Beliefs About Language

The world over, secondary school science is viewed mainly as a practical subject. This may be one reason why effectiveness of teaching approaches in science education has often been judged on the kinds of practical activity with which teachers and students engage. In addition to practical work, language??often written (as in science texts) or oral (as in the form of teacher and student talk)??is unavoidable in effective teaching and learning of science. Generally however, the role of (instructional) language in quality of learning of school science has remained out of focus in science education research. This has been in spite of findings in empirical research on difficulties science students encounter with words of the instructional language used in science. The findings have suggested that use of (instructional) language in science texts and classrooms can be a major influence on the level of students?? understandings and retention of science concepts. This article reports and discusses findings in an investigation of physics teachers?? approaches to use of and their beliefs about classroom instructional language. Direct classroom observations of, interviews with, as well as content analyses of the participant teachers?? verbatim classroom talk, were used as the methods of data collection. Evidence is presented of participant physics teachers?? lack of explicit awareness of the difficulty, nature, and functional value of different categories of words in the instructional language. In conclusion, the implications of this lack of explicit awareness on the general education (initial and in-service) of school physics teachers are considered.     

Teaching Students from Other Cultures: An Exploration of Language Teachers’ Experiences with Ethnic Minority Students

This article reports on a qualitative study investigating a group of novice ESL teachers’ teaching experiences with ethnic minority students in secondary schools in Hong Kong. It finds that, while teachers argue that society has not been tolerant enough of ethnic minorities, they nonetheless believe that ethnic minorities should comply with societal expectations in order to gain respect and more opportunities. In passing judgement on ethnic minority students’ learning style and life attitudes, and in urging that they be changed, the teachers have, perhaps unconsciously, perpetuated and reified underlying societal stereotypes. It is found that the accented English spoken by ethnic minority students has been devalued and delegitimized, which may disempower them in educational settings and prevent them from expressing and defending their ideas. Implications for education pre-service and novice ESL teachers working with ethnically diverse students are discussed.     

Effects of social pressure and child failure on parents’ use of control: An experimental investigation

Because research has shown that controlling parenting is related to general and school-related maladjustment in children, there is a need to examine antecedents of controlling parenting. In this study, we addressed the role of two sources of pressure (i.e., social pressure eliciting ego-involvement and child failure) on parents’ situational use of control. 124 parents worked with their 5th or 6th grade children on a puzzle task. The two sources of pressure were induced experimentally in a 2 × 2 design, with parents receiving instructions eliciting either ego-involvement or task-involvement and with children either failing or succeeding in the task. Following the task, there was a free choice period in which dyads could choose whether or not to make additional puzzles. In both phases of the experiment, we coded parents’ controlling interaction style, dyadic reciprocity, performance, and parents’ and children’s engagement. Additionally, in the free-choice period the dyads’ degree of persistence was registered. While induced child failure was related positively to parents’ controlling style during the initial puzzle activity, induced social pressure was related to parents’ controlling style in the free-choice period. In turn, a controlling style was related negatively to performance, reciprocity, and engagement. The findings confirm that parents’ use of a controlling style is a multi-determined phenomenon affected by different sources of pressure and undermining children’s performance and engagement.