Workshop for Graduate Teaching Assistants

There are limited studies with conflicting results examining textbook use and student performance at the university level. To learn more, we surveyed instructors and over one thousand students in 12 undergraduate introductory science courses. The majority (77%) of the students reported reading the textbook either “often” (>75% of the assigned reading) or “sometimes” (25%–75% of the assigned reading). Those who read “often” had better final marks those who read “sometimes,” but surprisingly, those who reported “rarely” reading the textbook did as well as those who read “often.” Perceptions of the usefulness of the textbook were generally more favorable in courses in which some marks were based solely on the readings. We conclude that there appears to be different types of learners: some may need to read the textbook “often” to do well, while others do not.     

Systematic Mentoring for New Faculty Teachers and Graduate Teaching Assistants

This study reports on the development and assessment of two mentoring programs, one for new faculty and one for new graduate teaching assistants. The first program was an externally funded, elaborate program; and it suggested the centrality of factors such as sustained, involving relationships for best outcomes with protégés. The second project, with newcomers to graduate study, demonstrated that a simpler program focusing on involvement within the pair and group meetings produces promising results. From both these projects, we developed a replicable model of systematic mentoring; and we obtained a clear picture of the styles and skills of exemplary mentors.Peg Boyle: Graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brooknow resides in Boone, North Carolina     

研究生“科技与工程伦理”类课程实践探索 ——以北京理工大学“科学道德和学术诚信”课程为例

对北京理工大学研究生“科学道德和学术诚信”课程的教学目标、教学内容、教学策略等进行了分析和论证。认为科学道德与学术诚信不宜狭隘地理解为科研行为中的学风与诚信,而应扩展到选题、立项、决策、运行等过程的诚信,扩展到预防伦理和负责任创新;作为一门科技与工程伦理类课程,该课程的目标是经由建构世界图景和学术图景进行伦理意识启蒙,唤起文化自觉和责任意识,达致对可持续发展理念下的负责任创新等伦理观念、科学精神和人文精神,提升道德判断和伦理选择能力;教学上,通过建构性的教学策略,提炼关键概念,让学生提升文化自觉和责任意识,形成科技与工程伦理的基础知识结构。     

在高校理工科高等数学教学中渗透数学建模思想方法探索

探讨了在理工科高等数学教学实践中渗透数学建模思想、方法,从而推动高等数学教学改革,突出应用特色,强化教学效果.阐述了以此为切入点对培养学生创新能力和提高专业素质的重要性,同时提出了一些在教学实践过程中的建议和具体做法.     

研究生助教培训工作运转状况研究

研究生助教工作在我国高校已经普及,但多限于对研究生助教的资助,没有纳入高校教师发展体系。基于我国17个国家级教学发展示范中心网站提供的助教培训信息,发现当下助教培训存在时间仓促、定位不清、内容不连续、工具性倾向明显等问题,可能影响本科生教学质量的提高,也是对潜在师资的极大浪费。认为应将研究生助教视作高校教师职业生涯的发端,依托教学发展中心有计划地进行教学培训;尽早建立研究生对高校、高校工作、高校教师的感性认识;协同助教和主讲教师经历教学过程,提升发现问题、开发解决问题的能力;完善教育教学相关的知识结构,建立起以研促教的教学理念,提升教学水平。     

Instructional Design as a Professional Development Tool-of-Choice for Graduate Teaching Assistants

Institutions need effective and efficient methods of professional development for preparing graduate students to teach. These skills are important both for their immediate roles as teaching assistants (TAs) and for their eventual roles in the professoriate. An iterative process model from instructional design can function as a cognitive organizational framework for the development of teaching expertise. It facilitates expertise by supporting TAs in connecting new and existing knowledge about teaching and learning in meaningful ways that reflect the cognitive processes of expert teachers. Thus, it can support both the current and future development of teaching expertise and facilitate the application of knowledge in the form of teaching strategies. Patricia L. Hardré earned her Ph.D. in Education at the University of Iowa. She specializes in Instructional Design and Technology with emphases on cognition and instruction, human motivation, and educational assessment. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Oklahoma. Her current research pursuits include K-12 teacher education, TA training and development, high school students' motivation to learn and persist in school, and the effects of computer-based administration of research instruments.     

Success in Science Learning and Preservice Science Teaching Self-Efficacy

This study examined relationships between conceptual understanding, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy beliefs as preservice teachers learned science in a constructivist-oriented methods class. Participants included 49 preservice elementary teachers. Analysis revealed that participants increased in self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and conceptual understanding. Engaging preservice teachers in hands-on, minds-on activities and discussion were important contributors. Participants reported that they would be inclined to teach from a constructivist perspective in the future. One implication from this study is that increasing the quantity of science content courses that preservice elementary teachers are required to take may not be sufficient to overcome their reluctance to teach science if some of their learning does not take place in a constructivist environment. In our teaching, we have tried to integrate pedagogy with learning science content.     

Using Self-Efficacy as a Construct for Evaluating Science and Mathematics Methods Courses

The focus of this study was elementary preservice teachers’ development as effective teachers of science and mathematics as influenced by their participation in elementary science and mathematics methods courses. Preservice teachers’ reports of factors that influenced their perception of their teaching abilities were analyzed according to Bandura’s (1994) 4 sources of efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and stress reduction. This investigation allowed the researchers to evaluate the courses based on these sources. The analysis indicated all 4 sources influenced preservice teachers’ teaching self-efficacy beliefs, with mastery experiences considered the most influential. Embedded within discussions of mastery experiences were references to the other sources of efficacy, which suggest an interrelationship between mastery experiences and the other sources.     

Mathematics and Computers for Teaching Engineering

This paper reflects on the present situation of mathematics teaching for engineers in Spain and the future needs of engineers in this field. One of the parts that will increase in importance is probably Numerical Analysis, obviously for computer users. The most important characteristics for teaching this are described, with reference, in particular, to Engineering students, the motivation for learning, and the importance of practical developments     

食品科学与工程专业研究生教育教学体系改革与创新探索

高素质的食品专业创新人才是食品发展的关键。结合学校优势和地方经济发展,针对食品科学与工程专业课程体系和实践教学体系中存在的问题和不足,探索了食品科学与工程专业教学课程体系,提出了课程体系和教学体系改革和构建的创新思路,使学生的创新意识和综合能力得到显著提高。     

提高研究生助教教学质量的方法探索

化学研究生担任助教,是大学化学实验教学工作的重要组成部分。原有的以教师为主、研究生助教为辅的基础化学实验教学体系存在诸多不足,本文结合自身实验教学工作体会,对提高研究生助教教学质量的方法进行探索,目的是为高校实验教学的改革创新和研究生的成才培养提供借鉴。     

Bioinformatics Education in High School: Implications for Promoting Science,Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics Careers

We investigated the effects of our Bio-ITEST teacher professional development model and bioinformatics curricula on cognitive traits (awareness, engagement, self-efficacy, and relevance) in high school teachers and students that are known to accompany a developing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. The program included best practices in adult education and diverse resources to empower teachers to integrate STEM career information into their classrooms. The introductory unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, uses bioinformatics to teach basic concepts in genetics and molecular biology, and the advanced unit, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, utilizes bioinformatics to study evolution and support student research with DNA barcoding. Pre–post surveys demonstrated significant growth (n = 24) among teachers in their preparation to teach the curricula and infuse career awareness into their classes, and these gains were sustained through the end of the academic year. Introductory unit students (n = 289) showed significant gains in awareness, relevance, and self-efficacy. While these students did not show significant gains in engagement, advanced unit students (n = 41) showed gains in all four cognitive areas. Lessons learned during Bio-ITEST are explored in the context of recommendations for other programs that wish to increase student interest in STEM careers.     

道路材料科学与工程专业研究生实践教学培养模式探索

研究生实践能力的培养是研究生创新与素质教育的关键内容。道路材料科学与工程专业作为一门材料科学与工程和交通运输工程相结合的学科,其在实践教学方面的成熟模式很少。本文紧密结合我校专业特色和我国经济建设需要,对道路材料科学与工程专业的创新型人才培养的实践模式进行探索,完善道路材料科学与工程专业实践教学模式框架构建和系统设计。     

关于大学理工科数学课程的教学新思考

理工科大学高等数学的课程建设和教学改革一直备受关注。本文结合作者在广东技术师范学院的教学实践,以及这几年辅导学生参加全国大学生数学建模竞赛的经验,从更新教学理念、改革教学方法和建立与数学建模素质教育的内在联系等几个方面提出了几项具体措施。     

Latin@s in Science,Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM) at the Intersections

As the United States population approaches a minority majority, the need to address educational inequities is intensified, especially for Latin@ students who are among the fastest growing ethnic minority group across the United States and at four-year colleges and universities. Concerns for educational equity also demand broadening participation of domestic under-represented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Informed by student-level data from six large, public, doctoral-granting, research-intensive universities located in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, we examine differences in STEM degree attainment among Latin@s at the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. The results support the need to target STEM intervention efforts to Latin@s by gender.     

我国高校研究生助教的现状、成因及解决办法

结合作者所在院系和周边高校的研究生助教制度的实施情况,并参照美国研究生助教制度的发展情况,剖析了目前我国高校研究生助教制度的现状、成因,并就助教制度中的培训环节提出了相应的解决办法。