Signifying “students”, “teachers” and “mathematics”: a reading of a special issue

This paper examines a Special Issue of Educational Studies in Mathematics comprising research reports centred on Peircian semiotics in mathematics education, written by some of the major authors in the area. The paper is targeted at inspecting how subjectivity is understood, or implied, in those reports. It seeks to delineate how the conceptions of subjectivity suggested are defined as a result of their being a function of the domain within which the authors reflexively situate themselves. The paper first considers how such understandings shape concepts of mathematics, students and teachers. It then explores how the research domain is understood by the authors as suggested through their implied positioning in relation to teachers, teacher educators, researchers and other potential readers.

Linear Algebra and the Experiences of a “Flipper”

Abstract

This paper describes the linear algebra class I taught during Spring 2014 semester at Adelphi University. I discuss the details of how I flipped the class and incorporated elements of inquiry-based learning as well as the reasoning behind specific decisions I made. I give feedback from the students on the success of the course and provide my own reflections of the semester. Examples of some of the materials used are provided in the Appendix.     

Crystallized and fluid intelligence in a “new” instructional situation

Twenty-four measures of crystallized intelligence (Gc) and fluid intelligence (Gf) were obtained for samples of graduates and failures of an innovative instructional setting where computer-managed mastery learning was implemented to teach elementary electricity and electronics. Seven stepwise multiple discriminant analyses and associated statistics were computed to determine which linear combinations of Gf and Gc measures could optimally separate the two groups. Corresponding classification functions derived for the discriminant analyses were applied to these measures obtained from the subjects to evaluate the effectiveness of differentiating failures and graduates. The results did not substantiate the hypothesis that Gf measures would be associated with student success in new instructional situations more so than Gc measures. Contrary to theory, the findings suggest that some unconventional educational environments are not necessarily dysfunctional for better abled students. In these situations they can just as easily exercise and exploit those skills developed and applied in more traditional instructional settings.     

Antecedents and Correlates of Course Cancellation in a University “Drop and Add” Period

Most institutions of higher education allow students to drop or add courses in the first 2–3 weeks of each term (D&A). Arguing that course cancellation is not merely an administrative issue involving enrollment trends but represents complex decision making processes taken by students, this study investigated antecedents and correlates of course cancellation during a D&A period in 109 elective courses. Student ratings of the teachers (SRT) and characteristics of the syllabi distributed in the first class session were investigated as predictors of course cancellation. Rates of cancellation were significantly predicted from SRT and from syllabus workload difficulty—lower quality teachers (SRT-based) and more difficult courses (syllabus-based) being cancelled more frequently. Analysis of a sub-sample of truly elective, high-priority courses revealed that these correlations were intensified in teacher-centered lecture courses, but nullified in student-centered seminar courses, in which students write independent research papers. The importance of students’ course selection and course cancellation as decision making processes, the methodology based on institutional data rather than students’ self-reports, and the unique effects of course difficulty on students’ decisions were discussed.

Identifying and investigating the “best” schools: a network-based analysis

This paper aims to provide a fresh perspective on the predominantly negative discourse on schooling quality in low-income countries by focusing on the research questions: ‘How can one identify great schools and what makes them special?’ Using a network-based perspective, I measure peer evaluations of quality in two districts in Nepal. Specifically, I ask principals to mention three schools they view as the ‘best’ schools in their district and then map the interconnections between schools as a result of this response. I additionally analyse the differentiating characteristics of these schools and qualitatively investigate the most frequently cited ‘best’ school in each district. Public school principals collectively chose a few schools as being among the ‘best’; these chosen schools had relatively higher enrolment and better student performance. The in-depth qualitative analysis highlights less quantifiable measures, such as motivated leaders who were able to help schools succeed despite difficult circumstances.     

“a bit”与“a little”用法之异同

“ａｂｉｔ”与“ａｌｉｔｔｌｅ”用法之异同李燕霞这两个词组从意义上讲都有“一点儿”的意思；从词性上讲ｌｉｔｔｌｅ是形容词，ｂｉｔ是名词；用法上，两者有时是同义词可以互换，有时却是反义词，意思正好相反。现将它们的用法归纳如下：１）两者都有名词的功能．在...     

“I”and“We”

1．使学生认识到团队协作精神的重要性。2．激发学生的集体荣誉感，充分发挥每个学生的特点特长，增强班级体的凝聚力。     

“a”的自述

在浩瀚的词海中 ,我小得可怜 ,几乎没有人看得起我 ,更不把我这小不点放在眼里 ,人们仅仅把我当成一个字母 ;其实 ,我叫不定代词 ,与数词one同源 ,相当于汉语的“一” ,但不强调数目概念 ,用在单数可数名字前 ,泛指某一人或物中的任何一个 ,我 (a)用于以辅音读音开头的词前 ,我还有一个同胞姐妹an是用在以元音读音开头的词前。如 :achairahouse ,　　anhour,anapple 一、类别用法1、用在可数的单数名词前 ,表示一类人或事物中的任何一个。Achildneedslove 孩子都需要爱。Ahorseisausefulanimal 马是有用的动物。2、用在不可数名词前 ,具体…     

The Chinese “Open Class”: a conceptual rendering and historical account

The intent of this paper is to make sense of and share with a broader community of teachers and teacher educators a professional development phenomenon that is peculiar to the Chinese elementary and secondary school context. This practice, known as the Open Class, has at least three forms: intra-school, inter-school, and competitive. These forms are defined and delineated at the outset of the paper with particular attention to the distinguishing characteristics of each. This conceptual groundwork paves the way for a detailed historical accounting of this phenomenon over the past 65 years. What we learn is that the Open Class, as a professional development strategy, has waxed and waned based on the political and educational emphases of the day but nonetheless is alive and well in modern-day China. Indeed, it is so commonplace that it has become a norm in Chinese schools. While there remains much to be learned about the Open Class, four lessons learned as a result of the exposition offered in this paper provide a strong basis and valuable springboard for further exploration.     

Jim and a Man

Jim、。咖 y。Old.One Sndny he w。。tting on the stops In fonof a house.A mn came叩 nd asked h讪,“ Hi,的,is yollr mothe athorn?” Yes,” ssid Jim. he。、happ.He began to nllg「如讪d.He p恤。g,but there ws no answer.In the end he turned to Jim and sllld,“YOu told mehat yollr mother was at home,didn’t yoti?＂ “YeS,Idid,” sid he hey,‘“but did tell you this was my hoUSe?Jim and a Man@一兵…     

双胞胎兄弟“a”和“an”

Hi,everyone!今天我给大家介绍两个朋友,他们是a和an。同学们对a和an一定不会陌生,单数可数名词前总少不了他们俩的身影。你们在学习他们的过程中是不是     

a bit与a little“点点”异同

1.两者都可以作名词用,这时两者意义和用法相同。例如: I know a little(a bit) about Mary.我对玛丽了解一点儿。2.两者都可以作副词,用来修饰形容词(原级或比较级)或动词。例如: She is feeling a bit (a little) better than yesterday.她感觉比     

a little和a bit“一点”异同

a little与a bit都有“一点”的意思。但在具体的运用中,两者既有相同点,又有不同之处。一、相同点: 1)两者都可作程度副词,修饰形容词或副词,可替换使用。如: I am a little/a bit hungry.我有点饿了。     

Being “chill” with teachers and “frozen” by peers in science: overcoming social and educational barriers in a learning community

This forum discusses the issue of ‘othering’ and how intersectionality is a useful analytical framework for understanding the students’ immigrant experiences in, and out of, the science classroom. We use a feminist perspective to discuss Minjung’s study because gender is a key aspect of one’s identity other aspects such as race, religion, socio-economic status, and age have assumed a significant status in gender studies. Lastly we examine the supports and barriers that cliques can produce and propose the importance of building a learning community in the science classroom to engage all students.