Practice-based Teaching: A self-study by two teacher educators at the graduate level

This article tells the story of a self-study conducted by two faculty members teaching foundational concepts in a Master of Arts in Teaching initial certification program. Our research question was: “How can we best teach foundational concepts with a practice-based approach that we consider to be critical to our teacher candidates' ability to be successful in their future teaching careers?” Gathering data over three semesters, this research required constant re-examination. Data indicated that candidates had the educational and life experiences to allow them to grasp concepts as they pertained to educational foundations. This did not necessarily mean that, as initial certification candidates, they would be more adept than their undergraduate counterparts in understanding how these concepts would influence their practice. This conclusion resulted in our understanding of the need for more purposeful scaffolding and extensive modeling. It also reaffirmed our need for having cooperating teachers who are theoretically aligned with coursework offered on campus.     

Evaluating life experiences: Current practices at the collegiate level

Based upon an analysis of responses from baccalaureate programs evaluating life experiences, this paper documents the current practices of assessing prior learning. Both faculty and staff are heavily involved in the total crediting of prior experience procedure. This involvement has been documented in detail within four areas: informal student advisement, tutorials or seminar instruction, program planning, and the actual evaluation process itself.     

Teaching Educational Administration externally at post‐graduate level at the University of New England

The North American origins and the subsequent development in Australia of educational administration as a field of study are described briefly.? The close links between the development of the field itself and the development of the external mode of study are explored with particular reference to the key role in both developments played by the University of New England. The external teaching of the University's Master of Educational Administration degree, which requires both coursework and research, is considered in detail. The views of academic staff on the process and problems of supervising research and thesis writing by external students are reported and discussed.     

充分发挥研究生导师积极性努力提高研究生培养质量

在研究生培养过程中,研究生导师扮演着极其重要的角色。研究生导师的工作积极性直接影响着研究生的培养质量。为此,我们要加强研究生导师的思想教育,严格导师遴选,为导师创造动力,同时赋予一定的压力,充分发挥研究生导师的工作积极性,努力提高研究生培养质量。     

工科院校研究生培养过程的若干问题研究

工科研究生是国家现有各高技术企业、研究所、高等院校中创新工作的主力军,培养具有创新研究能力、理论分析问题能力、工程实践能力等方面成为工科类高等院校研究生培养工作的重点。本文从工科研究生培养过程中的两个重要阶段:研究生课题选择、研究课题研究方法,分别阐述对研究生自身和指导老师的要求、需要完成的工作和注意事项,在此基础上探讨研究生培养过程中的注意事项和促进研究生自主创新能力培养的经验。     

Learning to become graduate students: Japanese women's experience in the research unit in engineering

Based on the analysis of 16 interviews with women first-year master's students at two national engineering schools in Japan, this article examines the socialisation role of compulsory undergraduate research experience in Japanese women's decisions to pursue graduate education and choices of the programme. The findings suggest that research experiences in a small independent research unit within the major department convinced Japanese women engineering students of their academic and social success as graduate students in the current environment. Although participants generally adapted themselves to the research unit through their research, there is a variation in the degree to which they were smoothly integrated into the research unit, reflecting organisational and individual differences.     

Sequential assessment of engineering design projects at university level

Seven years of industrial experience followed by 30 years of academic research and teaching in structural engineering have led the author to believe that the prime objective of a university design course is not the design project itself but to train students to solve problems, as this will last them throughout their careers. It is shown how design projects can be formulated for the purpose of encouraging students to develop their problem-solving abilities. More importantly, a sequential assessment technique has been developed to quantify the students’ ability to both think and learn as well as the students’ grasp of the fundamental principles, all of which are required in problem-solving.     

加强工科研究生培养的实践环节

实践环节是工科研究生培养的重要组成部分。随着我国研究生教育规模的迅速扩张,教育资源日趋紧张,研究生的实践条件十分有限,加强工科研究生实践环节的培养已经成为当务之急。笔者对工科研究生实践能力培养的重要性和提升研究生实践能力的措施进行了探讨。     

From policy rhetoric to reality: the experiences of Southeast Asian science and engineering graduate students in Korea

Asia Pacific Education Review - The presence of international students on campus does not necessarily lead to meaningful interactions between domestic and international students; findings in the...     

"三网"工程研究生公共课改革的新途径

从研究生公共课教学中教师素质、教学管理、教学模式的“三教”问题出发,提出了以网络为载体进行教学资源整合优化的公共课教学和管理改革的思路,并从“开发网络教学课件、建设网络管理平台、实施网络教学模式”三方面概括了“三网”工程的基本内容。该项目取得的初步成效表明,“三网”工程是研究生公共课改革的新途径。     

Design of an Industrial Management course: Bringing together engineering and educational approaches

This paper describes the process of restructuring a degree course at the Technical University of Sofia in Bulgaria so as to meet the demands of the new market economy and the changing political and educational environment. Achievements included development of a new curriculum, modularization, introduction of a new teaching quality assurance system and accreditation by the Institution of Electrical Engineers. The process of change is shown to require great sensitivity to the context and deployment of influencing strategies and skills designed to establish and maintain good relationships with a fluctuating range of stakeholders. Furthermore, the paper shows that systems engineering provides a useful framework for engaging in curriculum change in dynamic environments. One gap appears to be the need to deal explicitly with underpinning educational values, although, that said, the paper gently questions whether the accepted educational approaches can be applied to other cultures and traditions.     

加强内涵建设,全面推进研究生培养质量工程

文章结合笔者所在学校加强内涵建设,实施"研究生培养质量工程"的实际,对工程实施的必要性和全面推进该工程的措施进行了分析与论述。     

"研究生创新实验中心"建设探索与思考--教育部"研究生教育创新工程"建设项目

借助教育部启动“研究生教育创新工程”的契机,西北工业大学立项启动了“研究生创新实验中心”项目,有效地建设人力资源孵化器,积极鼓励研究生从事“自选项目、自主设计、自己动手、自由探索”原则下的独立创新活动,深入地探索全面免费开放的实验室建设模式,积累了一些经验和体会。     

工科研究生《矩阵理论》课程创新性教学方法的探讨

在保证基础数学课程自身特色的同时,结合研究生专业培养要求,按照重要性,实用性,先进性原则选择教学内容;在教学过程中采用多媒体教学与实验教学相结合的教学方法,优化教学过程,提高了课堂教学效率;改革考核方式,满足不同层次的能力培养要求.实践结果表明上述措施可以较好地加强研究生创新思维和创新能力的培养.