Variability in the natural number bias: Who,when, how,and why

When reasoning about rational numbers, people sometimes incorrectly apply principles or rules for natural numbers. Many factors affect whether participants display this natural number bias, including their age and experience, the affordances and constraints of the given task, and even the specific numbers in the given problem. In this paper, we argue that this variability can be conceptualized in terms of dynamic choices among problem-solving strategies. People's strategy choices vary as a function of their repertoire of available strategies and as a function of the specifics of the tasks, problems, and context. Further, we argue that the specific profiles of variability in strategy use that are observed in different participant groups can be conceptualized in terms of the strength and precision of the representations of numbers and operations that people in those groups possess. In our view, the natural number bias arises when people's representations of rational number magnitudes or rational number operations are not sufficiently strongly activated or sufficiently precise to guide performance on a specific task in a specific context. In these cases, participants' more highly activated or more precise representations for natural numbers may underlie and guide their performance. This account suggests that contexts and experiences (including instructional experiences) that help build, strengthen, and activate rational number representations should lead to improvements in performance.     

Comenius,moral and pious education,and the why,when and how of school discipline

ABSTRACT

The present study provides an analysis of John Amos Comenius’s thoughts on moral and pious education, educational governance and school discipline as expressed in Didactica Magna. This is examined from the background of his view of education as a societal phenomenon, the purposes of different categories of knowledge for individual formation and the role of pedagogy in the upbringing of children. Theoretically, this paper expands on Michel Foucault’s ideas about governmentality and discipline, as well as on Henri Lefebvre’s spatial theories. The article argues that Comenius can be viewed as a significant contributor to the early modern shift towards new administrative techniques for school governance, transmitting the mode of disciplinary power into pedogogised and didactic forms. The article contributes to achieving more systematic knowledge for understanding the focused areas of schooling, the concept of discipline and the pedagogic premises of disciplinary practice in an early-modern European educational context.     

Meaningful integration within mixed methods studies: Identifying why,what, when,and how

This special issue of Contemporary Educational Psychology brings together an important collection of examples of how researchers have applied mixed methods research to study questions of interest in the field of educational psychology. Collectively, the articles illustrate the unique insights that can be gained when researchers intentionally integrate quantitative and qualitative methods within mixed methods studies. Further, the special issue highlights specific mixed methods strategies that the authors used to achieve and communicate the integration aspects within their studies. The authors’ application of these strategies provides useful models for scholars planning mixed methods studies and scholars reviewing reports of mixed methods studies within educational psychology and beyond.     

Exploring how and why young people use social networking sites

Upcoming statutory UK government guidance for keeping children safe in education reflects the use of social media, which is one of the most common activities undertaken by young people. This study explores how and why young people are using social networking sites (SNS) and whether there are age or gender differences. A key feature of the study was that the research was built around the views and interests of young people and their advice was sought at each point of the four phase methodological process. The study finds significant gender and age differences related to how young people use SNS. An unexpected but significant finding relates to young people’s perception of SNS and how closely it is associated to their offline lives. By understanding that a large proportion of young people perceive SNS as being different to their offline lives, this study provides a new area of focus in order to effectively support young people online.     

National Standards in Teacher Education—why don't we have any?

Both nationally and internationally, teacher education is coming under scrutiny from governments and bureaucrats. There is a popular view that once again educators have got it wrong and strong action is now needed to provide the kind of teacher education that can support the objectives of governments in areas such as industry restructuring and improving international economic competitiveness. In Australia, strong pressures are being exerted on the political, industrial and labour market fronts to reform teacher education. This paper reviews efforts that have been made to date and advocates the regulation of the profession by the profession as the only means by which teaching can be given the kind of status that will be necessary to protect it from outside interference.     

Teachers' self-directed learning and teaching experience: What,how, and why teachers want to learn

This study focused on teachers' self-directed learning; a concept derived from adult learning theories that accommodates for the idea that teachers formulate their own learning needs and consequently direct their learning. Teachers from 11 Dutch secondary schools (N = 309) were asked about their preferred learning domains (‘what’), their preferred learning activities (‘how’), and their reasons to learn about a selection of learning domains (‘why’). In regression analyses we tested for linear and non-linear relationships between teachers' teaching experience with their self-directed learning. Early- and late-career teachers showed higher preferences compared to mid-career teachers to learn about classroom management domains.     

Self-regulation of motivation when learning online: the importance of who, why and how

Successful online students must learn and maintain motivation to learn. The Self-regulation of Motivation (SRM) model (Sansone and Thoman 2005) suggests two kinds of motivation are essential: Goals-defined (i.e., value and expectancy of learning), and experience-defined (i.e., whether interesting). The Regulating Motivation and Performance Online (RMAPO) project examines implications using online HTML lessons. Initial project results suggested that adding usefulness information (enhancing goals-defined motivation) predicted higher engagement levels (enhancing experience), which in turn predicted motivation (interest) and performance (HTML quiz) outcomes. The present paper examined whether individual interest in computers moderated these results. When provided the utility value information, students with higher (relative to lower) individual interest tended to display higher engagement levels, especially when usefulness was framed in terms of personal versus organizational applications. In contrast, higher engagement levels continued to positively predict outcomes regardless of individual interest. We discuss implications for designing optimal online learning environments.     

Choices and Motivations: the why and how of Portuguese students' enrolment choices

The student population is becoming increasingly diversified and heterogeneous. In a climate of decreasing traditional enrolments in the Portuguese higher education system and increasing competition for students, it becomes essential to understand the reasons and motivations that attract students to higher education and which are the more relevant factors they consider when choosing a higher education institution. This article presents the preliminary analysis of the results of a questionnaire filled in by a sample of 11,467 students entering different types of higher education institutions in 2006/07.     

深化对权力制约监督机制的改革

权力腐败现象的本质是公共权力的变异,是掌权者利用公共权力剥削、侵占社会大众的利益。权力滥用有着经济体制改革的不完善,政治体制改革的滞后,制度上的缺陷等原因。深化权力运行机制的改革十分必要,建立健全决策权、执行权、监督权既相互制约又相互协调的权力运行机制,直接关系到党的执政地位。     

The how and why of academic collaboration: disciplinary differences and policy implications

This paper examines how and why academics in different parts of the academy collaborate. In this paper we argue that: (1) There is a useful analytical distinction to be made between collaboration (fluid and expressive) and Collaboration (concrete and instrumental); (2) These two are not mutually exclusive and their use varies between disciplines; and (3) This distinction is an informative one for policy making that aims to encourage collaboration. Two interview based studies were used to explore the differences in collaborative practices across disciplines. The first was small and confined to a single university (n = 36) and the second was a larger study conducted in three countries (n = 274). Cross tabulations and analysis of open ended questions demonstrated many differences across the humanities, sciences and social sciences in collaboration. The C/collaboration distinction proves useful in understanding different disciplinary approaches to research, and in pointing to implications for research policy and funding. Attempts to increase collaborative research through Collaboration only, may well have deleterious effects on both collaboration and Collaboration. Research policy and funding should bear these differences in mind when seeking to stimulate collaborative research, so as to gain better outcomes across a range of disciplines.     

Reading Foreign Languages in the First Phase of Secondary Education: why,what and how?

In this article it is argued that reading skills in the teaching of a foreign language are much neglected in the first phase of secondary education. In order to show (I) why reading is of great importance for language acquisition in general and (2) how to utilise reading in the initial stages of language learning, the following questions are dealt with: (1) What is the status of reading in the different approaches to foreign language learning? (2) Why not focus on listening in terms of the receptive skills? (3) Which different types of texts (books) can be used? (4) How should these texts be used in order to maximise the contribution to language acquisition?     

Assessment matters: The why and how of cracking open and using assessment results

The authors interviewed two dozen educators at several institutions to better understand how data from the National Survey of Student Engagement were (or were not) being used. Their results offer guidance to those with dusty data binders on their shelves.