Disciplinary epistemologies,generic attributes and undergraduate academic writing in nursing and midwifery

Generic attributes such as ‘holding a critical stance’, ‘using evidence to support claims’, and ‘projecting an impersonal voice’ are central to disciplinary academic writing in higher education. These attributes, also referred to as ‘skills’, have for a long time been conceptualised as transferable in that once learnt students are able to use them in a variety of contexts and for a range of needs. Over the past few years, however, the conceptualisation of these attributes as transferable has come under close scrutiny as they have been identified to be highly context-sensitive rather than context-flexible as they were once thought to be. Drawing on data from a 2-year study on undergraduate academic writing in nursing and midwifery at a university in the UK, this paper critically examines the role of disciplinary epistemologies in the conceptualisation of these attributes in the two disciplines, and demonstrates how these beliefs help to shape academic writing at undergraduate level, thus contributing to debates on generic skills and attributes and specificity in disciplinary discourses. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance for writers to examine how knowledge is displayed, constructed and communicated in their disciplines, and the significance of analysing the relationship between disciplinary epistemologies, generic attributes and academic writing as a way of gaining access to and producing central discourses in their professional community.     

Implications for academic workload of the changing role of distance educators

The changing work roles and resulting workloads of distance educators hold significant implications for the wellbeing and mental health of academics. New work roles include redesigning curricula for online delivery, increasing staff-student ratios and demands for student-support, management of part-time staff, and 24-h availability. This research was conducted to investigate the perceived importance of various job roles constituting the quantitative and qualitative workload of distance educators at an open and distance learning university in South Africa. A quantitative, cross-sectional self-report survey design was employed. A stratified random sampling technique was used to ensure generalisability. The questionnaires were completed online, and the results were statistically analysed. The findings include a priority list of 40 distance educators’ work roles that may impact on their perceived workload. The article offers recommendations for policy development to facilitate a healthy workload allocation for distance educators.     

The role of study centres for academic support in distance education

The results of an extensive survey of distance education students are used in a discussion of whether external students desire academic support. The conclusion is that the overwhelming body of students consider academic support valuable in remediating problems with the study package. Meetings are more likely to be attended if they are lecturer/tutor initiated and focus on learning difficulties or problems encountered in interpreting the learning package.

Provision of academic support through study centres is compared to provision through residential schools. The facilities needed to offer academic support through study centres are discussed. Changes in the mode of offering academic support are considered in the light of developments in computer and communication technology.     

College Classroom Environments: Disciplinary and institutional-type differences and effects on academic achievement in introductory courses

Using the College Classroom Environment Scales (CCES) and controlling for differences in class size, it was found that there were significant differences in students' perceptions of their classroom social climates depending on the type of collegiate institution they attended. Students at research universities perceived their classes as having more structure than did those at two year colleges and liberal arts colleges and they perceived less concern by instructors for their personal development and learning than did students at liberal arts colleges. Two-year college students perceived that their classes had higher academic standards than did their counterparts at liberal arts colleges. When comparing classes (and controlling for class size) in English composition, laboratory sciences, and behavioral sciences, it was found that students in English classes perceived them as being the most intellectually exciting and interesting, as being the most academically rigorous, as having the least amount of formal structure, and as promoting more friendships and cooperation among students (than in behavioral sciences classes). Laboratory sciences classes were perceived as having the most hostile and intimidating environments. Significant interactions of institutional type and academic discipline occurred on all scales of the CCES. It was found that perceptions of the classroom environment differentially affected students' course grades in each of the academic discipline areas.Mary E. Vahala is currently Associate Director of Student Activities and Centers at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and teaches in the college student personnel program. She obtained an Ed.D. in counseling and student personnel services from the University of Georgia. Her research interests focus on environmental assessment. Roger B. Winston, Jr. obtained his Ph.D. in counseling and student personnel services from the University of Georgia. He is professor and coordinator of the student affairs administration specialty in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services at the University of Georgia. His research interests include environmental and outcomes assessment in higher education and the psychosocial development of college students.     

An Australian view of the academic partner role in schools

The role of ‘academic partners’ working alongside teachers is an increasingly complex and sometimes controversial one. This article explores the role of academic partners in Educational Action Research, reporting on data from a larger study conducted in New South Wales, Australia. Schools involved in the study had received targeted government funding between 2006 and 2010 to conduct school-based action learning projects employing action research. As part of the funding, the schools had been provided with external support from university-based academic partners, who supported individual school teams in the completion of their projects. Here we focus specifically on the role of the ‘academic partner’. Data were obtained via semi-structured interviews with academic partners themselves, with the project’s state coordinators who oversaw the project, and with teachers who had worked with the academic partners over the course of their school-based projects. Participants in the study identified significant benefits for both teachers and academics engaging in co-inquiry, but findings also suggest that the role of academic partner is increasingly complex, multifaceted and sometimes under-supported. When there is ‘good fit’ between academic partners and schools and when structures are in place to support academic partners in their work, the academic partner role in schools can contribute to sustained educational change. In this article we discuss the crucial antecedents, enablers and constraints which ensure that academic–school partnerships enrich learning for both academics and teachers, building mutual capacity.     

蒙台梭利纪律教育思想与幼儿园常规教育

蒙台梭利在她的教育著作中就纪律教育问题作了专门的论述,不仅提出了一个全新的纪律教育观:纪律必须通过自由而获得(突破了传统教育派将纪律和自由二者相互对立的局限),而且还就良好纪律的培养途径以及培养的阶段性等问题从实践角度作了有益的论述。这对于纠正当前幼儿园常规教育在认识或实践方面尚存在的缺陷和不足具有积极作用。     

The role of cross-disciplinary academic language skills in disciplinary,source-based writing: investigating the role of core academic language skills in science summarization for middle grade writers

Reading and Writing - Learning to use language in order to complete source-based writing tasks is a challenge for middle grade writers worthy of additional study, especially given that these tasks...     

Defining the dynamic role of Australian academic skills advisors

ABSTRACT

In the Australian university context, Academic Language and Learning (ALL) entails advisors working with academics and students to enhance learning. It is a relatively new area, beginning around the mid-1980s, and ALL units developed within their respective institutions. Since early 2000s, there has been an increasing amount of literature discussing the work of these centres. Significantly though, academic support services remain on the periphery of higher education. This article seeks to define the dynamic role of academic skills advisors. In late 2016, we distributed a questionnaire to ALL unit managers at each of the 39 Australian universities, receiving 29 responses. Combining multiple-choice and open-ended questions, the survey investigated the location of the unit, the role of ALL advisors, the qualifications and experience asked for at recruitment, the training required, and pedagogy when working one-to-one with students. A consistent picture emerged in the responses. One key point is a growing demand for advisors with eLearning and eTeaching skills, indicative of broader changes in Australian universities. This article describes the unique set of professional and personal attributes that ALL advisors bring to the role. The survey results found that ALL advisors are responsive to change; broadly use constructivist approaches; have an extensive range of skills, experience and competencies; and are knowledgeable across a range of disciplines. Further investigation comparing the scope of work done in countries such as the UK, New Zealand and Canada could shape and define the changing role of ALL advisors in Australia.     

以学科交叉推动高校的学科建设

论述学科、学科交叉、学科建设的内涵和学科交叉对学科建设的促进作用,分析进行学科交叉的理论依据,指出学科交叉的必要条件和主要途径,阐明学科交叉的四种实践模式。     

The relationship of time orientation with perceived academic performance and preparation for assessment in adolescents

The purpose of this study was to operationalise a model of time orientation and investigate the variability of its factors based on preparation for assessment and perceived academic performance. Responses from 113 male adolescents (mean age = 16.46 years) and 115 female adolescents (mean age = 16.42 years) to items operationalising an expanded model of the contextual approach to adolescent orientation to the future were analysed using principal component analysis. The results rendered five factors including a past orientation, three present orientation factors (task focus, positive social support, and negative social support), and a future orientation. A series of two‐way ANOVAs showed an association of present and future time orientation with academic achievement. Results also showed that students’ approaches to learning varied mainly as a function of present positive social support and task focus. Students who prepared well for assessment had the highest future time orientation. This research highlights the importance of an elevated present and future time orientation to academic achievement and appropriate preparation for assessment tasks.     

Family preparation for school entry and the role of transition practices

Entry into school represents as much a challenge for children as it does for their parents. The authors examined the ways in which transition practices help children and their families feel prepared for school entry, as measured by the child's emotional adaptation during the first days in class and the family's sense of being prepared for this transition. Data were collected from a sample of 412 parents. The results indicate that children's emotional adaptation during the first days in school is related to their families' preparedness for school entry. Moreover, families' preparation is partly explained by the number of transition practices perceived by the parents. These data support the importance of transition practices in the preparation of the family as a unit. Transition practices could serve to reassure parents and their children that the school is ready to welcome them.     

The role of the microcomputer in science teacher preparation

This article is dedicated to the memory of the author who died on June 7, 1990. Dr. Mandall contributed regularly to literature on the educational uses of computers, often describing practical ways of using computers and programing to engage students in reasoning and problem solving in mathematics and science. He was an innovator who will be missed.     

The role of assessment feedback in developing academic buoyancy

This research focuses on the everyday challenge in academic learning of assessment, and argues that academic buoyancy is a key factor in academic success. To scaffold students’ learning and effectively support academic buoyancy, there is arguably a need for a better understanding of: (i) what students find most and least useful in their assessment feedback; (ii) how students use feedback to approach future assessments; and (iii) how students respond to feedback in terms of what they think, feel and do. Key findings from survey responses of 91 undergraduate students were that students use their feedback more than anticipated and look for specific information to help their future performance. In addition, five indicators of academically buoyant behaviour were identified: an internal locus of control, understanding the grade, being forward looking, being improvement focused and being action orientated. These indicators suggested a distinction between students who were academically buoyant because they were constructive in their response to feedback, and those who appeared less so because they were not action orientated, but more focused on their emotional response. These findings have implications for the provision of assessment feedback in higher education and offer insight into opportunities for the development of academic buoyancy.     

Understanding academic performance of international students: the role of ethnicity,academic and social integration

More than 3 million students study outside their home country, primarily at a Western university. A common belief among educators is that international students are insufficiently adjusted to higher education in their host country, both academically and socially. Furthermore, several groups of international students experience considerable amounts of stress while adapting to the culture of the host-institute. Several researchers argue that studies on adaptation of international students should widen its focus to the underlying mechanisms that leads towards this “misalignment”. In a cross-institutional comparison among 958 students at five business schools in the Netherlands, differences in academic performance between local and international students were identified by focussing on their levels of academic and social integration. Students’ academic integration was measured with the Students’ Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), while students’ social integration was measured with a newly developed and validated questionnaire. The results indicate that the degree of academic success of international students is multi-faceted. International students with a (mixed) western ethnic background perform well on both academic and social integration, and also attained higher study-performance in comparison to domestic students. In contrast, international students with a non-Western background are less integrated compared to other international students. Nevertheless, they have a similar study-performance. Finally, academic adjustment is the main predictor of study-performance for Dutch, Western and Mixed-Western students. Social adjustment was negatively related to study-performance. The lack of fit for predicting long-term study success of non-Western students indicates that their academic and social integration processes are more complex and non-linear.     

论比较教育的学科属性与学科体系

比较教育究竟是不是一门学科,一直引起人们的争议,随着比较教育研究范围的进一步拓展,这一问题更是遭到人们的质疑,其中主要涉及比较教育的研究对象和研究方法两个根本性问题.从比较教育学科发展来看,比较教育的研究对象和研究方法都具有明显的层次性,由此可以把比较教育的学科体系具体描述为"三圈层、多交叉结构".因此,比较教育是一门既具有学科独立性又与其他教育学科相交叉的教育学科.     

应用型本科高校学科建设的策略思考

与研究型大学相比,应用型高校起步晚、底子薄、基础差,实力较弱,应用型本科高校的学科建设存在管理者思维局限与学校可持续发展之间的矛盾、人才瓶颈与学科建设需求之间的矛盾、学科与专业“建设领域”之间的矛盾。为加强应用型本科高校学科建设,高校需充分认识应用型本科高校学科建设的重要性、做好应用型本科高校学科建设的定位、推动应用型本科高校学科专业一体化建设、构建应用学科话语体系与文化体系。     

Sustaining motivation and academic goals: The role of academic delay of gratification

This study examined college students' academic delay of gratification; that is, their preference for an immediately available option (e.g., go to a favorite concert the day before a test even though the student is not well-prepared) or a delayed alternative (e.g., stay home studying to get later a good grade in the course). Academic delay of gratification, its motivational determinants (i.e., importance, utility, interest, perceived cost of success, and social expectancy), and students' use of motivation regulation strategies were examined among students identified on the basis of their task-goal orientation, performance-approach-goal orientation, and performance-avoidance-goal orientation using a hierarchical cluster analysis (N = 102). The results supported the notion that academic delay of gratification and its motivational determinants differed as a function of goal orientation. Students in Cluster 1, the high task-goal oriented learners, are high in delay of gratification and have high motivation. Students in Cluster 2, labeled combined high task-high-performance approach, considered the delay of gratification's alternatives as important and useful while perceiving the nondelay alternatives as highly interested and socially beneficial. Students in Cluster 3 were low in all of the three goal orientations and reported low preference for delay of gratification. Academic delay of gratification was discussed in view of the macro-analytic model of Mischel's cognitive—affective personality system.     

Studying for the sake of others: the role of social goals on academic engagement

Much of the research on achievement goal theory has focused on the roles of mastery and performance goals in academic engagement, thus the role of other goals such as social goals has mostly been neglected. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different kinds of social goals (affiliation, approval, concern, responsibility and status goals) on the different facets of academic engagement. A total of 1147 Filipino secondary school students answered questionnaires assessing their social goals, achievement goals and academic engagement. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed to investigate the effects of social goals on academic engagement after controlling the effects of mastery and performance goals. Results indicate that certain kinds of social goals are also important predictors of academic engagement. We recommend that researchers consider investigating social goals that might be more salient in cross-cultural settings instead of focusing exclusively on mastery and performance goals.