Novice teachers learning through participation in a teacher study group

Using Lave and Wenger’s framework of legitimate peripheral participation in communities of practice, this case study explores the experiences of three novice teachers engaged with more experienced teachers in a teacher study group during their first year of teaching. The study illustrates how, over time, the novices moved from more peripheral to more central participation as revealed through changes in their talk and feelings about participating. The study highlights the importance of legitimacy and peripherality provided by the more experienced teachers and identifies the ways in which the facilitator scaffolded and mediated the novices’ participation and learning.     

Toward a theory of experiential instruction

Attention to experiential instruction is needed if the learning process is not to be left totally to chance. This paper proposes a theory of experiential instruction based on ideas of Jerome Bruner. Four general requirements of a theory of instruction (attention to the learner's predisposition to learning, appropriate structuring of knowledge, meaningful sequencing of concepts and timely feedback) are examined in light of the instructional role in experiential settings. The discussion concludes with a call for research and development to refine and improve the practice of experiential instruction.This paper will appear in somewhat different form in a volume tentatively entitled Service-Learning in Higher Education: A Guide for Faculty, currently being prepared for the National Student Volunteer Program, a part of ACTION. The author extends his appreciation to NSVP staff for permission to adapt ideas originally developed for work contracted to NSVP. The ideas and opinions in this paper do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of NSVP, ACTION or the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, and no official endorsement should be inferred.This article is based on a presentation at the 1978 SFEE/NCPSIP annual convention.     

Toward professional practice: student learning opportunities through participation in engineering clubs

ABSTRACT

Clubs constitute a prominant co-curricular activity to prepare students for effective professional careers, yet the role of engineering clubs in students' professional formation is poorly understood. This qualitative, comparative case study investigated three student engineering clubs at a large American public university. The clubs included a domestic chemical reaction car competition; a formula racing club that partners with a German team and competes both domestically and internationally; and a humanitarian engineering club centred on service learning projects in developing countries. Data collection included semi-structured interviews with participants (N?=?19) and observations of club work sessions (N?=?27). Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as the analytical framework, the transcribed interviews were coded to characterise the activity in each club. The findings demonstrate that a confluence of elements, especially decision-making rules and division of labour, leads to a fundamentally distinct activity system in each club. Consequently, each club differs in the ways it influences students’ professional formation. More generally, this study illustrates the potential of CHAT for analysis of co-curricular activity that can lead to alternative approaches to activity design.     

The role of the printed answer in programmed instruction

Using a variety of programmed materials, this series of studies showed that students observed available answers in the program far less than 100% of the time. Answer observing was found to be correlated with student error on the related frame. The view that the printed answer in a program is always a reinforcer for the preceding response(s) is severely questioned.     

程序教学模式在生物教学中的应用

高中生物教学可运用程序数学理论中小步子原则,设计一系列的问题,逐步引导学生学习,获得知识的模式．这种教学模式可以充分体现学生的主体作用和教师的主导作用,并培养学生观察、阅读、分析、讨论、推理和判断能力．     

A group psychotherapeutic perspective on transforming participation in a learning community

The aim of this study is to investigate learners’ transforming participation as they enter and engage in a learning community. To do this, we investigated the micro-development of two students’ learning and collaborative practices in the context of a unique learning community that was fostered within a graduate level course. Interpretations of the data, which were reviewed by the researchers and triangulated by a group of expert and novice peers, led us to suggest three dimensions of transforming participation that is based on a group psychotherapy framework: (a) the social microcosm—examining one’s learning and collaboration practices in the LC in comparison with one’s everyday life; (b) developing the motivation to change based on dissatisfaction or a desire to grow; and (c) making incremental changes to practices in a socio-cultural context. We discuss the intricacies and implications of this framework for future research on learning communities.     

试论高等职业教育实践教学体系与理论教学体系

本文从高等职业教育实践教学体系和理论教学体系的内涵、作用出发,阐明了高等职业教育实践教学体系和理论教学体系的关系。并用实例予以说明。