Development of an Instrument for Assessing the Effectiveness of Chemistry Classroom Teaching

Classroom teaching is a main frontier of the implementation of new curricular ideas in China. The study reported in this article is concerned with the effectiveness of system of classroom teaching (SCT) in chemistry lessons. According to the Systems Science theory, we took a macroscopic view on the SCT, arguing that SCT is a hierarchy of system, which includes class system, plate system, unit system, and primitive system. In this study, we focused on primitive system of classroom teaching (PrS)—the lowest level in a SCT. Using focus group interviews, this study investigated the variables related to the effectiveness of PrS. We found a total of 21 such variables. To identify the main factors underlying the effectiveness of PrS, we further used exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. We found five main factors: rational use of time, quality of teaching behavior chain, match degree, quality of using resource and technology, and rationality of primitive content. Based on these findings, we constructed an evaluation scale for assessing the effectiveness of primitive system of chemistry classroom teaching.     

Toward an Understanding of Authentic Learning: Student Perceptions of an Authentic Classroom

Advocates of educational reform often describe classroom instruction as inauthentic. That is, most classroom learning activities are structured around artificial contexts for learning, and students only engage in tasks and remember information at superficial levels. Some teachers are attempting to break traditional classroom practices by creating authentic contexts for learning. To date, most of the research on authentic classrooms has described the processes teachers have used to develop the classroom environment (learning activities, resources, etc.); however, few have examined authentic classrooms from the students' perspective: “What do students think about authentic classrooms?” The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine a unique learning environment at a large, Midwest high school to understand how students perceived that environment. Most of the students reported a positive experience and described the classroom as fun and exciting with real-world relevance. However, there were several students who did not share these views, and many students were not successful.

     

课堂评定:学生学业评价的重要方式

随着基础教育学生评价改革的深化,学业考核已经向关注学习过程的形成性评价扩展。课堂评定作为形成性评价的一种重要方式,对于提高学生学习质量和改进教师教学方法具有重要的作用。课堂评定能够考查学生的知识理解、分析与推理、综合与批判、问题解决、学习方法和学习情感。教师可以通过书面反馈、课堂观察、学习日志和学生同伴检查来开展课堂评定。要提高课堂评定的有效性,教师应当清楚确定评价内容,运用多样化评价手段,精心组织评价活动,及时反馈和使用评定结果。     

Shifting to a Student-Centered Science Classroom: An Exploration of Teacher and Student Changes in Perceptions and Practices

In this case study, an exemplary seventh grade science teacher’s beliefs, planning decisions, implementation, and student reactions to her student-centered methods were examined over a 4-week unit on genetics. This situation was unique because the teacher was new to the profession and her students had no prior experience with student-centered methods. The teacher designed a learning environment where students were expected to take responsibility for research, but initially students felt unsure about the tasks they were assigned and sought out more structure. As the teacher began to scaffold the material, a balance was achieved that resulted in student engagement during the unit. Findings from the case study can provide teacher educators with factors promoting skillful implementation of student-centered classrooms.     

Classroom Response Systems: A Review of the Literature

As the frequency with which Classroom Response Systems (CRSs) are used is increasing, it becomes more and more important to define the affordances and limitations of these tools. Currently existing literature is largely either anecdotal or focuses on comparing CRS and non-CRS environments that are unequal in other aspects as well. In addition, the literature primarily describes situations in which the CRS is used to provide an individual as opposed to a group response. This article points to the need for a concerted research effort, one that rigorously explores conditions of use across diverse settings and pedagogies.     

Moodle环境下的Web型课堂应答系统的实现

课堂应答系统属于教学管理系统的一个重要组成部分,而单一的课堂应答系统不能很好地与教学系统的其他部分整合,用系统化的方法把课堂应答系统集成于CMS是课程管理的需要.Moodle是目前最流行的CMS之一,本文将结合实例讨论如何在Moodle平台实现系统集成的课堂应答系统.     

Recording Student Perceptions of Teacher Behavior by Means of a Student Response Monitor

Abstract

Some Intellectual characteristics, academic problems and study habits of mature college undergraduate women were Investigated, Forty young (median age = 20) and 40 older (median age = 35) coeds matched on grade-point average were administered four WAIS subtests and a questionnaire. Older women were Inferior to younger women on WAIS performance subtests. Mature women reported more problems In concentrating, reading rapidly, and taking class notes while younger coeds reported more difficulty in remembering academic material. Older students reported better study habits. The results suggest that mature women can adjust successfully to the demands of the undergraduate academic situation.     

A Scale for Measuring Student Perceptions of Quality: An Australian Asian Perspective

ABSTRACT

Australia is rapidly moving into the globally competitive higher education market. As a consequence the issue of consumer satisfaction and quality is emerging as an area of interest. This paper focuses on the issue of student understandings of quality by developing a consumer derived scale which identifies the quality variables related to student perceptions with the university experience. The scale was derived from focus groups, in-depth interviews and through an examination of the literature. The scale was tested and refined on a cohort of 351 Australian and Singaporean/Hong Kong students studying business subjects at an Australian University. The refined scale comprised 25 quality variables which factored into four orthogonal components. The mean values of the variables and factors were examined to make inferences about how educational marketing practitioners can be assisted.     

Multiculturalism Incorporated: Student Perceptions

Multicultural education has transformed higher education both in terms of research and in terms of student experiences. Given the complexity of our institutions, the overall effects of these transformations are mixed. Building on the successes and strengths of multicultural education as it is currently incorporated in institutions and programs will involve better understanding how it is perceived, positively and negatively, by those who are experiencing it first hand. In this article we seek to contribute to this reflection through a discussion of a survey of students’ perceptions of multiculturalism in a large first-year program in a research university. Patrick Bruch is Associate Professor of Writing Studies in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He received a B.A. in English from Western Michigan University and a Ph.D. in English from Wayne State University. His teaching and research focus on struggles for equality within and through higher education. Jeanne L. Higbee received her B.S. in Sociology from Iowa State University and earned both her M.S. in Counseling and Guidance and Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She currently serves as Professor and Senior Advisor to the Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Her research interests are related to student development and the access and retention of student populations that traditionally have been underserved in postsecondary educational institutions. Kwabena Siaka is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota.     

An Improved Questionnaire for Gathering Student Perceptions of Teaching and Learning

An instrument used to gather university students' perceptions of their learning environments, the Perceptions of Learning Environments Questionnaire (PLEQ) has been used recently in higher education research. The current paper examines the strengths and limitations of the PLEQ, particularly in relation to uncovering student perceptions about responsibility for their own learning. A study trialling a modified questionnaire, which builds on the advances and addresses the limitations of the PLEQ, is reported.     

Repositioning Colleges Using Changing Student Quality Perceptions: An Exploratory Analysis

ABSTRACT

Colleges and universities must respond to competitive pressure in the marketplace by embracing the concept of quality as a marketing tool. Many colleges and universities have recently looked to the business arena and have adopted techniques, strategies, and the language of quality management.

This exploratory study focuses on the identification and evaluation of student perceptions of salient attributes. The findings suggest that standards of quality are difficult to establish, since evaluations of university performance are not consistent, even among an undergraduate student population.     

Accounting for Student Success: An Empirical Analysis of the Origins and Spread of State Student Unit-record Systems

This event history analysis explores factors driving the emergence over recent decades of comprehensive state-level student unit-record [SUR] systems, a potentially powerful tool for increasing student success. Findings suggest that the adoption of these systems is rooted in demand and ideological factors. Larger states, states with high proportions of students of traditional college-going age, and states subject to federal civil-rights monitoring, were more likely to adopt SUR systems, suggesting influences of demands posed by size and legal constraints. In addition, states with more liberal citizen ideology were more likely to adopt the systems. Interestingly, the strength of private colleges and universities in a state worked against the adoption of SUR systems, suggesting that privacy and autonomy concerns were important deterrents to adoption. The results of this analysis illuminate the factors that inhibit and enhance SUR systems’ organizational and philosophical acceptance, and thus ideally can contribute to future policymaking in this arena.

Student Perceptions of Assessment Methods

With the introduction of teaching quality audits, attention is being directed towards methods of assessment. In the present study students were asked what qualities they perceived in continuous assessment and examinations. This was considered important in light of the view that assessment techniques can be used to motivate students. It appeared that in many respects students regarded the former as being fairer, and measuring a greater range of abilities. The main findings were that students' reactions varied according to age and gender, but that overall the view was that continuous assessment should not be involved in much more than half of their grade measurement.     

Click-On-Diagram Questions: a New Tool to Study Conceptions Using Classroom Response Systems

Geoscience instructors depend upon photos, diagrams, and other visualizations to depict geologic structures and processes that occur over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. This proof-of-concept study tests click-on-diagram (COD) questions, administered using a classroom response system (CRS), as a research tool for identifying spatial misconceptions. First, we propose a categorization of spatial conceptions associated with geoscience concepts. Second, we implemented the COD questions in an undergraduate introductory geology course. Each question was implemented three times: pre-instruction, post-instruction, and at the end of the course to evaluate the stability of students’ conceptual understanding. We classified each instance as (1) a false belief that was easily remediated, (2) a flawed mental model that was not fully transformed, or (3) a robust misconception that persisted despite targeted instruction. Geographic Information System (GIS) software facilitated spatial analysis of students’ answers. The COD data confirmed known misconceptions about Earth’s structure, geologic time, and base level and revealed a novel robust misconception about hot spot formation. Questions with complex spatial attributes were less likely to change following instruction and more likely to be classified as a robust misconception. COD questions provided efficient access to students’ conceptual understanding. CRS-administered COD questions present an opportunity to gather spatial conceptions with large groups of students, immediately, building the knowledge base about students’ misconceptions and providing feedback to guide instruction.     

小学英语实习教师课堂话轮特征分析

课堂教学过程本质上是一个会话过程,而话轮是会话的基本单位。话轮特征可以反映学生在课堂上的参与度,反映教师课堂教学效果。通过对八位小学英语实习教师课堂话轮特征的分析研究发现：实习教师课堂话轮数略低于学生话轮数,但教师话语量却远远高于学生话语量;实习教师控制着话轮的主动权,学生被动进行话轮交替：学生简单重复教师话语的话轮较多。实习教师可以藉此反思课堂教学,同时也为师范院校语言师资的培养提供借鉴。     

“翻转课堂”的学习满意度--高校课程教学行动研究

本研究在高校课程教学中进行了翻转课堂的行动研究,研究分三个阶段,即需求分析与计划阶段、行动实施与调整阶段、评价与反思阶段。研究通过前期的需求分析,结合翻转课堂的特征对课程计划进行设计和实施。在描述了“组织行为学”课程的背景和过程后,本研究以双因素理论为框架,对此次翻转课堂的满意因素和不满意因素进行调研,从而为课程的持续改进和优化提供指导。研究采用开放式问卷,共收集了109个思想单元,并将其归纳为18类满意因素和13类不满意因素,然后对这些因素进行内容分析和深度解释。翻转课堂需要教师对个性化辅导投入更多的时间和精力,并关注学生的自我价值感。     

An Evaluation of Student Perceptions of Screen Presentations in Computer-based Laboratory Simulations

Laboratories are an integral part of engineering courses. Where part-time students miss these an alternative may be provided in simulations. The importance of realism in the screen presentation of the plant is evaluated in this paper. The conclusion is that simulations are less effective than the actual laboratories but that realism minimizes the disadvantages.     

Student Perceptions of Supplemental Web-Based Instruction

This study examined the perceptions of college students using supplemental web-based instruction (WBI). During the fall quarter of 1997, the researchers surveyed higher education students in five courses at the University of Georgia. The survey included 13 five-point Likert scale questions followed by four open-ended questions. The results show that students found the supplemental WBI site beneficial, overall, to their learning while the bulletin board discussions outside of class were the most liked feature. However, most students would not consider taking a course that was conducted entirely through this medium, without any class meetings.his research interests include education, policy, and technology