Effects of explicit and implicit prompts on students’ inquiry practices in computer-supported learning environments in high school earth science

The study explored how to best use scaffolds for supporting students’ inquiry practices in computer-supported learning environments. We designed a series of inquiry units assisted with three versions of written inquiry prompts (generic and context-specific); that is, three scaffold-fading conditions: implicit, explicit, and fading. We then examined how the three scaffold-fading conditions influenced students’ conceptual understanding, understanding of scientific inquiry, and inquiry abilities. Three grade-10 classes (N?=?105) participated in this study; they were randomly assigned to and taught in the three conditions. Data-collection procedures included a pretest–posttest approach and in-depth observations of the target students. The findings showed that after these inquiry units, all of the students exhibited significant learning gains in conceptual knowledge and performed better inquiry abilities regardless of which condition was used. The explicit and fading conditions were more effective in enhancing students’ understanding of scientific inquiry. The fading condition tended to better support the students’ development of inquiry abilities and help transfer these abilities to a new setting involving an independent socioscientific task about where to build a dam. The results suggest that fading plays an essential role in enhancing the effectiveness of scaffolds.     

Mapping the quality of feedback to support students’ learning in lower secondary classrooms

Feedback, talk and joint activities that build on knowledge and shared aims are powerful supports for learning. However, several studies of lower secondary students’ perceptions of teachers’ support indicate low teacher support. To investigate the quality of learning support, a content analysis instrument (CLASS) was used in analyses of 56 video-recorded lessons from 28 teachers in four lower secondary schools. This has allowed for a mapping of dimensions of quality feedback interactions, and results show significant and very strong inter-item relationships. The lessons analysed are characterized by a positive climate, and teachers emphasize encouragement, but feedback is found to be more encouraging than learning oriented. The results support previous studies based on students’ perceptions, but provide insights into practices that are necessary if a goal is to influence teachers’ professional learning.     

支架式教学在翻译教学实践中的应用刍议

支架式教学是建构主义理论下一种成熟的教学模式,它在处理教与学二者之间的关系方面提出了具有创造性的见解。从该模式的理论依据、具体应用角度出发,探讨运用支架式教学如何在翻译实践中培养学生自主学习的能力问题,对翻译教学实践研究具有指导性的意义。     

巧搭“支架”，优化教学——基于对一个美国ESL课堂观察的分析与思考

“支架”在课堂教学中起着辅助学生学习的至关重要的作用。要在一个真实的课堂里搭好“支架”,仅仅遵照支架式教学理论给出的步骤是远远不够的。教师们往往会在构建“支架”的过程中遇到形形色色的问题。通过对一个美国ESL课堂的观察和分析,给教师们如何在课堂中运用支架式教学法提出建议。     

支架式教学在翻译教学实践中的应用刍议

支架式教学是建构主义理论下一种成熟的教学模式,它在处理＂教＂与＂学＂二者之间的关系方面提出了具有创造性的见解。从该模式的理论依据、具体应用角度出发,探讨运用支架式教学如何在翻译实践中培养学生自主学习的能力问题,对翻译教学实践研究具有指导性的意义。     

教与学的有效互动--简析支架式教学

支架式教学是近二三十年来国外流行的教学模式,它在处理"教"与"学"二者之间的关系方面提出了富有创造性的见解.本文对支架式教学进行了简要的介绍与分析,主要阐述了支架式教学的内涵、理论基础及其特色,最后分析了支架式教学给予我们的若干启示.     

普通医学院校英语教学发展研究

普通高等医学院校中的医学英语教学面临着严峻的挑战,不合时宜的医学英语教学模式亟待改变.在总结我院高等医学院校医学英语教学现状的基础上,本文指出医学英语教学从教材、师资、教学内容到教学方法存在的诸多问题,并分析讨论解决这些问题的方法,以实现提高医学英语教学质量与水平的目标.     

中小企业管理和创新领域远程学习材料的设计与开发

本文主要阐述了当代远程学习的变化特征,其中包括学习的情境化、学习共同体与实践者共同体的结合、混合培训的运用等;同时,本文还对传统远程学习和现代在线学习环境下的课程设计和开发的各种模式进行了介绍.本案例中,学习资源的设计主要分为三个模块,即存在的技能、持续性的更新,以及全球化技能的发展.结合中小企业本身特点以及上述所提及的方面,为我们发展和清晰地表达一个中小企业持续性专业发展的框架奠定了基础.通过这个框架,在线学习共同体与离线的实践者共同体相结合,可以促进在某一特定文化背景下人们专业认同度和实践水平的提高.     

高职院校教师教学能力提升“生长型”实践共同体的构建

提升高职院校教师教学能力是推进高质量课堂教学改革,提高人才培养质量的重要任务。文章针对当下高职院校教师教学能力提升缺少自发性和社会性、培训平台建设忽视生态性等问题,借鉴情境学习理论,创新构建“生长型”实践共同体。通过实践,形成三个组成、三阶培训、一次转变和多轮培育的实践共同体建设方式,建设“1+2”教学能力提升学习生态系统,实施“三阶段任务,四步骤培训,多轮式反思”培训方式,建立“2+2”激励机制,有效地提高了高职院校教师教学能力。     

Facilitating the learning process in design-based learning practices: an investigation of teachers’ actions in supervising students

Background: In research on design-based learning (DBL), inadequate attention is paid to the role the teacher plays in supervising students in gathering and applying knowledge to design artifacts, systems, and innovative solutions in higher education.

Purpose: In this study, we examine whether teacher actions we previously identified in the DBL literature as important in facilitating learning processes and student supervision are present in current DBL engineering practices.

Sample: The sample (N=16) consisted of teachers and supervisors in two engineering study programs at a university of technology: mechanical and electrical engineering. We selected randomly teachers from freshman and second-year bachelor DBL projects responsible for student supervision and assessment.

Design and method: Interviews with teachers, and interviews and observations of supervisors were used to examine how supervision and facilitation actions are applied according to the DBL framework.

Results: Major findings indicate that formulating questions is the most common practice seen in facilitating learning in open-ended engineering design environments. Furthermore, other DBL actions we expected to see based upon the literature were seldom observed in the coaching practices within these two programs.

Conclusions: Professionalization of teachers in supervising students need to include methods to scaffold learning by supporting students in reflecting and in providing formative feedback.     

Social learning as approach for teacher professional development; how well does it suit them?

Learning from others has been reported as a productive approach for teacher Professional Development (PD) and is seen as a valuable addition to formal PD. Specific insights into whether social learning suits teachers is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop and apply an instrument to assess social learning mindedness of teachers. A questionnaire called the “Quiz: Social learning, how does it suit me?” was developed and its reliability and factor structure were explored. A total of 110 teachers, ranging from primary school to pre-university education filled out the Quiz. Results indicated that the teachers were already quite social learning minded; they were positively oriented towards social learning. Social learning mindedness encompassed five underlying factors including counteracting social-learning preferences, teachers’ opinions and preferences related to learning from colleagues/others, their orientation towards collaboration in new approaches to PD, an autonomy factor, and a more general attitude towards knowledge dissemination. Mostly, teachers like to explain and share their knowledge, like to collaborate with others to enhance their knowledge and ask others for advice if they have a problem. At the same time, they want some control over their PD (e.g. the outcomes). The teachers in this sample did not show much preferences that would counteract social learning, leading to the conclusion that social learning suits teachers as a form of PD. The Quiz, which is accessible online (in Dutch), is a useful tool for teachers to quickly get acquainted with social learning.