Examining learning approaches of science student teachers according to the class level and gender

There are many factors influence the level of students＇ achievement in education. Studies show that one of these factors is ＂learning approach of a student＂. Research findings generally have identified two approaches of learning： deep and surface. When a student uses the deep approach, he/she has an intrinsic interest in subject matter and is interested in ideas and conclusions to understand the subject matter. When a student employs the surface approach, he/she merely memorizes knowledge to pass any exam in school. The aim of this study is to determine learning approaches of science student teachers and to examine the relationships among the variables, such as level of students＇ class and gender. The sample of this study consists of 108 student teachers from the Science Education Program at Department of Primary Science Education in Karadeniz Technical University. Approaches to learning of science student teachers are assessed using the Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire （R-SPQ-2F）, a scale developed by Biggs, et al （2001） consisting of 20 items on a 5 point Likert Scale. According to findings, science student teachers generally have deep learning approaches. Moreover, learning approaches of science student teachers have not changed related to gender.     

Quality of learning outcomes in an online video-based learning community: potential and challenges for student teachers

This study investigates the learning outcomes of 25 student teachers in an online video-based learning community (VBLC). Data were drawn from the student teachers' written comments and feedback recorded in the VBLC and the post-course interviews. Based on Biggs and Collis's Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy, the majority of comments and feedback were classified as uni-structural, but more sophisticated responses could also be found. The interviews revealed that the student teachers benefited from the opportunities of peer interaction and self-reflection. The study thus makes suggestions for further improvement of the operation of the VBLC.     

对高校学报栏目策划的认识

栏目策划是高校学报整体策划中不可分割的一部分,但在目前,由于条件及认识方面的局限,高校学报的栏目策划还存在一些误区,搞好高校学报的栏目策划,应贯彻一些最基本的原则,即：导向原则、整体性原则、个性化原则、稳定性和动态性原则。     

生物教学中如何进行课堂自我观察

课堂观察是教师获得实践知识的重要来源,也是教师用以搜集学生资料、分析教学方法的有效性、了解教学与学习行为的基本途径。课堂观察有3种基本形式：团队观察、个体观察、自我观察。这3种形式中,笔者认为自我观察是在日常的教学活动中,最易由教师自身开展的观察形式。如何在初中生物学科的教学中,让自我观察走进课堂,使课堂教学的有效性真正提高,结合自身的观察感受,笔者认为有以下一些方法值得借鉴。     

How to make a Lantern

Hello,my name is Sun Jiayang.I like DIY very much.The Spring Festival is coming,so I make a lantern(灯笼)for my family.Is it beautiful?You will need:a piece of red paper,a lighter(打火机),a pencil,a candle(蜡烛),a knife,a glass,double-sided tape(双面胶),a ruler,scissors(剪刀).     

How preservice teachers interpret and respond to student errors: ratio and proportion in similar rectangles

Interpreting and responding to student thinking are central tasks of reform-minded mathematics teaching. This study examined preservice teachers’ (PSTs) interpretations of and responses to a student’s error(s) involving finding a missing length in similar rectangles through a teaching scenario task. Fifty-seven PSTs’ responses were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Analysis results revealed that although the student’s errors came from conceptual aspects of similarity, a majority of PSTs identified the errors as stemming from procedural aspects of similarity, subsequently guiding them by invoking procedural knowledge. This study also revealed two different forms of address and teaching actions in PST interventions along with three categories of acts of communication barriers. The broader implications of the study for international communities are discussed in accordance with the findings.     

Strategies used by teachers to rate student behavior

Upon completing the Teacher Report Form (TRF; Achenbach, 1991) on a randomly selected child in their current classroom, teachers were surveyed about the approaches or strategies they used to formulate their ratings. In Phase 1, teachers identified eight rating strategies. In Phase 2, a new group of teachers indicated the extent to which they relied on the eight strategies. Rather than the two approaches hypothesized to be foremost, (“I compared the child to other children in the same classroom,” “I compared the child to other children of the same age”), teachers relied primarily on their “experience with the child in many different settings.” © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Impacts of instructor and student loci of commitment on biology learning for prospective elementary school teachers

This study explored the dynamic in the loci of commitment of several participants in a university-level biology course developed for elementary school teachers. The analysis concentrated on two instructors with almost opposing loci of commitment. Through both instructors were committed to teaching, one showed commitment to the subject matter (accuracy, quantity, depth) while the other was more concerned with having the students get involved in the topic development. When the instructor focused on the coverage of content, the students and the instructor felt disappointment— each ending the unit expressing reciprocal discontent with the outcome of the unit. This situation eventually proved detrimental to the students' learning and application of biology. Situations where the instructor proved to be more student-oriented resulted in students making sense of relevant ideas, understanding concepts, and incorporating those ideas and concepts into their knowledge web and teaching practice.     

Education--a joint task for parents,kindergarten teachers and kindergarten student teachers

The aim of this research was to find out what kindergarten teachers, parents and kindergarten student teachers think about education and about themselves as educators. The basic question was: what kind of similarities and differences are there between these groups of educators? The sample consisted of 21 parents, 28 kindergarten teachers and 37 kindergarten student teachers voluntarily taking part in the study. The data were collected using thematic interviews and an open-ended questionnaire. The approach used to analyse the material was phenomenography. The results show that the groups of educators between themselves had quite similar conceptions of education and of being educators of small children. However, some differences were also found. The division of the conceptions of education was: education as a societal function or socialization, education as a way of supporting a child's development, education as care, and education as work and action. All groups, but especially parents, regarded education primarily as a societal function. All three groups paid rather little attention to education as a function of becoming a human being. Education as a function of care occurred in the conceptions of some educators. The conceptions of being an educator were linked to characteristic features of educators, to working with children, to commitment and self-confidence at work and to demands on and responsibility of an educator. In particular, parents paid attention to the demands and responsibility of being an educator. Kindergarten teachers and kindergarten student teachers emphasized working with children and commitment to education.     

Action learning guided by Tao for lifelong learning

Information Technology brings about rapid changes in working environment, quickly rendering skills and knowledge gained in formal learning institutions obsolete. Even as they prepare students for their first career, institutions also need to equip students with skills necessary for lifelong learning. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore has accordingly structured its curricula into Academic Studies and General Studies where the former focuses on core subjects (broad based knowledge-specific studies), and the latter on general knowledge (multi-disciplines catering to various interests for lifelong benefits). A 12-week course, ‘Introduction to Tao for Effective Action Learning’ which focuses on learning processes was developed and has been taught by the author, for undergraduates at NTU since July 2001. The course materials were derived from the author's Ph.D. thesis ‘The Tao of Action Learning’ (Sam, 2000). This paper explains the nature of the action learning programme at NTU and includes one account from participant students.