The Cobbler's Children: Improving Performance Improvement at Amerigroup

A team of performance consultants at Amerigroup applied their chosen human performance technology (HPT) methodology, Six Boxes^® Performance Thinking, to define their own performance, identify improvement opportunities, and build performance infrastructure in the form of clearer expectations and regular feedback, better processes and tools, and more relevant consequences, all while developing their own skills and knowledge and conducting client projects using the methodology. This article summarizes the context, process, and accomplishments to date, along with the lessons learned from this ongoing effort.     

教师元认知技能研究及其培训途径

随着教师教育运动的国际化 ,教师元认知技能的培训已被视为提高教师教育教学能力的一个新途径。加强对教师元认知技能的培养有助于增强教师的反思能力 ,有助于增强教师的自我教学效能感与实际教学能力 ,有助于增强教师的教学监控能力。教师元认知技能培训有以下途径 :加强对教师元认知知识的培训 ,加强对教师元认知调节控制能力的实践模拟训练 ,加强对教师自我效能感的激励活动     

Guidelines to design engineering education in the twenty-first century for supporting innovative product development

In the twenty-first century, meeting our technological challenges demands educational excellence, a skilled populace that is ready for the critical challenges society faces. There is widespread consensus, however, that education systems are failing to adequately prepare all students with the essential twenty-first century knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life, career, and citizenship. The purpose of this paper is to understand how twenty-first century knowledge and skills can be appropriately embedded in engineering education finalised to innovative product development by using additive manufacturing (AM). The study designs a learning model by which to achieve effective AM education to address the requirements of twenty-first century and to offer students the occasion to experiment with STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts. The study is conducted using the quality function deployment (QFD) methodology.     

Examining Educators’ Knowledge,Beliefs, and Practices About Using Technology With Young Children

Technology has been shown to foster children’s motivation and interest in instructional materials. In addition, researchers have found that technology results in higher levels of student engagement and greater levels of comprehension. Researchers have also found that educators must have the knowledge and skills in technology necessary to effectively support their students. Much of the research examining educator knowledge and skills has centered at the K–12 level. The current study examines the technological knowledge, beliefs, and practices of educators in early childhood settings. Findings indicate that educators believe that it is important to integrate technology into daily lessons. However, findings also indicate that many teachers do not feel adequately prepared to use technology in early childhood settings; that there is a lack of technology currently available in early childhood settings; and that early childhood educators want more professional development on using technology that also reflects their varying levels of knowledge and experience. An analysis of study results is provided through a discussion of implications, limitations, and next steps.     

Research of technical knowledge and creativity development of children in pre-primary education through interactive whiteboard

The introduced study represents methodology and results of research focused on utilization of interactive whiteboard as didactic technology mediating information through multimedia worksheets applied in education process in pre-primary education. Its aim was to determine whether it can significantly increase the level of children’s acquired knowledge in the field of technical skills education and whether it can positively influence the development of children’s creative skills as a sign of their motivation. We observe that this issue in the way it is theoretically and practically established in this study can contribute by proposing education standards and set of multimedia worksheets in the technical field in Slovak pre-primary education.     

歌唱的记忆

记忆是通过识记,保持,再现等方式在人的头脑中积累和保存个体经验的心理过程。记忆包括"记与忆"两方面,歌唱记忆是歌唱心理学中一个重要的心理活动过程,音乐属于听觉艺术,歌唱记忆的核心是听觉记忆和感觉记忆,要加深对作品的印象,接受外来的知识都是靠记忆完成的,它可以帮助歌唱家掌握专业知识及技能、技巧,促进他们在歌唱艺术方面得到全面的发展起着积极的作用。     

Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration in a science education unit for preservice science teachers; students' perceptions of their ICT skills, knowledge and pedagogy

There is an expectation that new science teachers will be able to effectively use a range of information communication technology (ICT) related resources inthe science classroom in order to enhance student learning. All school systems in Australia are in the process of providing teachers with ICT professional development and infrastructure. This paper outlines a range of initiatives designed to integrate ICT in a compulsory science education unit for students enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education. An action research model based on constructivist principles was used to evaluate the effectiveness of modelling, open-ended co-operative group activities and authentic assessment in enabling students to enhance their ICT skills, knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in a science education context. Multiple sources of data were generated including a pre and post unit questionnaire that was analysed using Rasch modelling. The questionnaire determined students' perceptions of their preparedness to teach using ICT. The findings of this research suggest that some skills warranted greater attention in the unit, but students' pedagogical knowledge and knowledge and critique of ICT resources were enhanced over the duration of the unit.     

Creating a Science E-book with Fifth Grade Students

This article explains how one teacher used iBooks Author, a free digital textbook creation tool that makes iBooks for iPads, in an upper elementary classroom to improve students’ expository writing skills and understanding of science content. The classroom teacher taught students pre-requisite writing and technology skills for two weeks, and then helped these students design, develop, and publish their own iBook. Students planned and developed content using Thinking Maps, storyboards, Google Docs, iMovie and other technology tools to create their iBook. A comparison of students’ work in the iBook to previous written work revealed an improvement in expository writing in multiple ways: better organization and connection of ideas; increased use of academic vocabulary; and an increased use of clarifying details and analogies. Students also gained a deeper understanding of science concepts as reported through their comments after the project was finished. Students became more proficient users of the technology, and also reported an increased sense of self-efficacy and confidence because they published a book in the iBookstore     

Career Development: The Linkage Between Training And Organizational Development

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

Making ‘us’ visible: Using membership categorisation analysis to explore young people's accomplishment of collective identity-in-interaction in relation to digital technology

This article examines young people's sense of self and collective identity in relation to their use of specific digital tools available at their school. We use membership categorisation analysis (MCA) to explore how a group of young people produce a collective identity-in-interaction as captured in concrete relational speech acts. Fine-grained MCA analysis of group interview talk reveals participant students operating as a collectivity to accomplish a sense of shared identity in relation to the iPad. This focus on the ways in which young people's identities are intertwined with digital technology distinguishes this article from the technicist and operational perspectives that dominate the field of educational technology research and demonstrates MCA's potential for illuminating the relationship that young people have with technology. The article contributes to a growing body of research that engages with more nuanced ways of understanding contemporary, technology-mediated learning as a process of producing not only knowledge and skills, but also selfhood—both private and shared.     

把知识化为技能技巧——应用文写作教学的思考

随着社会经济生活的高速发展 ,应用文写作的重要性更加突出。怎样提高应用文写作教学的质量是当前急需解决的问题。用张志公先生的话来说 ,就是要“把知识化为技能技巧” ,即精心传授应用文写作知识是前提 ;加强写作意识 ,强调写作训练是重点 ;形成技能技巧是目的。     

Redesigning the Teacher Education Technology Course to Emphasize Integration

Abstract

Teacher education programs in the United States are trying to equip tomorrow's teachers with the technology skills needed to impact learning in the classroom. During the past decade there has been a realization that teaching technology skills alone is not adequate-pre-service teachers must also learn how to integrate the use of technology into their curriculum. This paper describes BYU's instructional technology course and the design process that a team of instructors went through to redesign the course in order to put greater emphasis on technology integration. An iterative redesign approach was used. Several iterations of the course redesign will be shared along with the strengths and limitations discovered in the design and implementation process.     

Career Development; The Linkage Between Training and Organizational Development Originally published in 1989, PIQ 2.1

Improved organizational efficiency can only be accomplished if the employees within an organization have developed the skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes to perform at the highest possible levels. To a limited degree this can be accomplished via training, but employees develop the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes related only to their current job. As a result, the organization is only indirectly impacted. This refers to the micro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Organizational efficiency can also be accomplished through organizational development, but the individual employee is often overlooked during this process. Without employee commitment to improve efficiency, it will be short-lived. This approach refers to the macro perspective of improved organizational efficiency. Both the micro and macro perspectives of improved organizational efficiency have their weaknesses. Thus, a combination of the two processes is necessary. Career development is that combination. Career development is a process which enables employees to develop beyond the fundamental skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes required for their present job assignments. It is a process which is focused on improving organizational efficiency while relying on the development of the individual employee. Performance improvement practitioners can provide learning activities which improve employees' skills, competencies, knowledge, and attitudes by viewing improved organizational efficiency from, an individual (micro) perspective while remaining dedicated to the overall enhancement of the organization (macro). However, many performance improvement practitioners fail to see the connection between training and overall organizational development. These terms are often used interchangeably which leads to the increased confusion and misapplication of each process. It is necessary, therefore, to arrive at an acceptable definition in order to communicate effectively the intent as well as the similarities and differences of the processes. This will enable performance improvement practitioners to better understand the commonalities of each process. It is this understanding that serves as the basis of this article and the forthcoming recommendations.     

如何提高学生的英语阅读能力

阅读是英语学习中的一个重要环节,而且阅读能力的提高对听、说、写能力的提高都有帮助。通过阅读能让人增长见识,扩展视野,增强语感。为提高英语阅读水平,在阅读时不仅需要大量积累英语词汇,还要掌握适合自己的阅读技巧,并且养成良好的阅读习惯。     

大学英语教学表现性评价的测评新取向

近年来在大学英语教学领域,对教学效果的考评,已经从传统的纸笔测试方式,转变为科学的、优异的表现性评价。这种评价方式,从静态上说它全面地涉及受业者的理论、知识、技能的各个层面;从动态上说它具体地展示了受业者结合实战、运用策略、解决问题、掌握理论知识,形成技能的状态。实践表明,表现性评价是科学的优异的测评方式。     

语文教师素质浅谈

在全面实施素质教育的进程中,语文教师的素质缺失突出地表现为:教育观念和教学理念的缺失、知识结构与人文视野的缺失、读写能力、专业功底的缺失、教育实验与研究意识的缺失和思维品质与鲜明个性的缺失等等,尽快弥补这些素质缺失,是深入推进素质教育的关键所在。     

中小学英语教师知识基础的建构——高校师资培训课程设置个案分析

依据关于教师知识基础的理论研究,结合我国基础教育阶段英语课程标准对教师提出的要求,笔者认为中小学英语师资培训课程可划分为六种基本的知识类别:语言技能、学科知识／基础理论、教学理论和教学技能与技巧、现代教育技术及应用、背景知识和科研方法知识,前三类是教师所必须掌握的知识,而后三类是教师应该掌握的辅助教学实践、完善教学过程的相关知识。     

Combining Operations Management and Information Systems Curricula: Assessing Alumni Preparations for the Workforce

The purpose of this study is to explore how well a curriculum that combines operations management and information systems uniquely prepares students for the workforce. To address our research questions, a Web‐based survey was developed. We sent our survey to 203 alumni that graduated from the Department of Operations Management and Information Systems at Northern Illinois University. We assess alumni perceptions of how well our department prepared them in general and technical skills as well as how important these skills were in their current position. We investigate factors useful in predicting preparedness for both general business and technical skills. Overall, students felt prepared in most of the important skills we studied. We also found a significant positive relationship between alumni‐perceived importance of general and technical skills and perceived preparedness for those skills. More recent graduates felt the most prepared for both general business and technical skills. Our findings highlight the importance of general skills for future advancement and caution educators against overemphasizing currently popular technical tools at the expense of teaching the more general business skills. Results presented here provide new knowledge for curriculum designers at the intended institution and lessons for other schools. This research also provides a methodology or process that can be repeated at other institutions that combine information systems with operations management, or with other functions such as decision sciences or accounting. An implication of the results is that schools redesigning their programs may want to consider a curriculum that combines operations management and information systems.     

释意理论促进口译教学的实践研究

＂释意理论＂是口译研究历史上的主流理论之一,对口译教学实践具有重要的指导和促进作用。文章从释意学派的理论出发,探讨在口译教学过程中培养学生具有语言功底的同时,使学生＂脱离原语语言外壳＂,在不同的语境下能较好地理解和阐释口译目的语的意义,帮助其提高口译学习效果和质量。