Using conceptual change theory to help preservice teachers understand dyslexia

Recently, many states passed laws requiring pre- and in-service teachers to receive professional development in dyslexia awareness. Even though misconceptions regarding dyslexia are widespread, there is a paucity of research on how to effectively remove misconceptions and replace them with accurate knowledge. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a researcher-created refutation text grounded in conceptual change theory could produce significant conceptual change in preservice teacher knowledge of dyslexia when compared with a control text about dyslexia (Dyslexia Basics, International Dyslexia Association; IDA, 2018). A sample of preservice teachers (n = 97) was randomly assigned to either the Dyslexia Basics text (n = 48) or the refutation text (n = 49). A one-way repeated ANOVA was used to identify if growth rates from pretest to posttest were differential across conditions. Results suggest that while both texts affect conceptions, the refutation text outperformed the Dyslexia Basics text (n = 97), η2 = 0.33. Effects were maintained at a delayed posttest (n = 75), η2 = 0.175. Interaction effects suggested that the amount of reading coursework did not moderate conceptual change. Implications for facilitating conceptual change of dyslexia will be discussed.     

Emerging issues in the genetics of dyslexia: a methodological preview

A review of the classic and recent evidence on the genetics of reading disability (RD) shows encouraging progress, and accumulating evidence of genetic risk factors that operate within families and are separately localizable to more than one chromosomal region. The accelerating pace of these findings, however, suggests the need to consider some methodological issues about the design and interpretation of current and future studies. A major issue is the shape of the distribution of reading ability in the population, and we offer three tests of increasing rigor for determining whether those distributions are categorical, and hence not suitable for analyses that depend on the assumption of a continuous normal distribution. These tests are as follows: a nonnormal preponderance of cases with RD (i.e., the hump in the lower end of the distribution); a difference in the within-group variance-covariance matrices for typical readers compared to those with RD; and a correlation between a neurogenetically relevant criterion and a categorical reading variable that is larger than the correlation between the same criterion and a continuous version of the same reading variable. We emphasize also the importance of interactive relationships between multiple genetic loci, the variations in genotypic range as well as type of affectedness, the need to account for remediation variance, and the importance of lifespan changes in the phenotypes.     

Using narrative inquiry to understand persistently disciplined middle school students

Educators’ persistent disciplining of a small group of students positions them as “frequent flyers.” This identity prevents educators from developing an understanding that could enable them to reengage these students. Using the methodology of interpretive biography positioned within narrative inquiry and using a Gestalt-based analysis, this study presents the case narratives of three persistently disciplined students from one urban middle school in the southeast USA. Examining the central tensions of each case led to a richer and more comprehensive narrative of each student, reflecting his or her complex motivations and desires. Viewing students as the whole people reflected in these narratives rather than through the deficit-oriented lens that labels students as frequent flyers can shift educators’ practices to better support the learning of all students.     

Using computer-based readers to improve reading comprehension of students with dyslexia

Twenty-eight middle school students, diagnosed as dyslexic and attending a school using the Slingerland approach to remediation of dyslexia, used a computer-based reading system for reading literature for about one-half hour a day for a semester. The system proved to be a strong compensatory aid, enabling 70 percent of the students to read with greater comprehension, approximately one grade level or more improvement, as measured by the Gray Oral Reading Test. For 40 percent of the students, the gains were large, from two to as much as five grade levels. However, not all students benefited. Fourteen percent showed lower comprehension scores when using the system, and there is some indication that this degradation is associated with kinesthetic-motor weakness. Some students reported gains in reading speed and exhibited increased span of attention for and endurance in reading when using the system. We did not find evidence that the computer-reader technology provided a positive remediation benefit incremental to that obtained from the school’s intensive Slingerland remediation program. Our results indicate that computer-readers are important compensatory aids that can enable many people with dyslexia to perform more effectively in reading-related tasks associated with school and work.     

Using possible-selves theory to understand the identity development of new teachers

Questions about identity and future success often occupy the thinking of individuals during life transitions. Possible-selves theory describes how future-oriented thought provides identity-relevant information and motivation to pursue self-relevant goals. Expected and feared possible selves of beginning teachers (n = 221) were analyzed revealing four main categories (i.e., interpersonal relationships, classroom management, instruction, and professionalism). Differences between student and beginning inservice teachers suggest a transitional trajectory that could have implications for understanding the “how” of teacher identity development. Possible-selves theory may help bring a degree of unity across divergent frameworks and help link identity to broader issues of teacher development.     

Using classroom discourse to understand a prospective mathematics teacher's developing practice

This is an interpretive study of a prospective mathematics teacher's emerging practice during the professional semester. A Vygotskian (Mind in Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1978 (Cole et al., Trans.; original work published 1934); Thought and Language, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1986 (Kozulin, Trans.; original work published 1934)) perspective was used to examine the nature of classroom discourse and its role in Mary Ann's (pseudonym) development while student teaching. Results indicate that early classroom discourse mediated Mary Ann's teaching toward a traditional paradigm of giving information. Moreover, her subsequent efforts to cultivate dialogic discourse generated conflict that positioned students as mediators of her practice. Ultimately, experiencing the power and diversity of students’ ideas contributed to shifts in Mary Ann's early forms of practice.     

Using actor-network theory to understand the process of information systems curriculum innovation

In this article I will note that Information Systems is a socio-technical discipline that is subject to rapid change and argue that changes in Information Systems curriculum can best be thought of as innovations and considered through the lens of innovation theory. In a socio-technical area like this where the contributions of both human actors (including academics, students and employers) and non-human actors (such as computers, programming languages and university infrastructure) must be taken into account, this article proposes the use of actor-network theory as a means of understanding more of the innovation process. The adoption of the programming language Visual Basic by an Australian university in the 1990s is used as an example of how actor-network theory can identify and explain some of the important issues in curriculum change.     

Using social psychological theory to understand choice of a pSTEM academic major

Abstract

Various social psychological factors have been proposed as influencing the likelihood of pursuing a pSTEM (physical science, technology, engineering, and math) academic major, but no work examines these simultaneously to ask which make independent contributions in explaining pSTEM gender disparities. Three hundred and fifty-two undergraduates in USA completed survey items comprising nine factors identified from previous research. Mean gender differences were evident on six of these: Males more strongly endorsed Gender Determinism (the belief that differences between the genders are real, meaningful, and largely biologically driven), and STEM-specific gender stereotypes (that men are better at math and science), and were more likely to report having an influential pSTEM role model in high school; females more strongly endorsed the importance of felt belonging in their academic major, communality goals, and stigma concerns regarding gender. As a set, the factors accounted for a significant proportion (34%) of the gender disparity in selection of a pSTEM major. Significant indirect effects partially explaining the gender gap in pSTEM major selection were evidenced for four of the factors: Gender Determinism, Belonging Importance, Communal Goals, and having a pSTEM high school role model. The findings speak to the unique ability of these factors to predict pSTEM major selection, and gender disparities in these.     

The challenge of change: Using activity theory to understand a cultural innovation

This article explains how an inservice teacher education organisation in New Zealand embarked on a cultural innovation to challenge and build bicultural pedagogies, policies and practices. To understand the process and the impact of a three-year cultural innovation both intended and unintended changes need to be explored. Using a framework of second generation cultural historical activity theory, the article examines the individual and institutional changes, exposing both tensions and learning. Key successful factors included establishing a clearly recognized purpose, widening individual and group involvement, and creating flexibility to build a strong platform to support the innovation. However, tensions were created when externally imposed factors such as changes in government policy and re-prioritization of funding were introduced. The external tensions challenged the internal organisational structures and stability, which in turn affected the cultural innovation and destabilised the change process.     

如何听好对话

上期编发了李远征和丁海云老师的文章《浅析听力能力的培养及应试技巧》本期和下期将继续以专题形式——“李·丁英语讲坛”刊发两位老师有关英语教学的文章 ,供大家参考。     

如何理解辩证法

辩证法不是什么自在的普遍规律，而是自在与自为统一关系中的客观法则，它不仅是关于认识的理论，同时也是一种本体论或存在论。哲学不可能回顾本体论问题，否定本体论就会在理论上陷入困境。     

Using first-order cognitive analysis to understand problem solving behavior: An example from accounting

We report a study of human problem solving in the accounting domain. This study has three characteristics. First, it is explicitly intended to aid in the development of instructional materials. Second, it uses a powerful task analyzing scheme as the basis for its conclusions. Third, we use a technique called First-Order Cognitive Analysis that combines the advantages of task analysis to overcome some of the traditional methodological problems posed to protocol analysis. Our representational scheme, KO, seems to be largely valid as a basis for reasoning about cognition, although only three subjects were studied.     

历史教学目标刍议二：怎样理解能力目标

赵亚夫先生的这篇文章可谓艰深，甚是硬着头皮读进去就会发现其意味深厚——对能力目标的分析已经深入到了根子上。一线教师工作往往偏重于实践经验，多关注于具体实际的问题。我们希望大家耐着性子阅读，看明白也不难。教育理念的更新，不能不深入到这个层次。     

A window into thinking: Using student writing to understand conceptual change in science learning

This study, conducted in an inner-city middle school, followed the conceptual changes shown in 25 students' writing over a 12-week science unit. Conceptual changes for 6 target students are reported. Student understanding was assessed regarding the nature of matter and physical change by paper-and-pencil pretest and posttest. The 6 target students were interviewed about the goal concepts before and after instruction. Students' writing during lesson activities provided qualitative data about their understandings of the goal concepts across the science unit. The researcher constructed concept maps from students' written statements and compared the maps across time to assess changes in the schema of core concepts, complexity, and organization as a result of instruction. Target students' changes were studied in detail to determine patterns of conceptual change. After patterns were located in target students' maps, the remaining 19 students' maps were analyzed for similar patterns. The ideas that students identified in their writing showed changes in central concepts, complexity, and organization as the lessons progressed. When instructional events were analyzed in relation to students' demonstrated ideas, understanding of the goal conceptions appeared in students' writing more often when students had opportunities to explain their new ideas orally and in writing.     

怎样理解《历史课程标准》——华东师范大学钟启泉教授访谈

本刊与《中学历史教学》杂志近来连续发表了人民教育出版社马执斌编审与华东师大聂幼犁教授及其一些中学教师的争论文章。由于问题涉及对新课程改革的理解，我们特意采访了课程专家钟启泉教授。此次基础教育的改革不同以往。有人统计说，自十一届三中全会以来，基础教育曾提出过七次改革。以往的改革无论多少次，都没有从根本上改变高度集中管理体制下的基础教育模式。中学历史教学长期以来在“一纲一本”的影响下，教师在教学中的创新很有限。此次课程改革，尽管问题很多，但方向无庸置疑。而要真正理解新课程改革，从学科来说，要从正确理解《课程标准》做起。如果用旧的观念理解《课程标准》，则在实践中必然是“穿新鞋走老路”。目前，在试行高中新课改的四个省区中，就出现了类似现象。因此，马聂之争绝不是个别现象。读读钟先生的解释，有些问题就不必再争了。     

怎样理解物体的“重力”

通俗易懂地释疑了初学者对力学中“重力”概念上的一些模糊认识。