Reach to Teach ICT: Issues and Compromises

This paper outlines some implications for pupils’ learning and for teachers of information and communication technology (ICT) in primary or elementary education of using complete ‘reach and teach’ resource and lesson plan solutions to support a national scheme of work. The example resources referenced in the paper are ‘The LCP ICT Resource Files for Schools’, designed to enable teachers to deliver the ICT National Curriculum requirements for England and are structured to closely follow the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) scheme of work. The authors of the LCP ICT Resource Files became aware that there was a widespread takeup of their materials and that, therefore, the resources had potentially a substantial impact upon practice in many schools.Models of curriculum provision are presented and characteristics of good practice are adduced which the author recommends to those who write, review or evaluate complete teaching solutions for ICT.     

对终身教育与学习化社会的再思考--兼谈高校管理人员的继续教育

终身教育和学习化社会理念自上世纪70年代传人我国以来，已经从一种观念、原则转化为一种推进教育革命乃至推动社会进步的广泛实践。高等学校中管理人员素质的高低，关系到高校人才培养质量，关系到高校教学目标的实现，最终关系到我国终身教育体系的建立和学习化社会的实现。因此，加强高校管理人员继续教育，不断提高他们的政治素质和业务素质，是高校面临的一项重要任务。     

远程开放教育中的教学质量

质量保证在远程开放教学中起着至关重要的作用。电子技术的普及使得更多的学生能够参与到学习中。远程教学已经由教师为中心转变成以学生为中心,此外借助最新的技术,教学质量也得到了很大的提升,远程教学可以通过印刷品、音频、视频或者数字媒介提供各种课程,而且互联网、卫星、微波设备以及光学纤维都可以保证教学内容的有效传输。如今教学质量已成为全球关注的问题,因此,本篇论文研究影响远程开放教育教学质量的不同因素,以求在不断变化的全球局势中满足学生需求。在如今这样的竞争环境中,除了教学活动和学习项目,学习项目的实施以及学习资源中心（学习中心）的建立也对确保教学质量和学生满意度有着十分重要的作用。在以知识为主导的社会中,远程开放教育院校利用不同的教学方法,对整个教育起着至关重要的促进作用。远程开放教育院校在教与学的过程中特别针对不断变化的全球情况,采取了多样的方法。通过在教学进度和课程选择上提供适当的灵活性,教学设计更容易被学生所接受。学生可以了解整个课程的设置从而在保证终身学习的同时,更能准备好迎接具有竞争力的就业市场的挑战。     

对远程教育环境下教师评价体系的几点认识

远程教育教师评价体系应反映出教师应具备的教学组织与设计管理教育资源的能力、参与虚拟学习社区的意识、网络文化的判断选择能力和对技术进步的敏感性和发展的预测能力。要注重远程教育与素质教育内容的整合，要以发展的观点注重教师表象与潜力的统一，领导与非领导者评价的统一、要重视对虚拟学习社区的建设和服务。     

Utilizing Project-Based Learning and Competition to Develop Student Skills and Interest in Producing Quality Food Items

ABSTRACT: Project-based activities and competition incorporated into freshman-level introductory foods course can stimulate students' interest in producing quality food items and achieve positive learning outcomes. This paper describes one example of how project-based learning, with the element of competition, was integrated into a freshman-level introductory foods course for food and nutrition majors. The students reported that the team approach allowed them to enhance their communication, team-building, and problem-solving skills. Numerous other skills, such as food selection, menu costing, and food presentation were also developed as a result of the project. The project was a productive and enjoyable learning experience for both the students and the teacher.     

素质教育与师范教育改革

素质教育是以全面提高人的思想品德,科学文化和身心素质为目的基础教育,素质教育要求未来教师必须具有现代的教育思想,高尚的职业道德、渊博的专业知识,较强的教学科研能力,健康的身心素质。培养高素质的教师,师范院校必须在教育思想,教学内容,教学方法,考试方法等方面深化改革。     

Online Learning as a catalyst for reshaping practice – The experiences of some academics developing online learning materials

While tertiary teaching staff are familiar with teaching strategies used in traditional course delivery, the design and delivery of courses integrating new technologies such as online materials poses new challenges for many. Hence, although technology may be used, its use is often at a superficial level, failing to have significant impact on teaching practice. Motivated by the authors' belief that the development of online learning materials is an endeavour aimed at improving the quality of the learning environment, this paper explores the experiences of several lecturers within Griffith University as they engage in the design and development of online materials as part of the university's flexible learning initiative. Insights into the experiences and perceptions of teaching staff developing online materials are used to highlight issues that can then be used to inform appropriate professional development support for tertiary staff. This in turn will enable the integration of technology into the learning environment to act as a catalyst for positive changes to teaching practice.     

教育幽默的研究及其在教学中的应用

文章从幽默内涵所体现的趣味性、深刻性和艺术性出发,上升到幽默的教育价值,揭示了教育幽默的主要属性和＂寓庄于谐＂的主要特征,指出教育幽默是充分体现以人为本、平等交流、启发思维和素质培养等现代教育理念的重要辅助手段。在教学过程中运用幽默改善教学环境,要注意因人而异、恰当适时,才能起到促进教学的特殊功效,教师要注意积累,不断提高自身素养,才能敏锐地发现幽默,巧妙地运用幽默于教育教学。     

The Large Context Problem (LCP) Approach

This article traces the development of a contextual approach to the teaching of science (physics) subsequently called the Large Context Problem (LCP) approach. This approach is based on the general observation that learning could be well motivated by a context with one unifying central idea capable of capturing the imagination of the students. The design and the placing of the LCP is followed by a detailed discussion of the contexts of inquiry (as we find it in Newtonian physics) that attempts to give the contextual activities found in the LCP a sound theoretical backing. However, the contextual base must also be informed by the findings of constructivist learning theories as well as the history of science. Moreover, thought experiments (TEs) are considered an important aspect of science (physics) teaching and three kinds of TEs are discussed. All these ideas are summarized for a quick overview in a table called “Levels of investigation for scientific inquiry.”     

高职院校职业素质教育体系化构建的实践与思考

高职教育政策和利益相关方对职业素质的需要,使得职业素质教育成为高职院校教育的重要组成部分。高职院校要在教育实践过程中要协同校内外两种力量,尤其要注重整合校内资源来确立职业素质教育的价值取向,建立职业素质教育的组织体系、工作体系、资源体系和文化体系。在此基础上,要将职业素质教育的体系嵌入高职院校的人才培养模式中,利用职业素质教育纳入人才培养方案、走入第二课堂、进入应用环节等方式,固化、优化职业素质教育体系。     

高校专业培养计划设计

受英国现行专业规格的启发,本文提出了一种专业培养计划的新方案,旨在全面落实素质教育的三个方面,即知识、能力和人格.在计划中引入学生学习产出的概念,由此出发制订培养目标、教学方法和学生评价方法.由于第二课堂在素质教育中不可或缺的作用,宜将第二课堂活动引入培养计划.     

"学习型社会"与学习素质教育

“学习型社会”作为小康社会的重要目标对中国的教育改革有极其巨大的意义。其中之一就是要求把学习素质教育提到战略高度。学习素质是直接影响学习者学习过程、学习效率、学习结果的学习者自身的内在因素和素质,它是学习者素质全面发展和提高的内在的源泉、动力、基础、前提。学习素质教育就是通过多种途径、形式、方法培养、提高、强化、发展学生学习素质的教育。     

Quality of Life of Higher Education Students with Learning Disability Studying Online

This study examined how learning challenges encountered within online learning environments affected the quality of life of students with learning disability. A qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with eight students (mean _age = 33.75 years; SD = 8.15), revealed that learning challenges had consequences on students quality of life with regards to levels of stress/anxiety, self-esteem, time available for other activities, personal relationships and financial pressures. A notable finding was that these quality of life concerns were frequently associated with the extra time and effort students invested in their studies as a way of managing the learning challenges encountered. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of self-esteem previously reported for students with learning disability; and underscore the importance of minimising learning barriers, providing study accommodations, and providing multifaceted support programmes that address both academic and emotional/personal concerns.     

The effect of image quality,repeated study,and assessment method on anatomy learning

The use of two‐dimensional (2D) images is consistently used to prepare anatomy students for handling real specimen. This study examined whether the quality of 2D images is a critical component in anatomy learning. The visual clarity and consistency of 2D anatomical images was systematically manipulated to produce low‐quality and high‐quality images of the human hand and human eye. On day 0, participants learned about each anatomical specimen from paper booklets using either low‐quality or high‐quality images, and then completed a comprehension test using either 2D images or three‐dimensional (3D) cadaveric specimens. On day 1, participants relearned each booklet, and on day 2 participants completed a final comprehension test using either 2D images or 3D cadaveric specimens. The effect of image quality on learning varied according to anatomical content, with high‐quality images having a greater effect on improving learning of hand anatomy than eye anatomy (high‐quality vs. low‐quality for hand anatomy P = 0.018; high‐quality vs. low‐quality for eye anatomy P = 0.247). Also, the benefit of high‐quality images on hand anatomy learning was restricted to performance on short‐answer (SA) questions immediately after learning (high‐quality vs. low‐quality on SA questions P = 0.018), but did not apply to performance on multiple‐choice (MC) questions (high‐quality vs. low‐quality on MC questions P = 0.109) or after participants had an additional learning opportunity (24 hours later) with anatomy content (high vs. low on SA questions P = 0.643). This study underscores the limited impact of image quality on anatomy learning, and questions whether investment in enhancing image quality of learning aids significantly promotes knowledge development. Anat Sci Educ 10: 249–261. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.     

Contact hours in Dutch and Vietnamese higher education: a comparison

The number of contact hours, one of the important institutional context factors, was examined and compared between Dutch and Vietnamese higher education at institute and student levels in Psychology and Business and/or Economics specializations. The quantity of contact hours per credit point given by institutions was investigated in a number of Dutch and Vietnamese universities. Additionally, 104 students in Groningen, the Netherlands, and 140 students in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, participated in the survey with a self-reported and self-assessed questionnaire on their study time allocation. Beside contact hours, other learning process related factors such as study activities, motivation, quality of instruction, and generic skills were examined to provide a better insight into these two systems. Results showed that Vietnamese students had significantly higher number of contact hours than Dutch students while their generic skills, motivation and time spent on independent study were a lot lower.     

The challenges of facilitating arts learning in home education

Home education, or home schooling, is a rapidly growing global educational phenomenon. Given the emphasis that educators, policy makers and researchers have placed upon the arts as an important element in a holistic education, the ways in which the growing home education community are facilitating arts learning warrants consideration. Facilitating quality arts learning has been found to be extremely challenging, especially for generalist classroom teachers who may not possess background learning across the range of arts subjects represented in most arts curricula. Revelations from this study on Australian home educating parents identifies a similar dilemma with the facilitation of arts learning in home contexts, and a significant proportion of the home educating participants acknowledged little to no educational or artistic training. In this project, an online survey was conducted to develop insights into the ways Australian home educators (n = 193) approach arts education, the challenges associated with facilitating arts learning and the strategies they employ in light of these challenges. The research highlights that, while home education is pedagogically unique and distinct from traditional classroom education, the challenges participants expressed regarding teaching in the arts aligned closely with those expressed by classroom teachers in wider research; however, the uniqueness of home education contexts means that support structures for classroom teachers are less helpful for home educators. Implications arising from the research are thus beneficial in understanding the nature of support that might be tailored for arts learning in home education.     

英国高等教育的质量保证、特色及其他

英国高等教育的历史可以追溯到13世纪,在漫长的发展过程中,其在质量保证、管理等诸多方面形成的特色,如双重质量保证体系、数量与质量协调发展等等,颇值得我们借鉴。     

Editorial

The first article in this issue raises some fascinating issues that relate to my own background in research into student learning and experience of courses in conventional higher education. Richardson, Long and Woodley have administered the Academic Engagement Form', used widely in colleges in the USA, and the 'Course Experience Questionnaire', used widely in universities in Australia, to distance learning students. John Richardson and various colleagues have previously shown that these questionnaires, separately, work as well in distance learning contexts as they do in conventional contexts: that is, they identify the same factors as components of students' experience, and the same factors relating to overall perceptions of quality of experience, as in conventional contexts. Of the many findings reported in the study reported in this issue of Open Learning, two stand out for me. First, academic engagement is shown to play a key role in students' perceptions of academic quality: engaged students perceive their course to be of higher quality. This does not tell us if students who are happy with their courses become more engaged or if those who are engaged become happier with their courses, however, merely that they are related. 'Engagement' here encompasses both social and academic engagement as defined in Tinto's model of student retention. Second, students' overall perceptions of academic quality are mediated by their perceptions of their tutors. The authors conclude: '... the attitudes and behaviours of tutors are crucial to students' perceptions of the academic quality of courses in distance education'. In conventional contexts the item on the Course Experience Questionnaire that relates most closely to student performance concerns the quality of teacher feedback, not teaching, and this is easy to understand in a distance context. The methodology of this paper (relying on factor analysis of questionnaires and multivariate analysis of the relationship between questionnaire scale scores and background variables such as age, gender, educational qualifications, workload and hearing status) may be relatively unfamiliar to readers of Open Learning. What is perhaps more familiar is that such an analysis adds to similar conclusions about the centrality of the tutorial role in ODL students' learning from very different kinds of study (such as of the relationship between tutorial attendance and student performance). There is a growing body of evidence that the same variables are involved in student perceptions of courses and of academic quality in distance learning contexts as in conventional contexts.     

In search of a purpose for school history

Taking into account the merits of anticipatory reflection, instructional planning is perceived as an important process in the professionalization of teachers. When implementing a complex instructional strategy such as collaborative learning (CL), a thorough preparation becomes even more important. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the quality of lesson plans focusing on CL implementation. Based on the literature, a scoring rubric with 17 criteria in three domains (instruction, organization and evaluation) was developed and applied to analyse 323 lesson plans of second-year pre-service teachers. The results reveal both strengths (e.g. designing appropriate learning tasks, developing adequate learning materials) and weaknesses (e.g. including social objectives, rules and agreements for collaborative work) in the lesson plans. The rubric proves to be a useful instrument both for research and practice-oriented reflection. The findings provide significant insights for teacher training with regard to CL implementation.     

Science teacher education for sustainable development: a case study of a residential field course in a Norwegian pre-service teacher education programme

In this paper, we explore how a Norwegian teacher education institution promotes education for sustainable development (ESD) through a residential field course. The residential field course was located in a mountain area and data were collected through participant observation. The data included—together with instructional artefacts—evaluation schemes and assignments written by the student teachers, and the analysis was based on categories for science ESD. Through exemplary teaching experiences in an outdoor environment and pupil-active teaching methods, such as inquiry learning and phenomenon-based teaching, the student teachers gained experience in outdoor education and of stepping into the unknown in a safe learning environment. This was further connected to ESD pedagogy.