Brokering to support participation of disadvantaged families in early childhood education

This paper discusses findings from an evaluation of the New Zealand Ministry of Education's Early Childhood Education (ECE) Participation Programme that targeted local areas where there are high numbers of children starting school who have not participated in ECE. The aim of the programme is to increase participation of these low‐income ‘priority’ children in ‘quality’ ECE. In this paper, two policy initiatives and features that supported participation in ECE are analysed. Engaging Priority Families (EPF) involves a coordinator working with families to encourage ECE participation, home learning and a positive transition to school. Targeted Assistance for Provision (TAP) grants are intended to increase local supply by helping establish new services and child spaces in communities where they are needed. The study used mixed methods: data on enrolments, surveys of Participation Programme providers, interviews with programme staff, surveys of families engaged in each initiative and interviews with a small group of families. The results show that cost, availability and cultural relevance of ECE services are the main barriers to participation of ‘priority’ families. Through brokering, both initiatives helped address complex social issues faced by the families by connecting families with health, housing and social agencies, and brokering understanding of ECE. The results support the argument that national policy initiatives and local actions can help address inequities in participation in ECE associated with socioeconomic status.     

Powerful knowledge and quality talk: maximising learning of genetics during collaborative group work

This commentary brings additional theoretical perspectives to bear on data and findings presented by Anniken Furberg and Hans Christian Arnseth in their paper on students’ meaning making in genetics in collaborative learning activities. The theoretical perspectives converge on the importance of maximizing students’ learning in genetics. The perspectives include the notion of powerful knowledge which raises the issue of whether the curriculum being delivered is a means by which students can acquire powerful knowledge that will provide them with more reliable explanations and new ways of thinking about the world. The role of the teacher in fostering social interactions that result in conceptually focused discussions within small group work also is considered. Finally, the issue of whether students can be taught how to improve the quality of their talk within small groups is explored.

Understanding metacognition through the use of pupil views templates: Pupil views of Learning to Learn

As part of the Learning to Learn Phase 3 Evaluation [for full detail see Higgins, S., Wall, K., Baumfield, V., Hall, E., Leat, D., Moseley, D., et al. (2007). Learning to Learn in Schools Phase 3 Evaluation: Final Report. London: Campaign for Learning. Available at: www.campaignforlearning.org.uk; Higgins, S., Wall, K., Falzon, C., Hall, E., Leat, D., Baumfield, V., et al. (2005). Learning to Learn in Schools Phase 3 Evaluation Year One Final Report. London: Campaign for Learning. Available at: http://www.campaignforlearning.org.uk; Higgins, S., Wall, K., Baumfield, V., Hall, E., Leat, D., Woolner, P. et al. (2006). Learning to Learn in Schools Phase 3 Evaluation: Year Two Report. London: Campaign for Learning. Available at: http://www.campaignforlearning.org.uk] teachers across three Local Authorities in England were supported in using an approach fitting ideas of professional enquiry through action research [Baumfield, V., Hall, E., & Wall, K. (2008). Action research in the classroom. London: Sage]. In this complex project, teachers have explored different innovations that they believe to fit under the umbrella term of Learning to Learn, implementing and investigating approaches ranging from cooperative learning [Kagan, S. (2001). Cooperative learning. Kagan Publishing. www.Kaganonline.com] to Assessment for Learning [Black, P. J. & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education, 5, 7–73] to Thinking Skills [Baumfield, V. & Higgins, S. (1997). ‘But no one has maths at a party: Pupils’ reasoning strategies in a thinking skills programme. Curriculum, 18(3), 140–148]. As part of these enquiries teachers have increasingly involved pupils and their perspective for providing critical insight to processes associated with Learning to Learn. This corresponds to debates around pupil voice [for example, Flutter, J. & Ruddock, J. (2004). Consulting pupils: What's in it for schools? London: Routledge Falmer], and also the fact that teachers in the project see pupils as having characteristics that can support the development of a Learning to Learn philosophy [Hall, E., Leat, D., Wall, K., Higgins, S., & Edwards, G. (2006) Learning to Learn: Teacher research in the zone of proximal development. Teacher Development, 10(2)] This paper will use the method of pupil views templates [Wall, K. & Higgins, S. (2006). Facilitating and supporting talk with pupils about metacognition: A research and learning tool. International Journal of Research and Methods in Education, 29(1), 39–53] used by teachers as a pragmatic tool [Baumfield, V., Hall, E., Higgins, S., & Wall, K. (2007). Tools for enquiry and the role of feedback in teachers’ learning. Paper presented at the European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction Conference] to research pupils’ perspectives of Learning to Learn and the processes they perceive to be involved. It will use an analysis frame to examine and explore data about pupils’ declarative knowledge of the process of learning and therefore aspects of their metacognitive knowledge and skilfulness [Veenman, M. V. J. & Spaans, M. A. (2005). Relation between intellectual and metacognitive skills: Age and task difference. Learning and Individual Differences, 15, 159–176].     

Sparking the imagination: creative experts working collaboratively with children,teachers and parents to enhance educational opportunities

This article suggests that child poverty and unequal educational opportunity are inextricably linked. It is argued that even from an early age children from poorer backgrounds are disadvantaged in terms of their preparedness to thrive in the formal school environment. Educational achievement is strongly influenced by attitudes and much research suggests that children from less advantaged backgrounds feel less in control at school and lack confidence in performing traditional school tasks. The ‘Sparking the Imagination’ project set out to try on a small scale to co‐ordinate efforts in raising educational opportunity for children from disadvantaged backgrounds by focusing on the context in which teaching and learning takes place. It was also deemed necessary to introduce measures to raise the motivation and aspirations of all involved and this was achieved through the engagement of children, teachers, parents and creative experts in collaborative learning within the classroom.     

Case studies of teachers' understandings of the pedagogy of classroom talk: some critical moments explored

This case study research is informed by Vygotsky's view that talk is essential to organise our thoughts and extend our thinking and that, as Barnes suggested, the teacher needs to use the social situation effectively in the classroom to promote talk for learning. This article focuses on pedagogy and teachers' understandings of how talk works in the classroom, as I sought to illuminate teachers' intuitions and insights and their views of what they find challenging in organising classroom talk. Three case studies of ‘critical moments’ in a lesson suggest that teacher knowledge about talk is located in concrete practices. The three teachers viewed a recorded lesson and chose a moment they defined as ‘critical’ because the moment helped them to learn something about the way they use talk in the classroom. They then discussed this moment with me. These collaborative but critically evaluative processes are particularly useful for exploring and probing teachers' knowledge about talk for learning, an area of pedagogy that has proved so resistant to change over quite a long period. These three teachers suggest that such talk is becoming more marginal under the impact of performativity and the new cultural restorationist English curriculum.     

网络学习共同体的构建与培育

网络学习共同体将网络空间变为一个开放的、多元的社会活动文化场域,是由对共同主题感兴趣的一群人聚集在一起,通过团体成员之间的对话、协商或辩论、争执等社会性活动进行知识建构的过程。它不仅具有网络学习的特征,而且具有社会性学习特征。因此,采取营造特定文化氛围、构建社会性交流场、培育社团领导意识等策略,有助于网络学习共同体的构建与培育。     

虚拟学习社区:教师个人知识管理的有效平台

随着知识经济浪潮的席卷而来,作为教育主体及知识载体的教师,面对自身发展与终身教育的要求,应该并且必须对个人知识进行有效管理.在Web2.0时代应运而生的虚拟学习社区为教师个人知识的管理提供了一个有力的平台.虚拟学习社区与知识管理在知识建构、促进学习者间的协作与交流及知识共享等方面都具有共通性,而虚拟学习社区在教师个人知识转化的4个模式中均担当重要角色.     

Learning to learn: improving attainment,closing the gap at Key Stage 3

In 2010, a comprehensive secondary school in the south of England implemented a whole-school approach to ‘learning to learn’ (L2L). Drawing on a range of evidence-based practices, a team of teachers worked collaboratively to design and deliver a taught L2L curriculum to all students throughout Key Stage 3. In total, the first cohort of students (n = 118) received more than 400 taught lessons throughout years 7–9. The impact of L2L on student attainment at Sea View was evaluated over those 3 years, using the pre-L2L cohort as a matched control group (n = 148). By the end of year 9, a significantly higher proportion of L2L students were either hitting or exceeding their target grades, compared with the control group. There was also a significant closing of the attainment gap between students eligible for the pupil premium and their peers (2%, vs. 25% in the control group). Key features of the L2L approach at Sea View are considered in terms of similarities and differences with other L2L approaches. Conclusions are drawn that the success of this approach lies in the combination of multiple effective practices. Recommendations for further research and development of the field are proposed.     

Digital identity formation: socially being real and present on digital networks

Social networks have become popular communication and interaction environments recently. As digital environments, so as ecosystems, they have potential in terms of networked learning as they fulfill some roles such as mediating an environment for digital identity formation and providing social and emotional presence. Based on this phenomenon, the importance of identity formation as a sociological and psychological process was explained throughout this study. Following that, social networks as digital social ecosystems and learning environments in which self-actualization, self-presentation, and self-disclosure of the individuals were discussed and their necessity as well as their potential for social and emotional presence was explained to better understand social networks. Besides, social networks and “Facebook” as a case were examined. Within this perspective, the purpose of this study was to explore online social networks with an emphasis on learning; to put forward its educational premises; and to analyze digital identity formation, social presence, and emotional presence in social networks.     

从“做中学”到建构主义——探究学习的理论轨迹

从杜威的“做中学”到时下的建构主义,教学研究和实践到底走出了多远?杜威的“做中学”思想中可以提炼出两个原型:手工艺活动和科学研究活动。这两个原型都在后来的研究之中得到了新的发展:从实践活动场景到实践共同体;从实验室到科学共同体。它们在发展方向上殊途同归,都强调了“做”背后的社会文化属性。看清近百年教学思想的发展轨迹有利于我们避免教学改革中的左右摇摆和形式主义。     

自主学习合作学习探究学习的实质及其关系

自主学习、合作学习和探究学习的实质是什么?它们之间具有怎样的关系?三种学习方式的实现有没有现实的可能?这是关系到把三者作为课程改革建设目标的大问题。系统梳理资料可知,这三种学习方式的概念是我国学者根据国际上最新学习研究进展,并与我国传统教育观相结合而提出的。关于三种学习方式的实质,则可从特征、构成要素和作用三个方面加以把握。研究发现,自主学习的核心特征为自主性,它包括监管动因、监管机制和监管评价三方面的构成要素;合作学习具有合作精神、社会互动和人际交往的特征,包括相互依赖、个体责任、面对面促进性交互、合作技巧的恰当使用等构成要素;探究性学习具有问题性、开放性和批判性的特征,包括激发兴趣、鼓励探索、引导思维、提出问题、识别资源、收集数据、分析数据、整合信息、交流观点、评估成果等要素。当今时代,人们对学习的实质有了更深入的理解:学习应该是社会交互的、具有情境性的、强调自我主动体验的过程。据此,自主、合作、探究这三种学习方式之间就必然地具有了高度的同一性,这是它们可以统一起来的内在根据。而在现实的学校教育中,知识建构共同体是把三种学习进行有机结合的很好的范例。今后,还应根据学习内容和学习对象的变化,探索出更多实现三者有机结合的学校应用模型。     

Learning to Learn to Teach: An ``Experiment' Model for Teaching and Teacher Preparation in Mathematics

This paper describes a model for generating andaccumulating knowledge for both teaching andteacher education. The model is applied firstto prepare prospective teachers to learn toteach mathematics when they enter theclassroom. The concept of treating lessons asexperiments is used to explicate theintentional, rigorous, and systematic processof learning to teach through studying one's ownpractice. The concept of planning teachingexperiences so that others can learn fromone's experience is used to put into practicethe notion of contributing to a sharedprofessional knowledge base for teachingmathematics. The same model is then applied tothe work of improving teacher preparationprograms in mathematics. Parallels are drawnbetween the concepts emphasized for prospectiveteachers and those that are employed byinstructors who study and improve teacherpreparation experiences. In this way, parallelsalso are seen in the processes used to generatean accumulating knowledge base for teaching andfor teacher education.     

Learning in action: creating a community of inquiry in a healthcare organisation

The aim of this paper is to discuss an insider action research project concerned with establishing an audit team, with responsibility for addressing a clinical and social services ‘assurance gap’ at corporate level in a healthcare organisation. The focus of the research account is on the knowledge that was generated internally by establishing the aforementioned team underpinned by an action learning ethos, and through the observed evolution of this team into a community of inquiry. Using the stages within the experiential learning cycle to guide team interventions and our own critical reflection, the authors have different research roles in this study; one has responsibility for the design, recruitment, establishment and management of this audit team, while the other acts as academic advocate in context. The knowledge that emerged from this study and the learning therein has the capacity to be actionable, that is, at the service of both academic and practitioner communities.     

Blogging as a social medium in undergraduate courses: Sense of community best predictor of perceived learning

The purpose of the study was to examine pre-service teachers' sense of community, perception of collaborative learning, and perceived learning. Fifty pre-service teachers from two undergraduate ICT courses which incorporated blogs participated in this study. The data were obtained via three online questionnaires (Collaborative Learning scale, Sense of Community scale, and Perceived Learning scale) administered throughout Fall 2009-2010. The research questions were answered by using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and multiple linear regressions. Results indicated that the pre-service teachers had positive feelings about the collaborative learning and perceived learning; also, they had moderate feelings related to sense of community in the classes which incorporated blogs. Additionally, to a great extent sense of community and to a much lesser extent of computer knowledge level were the predictors of explaining their learning perceptions.     

基子学习共同体的校长专业发展

学习共同体是一个共同交流思想、共享知识、分享专业成长经历的场所,它构建于共同的信念、利益和经历基础之上。学习共同体为校长的专业发展提供了有益的模式。建构校长学习共同体可以有不同模式,如专业发展学校、校长学术沙龙、基于网络的校长学习共同体等。     

Learning style,sense of community and learning effectiveness in hybrid learning environment

The purpose of this study is to investigate how hybrid learning instruction affects undergraduate students' learning outcome, satisfaction and sense of community. The other aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between students' learning style and learning conditions in mixed online and face-to-face courses. A quasi-experimental design was used and 140 sophomores were recruited in this study. Students' learning outcomes, satisfaction, sense of community and learning styles were measured. Results showed that students in a hybrid course had significantly higher learning scores and satisfaction than did students of the face-to-face courses. The result also indicated that students of hybrid learning classrooms felt a stronger sense of community than did students in a traditional classroom setting. Analysis of learning style indicated that learning style had significant effect on learning outcome in the study group. Accommodator learners had higher e-learning effectiveness than other style learners. Possible reasons of results were discussed.     

Speaking and listening across the primary curriculum: an entry to improved learning and a focus for CPD

This paper reports on the initial stage of an exploratory project based in six primary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) – and on plans for its extension. The potential value of the project as a curricular initiative is set out, from both practical and research perspectives. Its framing as a vehicle for the continuous professional development (CPD) of the teachers involved is also outlined. The first phase of the project itself is then described in some detail and its results discussed. Outcomes are also identified in order to provide pointers to the continuation stage. Finally, the value of the CPD model adopted is discussed, with particular regard to the choice of the present specific curricular focus.     

Voluntary organizations and the contribution to social justice in schools: learning from a case study

Partnerships are seen as vital to the functioning of many social institutions and the contribution that the private and voluntary not‐for‐profit sector organizations can make to the provision of statutory services is particularly valued. The Church of England Children’s Society Genesis project worked for nearly 5 years in one urban, secondary school with a remit to promote inclusion. Despite much recorded good work, Genesis was not continued after its contract ended. The school had a series of head teachers and was in special measures for part of the period, but key problems centred around the extent of the project’s contribution to the school’s core business and the absence of a positive management of the multi‐professional project by the school. The evaluation examines ways of proceeding which are of relevance to more complex projects. The paper also reviews the place of voluntary and non‐profit making organizations in meeting current challenges to collaborative, multi‐agency working and proposes a more robust, directive, and managerialist approach to make the most efficient and effective use of the resources and expertise of voluntary and statutory agencies (Inter‐agency Czar and Stalinist environment!). Genesis has gone on to work more successfully in six further schools having absorbed the messages of the evaluation of this first enterprise.     

Student learning assistants: the journey from learning advice to creating community

Abstract

This study reports on a generic peer-assistance programme conducted by Learning and Academic Skills Advisors and Student Learning Assistants (SLAs) at an Australian university. The research explores SLAs’ perspective of their role and its development. Drawing on data collected from focus groups and a questionnaire it was found that SLAs, drawing on their experience and a dialogic process, empowered students to become decision-makers and more autonomous and successful as academic learners. This study contributes to the previous body of research on peer advising by showing that the sense of community created through interactive and psychosocial aspects of the relationship between an assistant and assisted is inseparable from the development of academic skills.     

虚拟学习社区知识供应链的协同框架与运行机制

知识就是虚拟学习社区的核心要素,虚拟学习社区（VLC）作为一个生态系统,各子系统都围绕着知识的流动和组织而进行运作.知识生产、知识传递共享、知识的掌握和应用是虚拟学习社区的最主要目标.借用协同学原理和知识供应链的机理,分析了虚拟学习社区知识供应链的组成部分,构建了虚拟学习社区知识供应链的协同框架,最后详尽地论述了虚拟学习社区知识链协同的形成机制、实现机制和约束机制.