Translating Knowledge into Action at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB)

Abstract

Purpose: This article explores the impacts of action learning on graduates’ abilities to use interdisciplinary knowledge to solve problems, practice teamwork on the job and become change agents through study in two MSc programmes at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB).

Design/methodology/approach: Electronic questionnaires were sent to students who had graduated from the Agroecology and Management of Natural Resources and Sustainable Agriculture (MNRSA) MSc programmes between 2000 and 2007.

Findings: Both study programmes encouraged students to become change agents promoting sustainable practices through application of knowledge and methods from natural and social sciences. Agroecology graduates applied a greater range of creative research methods, and improved their capacity for holistic and systems thinking more than MNRSA graduates, while the latter were more skilled in building consensus. Graduates from both programmes increased their abilities to create a positive team environment, bring people together to express their views and take multiple views into consideration when making decisions.

Practical implications: This survey documents how action learning develops students’ skills and knowledge to handle complex social and environmental challenges and become change agents.

Originality/value: In the context of increasing challenges in agroecology and natural resource management the findings on how to translate knowledge into action are important for teaching/learning institutions dealing with education for sustainable development.     

体验学习视域下的社区教育方式研究

社区教育的发展告诉我们,社区教育的活力在于学习方式的不断变革和创新。近年来,体验学习方式在社区教育的尝试和应用,引发了我们对社区教育方式的新思考。体验学习方式坚持以学习者为中心,强调学习过程的反思性、开放性和合作性,对于改进社区教育方式具有积极意义。因此,把体验学习方式应用于社区教育,有助于进一步体现社区教育的取向、提升社区教育的品质、激发社区教育的活力、完善社区教育的载体。为此,我们需要用体验学习的理念指导社区教育工作,开展多维度的体验学习方式实践,探索基于网络环境的互动体验方式、基于实践基地的社会体验方式以及基于实训基地的培训体验方式,从而寻求社区教育的新途径和新方法。     

体验式学习理论及其对成人教育的启示

"体验式学习"是指在设定学习目标的前提下,学习者在真实或者模拟的环境中.进行切实的实践或体验,然后通过反思、感悟分享,实现自身知识、能力以及态度的提升与重构的一种学习方式.它以学习者为中心,注重体验和反思,强调体验和反思之间的平衡.它一般可以分为:制定目标、具体体验、反思观察、抽象概括、行动应用等环节,具有学员主体性、情境性、行动性、反思性等特征.本文论述了体验式学习的定义、理论发展、特点及其对成人教育的启示.     

关于远程教育网络重要结点学习中心的研究

远程教育网络是远程教育的重要组织资源,其学习中心又是这一网络的重要结点,是远程教育网络运行的基础。为了提高远程教育的质量和效益,促进远程教育的健康发展,必须重视远程教育的基层服务机构——学习中心的研究和建设。本文讨论了学习中心的定位、配置和考评等关键问题,力求对现代远程教育的可持续发展提出有益的建议。     

关于开放教育学习小组研究性学习的探索

学习小组是开放教育学生学习的一种形式,但迄今为止学习小组活动的现状不容乐观。在学习小组中开展研究性学习是十分必要的,将研究性学习推广到学习小组中去,对提高学生的自学能力和学习积极性、增强学习小组活动开展的实效性都具有极大的促进作用。在小组开展研究性学习的过程中,应注意角色转化和小组学习评价以及教材配套改革等相关问题。     

高等职业教育引入研究性学习的探讨与实践

研究性学习将教师由课堂主导转变为课堂引导，加强了学生学习的自主性。它有利于学生探索精神，创新精神的形成，最终会使课堂教学变得更加生动有趣。本文从研究性学习的特征等几方面对研究性学习进行了系统的阐述。     

美国研究型大学本科教育"基于研究的学习"模式分析

“基于研究的学习”模式，是美国研究型大学为提高本科教育质量采取的最重要的措施。文章介绍了“基于研究的学习”模式，分析了模式的构成以及在研究型大学开展基于研究下学习的合理性和可行性。美国研究型大学这种充分发挥研究型大学的资源优势，提供本科生的研究能力和培养学生创新精神的经验无疑是值得我国研究型大学学习和借鉴的。     

Open-ended Cases in Agroecology: Farming and Food Systems in the Nordic Region and the US Midwest

Abstract

Our aim is to describe open-ended case studies for learning real-life problem solving skills, and relate this approach to conventional, closed-ended decision case studies. Teaching methods are open-ended cases in agroecology, an alternative to traditional strategies that lead students through prepared materials and structured discussions to determine an outcome already known to the instructor. Our method promotes a culture of curiosity. Multiple evaluation criteria show how this learning strategy provides students with practice in researching, envisioning and designing potential scenarios for clients in the field. In agroecology case studies, students and instructors are co-learners in a discovery process that includes gathering information from key clients, interviewing major stakeholders, and building an understanding of the current context of the local farming and food systems. Two agroecology courses in Norway, a field course in the US Midwest, and an experimental course in Sweden and Vietnam illustrate this learning strategy. Student evaluations of learning have been highly positive, and skills and methods from courses have been applied in their thesis projects and professional careers.

Practical results reveal that students are well prepared for an uncertain, complex, multi-dimensional and dynamic future, have the capacity to develop alternative future scenarios, and have practiced methods to evaluate options based on production, economic, environmental and social criteria and impacts. This innovative strategy is offered as a complement or alternative to conventional decision case studies and evaluated as an approach to experiential learning, an important and effective method for adult learners.     

Service-Learning and Experiential Learning in Criminal Justice Education: An Exploratory Examination of Faculty Perspectives

Scholarship on service-learning and experiential learning consistently demonstrates benefits for students, but little evidence has emerged examining the perspectives of faculty. The current study examines the conflicting perspectives from faculty affiliated with a university undergraduate criminology major that utilizes both experiential learning and service-learning. Focus groups of departmental faculty revealed fears over curriculum rigor, concerns over forming partnerships and investing resources into service-learning and experiential learning activities without university incentives, and recognition of student and department benefits derived from service-learning and experiential learning activities.     

挑战与回应:研究性学习环境下高师教育改革的思考

研究性学习的试行和推广,给教师素质提出了巨大挑战。高师院校作为培养基础教育教师的“工作母机”,面对挑战,应采取相应的措施:转变教育观念,调整培养目标;完善课程体系,调整课程设置;加强教师队伍建设,完善评价体系;鼓励学生参与科研活动,培养科研能力。     

网络教育手机移动学习状况调查与研究

以安徽合肥职业技术学院奥鹏学习中心作个案研究,使用问卷调查、访谈及O ES管理平台数据分析三种研究方法,通过探究网络教育移动学习平台目前的应用现状、效果、存在的问题,得出移动学习物质基础优良、学习资源匮乏、平台功能不齐全的研究结论,并提出加强和引导移动学习的认识和习惯,加大建设移动学习资源,完善移动学习平台和提高学习支持服务水平以发展网络教育移动学习的建议。     

An Evaluation of Using Data Set in Teaching and Learning within a Further and Higher Education Context

Abstract

This study aims to establish the effectiveness of an industrial data set in the delivery of an active approach to teaching and learning across a range of programme levels from NVQ to MSc within Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) Institutions in North Wales. The result described in the paper reinforces in FE and HE the advantages of active learning involving an industrial data set as a link between theory and practice. Implementing the data set as a learning resource, combined with field visits allowed an active approach to teaching and learning. For the FE groups this was an established approach, while not so for the HE institutions. The use of an industrial data set by adopting an active approach was found to be effective, as judged by student satisfaction, enriched the educational experience for both FE and HE groups. The overall response for all questions by all groups for the Strongly Agree/Agree categories (SA/A) was between 86% and 95%. The Disagree (D) responses ranged from 0% to 3% and the Undecided/Blank/Not Applicable (UD/B/NA) ranged between 5% and 14%. Students found the lectures of interest and enjoyed active learning. The analysis has heightened the benefits of relating education to its respective industry and adopting an active approach for all programme levels within FE and HE.     

自我调控学习与主体性教育

自我调控学习是指学习者为了保证学习的成功、提高学习的效果、达到学习的目标,主动运用元认知、动机和行为的过程。自我调控学习与主体性教育具有内在的一致性。主体性教育的核心是要培养学生学习的独立自主性,从而使自己成为自身学习与发展的主体。     

成人教育与学习参与障碍研究述评与展望

通过整理近年来国内外的相关文献,对当前成人教育与学习参与障碍的研究成果进行系统的总结与归纳。重点对成人教育与学习参与障碍的内涵、情境障碍、机构障碍、心理障碍与信息障碍进行梳理,最后从成人教育与学习参与障碍未来本土化理论体系的建构与多元化研究方法的采用方面进行展望。     

中学体育教学研究性学习的思考

研究性学习既是一种学习方式,也是一种课程形态.它有重过程、重应用、重实践、重全体参与的特点.中学体育教学开展研究性学习有一定的实施方法.在体育研究性学习中体育教师是学生学习的指导者,教师要创设问题情境,诱发学生探究动机,营造愉悦的学习氛围,建构良好的学习共同体,引导学生总结评价和进行反思.     

Education Research for Policy and Practice: Secondary Education Reforms in Sri Lanka

With the establishment of a host of new education institutions, educational policy making in Sri Lanka demonstrated a marked change during the last fifteen years. The idea of a national education policy that emerged during this period attempted to ensure continuity of educational policy while at the same time contributing to the production of trainable youths who could become successful in any type of activity they selected for their future. The policy was formulated with the intention of providing a good general education to the young of the nation and began to be implemented in 1998. The high academic bias, rigidity of curricula, and the widening mismatch between education and employment are the priority issues that gave rise to new education reforms in secondary education. A number of strategies are tried out today at junior secondary (grades 6 to 9) and senior secondary (grades 10 to 13) levels of the general education system to address these issues while paying attention to ways and means of strengthening the link between research and policy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Implications of Research on Effective Learning Environments for Initial Teacher Education

As a result of multi-disciplinary research on learning, a consistent and comprehensive body of knowledge on effective learning environments is currently emerging (OECD 2010). While this evidence is increasingly influencing the academic and policy discourse on the improvement and innovation of schools, its impact on the design principles of effective initial teacher education has been limited so far. In this paper, the seven transversal learning principles published in the 2010 OECD publication The Nature of Learning: Using Research to Inspire Practice serve as a framework for systematic reflections on how learning research on effective learning environments can inform initial teacher education and how the seven transversal learning principles can contribute to greater coherence and alignment in initial teacher education programs. We consider the implications of The Nature of Learning and other research on teacher education, alongside international examples of next practice, concluding that initial teacher education should model effective student learning.     

学前教育专业理论课研究性学习的实践探索——以“幼儿游戏理论与指导”课程教学为例

教育部颁布的《幼儿园教师专业标准(试行)》对幼儿园教师的反思与研究能力提出了较高的要求,同时也为我们培养适应社会发展需要的高素质学前教育专业人才指明了方向。在学前教育专业理论课教学中开展研究性学习,通过组织小组、确立问题、收集资料、设计方案、指导研究、展示交流等六个环节,激发学生学习的积极性、主动性和创造性。     

我国城市社区教育的行动研究

我国提出了要在2010年基本建立终身教育体系的奋斗目标。社区教育是终身教育的切人点，终身教育体系的构建有赖于社区教育的普遍开展。文章从城市社区教育着手，瞄准我国正在开展的社区教育实验工作，在对我国城市社区教育进行理论和现状分析的基础上，提出了我国城市社区教育的行动构想。     

高师体育课程研究性掌习刍议

研究性学习既是一种课程形态,又是一种学习方式,具有开放性、问题性、社会实践性、过程性、应用性、差异性等特点.研究性学习贵在全体学生的参与,注重学生主动的学习和学会学习,注重学生合作交流能力、科学态度、社会责任感的培养.高等师范院校的学生毕业后大部分将从事中小学教育,他们较好的研究性学习能力会对中小学教育产生良好的影响,因此,在高师体育课程中也应加强学生研究性学习能力的培养.