An attributional analysis of students' interactions: The social consequences of perceived responsibility

Recent research on why some children are disliked by their classmates, why students do or do not help one another, and how children manage to get along with teachers and classmates is reviewed in this article. A motivational approach focusing on attribution theory is used to examine these questions. Inferences of responsibility and feelings of anger and sympathy are documented to impact students' negative social responses (rejection and neglect) as well as their willingness to help their classmates. Students' understanding of the responsibility-emotion-behavior links is proposed to influence their self-presentation strategies, such as excuse giving and seeking social approval.     

Ponctuation et Connecteurs: Une Approche Textuelle et Génétique

Two experiments were carried out in order to study the development of textual punctuation use in children from 7 to 13. Four unpunctuated stories (following Mandler & Johnson’s narrative grammars 1977) involving or not a connective (et/alors/après) at different places were submitted to subjects who had to write them down in adding punctuation marks. The results show a strong textual impact on the frequency of punctuation which is higher at the beginning and at the end of the stories. We found also a strong impact of connectedness: the frequencies and types of punctuation marks varied in relation to connectives:et was rarely punctuated;alors was mainly associated with commas whereasaprès was more often associated whith periods. These effects were significant mainly from 11 years of age on, except for the impact ofet already observed at 7 years of age.     

Seeking Emergence Through Temporal Analysis of Collaborative-Group Discourse: A Complex-Systems Approach

Abstract

Research around problem solving in collaborative groups has made progress, but several conceptual and methodological issues remain. These issues include the appropriate choices of units of analysis; the ability of current theoretical sets of macrocognition codes to capture group dynamics; detection and identification of potentially emergent phenomena within groups; and the extent to which multiple dynamics are integral to understanding groups. Using data from a complex engineering challenge, we applied methods drawn from complex-systems analysis to offer insight into each of these issues, showing the need for multiple dimensions when studying group dynamics and highlighting methodological difficulties when dealing with emergent phenomena. We suggest future research to improve the understanding of the complex dynamics of collaborative groups.     

Réformes Des Programmes Scolaires Et Acquisitions á L’école Primaire En Afrique: Mythes Et Réalités

SCHOOL CURRICULA REFORMS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN AFRICA: MYTH VS. REALITY - This paper proposes a critical analysis of the introduction and implementation of new school curricula in Africa based on the example of the skills based approach (SBA). In many countries, the SBA has been chosen as the most appropriate and relevant method to change their school curriculum and improve education quality. We analyse the implementation of those new curricula based on the SBA in primary schools in Mauritania. The results show that the main problems affecting pupils’ achievement lie rather in the effective implementation of curricula in the classrooms than in their contents. Additional analyses show that this result is confirmed in other African countries. As a background analysis, we present the origins of SBA, define its purposes and assess its limits from a pedagogical point of view. The weaknesses of this approach in taking into account the needs and the realities of African educational systems are stressed. These various elements lead to the conclusion that if curriculum reforms are often necessary in African countries, this can not be a cure for education quality issues.     

博物馆观众研究简史( 二)——20世纪60年代至80年代

博物馆观众研究领域最早的成果可以追溯到吉尔曼(Gilman)在1911年的研究工作,本文对观众评估研究的关注对象与问题进行了历史性的批判分析。本研究揭示了各类研究建立的范式,包括对实施机制的说明、对评估客观性的审问、对文化民主化研究和营销相关研究之间不协调性的强调。本文介绍了20世纪60年代至80年代教育技术模型对博物馆观众研究的影响,并结合皇家安大略博物馆和大英博物馆(自然史部分)的案例,介绍了教育技术模型的应用。     

博物馆观众研究简史(一)——20世纪60年代以前

博物馆观众研究领域最早的成果可以追溯到吉尔曼在1911年的研究工作,本文对观众评估研究的关注对象与问题进行了历史性的批判分析。本研究揭示了各类研究建立的范式,包括对实施机制的说明、对评估客观性的审问、对文化民主化研究和营销相关研究之间不协调性的强调。本文介绍了博物馆观众研究领域的形成和早期研究的成果,描绘了20世纪60年代以前这一领域的行为主义研究进路,以及这一阶段末期自然主义评估萌芽的出现。     

博物馆观众研究简史(三)——20世纪90年代至今

博物馆观众研究领域最早的成果可以追溯到吉尔曼(Gilman)在1911年的研究工作,本文对观众评估研究的关注对象与问题进行了历史性的批判分析。本研究揭示了各类研究建立的范式,包括对实施机制的说明、对评估客观性的审问、对文化民主化研究和营销相关研究之间不协调性的强调。本文结合多年经济危机和理性化带来的影响,介绍了20世纪90年代至今博物馆观众研究的工具化,并结合观众研究的他律性的特点进行分析,提出了这一领域面临的四大挑战。     

Does ERP Hands‐On Experience Help Students Learning Business Process Concepts?

Over the past decade, more and more business schools are attempting to teach business processes (BPs) by using enterprise resource planning (ERP) software in their curricula. Currently, most studies involving ERP software in the academy have concentrated on learning and teaching via self‐assessment surveys or curriculum integration. This research extended previous studies by attempting to measure student knowledge acquisition of BP concepts (BPC) about two common BP cycles through hands‐on exercises using ERP software. Assessments of students’ knowledge about BP were conducted at multiple time points during the study. In addition, a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)‐based survey was employed to analyze student self‐assessment about improved understanding of BPs though ERP hands‐on exercises. Results from our empirical study indicated that there is no clear evidence that students’ knowledge about BPs significantly improved after experiencing ERP software. However, students’ self‐assessment showed that there is a positive relationship between their comprehension of BPs and hands‐on experience with ERP software. Our research findings concurred with previous research, and studies undertaken in other disciplines.     

Outcomes and satisfaction of two optional cadaveric dissection courses: A 3‐year prospective study

Teaching time dedicated to anatomy education has been reduced at many medical schools around the world, including Nova Medical School in Lisbon, Portugal. In order to minimize the effects of this reduction, the authors introduced two optional, semester‐long cadaveric dissection courses for the first two years of the medical school curriculum. These courses were named Regional Anatomy I (RAI) and Regional Anatomy II (RAII). In RAI, students focus on dissecting the thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and perineum. In RAII, the focus shifts to the head, neck, back, and upper and lower limbs. This study prospectively analyzes students' academic achievement and perceptions within the context of these two, newly‐introduced, cadaveric dissection courses. Students' satisfaction was assessed anonymously through a questionnaire that included items regarding students' perception of the usefulness of the courses for undergraduate teaching, as well as with regards to future professional activity. For each of the three academic years studied, the final score (1 to 20) in General Anatomy (GA), RAI, and RAII was on average 14.26 ± 1.89; 16.94 ± 1.02; 17.49 ± 1.01, respectively. The mean results were lower in GA than RAI or RAII (P < 0.001). Furthermore, students who undertook these courses ranked them highly with regards to consolidating their knowledge of anatomy, preparing for other undergraduate courses, and training for future clinical practice. These survey data, combined with data on participating students' academic achievement, lend strong support to the adoption of similar courses as complementary and compulsory disciplines in a modern medical curriculum. Anat Sci Educ 10: 127–136. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.     

An Investigation of the Use of E‐Mail as a Supplemental Modality for Clinical Supervision

The authors investigated the use of student‐initiated e‐mail as a supplemental modality for supervision. Nineteen students e‐mailed their instructors weekly during their 15‐week practicum; these e‐mails were analyzed across 3 time periods using the categories of the discrimination model (J. M. Bernard, 1979, 1997) and an adaptation of W. Lanning's (1986) professional behavior category. Although patterns of e‐mails were similar across time, there was a significant decline in the number of e‐mails as the practicum progressed. Significance was found for message focus, with personalization messages and professional behavior/practicum class messages accounting for more than half of the messages across 3 time periods.