Legitimizing subjectivity: Meritorious performance and the professionalization of teacher and principal evaluation

An earlier version of this article was a paper presented at the 1988 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans     

Mathematical modelling at a distance

In this paper we describe the mathematical modelling components of the Open University second level course in applied mathematics called Mathematical Models and Methods. The teaching of mathematical modelling has been introduced in many British Universities and Poly technics. But teaching modelling at a distance is fraught with difficulties. What these are and how we overcame them is described by the authors. In doing so we,hope that other distance education institutes will find it attractive to offer components on mathematical modelling in some of their courses.     

Towards a theoretical basis for students' alternative frameworks in science and for science teaching

As there is nothing as practical as a good theory, there is a continuing need in the field of science education enquiry to look for theories which help to interpret the findings about students' alternative frameworks and to inform the design of teaching strategies which relate to a research focus on ‘how the student learns’. The developmental model of cognitive functioning based on the SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1982) as updated in 1991 (Biggs & Collis, 1991; Collis & Biggs, 1991) is being applied in this way. Questionnaire data from two large studies of science learning of Australian students (conducted by ACER and NBEET) are being re-analysed in terms of the current theory. This paper illustrates the theory and describes a plan of further research. Specializations: science education, students' understandings of phenomena in science. Specializations: cognitive development, evaluation, mathematics and science education. Specializations: mathematics education, students' understanding of chance and data concepts.     

Novice teachers’ conceptions of fairness in inclusion classrooms

The issue of “fairness” troubles some general education teachers, who may be reluctant to teach students with disabilities. Journals written by 47 general education preservice and novice teachers were data sources for examining teachers’ concerns about fairness. Five areas of concern emerged: general responses, definitions of fairness, dealing with students, classroom applications (e.g., grading), and negative views. These themes are illustrated and discussed within the theoretical framework of principles of distribution of benefits. Suggestions are offered for helping teacher education students move toward acceptance of needs-based principles of fairness.     

Singaporean and Australian Students' Understanding of Vision

A model for the development of an understanding of how people see has been proposed on the basis of a questionnaire and interview study of a cross-section of Australian school students. The model, based on the SOLO model of cognitive development (Collis & Biggs, 1991), involves the building of connections between the eye, light and the object seen in the Ikonic and Concrete Symbolic modes of cognitive functioning. In order to assess the viability of the model across cultures, the questionnaire was administered to 116 primary and secondary school students in Singapore. This paper reports some details of how the model was supported in its most important respects. The few discrepancies might be explained in terms of environmental, linguistic and/or teaching factors.     

Becoming a teacher educator – the motivational factors

This study explores the factors that influenced the transition made by three participants from primary class teacher (or first-order practitioner) to Teacher Education (TE) lecturer (or second-order practitioner) in a Scottish Teacher Education Institution. The self-study case study methodology explored the factors that encouraged, and potentially inhibited, this career change. Data collection utilised auto-ethnographic narrative and findings were reviewed using a thematic analysis. Results are considered using a theoretical framework provided by Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory. The study identified three common, key themes leading to the participants’ career change: exploration and reinvention, key figures and lifelong learners. The findings suggest the participants were largely intrinsically motivated to make the career change. The results provide an insight for teachers considering this move and administrators within TE. The personal development implications for the participants are also considered.     

Four studies dealing with mediated persuasive messages,attitudes, and learning styles

Conclusions A fundamental assumption of the research presented above was that attitude change is an important concern of the educator, and that if attitudes are important, information on how attitudes might be formed or changed with media is needed. Four studies were conducted to examine the use of media to deliver persuasive messages. The results of the four studies presented in this article tended to support the following conclusions. First, attitudes toward educationally relevant topics, such as conservation, smoking, and disabled persons, can be modified by using persuasive messages delivered by media. Next, it appeared that some types of media may be more effective than others at delivering information designed to change attitudes. Motion pictures seem to be more effective than slides. There also seems to be sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation into the relationship between the content of persuasive messages, the media used to deliver those messages, and the learning styles of the target audience. In short, attitudes can be modified by mediated messages, and the degree of modification may be related to the characteristics of the students who view the message and to the way the message is mediated.     

Applying activity theory to computer-supported collaborative learning and work-based activities in corporate settings

Business needs in many corporations call for learning outcomes that involve problem solutions, and creating and sharing new knowledge within worksplace situation that may involve collaboration among members of a team. We argue that work-based activities (WBA) and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) are appropriate components for courses in such learning situations. Via this approach, collaborative work situations become the core of a course. We further describe how activity theory can provide a framework for the design of courses that involve WBA and CSCL as part of a workplace-oriented activity system for learning. The use of this design approach for courses offered by the Learning and Leadership Development organization of Shell International Exploration and Production is described and an example is elaborated. Finally, we identify four main issues and challenges that arose during the use of the design approach.