Issues in Constructivist Early Moral Education

The authors address Goodman's critique of constructivist moral education as articulated by DeVries and Zan (1994) and respond to her proposal that constructivist education be blended with traditional moral education as advocated by Wynne (1991). The authors cite empirical evidence contrary to Goodman's assertion that preschool children are egocentric and incapable of moral reflection. This difference links to dramatically opposed views on the educational implications of Piaget's research and theory. Goodman advocates that teachers should “exploit the child's natural heteronomy” by giving children rules and demanding obedience. The authors cite empirical evidence showing that heteronomous regulation of children leads to a host of undesirable outcomes and that encouragement of children's autonomy leads to positive outcomes. The authors also point out a number of misconceptions of constructivist education as propounded by DeVries and Zan. They discuss Goodman's specific suggestions for blending constructivist and traditional moral education, and conclude that such a blending contradicts considerable research on child development and early education and eliminates critical components of constructivist early moral education.     

A model for predicting the educational use of information and communication technologies

This study of 550 persons, predominately education professionals, was designed to test an integrated theoretical model (the 4-E Model) for predicting the likelihood of the use of telecommunications-related technological innovations (in particular, e-mail, the WWW, and videoconferencing) in learning-related settings. The four Es in the model, derived from a series of previous studies (Collis & Pals, 1999), are environmental factors, effectiveness, ease of use, and (personal) engagement. The model was first tested using factor-analytic procedures on the results of a 54-item questionnaire adminstered via the WWW to a sample of 550 persons from 39 countries. Twelve factors with eigenvalues greater than 1.00 were extracted and latent variables were generated to correspond with the factors. The factors as interpreted by items with loadings <0.500 supported the 4-E Model, but indicated that the four theoretical e dimensions could be further expressed in terms of subaspects. In addition, a series of variables related to likelihood of use of e-mail, the WWW, and videoconferencing in educational settings was also subjected to a factor analysis, resulting in three latent variables representing the dependent variables for a causal model. The causal model linking the latent variables was tested using a series of LISREL analyses, one for each of the derived dependent variables. The results, which again supported the 4-E Model, showed a strong contribution of the environment subfactor relating to the organization, as well as the engagement subfactor relating to the individual's self-confidence with respect to technology use to the prediction of implementation success. Based on the results of the factor analysis and the model validation, six of the latent variables related to the 4-E Model were identified as key to implementation prediction. These variables were used in a series of analyses of key subgroups in the sample, relating to educational sector, educational role, to gender, and to age, in order to examine key discriminating variables. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications, including the development of a WWW-based instrument.     

The inclusion of STS material in the most frequently used secondary science textbooks in the U.S.

Science-technology-society (STS) has been identified by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the Departments of Education in a variety of states, and a variety of commissions and panels concerned with reform in science education as a new direction and goal for science education. Because most teachers are dependent upon textbooks for determining their curricula and teaching approaches, an investigation of 11 of the most frequently used secondary science textbooks in the U.S. were reviewed to determine the attention given to STS topics. The framework established by the Project Synthesis research team for STS was used to define STS topics. The 11 textbooks were examined in their entirety to determine space devoted to STS. Minimum interrater reliability was established at 0.80; any deviation resulted in further analysis. Comparisons were made of STS coverage by science disciplines and across the 7-12 grade levels. Results revealed that less than 7% of the narrative space is devoted to STS topics, with a range of 11.5% to 0.5%. Further, the coverage of STS topics decreases as grade level increases. A great discrepancy, therefore, exists between goals for science education (an STS emphasis) to actual coverage in the most frequently used textbooks.     

An Empirical Study of Computerized Adaptive Test Administration Conditions

This empirical study was designed to determine the impact of computerized adap- tive test (CAT) administration formats on student performance. Students in medical technology programs took a paper-and-pencil and an individualized, computerized adaptive test. Students were randomly assigned to adaptive test administration for- mats to ascertain the effect on student performance of altering: (a) the difficulty of the first item, (b) the targeted level of test difficulty, (c) minimum test length, and (d) the opportunity to control the test. Computerized adaptive test data were analyzed with ANCO VA. The paper-and.pencil test was used as a covariate to equalize abil- ity variance among cells. The only significant main effect was for opportunity to control the test. There were no significant interactions among test administration formats. This study provides evidence concerning adjusting traditional computer- ized adaptive testing to more familiar testing modalities.     

The influence of instruction modality on brain activation in teenagers with nonverbal learning disabilities: two case histories

Teenagers with nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) have difficulty with fine-motor coordination, which may relate to the novelty of the task or the lack of "self-talk" to mediate action. In this study, we required two teenagers with NLD and two control group teenagers to touch the thumb of each hand firmly and accurately to the fingertips of the same hand, in an order specified by verbal or tactile instruction. Brain activity patterns (measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging) suggest that unlike control participants, the NLD participants used internalized speech to facilitate the novel task only when instructions were verbal. NLD participants also showed activity in a more widely distributed network of neural structures. These findings provide preliminary evidence for remediation strategies that encourage internal speech.     

从领导的视角看香港幼儿教育的学习空间:一种现象学的方法

近年来,香港的幼儿教育开始受到重视,政府对幼儿教育机构负责人的管理也开始加强。本文籍由从事现象学研究的学者常用的访谈法对6位幼儿期教育机构的领导进行了访谈,访谈的内容主要涉及与学习概念有关的个人发展经历和其在幼儿教育机构工作时的经验。从幼儿教育机构的领导的视角来看待香港幼儿教育的学习空间,本文探索了在他们的早期学校教育、教师培训和幼儿教育机构教学经历中的一些好的学习经验以及成人学习与幼儿学习的明显区别。     

Desktop multimedia environments to support collaborative distance learning

Desktop multimedia conferencing, when two or more persons can communicate among themselves via personal computers with the opportunity to see and hear one another as well as communicate via text messages while working with commonly available stored resources, appears to have important applications to the support of collaborative learning. In this paper we explore this potential in three ways: (a) through an analysis of particular learner needs when learning and working collaboratively with others outside of face-to-face situations; (b) through an analysis of different forms of conferencing environments, including desktop multimedia environments, relative to their effectiveness in terms of meeting learner needs for distributed collaboration; and (c) through reporting the results of a formative evaluation of a prototype desktop multimedia conferencing system developed especially for the support of collaborative learning. Via these analyses, suggestions are offered relating to the functionalities of desktop multimedia conferencing systems for the support of collaborative learning, reflecting new developments in both the technologies available for such systems and in our awareness of learner needs when working collaboratively with one other outside of face-to-face situations.     

Transition time: Make it a time of learning for children

Young children spend much of their day in transition, passing from one place or activity to another. Caregivers can use this time for planned activities which reinforce learning.Betty Ruth Baker is Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Director of Early Childhood Education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.     

A second chance to dream: initiating ODeL in secondary school re-entry programs for young adult secondary school dropouts the case of Mumias District,Western Kenya

Abstract

The Kenyan education system has very limited re-entry options for learners who drop out before attaining secondary school certificate. It is very difficult to access training and or secure a job that requires at least secondary school education. This study examined the prospects of initiating Open and Distance e-Learning(ODeL) in re-entry programmes into high school for out of school Young Adult Secondary School Dropouts (Y.A.S.S.D). The study focused on the enablers and challenges of initiating ODeL in the secondary school re-entry programmes. An alternative flexible and sustainable community based ODeL model that potentially can address re-entry for the Y.A.S.S.D is proposed. A qualitative phenomenological design was used; focus group discussion and interviews were conducted from a purposeful sample of participants. The study revealed that the potential of ODeL in addressing re-entry into secondary school for Y.A.S.S.D great. Majority of the participants were aware of the existing secondary school re-entry options, however, ODeL appeared new. Despite there being challenges in introducing the ODeL mode of study in secondary school re-entry programmes, it is viable and requires further exploration. The enablers of this mode of study are largely in place to the extent appreciated by participants in the study.