Influence Des Interprétations Des Productions Des Élèves Sur Les Stratégies D’Intervention En Classe De Mathématiques

In this Article, we examine primary teachers’interpretation of their pupils’ productions in mathematics. We study the changes in teachers’ interpretation as they were taking place during discussions on pupils’ productions and the influence of the interpretation on the teachers’ choice of intervention in class. Six seminars, betwen one researcher and 21 teachers from the same school, revealed the elements that contributed to the interpretative process. These elements allowed to describe five “milieux” to which teachers are sensitive as they interpret pupils productions. The results bring a better understanding of the origins of teachers’ attribution of causes to pupils mistakes and of their preferred interventions with pupils who experience learning difficulties. The results suggest how changes in interpretation transform interventions and what conditions are necessary to initiate these changes.     

Dimensions rurales-urbaines de la gestion scolaire en contexte de décroissance des clientèles et des compression budgétaires

Résumé En utilisant des données recueillies lors d'un sondage provincial et des données provenant du ministère de l'Éducation du Québec, cet article analyse l'impact de la variable urbain-rural sur différents aspects de la gestion de commissions scolaires en période de décroissance. La réduction des effectifs scolaires ainsi que celle du personnel sont plus importantes en milieu urbain qu'en milieu rural. Lorsqu'on analyse les conséquences des stratégies de gestion, la décroissance des effectifs et la variable urbain-rural ont des effets constants à travers toutes les estimations. Bien que certains de ces effets soient directs, ils sont, dans la plupart des cas, indirects via la réduction du personnel. En général, les conséquences de la gestion sont moins positives en milieu urbain qu'en milieu, rural. Enfin, selon les répondants, la qualité des services liés à l'enseignement se serait détériorée en milieu urbain comparativement au milieu rural.

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Using data collected in a provincial poll and provided by the Ministry of Education of Quebec, this article analyzes the impact of the urban-rural variable on different aspects of the management of school commissions at a time of economic recession and population decrease. The reduction in school enrollees as much as that of the educational personnel is more considerable in the urban environment than the rural one. When analyzing the consequences of management strategies in all assessments the decrease in enrolments and the urban-rural variable show constant results. Although some of these effects are direct, in most cases, however, they tend to be indirect because of the decrease in the number of staff members. In general, the consequences of management are less positive in the urban environment than in the rural one. Finally, according to the respondents the quality of the service linked to teaching has deteriorated more so in the urban environment than compared to the rural one.

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Zusammenfassung Gestützt auf die bei einer Umfrage in einer kanadischen Provinz gesammelten und vom Erziehungsministerium von Quebec zur Verfügung gestellten Daten, wird in diesem Artikel die Auswirkung der Unterschiede zwischen städtischen und ländlichen Gebieten auf Aspekte der Schulverwaltung bei sinkenden Einschulungsraten analysiert. Sinkende Einschulungsraten und Personalkürzungen werden in Stadtbereichen für schwerwiegender gehalten als in den Landgebieten. Andererseits sind die Verwaltungsmaßnahmen bezüglich der untersuchten Variablen unabhängig von Stadt-Land Unterschieden konstant. Obwohl einige dieser Folgen direkt sind, sind die meisten mittelbar durch Personalkürzungen bedingt. Im allgemeinen sind jedoch die Folgen der Verwaltungsmaßnahmen im städtischen Bereich weniger positiv als im ländlichen. Schließlich hat sich gemäß den Befragungsergebnissen die Qualität der unterrichtsbezogenen Dienstleistungen in den städtischen Gebieten stärker verschlechtert als in den ländlichen.

     

A new type of transitional filter based on summation of polynomials

A new transitional filter based on the sum of filter polynomials is proposed and discussed. It shall be shown that the approach allows for greater flexibility in adjusting passband and stopband gain shapes. The sensitivity of the filter transfer function is analyzed and related to the approximation problem. Some new modified classical filters are also derived including maximally flat (Butterworth) and equiripple (Chebyshev) types. Several examples of combining Butterworth, Chebyshev and sync-tuned filters are presented and compared to those obtained using the conventional product method. The new transitional filter provides an alternative to other forms and provides a means for isolating the effects of non-uniformly distributed pole angles.     

Modeling context through domain ontologies

Traditional information retrieval systems aim at satisfying most users for most of their searches, leaving aside the context in which the search takes place. We propose to model two main aspects of context: The themes of the user's information need and the specific data the user is looking for to achieve the task that has motivated his search. Both aspects are modeled by means of ontologies. Documents are semantically indexed according to the context representation and the user accesses information by browsing the ontologies. The model has been applied to a case study that has shown the added value of such a semantic representation of context.

Pluridisciplinary programmes for innovation: Realities and limits of a promising form of learning

Higher education has adopted an innovation imperative that has driven significant transformations in the sector. A new kind of learning programme, based on problem‐solving, design thinking, creativity and “pluridisciplinarity” has emerged in the last two decades and become an emblematic form of learning to cope with current “complex” economic and societal problems by examining their roots at ground level. The French case study allows one to understand the distance between general policy orientations for innovation and actors' capacity and the need to take into account the local context.     

Diagnosis and Monitoring of Basic Motor Competencies among Third-Graders in Luxembourg. An Assessment Tool for Teachers

ABSTRACT

Basic motor competencies (in German: Motorische Basiskompetenzen; MOBAK) are performance dispositions empowering children to participate in the movement culture. For the diagnosis of basic motor competencies, a test instrument consisting of 15 test items for assessing third graders’ basic motor competencies was developed (MOBAK-LUX-3) and validated empirically. Basic motor competencies were operationalized as test items in the form of basic motor qualifications, which are cultural tools formulated as a minimum standard. Data (MOBAK-LUX-3, age, gender, migration background, weight, height, sport club membership, weekly physical activity) were collected in 2015 amongst third-graders in elementary school in Luxembourg (N = 488; 50.4% female; M age = 8.8 years, SD = .51). A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor structure (locomotion, object control, moving in water, object locomotion; CFI = .94; TLI = .92; RMSEA = .036; WRMR = 0.89). Five classes with different competence profiles were determined through latent class analysis. The MOBAK-LUX-3 test instrument satisfies test theory requirements and can be used to determinate motor competence profiles.     

Élaboration d'un environnement logo favorable au développement d'habiletés en manipulation procédurale

Résumé Un environnement pédagogique propice à l'acquisition et à l'expression des habiletés procédurales en Logo est mis au point et accueille des enfants de 10–12 ans dans un projet d'une durée de 8 mois. Dans des phases successives de familiarisation et d'évaluation des compétences, on propose aux 10 participants une série de mises en situation requérant la manipulation de procédures en programmation Logo. Une analyse des comportements des enfants en termes de leurs habiletés fines et distinctes permet d'observer leur compétence et intérêt à manipuler des procédures. La discussion met en perspective l'importance des habiletés acquises et retrace les conditions environnementales qui en favorisent et supportent l'expression. Les limites dans les compétences observées sont aussi soulignées, ceci dans une perspective d'identification des étapes encore à parcourir dans la poursuite de l'acquisition et de la maîtrise des habiletés procédurales.

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A learning environment that facilitated the acquisition and expression of procedural skills in LOGO was set up for children in the 10 to 12 year range. In successive phases of familiarization and evaluation of competence over an eight month period, ten participants were placed in a series of situations that required them to manipulate programming procedures in LOGO. A fine-grained analysis of each of the children's behavior revealed their competence and interest in manipulating procedures. The importance of the acquired skills and the environmental conditions that favor and support their expression are discussed. Limits in the competencies observed are highlighted in order to identify the further steps to be taken in the acquisition and mastery of procedural skills.

     

Training humanitarian professionals at a distance: testing the feasibility of distance learning with humanitarian professionals

Training is an essential part of the professional development of staff working for international humanitarian organizations. While humanitarian workers are being deployed around the world to provide life‐saving relief assistance in often‐hazardous missions, it is imperative for organizations to ensure that staff members understand the mission and protocol of their organizations and that they develop an appreciation for the impact their work has on beneficiaries. Demand for such training has been expanding exponentially over the last decade with the growing number of humanitarian organizations and personnel. In the United Nations alone, an estimated 37,000 civilian personnel are being employed as part of UN humanitarian operations, an increase of 54% since 1997; 75% of this personnel is composed of national staff of the countries of operation (United Nations, 2008 United Nations. 2008. “Towards a culture of security and accountability”. In Report of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide Retrieved July 26, 2008, from http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/terrorism/PanelOnSafetyReport.pdf [Google Scholar]). With the increasing reliance of humanitarian organizations on national staff to manage their field operations, the professional development of staff members poses an ever‐growing challenge due to the remoteness and distribution of staff, limiting organizations’ ability to maintain the coherence and cogency of their mission and methods. Although many international humanitarian organizations have adopted some form of distance learning into their staff training, few organizations have evaluated the effectiveness of their distance learning programs. This research briefly evaluates the literature relevant to the use of distance learning for training professional staff in the humanitarian field, assesses how distance learning programs are being used among select humanitarian organizations based in the USA, and reviews the results of a pilot distance learning course offered to mid‐career professionals working on international humanitarian issues in a professional capacity.