Multimedia in modern language teacher education

This paper discusses the professional development of primary modern language teachers through the use of new technologies. It explores the principles upon which the development of a multimedia learning environment (FLiP – Foreign Languages in Primary) was constructed. These entail principles of effective modern‐language teaching, principles of teacher education, and a conception of the effective teacher. In addition, ways in which technology can support the principles of effective professional development are discussed. Information technology can be extremely empowering, extremely motivating and extremely conducive to creating new and exciting teacher‐education environments. The most outstanding contribution is that multimedia environments can make teachers look beyond the immediate context thanks to the incorporation of indirect observation.Les multimédias dans la formation des enseignants en langues étrangères. Cet article discute le d´eveloppement professionnel des enseignants du primaire en langues modernes, grâce à l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies. Il explore les principes selon lesquels le développement d'un environnement multimédia a été construit (FLIP - Foreign Languages in Primary). Ils impliquent les principes de l'enseignement efficace des langues modernes, les principes de la formation des maîtres, et une conception du maître efficace. De plus, les façons dont la technologie vont soutenir les principes d'un développement efficace sont discutées. La technologie de l'information peut être très puissante, très motivante pour créer des nouveaux environnements excitants pour la formation des maîtres. La plus importante contribution est que les environnement mulitimédia amènent les maîtres à regarder au delà du contexte immédiat grâce à l'incorporation de l'observation indirecte.Multimedia in der Ausbildung von Lehrern für neue Sprachen. Dieses Papier erörtert die professionelle Entwicklung von Material zur Ausbildung von Grundstufenlehrern für moderne Sprachen durch die Verwendung neuer Technologien. Es vermittelt die Prinzipien, auf denen die Entwicklung einer Multimedia Lernumgebung ('FLIP - Foreign Languages in Primary') aufgebaut wurde. Diese enthalten Prinzipien modernen Sprachunterrichts, Prinzipien von Lehrerbildung und ein Konzept des 'wirksamen' Lehrers. Außerdem wird diskutiert, welche Technik die Prinzipien wirksamer professioneller Entwicklung unterstützen kann. Die Nutzung von Informationstechnologie kann extrem verstärkend, extrem motivierend und äußerst dienlich sein, neue und aufregende Möglichkeiten für die Lehrerbildung.zu schaffen. Der hervorragendste Beitrag ist, daß Multimediaumgebungen es Lehrern ermöglichen können, sich öber den unmittelbaren Kontext durch die Integration indirekter Beobachtung zu informieren.     

The changing nature of autonomy: Transformations of the late Swedish teaching profession

This article discusses teacher autonomy in the case of the Swedish teaching profession since the 1980s. It is argued that deregulation, decentralization, and marketization reforms of the 1990s have indeed increased teacher autonomy, but in some respects also led to a increase of complexity in the Swedish school system. In order to handle this complexity, the state intensified a standardization of schooling, which restricts teacher autonomy today. Relevant the paper's understanding is that teacher autonomy is always about control, exerted internally by the profession itself and facilitated externally by state standards. The article argues that the restriction of teacher autonomy in recent times is also related to a simplified understanding of the phenomenon in the reforms of the 1990s.     

The family caregiver after the institutionalization of the dependent elderly relative

The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the institutionalization of a dependent elderly relative and the family caregiver’s mental health, quality of life and caregiving satisfaction. We present data from 140 family caregivers caring for elderly family members, of whom 77 continued to live with family members and 63 had been institutionalized. We evaluated the factors influencing the decision to institutionalize the dependent relative, the effect of institutionalization on the caregiver’s psychological well-being and quality of life and the impact of strategies to find the meaning and cope with the relative’s placement on the caregiver’s emotional health and quality of life. Care does not end after institutionalization, but the stressors the caregiver faces change. Our results suggest that finding meaning increases satisfaction and reduces feelings of overload. They show that after institutionalization, stressors affecting caregivers are partly relieved, and that finding meaning increases the caregiver’s satisfaction, while decreasing the degree of overload. Our data, further, indicates that a good relationship and cooperation between the staff of the institution and the family are important to improve the caregivers’ emotional health and quality of life, and consequently, the quality of life of the dependent elderly relative.     

Collaborative action research through technologically mediated agoras

The study presented in this article forms part of a wider project promoting collaboration between junior researchers from different universities with the objective of rethinking and improving teaching practice in relation to the use of technology. The article describes research carried out during the 2012/13 academic year aimed at developing collaborative action research through technologically mediated agoras involving students from three Spanish universities. The main results of this study show that junior researchers improved their teaching practice through technologically mediated inside and outside agoras. In addition, the transformation of university classrooms into agoras enabled the negotiated reconstruction of knowledge for the analysis of good practice in the use of technology. Likewise, these agoras helped reduce limitations by breaking down the barriers of time, distance and resources for sharing findings and limitations between junior researchers. Furthermore, they pave the way for improvements and their implementation in learning processes during initial teacher training.     

Self-protection profiles of worth and academic goals in university students

European Journal of Psychology of Education - This work analyzes the possible existence of self-protection profiles based on a combination of self-handicapping (behavioral and claimed) strategies...     

The interest of Bavarian primary school pupils in geographical topics and methods – selected results of an empirical survey

Interest is a central learning prerequisite for teaching. The article deals with a survey among 1600 primary school pupils in forms 2, 3 and 4 (ages 7–10) in the German federal state of Bavaria who were interviewed on their interest in geographical topics and working methods. They were given a questionnaire including 40 items to indicate their individual interest on a five-point Likert scale. The results show that the subscale ‘natural disaster' generates the highest interest, followed by ‘phenomena of geoscience' and ‘people and peoples'. The interest in all three subscales decreases with increasing age. Furthermore, several gender-specific differences occur. Among the working methods, experimenting, films and computers hold the first three places whilst again showing significant differences concerning age group as well as gender.     

The use of portfolios to foster professionalism: attributes,outcomes, and recommendations

The main objective of this research was to review the characteristics of portfolios and their outcomes for teaching professionalism to undergraduate medical students. A systematic review on the use of portfolios in teaching professionalism to medical students identified 1257 papers. Of these, 11 articles met all inclusion criteria. According to the papers, the use of portfolios for teaching professionalism shows versatility, supports learning strategies and has the potential to be used in different contexts, including for formative and summative purposes. The weaknesses were based on the artificiality of the reflections, deficient instructions, time-consuming processes and preference among students for other teaching methods. Students complained about feeling that the reflection was ‘forced’, and they tended to write based on social conventions rather than reveal their true thoughts. Reflection is a powerful component of the portfolio, but the method by which it is taught could easily ruin its potential to boost professionalism. Requiring reflection did not ensure its achievement; increased understanding by students regarding how and why they were doing it, the clarity of assessment methods and constructive feedback might strengthen the potential for success. A framework was designed to support faculty members in developing and applying portfolios with a clear and broad view of this teaching strategy.