In many countries, quality assurance systems rely on study programme accreditation. As with all quality assurance mechanisms, accreditation should also be continuously improved in order to maintain its relevance as a promoter of study programme quality. A way to move accreditation forward is by taking into account academics’ views, interests and needs about the process, since their support for it is paramount for its success and effectiveness. This paper analyses Portuguese academics’ knowledge and views on accreditation with the aim of understanding if the process is being supported and is on the right route for being effective. It is based on the analysis of 1484 academics’ answers to a questionnaire distributed in 16 higher education institutions. This analysis reveals a moderately positive attitude of academics towards accreditation, reflected in an only moderate knowledge of the process as well as in a mild agreement with its characteristics and implementation features. This suggests that there is room for improvement to bring this quality assurance mechanism closer to academics’ expectations and needs and therefore to improve accreditation’s effectiveness.
The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the range of outcomes of class visits to natural history museums.
The theoretical framework is based on the multifaceted process of learning in free choice learning environments, and emphasizes
the unique and individual learning experience in museum settings. The study’s significance is in highlighting several possible
cognitive as well as non-cognitive learning effects in museums class visits, by providing the student’s point of view. Data
was collected by semi-structured interviews with 50 students in grades 6–8 on the day following the visit. We present evidence
that students expressed several learning outcomes, connected directly and indirectly to the scientific content of the visit.
Content oriented outcomes included acquiring scientific knowledge and making connections to prior knowledge; social oriented
outcomes were identified in students’ statements regarding communicating knowledge and social aspects of learning; and interest
oriented outcomes were evidenced by students’ expressions about emotions, interest and curiosity. The aggregate data addressed
the common outcomes and the impact of class visits to natural history museums in the short term. Comparisons between two types
of museums show significant differences in several aspects, regarding the exhibit and/or the activity type. Practical ideas
for structuring the ultimate experience are included. 相似文献
This article investigates the intertwined constructs of metacognition and self-regulation as they emerge in the works and
theories of James, Piaget, and Vygotsky. To coordinate this exploration, we use an interpretive framework based on the relation
of subject and object. In this framework, James’s perspective on metacognition and self-regulation is aligned with the Self,
Piaget’s with the other and object, and Vygotsky’s with the medium or agency of language. We explore how metacognition and
self-regulation function within the realm of human behavior and development as described in the works of each of these theorists.
Key questions or issues that emerge for current research are outlined, and the limitations and benefits of each theorist’s
perspective vis-à-vis metacognition and self-regulation are discussed. 相似文献
Even though several studies have reported positive attitudinal outcomes from context-based chemistry programs, methodological obstacles have prevented researchers from comparing satisfactorily the chemistry-learning outcomes between students who experience a context-based program with those who experience a content-driven program. In this narrative inquiry we are able to address the question: how do the recalled experiences of a student and her teacher in context-based and concept-based chemistry programs compare? From the student’s unique perspective of experiencing both programs with the same teacher, we have constructed our collective account around four themes; namely, the extent to which the student makes connections between chemistry concepts and real-world contexts, developing research independence through engaging in extended experimental investigations related to contexts, learning chemistry concepts through contexts, and conceptual sequencing in a context-based program. The student reported real-world connections between chemistry concepts and contexts, found her engagement in the context-driven tasks interesting and productive, and identified connected sequences of concepts across the contexts studied. Despite difficulties for teachers who are required to shift pedagogies, the student’s lived experiences and outcomes from a context-based program provide some encouragement in working through these issues. 相似文献
The increasing importance of constructivism in higher education has brought about a shift in pedagogy from a focus on the teacher to a focus on the student. This has important implications for teaching and assessment. A student-centred pedagogy implies a different role for the teacher. What exactly does student-centred teaching require from teachers’ actual teaching practice? What is expected from them in order to teach in a student-centred way? It is in order to respond to these questions that this research project has been carried out establishing a core competence profile of student-centred teachers in higher education. Qualitative data were collected by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews with teachers from different institutions for higher education in Belgium, known for their student-centred way of teaching. This research method is innovative compared to the methods used for existing competence lists in the literature, which were usually developed on the basis of conversations with pedagogical experts. By exploring practice and having teachers participate in the development of a competence list, the acceptance of a competence profile is much higher. The result of the project is a validated competence profile which takes into account the critiques on existing competence lists. The competence profile provides a further insight in the functioning of teachers within a student-centred pedagogy and can be used as a starting point for the educational development of teachers within this pedagogy. 相似文献
The Student Counselling Needs Scale (SCNS) was administered to 867 participants recruited from high schools in Kenya. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis yielding five factors: human relationships, career development, self development, social values, and learning skills were assessed. The findings highlighted the importance of using assessment instruments to identify students’ counselling needs in Kenya. 相似文献
Hamiltonian system for the problem on clamped Mindlin plate bending was established by introducing the dual variables for the generalized displacements in this letter. By separation of variables, the transverse eigen-problem was derived based on the sympletic geometry method. With the solved sympletic eigen-values, the generalized sympletic eigen-solution was derived through eigenfunction expansion. An example of plate with all edges clamped was given. The sympletic solution system was worked out directly from the Hamiltonian system. It breaks the limitation of traditional analytic methods which need to select basis functions in advance. The results indicate that the sympletic solution method could find its more extensive applications. 相似文献