Editorial zum Themenheft: ?‘Software-Reengineering“’

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Entwicklung und Probleme der Lehrerbildung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Mensch und Freizeit Internationale Werktagung in Salzburg,Juli 1961

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The Use and Misuse of Standardized Testing: A Whiteheadian Point of View

First an overview is given about the actual national and international situation concerning standardized testing. Then two major reasons are presented why accountability systems based on standardized testing have become so widespread: (a) the missing validity and reliability of teachers’ assessment of students’ achievement, and (b) the important role standardized testing plays for out-put management in educational systems.On the basis of these considerations Alfred North Whitehead’s critical remarks on external standardized testing are presented. Whitehead’s main point is that external standardized testing limits the freedom of teachers to adapt to the complex, situation specific circumstances in order to obtain a maximum of the creative learning process for students who are conceived as specialists. Instead external testings lead to “teaching to the test.” As a consequence, the attitude of creative, adventurous exploration is undermined and substituted by simple pattern recognition, narrow visions, and even boredom. Finally, the question is raised whether there is any possibility of developing a measurement tool which on the one side meets scientific test criteria, and on the other side is still flexible enough to do justice to needs of individual schools – which according to Whitehead are the essential educational unit – and not vice versa, as it is the case at present with external standardized testing. That such a flexible approach to evaluation is possible is demonstrated by the presentation of the basic ideas of the MSS (Module Approach to Self-Evaluation of School Development Projects) which has been developed and examined in ten schools by the author and his collaborators.     

One size fits all?: Towards a differentiated regional innovation policy approach

Innovation has moved to the foreground in regional policy in the last decade. Concrete policies were shaped by “best practice models” derived from high-tech areas and well performing regions. These are often applied in a similar way across many types of regions. Here an attempt is made to show that there is no “ideal model” for innovation policy as innovation activities differ strongly between central, peripheral and old industrial areas. In this paper we analyse different types of regions with respect to their preconditions for innovation, networking and innovation barriers. Based on this classification different policy options and strategies are developed.     

A New Two-Step Approach for Hands-On Teaching of Gene Technology: Effects on Students’ Activities During Experimentation in an Outreach Gene Technology Lab

Emphasis on improving higher level biology education continues. A new two-step approach to the experimental phases within an outreach gene technology lab, derived from cognitive load theory, is presented. We compared our approach using a quasi-experimental design with the conventional one-step mode. The difference consisted of additional focused discussions combined with students writing down their ideas (step one) prior to starting any experimental procedure (step two). We monitored students’ activities during the experimental phases by continuously videotaping 20 work groups within each approach (N = 131). Subsequent classification of students’ activities yielded 10 categories (with well-fitting intra- and inter-observer scores with respect to reliability). Based on the students’ individual time budgets, we evaluated students’ roles during experimentation from their prevalent activities (by independently using two cluster analysis methods). Independently of the approach, two common clusters emerged, which we labeled as ‘all-rounders’ and as ‘passive students’, and two clusters specific to each approach: ‘observers’ as well as ‘high-experimenters’ were identified only within the one-step approach whereas under the two-step conditions ‘managers’ and ‘scribes’ were identified. Potential changes in group-leadership style during experimentation are discussed, and conclusions for optimizing science teaching are drawn.     

E-learning with multiple-try-feedback: Can hints foster students’ achievement during the semester?

Educational technology research and development - E-learning opportunities have become an increasingly important component of university education. Various laboratory studies have shown that...     

Toward Synergizing Educational Research and Movement Sciences: a Dialogue on Learning as Developing Perception for Action

Educational Psychology Review - What could possibly be a meaningful conversation between educational researchers and movement scientists? Curiously, they have much in common. Both groups of...     

Effektivität schulischer Sprachförderung bei Erstklässlern mit Sprachentwicklungsstörungen

The present study examines the language development of N = 48 children with specific language impairments. All pupils were primary students in their first year. They all were tested with the standardized test (SET 5-10). N = 24 children received special tuition. All other children participated in the common tutoring structures of teaching in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The results of this study show a moderate but significant progress in language development for both groups.