Toward a cognitive schemata theory of self-instruction

An initial outline of a cognitive schemata theory of self-instruction is presented. Three levels of schemata are described briefly. Attention then is devoted to the cognitive organization and operation of these schemata in relation to procedural and declarative knowledge stores, and in relation to everchanging situational information. The primary objective is to provide an initial basis for conceptualizing the cognitive competence required for self-instruction.Requests for reprints should be directed to Jack Martin, Associate Professor, at the above address. Work on this paper was begun while the author was an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University.     

A taxomony of Engineering Design tasks and its applicability to university Engineering Education

Engineering Design is rightfully regarded as a key element within all university Engineering courses and most laboratory assignments and project work seek to optimise the student's acquisition of knowledge and understanding of this process. Within this paper Engineering Design has been classified into a new 'hierarchy of task level' each one defined by an increased degree of design freedom that an Engineer has to consider. It is argued that this classification accurately reflects the varying complexity of tasks found within real world industrial environment. The optimal matching of these task levels to university course assignments is discussed and limitations identified. The need for further design experience within a wider industrial context is shown to be essential if the nature of design freedom is to be fully appreciated by the next generation of professional Engineers.     

Selecting the Qualified: A Standards-Based Teacher Education Admission Process

A standards-based admission process for qualifying caring and competent candidates for teacher preparation is presented. The major elements of the admission process include prerequisite standards that address the knowledge, dispositions, and skills candidates should possess upon entrance to the teacher education program; multiple assessments that evaluate the prerequisite standards; and an admission interview process that involves collaboration of arts and sciences faculty, education faculty, undergraduate students, and professionals from the field. A unique aspect of the admission process is its strong focus on dispositional standards. Emphasis is placed on qualifying future teachers into teacher education programs based upon demonstrated evidence of their meeting defensible and education community supported admission standards.     

The effect of gender composition of faculty on student retention

The gender composition of faculty is an important issue on many campuses. Substantial efforts are taken by colleges to hire a diverse faculty where women are equitably represented. Several papers suggest that female faculty can act as role models for female students. This issue is particularly emphasized in science and engineering programs. However, empirical research finds mixed support for this hypothesis. We provide a new test of this issue by examining whether female students have higher first-year retention rates when a greater percentage of their classes are taught by female faculty. There is a positive relationship between retention of female students and the percentage of their science and mathematics classes taught by female faculty. Also faculty gender has a greater impact on female students when their classes have few female students. Thus this study provides support for gender-based programs for hiring.     

Accountability and Student Learning

Holding teachers accountable for other people's (students) behavior is inappropriate policy that results in ineffective teaching, diminished enthusiasm for learning, and lower levels of achievement. There are both legal and psychological reasons for this. Making teachers responsible for students' behavior absolves students of responsibility for their own actions and develops an externalized locus of control in students that leads to teacher control and student dependence. Because every person is accountable for his or her own behavior but not for what other people do, teachers must be held accountable for what they do as teachers but not for what their students do as learners. Students are responsible for their own learning.     

Emigration,internationalization, and “brain drain”: Propensities among British Academics

This research links two important higher education phenomena: potential brain drain among academics abroad and the U.S. academic labor market. The inquiry draws on the brain drain literature and is grounded primarily on a secondary analysis of a major survey (1989) of British university and polytechnic faculty members. The anlaysis shows that fully 40.0 percent of university faculty are seriously considering a move abroad with the substantial majority favoring the United States as a destination. Faculty characteristics—including academic field, research versus teaching orientation, rank, age, gender, and political identification—are correlated with faculty members' professed interest in emigration. The analysis also compares (former) polytechnic to university faculty as well as to a subset of Oxford and Cambridge faculty.     

Advertising

How it Was in Advertising: 1776-1976 ($6.95, paper, 110 pp.)

Vernon Fryburger, The New World of Advertising ($6.95, paper, 129 pp.)

William A. Robinson, 100 Best Sales Promotions (annual, $19.95, about 140 pp. each)

Herbert S. Gardner Jr. The Advertising Agency Business ($19.95, 211 pp.)

Jack Z. Sissors and E.R. Petray Advertising Media Planning ($12.95, 341 pp.)

Arthur Bellaire Controlling Your TV Commercial Costs ($19.95, 166 pp.)

Julie M. Moss '77 Ayer Public Relations and Publicity Style Book (Ayer Press, 210 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106—$9.95)     

High-intensity efforts in elite soccer matches and associated movement patterns,technical skills and tactical actions. Information for position-specific training drills

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to translate movement patterns, technical skills and tactical actions associated with high-intensity efforts into metrics that could potentially be used to construct position-specific conditioning drills. A total of 20 individual English Premier League players’ high-intensity running profiles were observed multiple times (n = 100) using a computerised tracking system. Data were analysed using a novel high-intensity movement programme across five positions (centre back [CB], full-back [FB], central midfielder [CM], wide midfielder [WM] and centre forward [CF]). High-intensity efforts in contact with the ball and the average speed of efforts were greater in WMs than CBs, CMs and CFs (effect sizes [ES]: 0.9–2.1, P < 0.05). WMs produced more repeated efforts than CBs and CMs (ES: 0.6–1.3, P < 0.05). In possession, WMs executed more tricks post effort than CBs and CMs (ES: 1.2–1.3, P < 0.01). FBs and WMs performed more crosses post effort than other positions (ES: 1.1–2.0, P < 0.01). Out of possession, CFs completed more efforts closing down the opposition (ES: 1.4–5.0, P < 0.01) but less tracking opposition runners than other positions (ES: 1.5–1.8, P < 0.01). CFs performed more arc runs before efforts compared to CBs, FBs and WMs (ES: 0.9–1.4, P < 0.05), however, CBs completed more 0–90° turns compared to FBs, CMs and WMs (ES: 0.9–1.1, P < 0.01). The data demonstrate unique high-intensity trends in and out of possession that could assist practitioners when devising position-specific drills.     

Racism,Ideology and Education: the last word on the Honeyford affair?

The paper begins with a brief reference of some of the inaccuracies in accounts of the so called ‘Honeyford affair’. The main purpose of the paper, however, is not to compare differing accounts, but rather to examine aspects of Honejford's discourse in its own terms. These aspects include his notion of ‘racism’, his concern with ‘tolerance and coherence’ and his account of what he refers to as ‘the human character’.     

A study of the effectiveness of the primary education improvement program (science) in selected schools of Northern Nigeria

The Primary Education Improvement Program (Science) developed in Nigeria from 1970–1980 adopted a “process approach” to the teaching of science for children in Classes One and Two of primary school. In that insufficient formative data were available a study was organized to evaluate the attainment of the program's major objectives in terms of the children's ability to practice process skills. The study also attempted to measure children's interest, active participation and understanding of the lessons, as well as the availability of materials and ease of preparing and teaching the lessons for the teachers. Data were collected by means of teacher opinionnaires and a children's test to measure the attainment of process skills. The teachers who completed the opinionnaires rated the program as successful in terms of all the measured criteria. Children in the experimental and control groups were tested and their performances were compared. The results indicated that there were some significant differences in total test scores in favor of the experimental group after one year of primary school but none after two years. The program, though highly rated by teachers, did not produce the intended changes in children's behavior.