Renewal of Educational Systems Through Organizational Strategies

In this article, the author examines the role that teachers play in the moral development of American students. Historically, one of public education's purposes in America has been the development of moral citizens. However, educators currently face more academic accountability due to No Child Left Behind. Consequently, teachers must strike a balance between achieving quantifiable academic standards and assisting with students' character development.     

The effects of contingency avoidance on programmed student achievement

If it is assumed that student failure in the classroom situation is the result of inadequate performance skills rather than a lack of ability, then the attention of the educator should more properly be directed at teaching the student to develop effective methods of studying. The present experiment employed a Programmed Student Achievement (PA) procedure which required that the student evidence 100% mastery of discrete units of material. Two PA contingencies which differed in the intensity of the consequence of failing to evidence mastery were used, testing the hypothesis that the PA effect is analogous to avoidance conditioning. In addition, generalization of the effect of PA on performance in courses taken concurrently was evaluated. The performance of PA students was found to be significantly superior to that of control students on both weekly quizzes and major exams; however, performance under the two experimental contingencies did not differ. Additionally, the PA effect did not generalize to performance in other courses. The implication of these data for an avoidance hypothesis account of the PA effect is discussed.     

数学教学中的开放式教学——创造一种课堂数学文化

数学教学中需要对开放式教学进行合作研究。在日本的开放式教学中，数学问题被选择是用来说明一个问题的多种解法或多个正确答案。数学教学要实现一种全新的课堂数学文化，这种数学形式的特点是：问题开放、解决问题的过程开放、构建问题开放、评价开放，使学生能自由地思考，发展学生的思维能力。     

Teaching styles in adult education: an exploratory essay

Lapides, J. “Teaching styles in adult education. An exploratory essay,” Revue ATEE Journal 3 (1980) 191‐205.

Two approaches to teaching styles are explored. The first is a static approach borrowed from management research and organizational development practice. In this approach teaching styles were derived from Maslow's hierarchy of needs. They were seen as the interpersonal styles of behavior with others, which grow out of people's needs. Seven teaching styles were identified and described. The second approach, in contrast with the life‐style approach, is based on the assumption that teachers can be trained in alternative styles. Mosston believes that everyone can change through learning and that teaching style is a learned characteristic. Seven styles from command to discovery have been identified and described. Suggestions for teacher training are included.     

Children born at risk: What's happening in kindergarten?

Many studies examine the development of infants born at risk for medical and developmental problems during the early years of life, but far fewer follow these children into their school years. This project compared high-risk vs. low-risk children in their performance on the WPPSI at pre- and postkindergarten levels. In general, both groups of children demonstrated increases in performance; however, their patterns of performance were different. The high-risk children showed increases predominantly in the Performance areas of the test, whereas the low-risk children demonstrated increases predominantly in the Verbal areas.     

Political aspects of innovation

“Political aspects” that enhance, but also undermine, the positive transformational power of public innovation policies are examined. As such, this paper follows Micha? Kalecki in his 1943 paper that identifies the “political aspects” which enhance and undermine the positive transformational power of Keynesian full employment policies. Similarly, this paper provides a policy framework that identifies what government and business support as innovation policies. The role of innovation stems from Schumpeter's long-run perspective, but incorporates the more dynamic cyclical short-term and trend perspectives of Kalecki. This paper critiques the strategy of public innovation policy in general and derives policy implications.     

Using a mathematical model of motivation,volition, and performance to examine students’ e-text learning experiences

This empirical study used Keller’s (Technol Instr Cogn Learn 16:79–104, 2008b) motivation, volition, and performance (MVP) theory to develop and statistically evaluate a mathematical MVP model that can serve as a research and policy tool for evaluating students’ learning experiences in digital environments. Specifically, it explored undergraduate biology students’ learning and attitudes toward e-texts using a MVP mathematical model in two different e-text environments. A data set (N = 1334) that included student motivation and e-text information processing, frustration with using e-texts, and student ability variables was used to evaluate e-text satisfaction. A regression analysis of these variables revealed a significant model that explained 77% of the variation in student e-text satisfaction in both e-text learning environments. Student motivation and intrinsic cognitive load were positive predictors of student satisfaction, while extraneous cognitive load and student prior knowledge and background variables were negative predictors. Practical implications for e-text learning and generalizability of a mathematical MVP model are discussed.