Solving Physics Problems: The Conceptions and Practice of an Experienced Teacher and an Inexperienced Teacher

The results are described of two case studies on the conceptions and classroom practice of two Portuguese physics and chemistry teachers on the role of problem solving in the teaching/learning of science. One of these teachers was a novice and the other had about 20 years of teaching experience. The data were obtained from a questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, classroom observation, personal documents, and stimulated recall. The analysis was carried out with instruments organised into categories and specific indicators. The results showed there to be major differences between the intention behind the new curricula, the teachers' conceptions, and their practice. Some suggestions are put forward on the basis of these results for the initial and ongoing education of secondary education teachers of physics and chemistry in Portugal.     

Study Abroad and Developing Reflective Research Practice Through Blogs: A Preliminary Study from the United Kingdom

Blogs are seen as an important strand of social networking and a significant way of disseminating research ideas and sharing knowledge and perceptions with new audiences via digital platforms. The use of blogs within off-campus activities, such as study abroad field visits, have the potential to enhance students’ social media skills and confidence about becoming active researchers in public through communicating field research experiences and reflections on what they see, learn, hear, and do. Via a semi-structured questionnaire administered to UK-based university students participating in a recent Criminology program field visit to Slovenia in Europe, we assess the extent to which blogging facilitates student reflective practice on their lived experiences of undertaking research in culturally unfamiliar environments. We show that blogging combined with the whole experience of international fieldwork has a “learning gain” for students exemplified through a willingness to engage in reflective practice, self-awareness, and transferable skills.     

How business students view corruption,and why this should concern us: insights from Lebanon,Romania and the United States

Tertiary Education and Management - When seeking to understand corruption in its ongoing temporal context, it is useful to consider business students. Because of their high numbers and the kinds of...     

The knowledge audit: Meta-Matrix analysis

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - Knowledge management is a method for simplifying and improving the process of sharing, distributing, creating, and understanding organizational...     

Students’ Progression in Monitoring Anomalous Results Obtained in Inquiry-Based Laboratory Tasks

Research in Science Education - This paper examines students’ engagement in monitoring anomalous results across a 2-year longitudinal study with 9th and 10th graders (14–15 and...     

Improving the Effectiveness of Educational Development: Concerns,Constraints and Recommendations

A Higher Education Research and Development Unit (HERDU) is a specialised sub‐unit within higher education institutions whose members collectively act as a visionary, educational interest group. They aim to be critically reflective, dynamic agents of educational development and help to develop the practices and potential of individuals and groups. This paper defines HERDUs in organisation terms, clarifies educational development, and assesses the web of contexts that educational developers experience. The paper then canvasses international perspectives on improvement and effectiveness of educational development theory, practice and outcomes. Finally, it is suggested that coming to grips with long‐standing concerns might be aided by a set of performance indicators, a model of self‐review, and enhanced cooperation among educational developers to share research, theories, practices and experiences.     

漫步天堂海滩

Jim平时的消遣,多数是花在漫步海滩上面。享受着清新的海风,观察着海滩上的人来人往,猜测着他们的由来行踪,这是他认为最快乐的一种享受了。冬天拖着寒冷飞往南半球,剩下的就是合着春天的旋律,来欣赏天堂般的海滩。     

Higher expertise,pedagogic rights and the post-truth society

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the nature of higher expertise in society and the role of higher education in constituting that expertise. It is argued that higher expertise relies on disciplined norms against which expert activity can be evaluated, and such norms are the basis not only for knowledge communities in higher education but also for other societal institutions. However, expertise in these communities and institutions is challenged by ‘post-truth’ developments that are fuelled by the marketisation and commodification of expertise, and by a collapse in deference and trust throughout society to which expert institutions and communities have not yet adequately responded. The consequences for higher education can be usefully explored via Durkheim’s discussion of the social organisation of religion and magic. Bernstein’s pedagogic rights of enhancement, inclusion and participation are subsequently examined to offer insight into how higher expertise may be sustained in such a context.