Teachers’ experience with inclusive education in Singapore

Teachers’ positive attitude is most critically and consistently associated with successful inclusion. However, little is known about teachers’ first-hand encounters with inclusive education in Singapore. We present findings from a qualitative study on inclusion based on focus group interviews with 202 teachers from 41 resourced primary schools. The data were transcribed and coded using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis and NVIVO software. Two broad clusters identified were teachers’ positive and negative experiences in implementing inclusion. More reference was made to negative than positive experiences. The most dominant negative experience was stress from challenging behaviours and instructional difficulties of catering adequately for diverse needs in the same classroom. The most salient positive experience was satisfaction with pupils’ progress and new learning for teachers. Classroom practices that facilitated inclusion and the value of training in shaping teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion were highlighted.     

The evolution of an approach for using analogies in teaching and learning science

An important contribution to effective teaching and learning can be made by teachers' understanding of the central topics in each subject area and knowing how to transform their content knowledge into knowledge for teaching. One aspect of this knowledge is the use of analogies which can effectively communicate concepts to students of particular backgrounds and prerequisite knowledge. Indeed, analogies are considered to be an important component in the repertoire of effective teachers. However, research about teachers' use of analogies in science lessons provides little guidance about the optimum approaches that may be taken by preservice teachers, novice teachers, experienced teachers or reluctant analogy users. This paper describes the evolution of an approach for using analogies in science teaching that addresses both findings from the research literature and recognises the needs of practising teachers. Specializations: learning and teaching science concepts, technology education.     

Curiosity and openmindedness in open and traditional classrooms

In an attempt to determine if an open classroom environment encourages greater curiosity and/or openmindedness than does a traditional classroom environment, 41 open classroom children and 42 traditional classroom children completed an openmindedness scale and 5 subtests of a curiosity scale. Sex was included as a factor and IQ was included as a covariate in all analyses. No significant sex differences were found. The significantly higher mean curiosity score for the open classroom group was primarily due to significant differences between classrooms on 2 of the subtests: those measuring preference for novelty and change (p <.05). The results were interpreted as an indication that the open classroom may encourage some aspects of curiosity to a greater extent than does the traditional classroom.     

Biology Undergraduates' Misconceptions about Genetic Drift

This study explores biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to describe students' definitions, identify common misconceptions, and examine differences before and after instruction on genetic drift. We identify and describe five overarching categories that include 16 distinct misconceptions about genetic drift. The accuracy of students' conceptions ranges considerably, from responses indicating only superficial, if any, knowledge of any aspect of evolution to responses indicating knowledge of genetic drift but confusion about the nuances of genetic drift. After instruction, a significantly greater number of responses indicate some knowledge of genetic drift (p = 0.005), but 74.6% of responses still contain at least one misconception. We conclude by presenting a framework that organizes how students' conceptions of genetic drift change with instruction. We also articulate three hypotheses regarding undergraduates' conceptions of evolution in general and genetic drift in particular. We propose that: 1) students begin with undeveloped conceptions of evolution that do not recognize different mechanisms of change; 2) students develop more complex, but still inaccurate, conceptual frameworks that reflect experience with vocabulary but still lack deep understanding; and 3) some new misconceptions about genetic drift emerge as students comprehend more about evolution.     

Behavioral contrast and responding during multiple food-food,food-water,and water-water schedules

Five pigeons pecked lighted keys for food reinforcers delivered by several multiple variable interval 2-min variable interval 2-min schedules. At different times, the components of the multiple schedule both supplied food reinforcers, both supplied water, or one supplied food and the other supplied water. Rates of responding during the water component of the food-water schedule were lower than the rates during comparable components of the water-water schedules (negative contrast). But, the rates of responding during the food component of the food-water schedule were not greater than the rates of responding during comparable components of the food-food schedules (absence of positive contrast) at two different levels of water deprivation. These results raise questions about several theories of behavioral contrast, and they may restrict the scope of any theory that attributes positive and negative contrast to symmetrical factors.     

A Two-Year Longitudinal Study of Stressful Life Events, Social Support, and Social Problem-Solving Skills: Contributions to Children''s Behavioral and Academic Adjustment

We investigated the contributions of stressful life events and resources (social support and social problem-solving skills) to predicting changes in children's adjustment. At Time 1, 361 third through fifth graders completed measures of social support and social problem-solving skills. Their parents completed a stressful life events scale and a child behavior rating measure. The children's teachers provided ratings of behavioral and academic adjustment. 2-year follow-up data (Time 2) were obtained for approximately half of the sample on the same measures. Time 1 stressful life events and resources showed some significant but modest zero-order correlations with the Time 2 adjustment indices. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed prospective effects for Time 1 social support on later teacher-rated competencies and grade-point average. In addition, increases over time in social support and social problem-solving skills (a composite score) were significantly related to improvement in behavioral and academic adjustment, whereas stressful life events were not predictive of adjustment.     

Instruction and science learning: A quantitative synthesis

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively synthesize quality and quantity of instruction studies with the same or similar independent variables in the published science education grade 6-12 research of the 1963-1978 period. Fifty-two studies formed six clusters and revealed significant positive cognitive outcomes due to the use of preinstructional strategies, training in scientific thinking, increased structure in the verbal content of materials, and increased realism or concreteness in adjunct materials. In general, systematic innovation in instruction was found to produce positive improvements over the norm or traditional practice. Methodologically, improved research design quality was related to larger effect sizes. Recommendations are made regarding application, use of multiple measures, attitudinal research, use of general education findings, and the reporting of research.     

The chimera of the competency-based approach to teaching mathematics: a study of carpentry purchases for home projects

Educational Studies in Mathematics - The competency-based approach conceives mathematics as a necessary tool for dealing with daily-life tasks. Many studies have focused on examining the low math...