Convergence of Sequences and Series 2: Interactions Between Nonvisual Reasoning and the Learner’s Beliefs about their own Role

This paper examines the work of students who, when reasoning about real analysis, do so almost exclusively by means of verbal and algebraic reasoning, and tend not to incorporate visual images into their work. It examines the work of students from two parallel courses of introductory real analysis, whose reasoning ranges from those who introduce definitions appropriately and work with them competently, to those who cannot recall definitions and appear to manipulate notation without regard for its reference. It presents a theory that relates the differences to students expectations regarding their role as learners of mathematics. Throughout, the argument is illustrated with interview data from which the theory was inductively generated.     

Cognitive Empathy and the Transition to Independent Graduate Study in Mathematics

Thirteen Ph.D. students took part in interviews focussed on the nature of their own learning of mathematics. In analysing these interviews an unexpected category emerged concerning the students awareness of others as having particular types of learning goal. In this paper we explore the three levels which we discerned within this category and link them to the notion of cognitive empathy. We suggest that differences in ones own cognitive style are linked to differences in the ability to empathise with those who have alternative learning goals. We also consider how these two features – cognitive style and cognitive empathy – may come to be linked.     

Defining attitude for science educators

A distinct and complex definition of attitude is evolving within the literature. A mental readiness to respond and a correlational consistency between attitude and behavior—although controversial and in need of further study and analysis—remain viable subcomponents within the definition. Most agree that evaluation is the heartbeat of attitude. The impact of social influence on attitudes is becoming increasingly important. Attitudes are learned and not inherited.     

Governance and decision-making in higher education

Concluding Observations From the presentations of the survey outcomes is has become clear that substantial differences exist between both types of institutions as well as between countries. To a large extent, the results for the universities in particular still reflect the dominant notion of professional expertise, especially where the primary processes of teaching and research are concerned. At the same time, it also has become clear that the role of the central institutional administration is a non-negligible factor in higher education, especially for what we can call the ‘non-primary processes’ issues. With respect to differences between countries, the study shows substantial variation between the countries. This alone appears to provide sufficient basis to question the general assumption of the continental model. On the European continent clearly different institutional governance systems exist, and it would appear logical to relate these to the different ways in which national governments in these systems have changed their policies and policy priorities over the years. However, to shed further light on these differences, a more detailed analysis of the data will have to be performed, for example relating the survey out-comes to differences in governmental steering paradigms.     

LEARNING ECONOMICS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: AN INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THE QUALITY AND IMPACT OF EXPERTISE

This article reflects the results of an investigation involving economics and law students and focusing on the quality and impact of their expertise (or prior knowledge) in relation to the course, Economics and Money. Attention was paid in this project to the construction of different tests intended to grasp the complex nature of prior knowledge at the content level. In relation to the quality of expertise, the results of this project could reveal that economics and law students possess a composite of different expertise components. In relation to the impact of prior knowledge on the acquisition of subject‐oriented knowledge, regression analysis shows that expertise accounts for 16 to 17 percent of the variance in posttest scores. Although this percentage is limited, further analysis could reveal that optimal requisite knowledge and mathematics are important in this perspective. These results are important since they might be helpful in order to guide future initiatives to support students in the initial stages of their studies to cope with the demands of specific domains to be studied. In this study, study time was also used as an independent variable to hypothesize about differences in expertise in the impact on the acquisition of new subject matter. No significant findings could be derived to support hypotheses in this context.     

Recasting the academic workforce: why the attractiveness of the academic profession needs to be increased and eight possible strategies for how to go about this from an Australian perspective

This article analyses academic work and the academic workforce in the context of current dynamics and likely futures. It discusses the significance of academic work, reviews workforce characteristics, and analyses tensions and pressures. Prevailing conceptualisations, it is argued, do not reflect the current situation in which the profession finds itself, and would provide a very shaky foundation on which to build the future workforce. There is an overarching need for a fresh conceptualisation of academic work that is authentic and feasible and suggestions are offered of what this might look like. A number of strategies are proposed how such a recasting might be implemented. The paper works from Australian research, and make suggestions for other systems.