Invented spelling activities in small groups and early spelling and reading

Our aim was to assess the impact of an invented spelling programme conducted in small groups on children’s written language acquisition in Portuguese. We expected the experimental group to have better post-test results than the control group in spelling and reading. Participants were 160 preschool-age children who were randomly divided into an experimental and a control group. Their age, cognitive ability, knowledge of letters and phonological abilities were controlled. Children’s spelling and reading were evaluated in a pre- and a post-test. In-between, experimental group participated in an invented spelling programme in small groups and the control group in story readings. The experimental group showed better results in spelling and reading in the post-test than the control one. Different dynamics occurred in the small groups which had different impacts on children’s acquisitions. These results provide empirical support for the proposal that invented spelling should be incorporated into early literacy instruction.     

Dialectical dividends: fostering hybridity of new pedagogical practices and partnerships in science education and outreach

Science literacy has become socially and economically very important. European countries stress that science graduates are fundamental for economic growth. Nevertheless, there is a declining student participation in science. In response, there has been a call to change the way science is taught in schools, which focuses on inquiry methods rooted in constructivism. Universities and other organisations have responded by developing outreach programmes to improve student engagement in science. Given this context, there is a necessity for research to ascertain if this new relationship between outreach and education is worthwhile. This study examines and compares primary teachers and outreach practitioners understanding and perceptions of constructivist science pedagogy, in an effort to understand the potential of a teacher-outreach partnership. For this, qualitative and quantitative methods were employed, taking a dialectic pragmatic stance. Contradicting the recurrent view, teachers and outreach providers revealed favourable views in relation to constructivism, despite recognising barriers to its implementation. These results support a partnership between teachers and outreach practitioners and the realisation of the hybrid role of each participant. The results also reveal an important dynamic in outreach access to schools. Specifically, the outreach connected teachers acted as gatekeepers by negotiating access into their colleagues classrooms.     

Double degrees: double the trouble or twice the return?

Double degrees (also called joint or combined degrees)—programs of study combining two bachelor degrees—are increasingly popular in Australian universities, particularly among women. A case study using qualitative and quantitative surveys of current and past double degree students is presented. The study indicates that double degrees benefit students in providing a broad education and increasing skills and options. However, benefits are not fully realised because of administrative difficulties, lack of support and absence of ‘learning communities’. These problems arise because double degrees sit outside the disciplinary structure of universities. As such, however, double degrees have potential to provide transdisciplinary education. We suggest initiatives that would improve the experience, performance and persistence of double degree students. They would also build the skills of integration, boundary work, communication and teamwork associated with transdisciplinarity. These skills not only equip students for a range of employment; they are sorely needed in society.

Identification of visual dimensions in photographs using multidimensional scaling techniques

An examination of underlying visual dimensions commonly perceived in photographs was conducted using multidimensional scaling techniques. Fifteen male and female university graduate students individually examined 34 photographs chosen to represent a broad range of visual topics. Similarity judgments between photographs were used for multidimensional scaling, while subject interview data were used to describe meaningful visual concepts. Results indicate that pictures were grouped in clusters along three observable dimensions. Life, nature, and culture emerged as the dimensions of primary importance to viewers. This suggests the existence of universal meaning systems in visuals for communicating denotative and connotative meaning and presents experimental variables for future hypothesis testing. We gratefully acknowledge David Lancy’s inspiration and Ed Greenberg’s significant contribution to this work.     

Problematising the use of education to address social inequity: Could participatory action research be a step forwards?

This paper critiques international trends towards certain school practices aimed at promoting equity and social justice by closing gaps in specific learning outcomes among students. It argues that even though some of these practices (e.g. individualised student support, data‐driven leadership) improve learning outcomes for certain groups considered ‘disadvantaged’, they fail to have a genuine impact on the issue. They remain ‘locked’ in the logic of social mobility, reaffirming the legitimacy of a hierarchical system underpinned by competitive individualism, which unfairly distributes social opportunities under the guise of ‘merit’ and ‘justice’. The paper argues that unless students develop awareness of the subtle injustices legitimised by the current system, no specialised interventions will ever tackle inequity, but will, instead, reinforce it. Yet, attempts to explicitly challenge mainstream school practices are likely to face harsh resistance from system agents due to being so ingrained in school cultures. An alternative strategy is suggested which, without being too subversive, could raise students’ awareness—what Freire called ‘conscientização’. This would entail the application of participatory action research (PAR), under the cloak of traditional (system‐aligned) action research. Such PAR, despite its political character, would initially appear to fulfil the performative role of more technical interventions (e.g. raising test scores), but in such a way that ‘conscientização’ also happens in the process. This may set the ground for social reform, encouraging the transition to a more sustainable and equitable society based on collectivity and solidarity.     

Project InterActions: A Multigenerational Robotic Learning Environment

This paper presents Project InterActions, a series of 5-week workshops in which very young learners (4- to 7-year-old children) and their parents come together to build and program a personally meaningful robotic project in the context of a multigenerational robotics-based community of practice. The goal of these family workshops is to teach both parents and children about the mechanical and programming aspects involved in robotics, as well as to initiate them in a learning trajectory with and about technology. Results from this project address different ways in which parents and children learn together and provide insights into how to develop educational interventions that would educate parents, as well as children, in new domains of knowledge and skills such as robotics and new technologies.

Book reviews

The presence of a virtual learning environment (VLE) in an on‐campus setting can alter the dimensions of existing learning and teaching relationships. Research literature indicates that increased engagement with educational technology can have the effect of drawing staff and students closer together (both physically and virtually) rather than encouraging campus‐based institutions to deliver more of their provision at a distance. This paper will explore how on‐campus students can benefit from appropriate use of technology in ways that make them feel increasingly connected with their institution and their peers. Using qualitative data we explore how effective use of technology can help to bridge the physical gap between the students, their institution and their peers – even where the actual interactions between students take place offline – and how the combination of physical and virtual learning environments can be used to create an effective learning and teaching experience.

Etablissement d'une ligne dans un environnement de formation integré. La présence d'un environnement virtuel de formation (VLE) sur le campus peut changer les dimensions des relations d'enseignement et de formation existantes. La littérature de recherche démontre qu'une l'utilisation augmentée de la technologie d'éducation interactive a surtout l'effet de rapprocher le corps enseignant et les étudiants (aussi bien physiquement que virtuellement) plutôt que d'encourager les institutions basées sur le campus de transmettre leur services d'éducation de manière plus renforcée (Cairncross, ; Graetz &; Goliber, ). Cet exposé démontre comment les étudiants du campus peuvent bénifier de l'utilisation appropriée de la technologie afin de se sentir plus apparentés à leur institution et à leurs camarades. En utilisant des dates qualitatives, nous explorons comment l'utilisation effective de la technologie permet de surmonter la lacune physique entre les étudiants, leur institution et leurs camarades – même si les interactions réelles entre les étudiants ont lieu dans milieu autonome – et comment la combinaison des environnements physiques et virtuels de formation peut aider à créer une expérience d'enseignement et de formation effective.

Die Herstellung einer Verbindung in einem integrierten Lernumfeld. Die Existenz eines virtuellen Lernumfelds im Universitätsbereich kann die Dimensionen der bestehenden Lern‐ und Lehrbeziehungen verändern. Die Forschungsliteratur beweist, dass ein gesteigerter Dialog durch Bildungstechnologie eher das Lehrerkollegium und die Studenten (sowohl physisch als auch virtuell) zusammenbringt, als dass es Hochschulen motiviert, eine höhere, flächendeckende Unterstützung zu bieten. (Cairncorss, ; Graetz &; Goliber, ). Dieser Bericht belegt, wie Studenten im Universitätsbereich vom angemessenen Gebrauch der Technologie profitieren können, so dass sie sich zunehmend mit ihrer Hochschule und mit ihren Kommilitonen verbunden fühlen. Indem wir qualifizierte Daten verwenden, zeigen wir, wie die effektive Nutzung von Technologie helfen kann, die physische Lücke zwischen Studenten, ihrer Hochschule und ihren Kommilitonen zu überwinden – selbst wenn die tatsächlichen Interaktionen zwischen den Studenten offline stattfinden – und wie die Kombination physischer und virtueller Lernumfelder genutzt werden kann, um eine effektive Lern‐ und Lehrerfahrung entstehen zu lassen.     

Principles of Pedagogy and Evaluation for Web-Based Learning

The authors have designed a number of courses at Arizona State University, which were delivered on the internet and supported with computer conferencing software. In this paper the authors will present an online course, discuss issues relating to online learning environments, reflect on their experiences from teaching online and discuss the findings of the course evaluation. Emphasis of the discussion will be on the pedagogical principles for effective teaching and evaluation of learning in an online environment.

Principes de pédagogie et d'évaluation pour l'apprentissage fondé sur le Web

Les auteurs ont conçu et élaboré un certain nombre de cours à l'Université d'Etat de l'Arizona qui ont été donnés sur Internet, complétés par des logiciels de conférences. Dans cet article les auteurs présentent un cours en ligne, discutant des problèmes soulevés par les environnements des apprentissages en ligne, réfléchissant sur leurs expériences d'enseignants utilisant ce mode d'enseignement et discutant des résultats des évaluations des cours. L'accent sera mis sur les principes pédagogiques conduisant à un enseignement efficace et à une évaluation de l'apprentissage dans un tel environnement.

Grundregeln von Pädagogik und Evaluation für web-basiertes Lernen

Die Autoren haben eine Anzahl von Kursen an der Arizona Landesuniversität entworfen, die auf das Internet geliefert und mit Computer-Conferencing-Software unterstützt wurden. In diesem Papier stellen die Autoren einen Onlinekurs vor, behandeln Einzelfragen in bezug auf Onlinelernumgebungen, reflektieren ihre Erfahrungen über das Online-Unterrichten und behandeln die Frage der Kursauswertung. Im Mittelpunkt der Diskussion stehen pädagogische Grundregeln für effektives Lehren und die Überprüfung des Lernens in einer Online-Umgebung.     

Analyzing Learning About Conservation of Matter in Students While Adapting to the Needs of a School

We probed the impact of two teaching strategies, guided inquiry and argumentation, on students' conceptual understanding of the conservation of matter. Conservation of matter is a central concept in middle school science curriculum and a prerequisite upon which rests more complex constructs in chemistry. The results indicate that guided inquiry was particularly effective in improving students' conceptual understanding, as evidenced by pre/posttest results and by a skill analysis of in-depth interviews of student dyads. We also discuss how the challenges inherent to educational contexts can undermine the quality and limit the impact of empirical research carried out in many schools. We suggest how these challenges could be met in the emerging infrastructures for change called the Research Schools Network.     

Cardiac autonomic and haemodynamic recovery after a single session of aerobic exercise with and without blood flow restriction in older adults

This study investigated the autonomic and haemodynamic responses to different aerobic exercise loads, with and without blood flow restriction (BFR). In a crossover study, 21 older adults (8 males and 13 females) completed different aerobic exercise sessions: low load without BFR (LL) (40% VO_2max), low load with BFR (LL-BFR) (40% VO_2max + 50% BFR) and high load without BFR (HL) (70% VO_2max). Heart rate variability and haemodynamic responses were recorded during rest and throughout 30 min of recovery. HL reduced R–R interval, the root mean square of successive difference of R–R intervals and high frequency during 30 min of recovery at a greater magnitude compared with LL and LL-BFR. Sympathetic–vagal balance increased the values for HL during 30 min of recovery at a greater magnitude when compared with LL and LL-BFR. Post-exercise haemodynamic showed reduced values of double product at 30 min of recovery compared to rest in LL-BFR, while HL showed higher values compared to rest, LL-BFR and LL. Reduced systolic blood pressure was observed for LL-BFR (30 min) compared to rest. Autonomic and haemodynamic responses indicate lower cardiovascular stress after LL-BFR compared to HL, being this method, besides the functional adaptations, a potential choice to attenuate the cardiovascular stress after exercise in older adults.