An analytical framework for analyzing student teachers’ verbal interaction in learning situations

This paper focuses on the study of student teachers’ verbal interaction in learning situations generated in a classroom corresponding to a mathematics methods course. In our work, we incorporate two ‘ways of seeing’ a group: as an entity or as a set composed of individualities. We present an analytical framework that considers two dimensions connected with these ways of seeing the group and four variables corresponding to these dimensions, through which the verbal interaction between student teachers in a group can be considered. As regards the first dimension, the variables included are specific language, cognitive processing, social processing; the second dimension considers the relational variable. We describe each of the different variables that form the framework, and how this framework allows us to analyse the verbal interaction in three groups of student teachers. We believe that building analytic frameworks that allow the study of verbal interaction in detail is worthwhile in the educational field due to their important role in the analysis of learning-teaching processes.     

El análisis de la palabra como instrumento para la rehabilitación de la dyslexia

Resumen

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido diseñar y comprobar empíricamente el efecto que tiene una Instrucción en Habilidades de Análisis de la palabra sobre la mejora en el aprendizaje lecto-escritor de niños disléxicos. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la instrucción produce una mejora significativa en la escritura al dictado de frases sueltas y en el dictado de textos. Los entrenamientos favorecieron la adquisición del metalenguaje (tareas de inversiones, adiciones, omisiones). Y no se alcanzaron resultados satisfactorios en el nivel de lectura de los niños con ninguno de los tipos de instrucciones.     

Reflexiones sobre el lenguaje autista. I.—Análisis descrpitivos y diferencias con la disfasia receptiva

Resumen

En este articulo, se revisan las descripciones clínicas y los estudios sistemáticos que tratan de establecer los rasgos que definen al lenguaje de los autistas cuando se les compara con el dé los sujetos normales o con otras clases de alteraciones. En la última parte de él, se analizan especialmente las semejanzas y diferencias entre el lenguaje autista y el de los niños con disfasia receptiva del desarrollo y anlizaremos la llamada «tesis de continuidad», que concibe el autismo como una especie de disfasia receptiva grave. En un trabajo posterior, se analizarán más específicamente algunas de las alteraciones más características del lenguaje de los autistas (p.e. ecolalia, inversión pronominal, problemas de comprensión) y se discutirán sus anomalías y retrasos en relación con los distintos componentes (fonológico, morfosintáctico, léxico, etc.) en que puede analizarse el lenguaje.     

Intellectual property rights,trade agreements,and international trade

The global process of strengthening and harmonization of intellectual property rights (IPRs) systems has been intensified in the last twenty five years by the signing of trade agreements (TAs) that include chapters with intellectual property (IP) provisions and other trade-related issues. This paper provides a first exploration of whether and how the signing of TAs with IP chapters influences bilateral trade flows for a balanced panel of 110 countries and the period 1995–2013. We address methodological issues related to the assessment of the effect of TAs on bilateral trade. We use matching econometrics to evaluate the treatment of TAs with and without IP chapters. In addition, we estimate the effects of TAs on bilateral trade in a more dynamic fashion using a panel data approach based on the gravity model. Also, we perform our analysis for trade in low- and high-IP intensive products. We found that both types of TAs increase bilateral trade but TAs with no IPRs chapters have a stronger positive effect on trade. However, if we include lags to consider that TAs with IP chapters might need a longer implementation time, the net expected increase on trade is similar for both types of TAs. We also found that the effects depend on the development level of countries and on the IP intensity of products. We found a clear positive effect for developed countries, but we do not observe important gains for developing countries in all sectors and to all destinations derived from TAs with IP chapters. This raises the question of whether trade gains can compensate the effort related with IP reforms.     

Checking the underlying structure of R-SPQ-2F using covariance structure analysis / Comprobación de la estructura subyacente del R-SPQ-2F mediante análisis de estructura de covarianza

The R-SPQ-2F is an instrument used in many studies to measure learning approaches. However, its internal structure is still a matter of debate. It is important to confirm its underlying structure in order to find out which variables are being measured with it. A survey method is used with 279 students of the Faculty of Education at the University of León, and alternative models found in the literature are compared using covariance structure analysis, specifically, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). We conclude that the structure that best fits the data is a two-factor structure in line with the results obtained in other studies. Future research should take these two primary factors into account when interpreting their findings. Solutions are also offered for improving the scale with the original 20 items.     

Expatriate ‘experts’ in Indonesia and Thailand: Professional and personal qualities for effective teaching and consulting

Structured group interviews with Thai and Indonesian educators indicate that expatriate experts require a wide range of personal and professional qualities to be effective: they must have expertise, be able to establish and maintain good relationships with people, be well organised and effective teachers, and transfer information and skills that are applicable and of benefit to the nation. None of these qualities is simple or uni-dimensional. The study shows, for example, that expertise has several elements including technical expertise, cultural knowledge, language ability and expertise in education. Practical implications of the findings are in overseas project design, management and placement of personnel, professional development of experts, and in the design, implementation and evaluation of teaching and training.

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Zusammenfassung Strukturierte Gruppeninterviews mit thailändischen und indonesischen Erziehern zeigen, daß augebürgerte Experten weitreichende persönliche und berufliche Fähigkeiten benötigen, um wirksam arbeiten zu können: Sie müssen Fachwissen besitzen, gute Beziehungen zu Menschen knüpfen und aufrechterhalten, gut vorbereitete und effektive Lehrer sein und Informationen und Fähigkeiten vermitteln, die anwendbar und von Nutzen für die Nation sind. Keine dieser Qualitäten ist einfach oder einseitig. Die Studie zeigt zum Beispiel, daß Fachwissen mehrere Bereiche umfaßt, wie z.B. technisches Fachwissen, Kulturkenntnisse, Sprachfähigkeiten und Fachwissen auf dem Gebiet der Erziehung. Praktische Folgerungen aus diesen Feststellungen finden sich in Projektentwürfen in Übersee, Management und Personaleinsatz, beruflicher Entwicklung von Experten sowie Entwurf, Durchführung und Evaluierung von Lehren und Fortbildung.

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Résumé Des interviews structurées de groupes avec des éducateurs thaïs et indonésiens indiquent que les experts expatriés nécessitent une large gamme de qualités personnelles et professionnelles pour être efficaces: ils doivent être expérimentés, être capables d'établir et de maintenir de bonnes relations avec les gens, être des enseignants bien organisés et efficaces, ils doivent transmettre des informations et des compétences qui sont applicables et profitables à la nation. Aucune de ces qualités n'est simple ou unidimensionnelle. Cette étude montre, par exemple, que la compétence englobe plusieurs éléments, tels que la compétence technique, la connaissance culturelle, l'aptitude linguistique et la compétence pédagogique. Les résultats obtenus ont des implications pratiques dans la conception des projets d'outre mer, l'administration et le recrutement du personnel, le développment professionnel des experts, au niveau de la conception, de la mise en oeuvre et de l'évaluation de l'enseignement et de la formation.

     

The professional development of Australian university teachers: An act of faith?

Teaching is the major professional activity of academic staff in Australian universities. Much disquiet about the quality of this teaching has been expressed by governments, committees of enquiry, students and by academics. There have been several attempts to improve the quality of university teaching, all of which have been considerable acts of faith. The persistence of disquiet, however, suggests that past efforts to improve the quality of university teaching have not been completely successful. An analysis of universities as organizations, of the characteristics of academic staff, and of the change process in universities leads to a number of conclusions about why past attempts to improve teaching may not have been as successful as hoped. First, the problem of improving teaching is extraordinarily complex. Complexity is inherent in the organizational character of universities and in the characteristics of academic staff and their work. Second, the attempts made to deal with the teaching problem are novel: the major responses to improving teaching did not come until the early-mid 1970s. Third, there was - and still is - a weak theoretical and knowledge base for action and, finally, the focus on developing individuals may not have been the best focus for teaching improvement strategies.     

Muscle activity and spine load during anterior chain whole body linkage exercises: the body saw,hanging leg raise and walkout from a push-up

This study examined anterior chain whole body linkage exercises, namely the body saw, hanging leg raise and walkout from a push-up. Investigation of these exercises focused on which particular muscles were challenged and the magnitude of the resulting spine load. Fourteen males performed the exercises while muscle activity, external force and 3D body segment motion were recorded. A sophisticated and anatomically detailed 3D model used muscle activity and body segment kinematics to estimate muscle force, and thus sensitivity to each individual's choice of motor control for each task. Gradations of muscle activity and spine load characteristics were observed across tasks. On average, the hanging straight leg raise created approximately 3000 N of spine compression while the body saw created less than 2500 N. The hanging straight leg raise created the highest challenge to the abdominal wall (>130% MVC in rectus abdominis, 88% MVC in external oblique). The body saw resulted in almost 140% MVC activation of the serratus anterior. All other exercises produced substantial abdominal challenge, although the body saw did so in the most spine conserving way. These findings, along with consideration of an individual's injury history, training goals and current fitness level, should assist in exercise choice and programme design.     

A view of rural schooling through the eyes of former students

Teachers who attended unitary rural schools in northwestern Spain were asked to relate their early school experiences in the form of a personal reflective and analytical narrative. Our analysis of these narratives revealed some strikingly difficult conditions; nevertheless, students tended to relate these hardships with a strong sense of nostalgia, focussing on the sense of community that they experienced. These results shed some light on the relevance of personal relations and the broader social and physical environment to the school ethos, and provides practice and design implications for urban as well as rural schooling contexts.