COLLEGE STUDENTS’ REACTIONS TOWARDS KEY FACETS OF CLASSROOM TESTING

The major aim of the present study is to assess college students’ attitudes, perceptions, emotional reactions and affective dispositions with respect to various critical dimensions of course achievement testing and assessment, including: “papers” vs. “exams”, “essay” vs. “multiple choice” type formats, “open book” vs. “closed book” exams, “free choice” among items vs. “no free choice” among items, and “oral” vs. “written” modes of test administration. A further aim is to delineate the construction, properties, and potential classroom uses and applications of a selected sample of examinee feedback inventories designed to gauge students’ test attitudes and dispositions. The use of each examinee feedback inventory is demonstrated and exemplified in the context of an empirical study. This paper discusses the assumptions underlying the use of feedback systems in college achievement evaluation; their importance for assessing the face validity of classroom tests; some possible future applications of feedback inventories for research and applied purposes in college; and some guidelines for future research. A mapping sentence specifying the universe of content of test attitude and examinee feedback research is suggested as a heuristic device for guiding future research.     

Who will teach an integrated program for science and technology in Israeli junior high schools?: A case study

The teachers' role in the integration of science and technology studies within the recent educational reform in Israeli junior high schools was addressed within a case study. Eight science teachers and three technology teachers participated in in‐service training courses and received individual tutoring. Data were obtained through school visits, interviews with management, teachers, and tutors. Pupils' performance on a science‐technology project was assessed by an achievement test and a questionnaire. Science teachers preferred to extend their content knowledge and didactic skills in science. Technology teachers lacked basic scientific knowledge. A realistic aim is to expose the science teacher to the field of technology, and the technology teacher to the realm of science, to the extent that will enable him or her to cooperate with the teacher in the parallel domain, rather than train a teacher to teach both. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 239–253, 1999     

Science Teacher Education in the Twenty-First Century: a Pedagogical Framework for Technology-Integrated Social Constructivism

Changes in our global world have shifted the skill demands from acquisition of structured knowledge to mastery of skills, often referred to as twenty-first century competencies. Given these changes, a sequential explanatory mixed methods study was undertaken to (a) examine predominant instructional methods and technologies used by teacher educators, (b) identify attributes for learning and teaching in the twenty-first century, and (c) develop a pedagogical framework for promoting meaningful usage of advanced technologies. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via an online survey, personal interviews, and written reflections with science teacher educators and student teachers. Findings indicated that teacher educators do not provide sufficient models for the promotion of reform-based practice via web 2.0 environments, such as Wikis, blogs, social networks, or other cloud technologies. Findings also indicated four attributes for teaching and learning in the twenty-first century: (a) adapting to frequent changes and uncertain situations, (b) collaborating and communicating in decentralized environments, (c) generating data and managing information, and (d) releasing control by encouraging exploration. Guided by social constructivist paradigms and twenty-first century teaching attributes, this study suggests a pedagogical framework for fostering meaningful usage of advanced technologies in science teacher education courses.     

Right-Wing Pirate Radio Broadcasting in Israel: The Political Discourse About Channel 7, 1993–2003

This study examines an Israeli right-wing pirate radio station, Channel 7. Channel 7 was established in 1988 as a sea-based pirate radio station of the right-wing block in the religious-Zionist movement. Three questions were posed in the research: (a) What is the social representation of right-wing pirate radio station in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) discussions? (b) Did Yitzhak Rabin (Israeli Prime Minister) assassination influence the social representation of Channel 7 in the Knesset discussions? and (c) How does right-wing Knesset Members' social representation of Channel 7 differ from that of left-wing Knesset Members? An analysis of 115 parliamentary debates held in Israel between 1993 and 2003 referring to Channel 7 suggests the Knesset tended to affirm right-wing argumentation, Rabin's assassination strengthened right-wing as well as left-wing contentions, both right-wing and left-wing MKs tended to preserve the status quo and avoid changes, and right-wingers turned down left-wing demands for regulation.     

Unpacking Our Academic Suitcases: The Inner Workings of Our Feminist Research Group

In this paper we focus on the lived experiences of multidisciplinary scholars as we navigated and coalesced into a productive, interdisciplinary collaboration. We pull from our foundations in feminist methodology and provide excerpts from personal journals and reflexive group interviews to provide a behind-the-scenes account of the inner workings of a feminist research group. While sharing a common research goal, each member negotiated her personal, conceptual, and epistemological stances as we produced an effective, interdisciplinary pastiche. Throughout this process, we worked to create a non-hierarchical atmosphere, continuously and ethically questioned our methods, and incorporated reflexivity in the research processes. In addition to sharing our past experiences, we note challenges we encountered and offer practical suggestions based on the lessons we learned through this collaboration.     

Profound understanding of emergent mathematics: broadening the construct of teachers’ disciplinary knowledge

We discuss the teachers’ disciplinary knowledge of mathematics in this article, arguing two main points as we report on a 2-year study involving 22 practicing teachers. First we argue that teachers’ knowledge of mathematics might be productively construed as a complex evolving form, a significant dimension of which is tacit knowledge. Second, based on our first point, we suggest that this knowledge is better understood as a learnable disposition than a domain to be mastered.     

Student counselling in Israeli universities

Israeli students are relatively older than most Western students and usually more mature. Nevertheless, not a few of them are troubled with problems like home-separation, occupational guidance, acculturation, loneliness, self-image, marital conflicts, transition from university, etc. Therefore, by using individual and group counselling, as well as crisis interventions and various workshops, Student Counselling Centers have a major role in advancing students' wellness.