Using Online Surveys to Promote and Assess Learning

This article explores the use of online survey software to collect data from students during class to efficiently use class time. Several example activities for an introductory statistics classroom are considered. We also discuss utilization of online survey software for other purposes such as collecting assessment information and student preferences related to statistics projects.     

Oral History in the Classroom: A Comparison of Traditional and On-line Gerontology Classes

In this study, the effectiveness of an oral history assignment was assessed in a traditional gerontology class versus a distance education (DE) gerontology class. Attitudes toward older adults and the aging process were measured before and after students in the traditional (n = 29) and DE (n = 16) setting completed an oral history assignment. Scores were evaluated at posttest for differences between groups. The assignment positively influenced students' attitude toward older adults in both classes. Results indicate that this assignment was as effective in the DE setting as in the traditional setting. Findings suggest that oral history is an effective teaching assignment in a DE gerontology class.     

The effect of Twitter posts on students’ perceptions of instructor credibility

Greater numbers of instructors are turning to social networking sites to communicate with students. This study examined whether posting social, scholarly, or a combination of social and scholarly information to Twitter has an impact on the perceived credibility of the instructor. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: a group that viewed social tweets, one that viewed scholarly tweets, and one that viewed a combination of social and scholarly tweets. Participants were then asked questions about the instructor’s perceived credibility. Results show that participants who viewed only the social tweets rated the instructor significantly higher in perceived credibility than the group that viewed only the scholarly tweets. No other significant differences were found among the groups. These results have implications for both teaching and learning, as there is an established link between perceived instructor credibility and positive learning outcomes.     

Training School Leaders in Sweden

The article analyses the identified needs of school leader training in Sweden against the background of declared aims and a general policy of decentralisation. Strategies designed to meet these needs are described, together with evaluative comments.

Dans le contexte d'une politique générale de décentralisation et en tenant compte des objectifs définis pour le système scolaire suédois, l'article analyse les besoins reconnus de la formation des responsables. Des stratégies prévues pour répondre à ces besoins sont décrites avec des remarques sur l'évolution.     

Engaging employers in assessment

The authors describe a pilot project in which formative feedback from industry professionals creates a genuine learning experience for students.     

Experiments with Audio-Visual Aids at the Stockholm School of Education

The current educational plans for different school grades consider the use of AV aids as something quite natural and self-evident. But in order to put the plans into action it is important that the various training colleges spend enough time on teaching the use of AV aids.     

Auswahlbibliografie

Auswahlbibliografie

Auswahlbibliografie     

Early Educational Intervention, Early Cumulative Risk, and the Early Home Environment as Predictors of Young Adult Outcomes Within a High-Risk Sample

The extent to which early educational intervention, early cumulative risk, and the early home environment were associated with young adult outcomes was investigated in a sample of 139 young adults (age 21) from high-risk families enrolled in randomized trials of early intervention. Positive effects of treatment were found for education attainment, attending college, and skilled employment; negative effects of risk were found for education attainment, graduating high school, being employed, and avoiding teen parenthood. The home mediated the effects of risk for graduating high school, but not being employed for teen parenthood. Evidence for moderated mediation was found for educational attainment; the home mediated the association between risk and educational attainment for the control group, but not the treated group.