What is “Real-World” ID Anyway?

The term “real-world ID” is commonly heard at professional conferences, but its meaning is assumed rather than defined. Unless we examine the meanings and implications of rhetoric of the field, we risk error in presenting ourselves, and we risk derailing the progress of our profession. This article examines the term “real world” as applied to instructional design, from published articles to anecdotes, and considers its meanings, assumptions, inferences and implications. Both the full term and its truncated variations are used to signal two dichotomies: 1) more and less authentic professional design practice, and 2) a contrast between design instruction and design practice. Both uses range across process, products and contexts. The scholarly literature and curricular evidence demonstrate that instruction in ID is more often authentic than artificial. Evidence from ID practice demonstrates its tremendous diversity and range, and underscores that there is no generic version of design justifying this popular stereotype. As IDT scholars and professionals, we have a responsibility to communicate with precision and to challenge overgeneralization that contributes to misconception and division in the field.     

Revolution at the Library Service Desk

ABSTRACT

This article will describe how a revolution in customer service provision beginning in 2002 has led to an evolution of library services. When the reference and circulation desks were merged to create a single service point, responsibilities were broadened, core competencies were developed, and staff members were cross trained. In 2005, an analysis of staffing and work patterns demonstrated a need to build upon the original model to better utilize staff and ensure coverage of the desk. Reference librarians were moved to “on call” status, technical services staff were added to the schedule, and core competencies and procedures were refined.     

The voice of deceit: Refining and expanding vocal cues to deception

This study examined the nature of deceptive vocal behavior in interactive situations. Data from an earlier study were used to conduct a detailed analysis of vocal features of deceptive speech. Vocal samples were analyzed perceptually and acoustically. Of three categories examined (time, frequency, and intensity), the time variables best discriminated between truthful and deceptive speakers, with deceivers exhibiting shorter message length, longer response latencies, slower tempo, and less fluency than truthtellers. Deceivers also evidenced increased intensity range, increased pitch variance, and less pleasant vocal quality than truthtellers.     

Encouraging reflection in preservice teachers through response journals

Abstract

Reflection is an essential quality that needs to be instilled in preservice teachers in order for them to experience success in the classroom (Groce, Henson, & Woods, 1999; Hatton & Smith, 1995; Lin, Gorrell, & Porter, 1999); however, the teaching of reflection and meaning making is sometimes expected by instructors yet left untaught as a skill (Salvatori, 1996). The purpose of this study is to provide a tool for the teaching of reflection among preservice teachers‐the response journal. Response journals can create an artifact of thinking (Pritchard, 1993) that offers a mechanism for reflecting, applying, and questioning. This study chronicles the use of journals in a required undergraduate educational psychology course, offers a template for the incorporation of response journals, and suggests relevant prompts and evaluation methods. In addition, the study provides a summary of preservice teachers’ perceptions of and final responses to the response journals that are compiled throughout the course of instruction.     

Science as experience,exploration, and experiments: elementary teachers’ notions of ‘doing science’

ABSTRACT

Much of the literature on science teaching suggests that elementary teachers lack relevant prior experiences with science. This study begins to reframe the deficit approach to research in science teaching by privileging the experiences elementary teachers have had with science – both in and out of schools – throughout their lives. Our work uses identity as a lens to examine the complexities of elementary teachers’ narrative accounts of their experiences with science over the course of their lives. Our findings identify components of teachers’ science-related experiences in order to lay the groundwork for making connections between teachers’ personal experiences and professional practice. This work demonstrates that teachers’ storied lives are important for educational researchers and teacher educators, as they reveal elements of teaching knowledge that may be productive and resourceful for refining teachers’ science practice.     

Constructing new identities? The role of gender and education in rural girls' life aspirations in Peru

This paper focuses on rural and indigenous girls and their mothers in Peru, examining how they position schooling and education in their current life and future aspirations, in order to better understand girls' increasing participation in education. It is argued here that the high educational aspirations girls and their families have are not only related to the desire to overcome poverty and marginalisation but also to oppressive gender relations. The widening of female roles available to young rural women is impacting on their identities and life projects. The paper shows that these processes are not purely individual but intertwined with intergenerational agreements, family projects, and shared understandings of the changes needed to improve the life of young women, revealing important transformations in rural and indigenous families. The paper analyses qualitative data from boys and girls in three settings and focuses in more detail on three in-depth case studies.     

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as collaborative working: a case study in shared practice and collective purpose

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has yet to fully enter the mainstream of life in higher education. In this case study, we consider a specific network focused on the reform of engineering education. The network involves global collaboration within the discipline of Engineering and is based around curricular activity that affects entire departments or groups of staff. We suggest that SoTL should pay greater attention to collaboration that addresses substantive disciplinary purposes, further embodying these purposes through spaces, motivations and capacities for action in the disciplinary and departmental setting. We frame our argument around a theoretical model of collaborative working in higher education and go on to offer a synoptic overview of ways to articulate common purpose around teaching and learning at large. Our account highlights potential drivers for such collaborative activity in other settings. In this way, we offer a means for others to develop the collective commitments, structures and understanding needed to mainstream SoTL within specific disciplinary or departmental settings.