Writing intervention with elementary students struggling with writing: examining approach profiles to the teacher feedback on writing quality and motivational variables

Reading and Writing - Many young students experience difficulties mastering writing, and are designated as students struggling with writing. Teacher feedback on writing is an educational tool...     

On the Epistemic Value of Students’ Conceptions in Science Education

Science & Education - In this article, I present an analysis of the epistemic value of the students' conceptions, as employed in the current constructivist research. I focus on the...     

Field Practice in La Mixteca: Transnational Teacher Education in the Service of Mexican Indigenous Students in U.S. Schools

Initial research has documented the ill treatment suffered by Mexican indigenous students in U.S. schools. Using a framework of transnational teacher education, we examined the impact of field practice in an indigenous area of Mexico on teacher candidates. Candidates showed growth in new understandings, such as their role as bilingual teachers in terms of validating students’ cultures and their sense of global interconnectedness with transnational students and communities. Applied classroom projects several months after field practice showed a similar impact, beginning to make the case that transnational field practice can also positively influence the academic performance of the candidates’ future students.     

The colloquial approach: An active learning technique

This paper addresses the very important problem of the effectiveness of teaching methodologies in fundamental engineering courses such as transport phenomena. An active learning strategy, termed the colloquial approach, is proposed in order to increase student involvement in the learning process. This methodology is a considerable departure from traditional methods that use solo lecturing. It is based on guided discussions, and it promotes student understanding of new concepts by directing the student to construct new ideas by building upon the current knowledge and by focusing on key cases that capture the essential aspects of new concepts. The colloquial approach motivates the student to participate in discussions, to develop detailed notes, and to design (or construct) his or her own explanation for a given problem. This paper discusses the main features of the colloquial approach within the framework of other current and previous techniques. Problem-solving strategies and the need for new textbooks and for future investigations based on the colloquial approach are also outlined.     

Extending Previous cG×I Findings on 5‐HTTLPR's Moderation of Intervention Effects on Adolescent Substance Misuse Initiation

This study addresses replication in candidate gene × environment interaction (cG×E) research by investigating if the key findings from Brody, Beach, Philibert, Chen, and Murry (2009) can be detected using data (N = 1,809) from the PROSPER substance use preventive intervention delivery system. Parallel to Brody et al., this study tested the hypotheses that substance misuse initiation would increase faster from age 11 to age 14 and be higher at age 14 among: (a) 5‐HTTLPR short carrier adolescents versus long homozygotes, (b) control versus intervention adolescents, and (c) 5‐HTTLPR short carriers in the control condition versus all other participants. The hypotheses were generally supported and results were consistent with Brody et al.'s cG×I finding. Results are discussed in light of replication issues in cG×E research and implications for intervention.     

Examining the use of e-assessment in higher education: teachers and students’ viewpoints

The combination of teaching and information technologies is at the origin of a more embracing, flexible and accessible approach to learning. Assessment is considered an integral part of the learning process, but it has always been considered challenging for teachers. Through the adoption of information technologies, it is possible to create new opportunities to improve assessment. Despite its numerous advantages, e-assessment remains a topic of much discussion for many, due to doubts that arise about its efficiency and effectiveness. In order to understand this issue, this study aims to explore e-assessment in higher education, from the viewpoint of teachers and students. Four online surveys were distributed among teachers and students in Portugal and other countries. While the results show that Portugal is slightly behind in terms of adoption, there is a strong awareness of the importance of e-assessment. Internationally, e-assessment has higher adoption rates, and both teachers and students believe that this method of assessment is advantageous.     

Engineering education research in European Journal of Engineering Education and Journal of Engineering Education: citation and reference discipline analysis

The authors, citations and content of European Journal of Engineering Education (EJEE) and Journal of Engineering Education (JEE) in 1973 (JEE, 1975 EJEE), 1983, 1993, 2003, and available 2013 issues were analysed. Both journals transitioned from house organs to become engineering education research (EER) journals, although JEE transitioned first. In this process the number of citations rose, particularly of education and psychology sources; the percentage of research articles increased markedly as did the number of reference disciplines. The number of papers per issue, the number of single author papers, and the citations of science and engineering sources decreased. EJEE has a very broad geographic spread of authors while JEE authors are mainly US based. A ‘silo’ mentality where general engineering education researchers do not communicate with EER researchers in different engineering disciplines is evident. There is some danger that EER may develop into a silo that does not communicate with technically oriented engineering professors.     

Changes in involvement in homework throughout compulsory secondary education / Cambios en la implicación en los deberes escolares a lo largo de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria

This paper analyses the changes found in students’ involvement in homework throughout the four grade levels of compulsory secondary education in Spain (ages 12–15). It also analyses the relationship between the changes in students’ involvement in homework throughout schooling and motivational and emotional variables related to homework. Findings indicated that: (a) the amount of homework completed and homework time management diminished slightly throughout the grade levels researched; however, this result is clearer in terms of the amount of homework completed; (b) prior academic achievement is significantly related to the variables associated with students’ involvement in homework; (c) the motivational and affective variables researched explained statistically significant variance related to two of the three dependent variables associated with involvement in homework; and (d) the association between the motivational and affective variables and involvement in homework is lower.     

Academics’ perceptions of the impact of internal quality assurance on teaching and learning

Internal quality assurance systems are expected to improve the institutions’ core mission of teaching and learning. Using data gathered through an online survey, distributed in 2014/2015, to the teaching staff of all Portuguese private and public higher education institutions, this paper examines the impact of internal quality assurance systems on teaching and learning from the perspective of academics. Findings suggest that Portuguese academics feel that, despite the positive contribution of internal quality assurance towards an increased awareness of teaching quality issues at their institutions, the practical effects of these systems have been more related to increasing bureaucracy than to substantive improvements in teaching and learning. The use of information with a view to improvement and teaching staff involvement in the development of quality assurance were found to induce positive changes in teaching and learning, in academics’ perceptions. Based on the findings, the paper makes recommendations for institutional practice.