Computer-aided self-instruction training with hearing-impaired impulsive students

This study explored the utility of computer-aided, self-instruction training for enhancing reflective problem-solving among impulsive hearing-impaired adolescent students. Sixteen moderate to severely hearing-impaired students were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control condition. The self-instruction treatment condition consisted of training to solve visual problems using a modified version of the LOGO computer language (REFLECT) and videotape feedback. The control condition consisted of LOGO problem-solving without self-instruction. Instruction took place over 12 weeks. On two dependent measures of impulsive problem-solving behaviors, students in the treatment condition demonstrated significantly improved problem-solving ability.     

“I’m a Facilitator of Learning!” Understanding What Teachers and Students Do Within Student-Centered Physical Education Models

The role of the facilitator has become almost synonymously associated with student-centered approaches. However, how a teacher functions as a facilitator is less well defined. This article begins to define teacher action in student-centered learning environments. Through an exploration of teacher behavior, teacher–student interactions, and discussions around teacher-as-activator, the article argues that the teacher must play an active role in the classroom and should be considered much more than a “guide on the side.” Teachers should use a range of direct and indirect behaviors and dialogical exchanges to support and extend learning. These actions and interactions should be contextually relevant and aligned with the learning aims of the student-centered approach. In suggesting that facilitation provides a narrow perspective on teacher action, the article calls for further consideration around teacher-as-activator to consider the teacher as someone who activates new learning possibilities.     

Research: an insight on how it is valued by Portuguese and English teacher educators

ABSTRACT

The quality of how teachers are being prepared is seen as a priority in the twenty-first century and engagement with research is often considered a crucial element of initial teacher education programmes. Institutional and national contexts have an impact in the way research is valued. This paper investigates the perspectives of Portuguese and English teacher educators towards the value given to research in initial teacher education. Interviews were completed with teacher educators working within different kinds of higher education institutions—university, polytechnic and teaching-led university. Results suggest that research has a significant presence and relevance in all cases but is valued differently     

Language Arts Performance Assignments: Generalizability Studies of Local and Central Ratings

We conducted generalizability studies to examine the extent to which ratings of language arts performance assignments, administered in a large, diverse, urban district to students in second through ninth grades, result in reliable and precise estimates of true student performance. The results highlight three important points when considering the use of performance assessments in large-scale settings: (a) Rater training may significantly impact reliability; (b) simple rater agreement indices do not provide enough information to assess the reliability of inferences about true student achievement; and (c) assessments adequate for relative judgments of student performance do not necessarily provide sufficient precision for absolute criterion-referenced decisions.     

Academic induction for professional educators: supporting the workplace learning of newly appointed lecturers in teacher and nurse education

In the UK, most initial nurse and teacher education is provided by university departments working in partnership with local health trusts and schools. New university lecturers in these professional fields are generally selected due to their successful performance as practitioners, as nurses or school teachers, rather than on more traditional requirements for appointment as an academic focusing on scholarship. This project investigates the workplace learning and identity‐building experiences of nurses and of school teachers in their first four years in higher education lecturer posts. It aims to inform practice in academic induction for these groups of staff. In the case study institution, the new lecturers find their transition to higher education challenging and confusing because of tensions over what a lecturer should be. They tend to hold on to existing identities as practitioners rather than embracing new identities as academics. The implications for academic induction of these lecturers are considered.

Au Royaume‐Uni, la plupart des programmes de formation initiale des infirmiers et des enseignants sont donnés par des départements universitaires, en collaboration avec les agences locales de santé et les écoles. Les nouveaux enseignants universitaires dans ces domaines professionnels sont généralement choisis en raison de leurs performances positives à titre de praticiens – infirmiers ou enseignants – plutôt qu'en raison de critères davantage traditionnels de nomination liés à la recherche académique. Ce projet étudie les expériences d'apprentissage sur le terrain et de construction d'identité d'infirmiers et d'enseignants durant leurs premières quatre années d'enseignement universitaire. Il vise à informer la pratique d'intronisation académique pour ces catégories de personnel. Dans l'institution visée par l'étude de cas, les nouveaux enseignants jugent leur transition vers l'enseignement supérieur remplie de défis et porteuse de confusion en raison des tensions au sujet de ce qu'un enseignant universitaire devrait être. Les nouveaux enseignants tendent à s'accrocher à leur identité existante de praticien plutôt que de se tourner vers leur nouvelle identité d'universitaire. Les implications en matière d'intronisation académique pour ces enseignants sont présentées.     

Critical thinking matters

A relatively small number of researchers have found it interesting and useful to examine why and how persons choose to be and become adventure educators (AEs) and why they teach as they do. The implications of this knowledge are: (1) gaining insight into novice AEs' perceptions of what is required to provide in-depth and high quality instruction in adventure education; and hence, (2) the impact on the structure of AE training. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of occupational socialization on two AEs with less than five years' experience. Data were collected using a variety of qualitative techniques while the AEs worked at two, week-long summer camps for elementary and middle school-aged children. They were analysed using standard interpretive methods. Results indicated that both AEs' acculturation led to them entering formal training without having had any structured teaching of adventure content modelled for them, suggesting, as has been found in physical education under similar circumstances, a ‘play only’ perception of the professional field of adventure education with class management and safety, rather than instruction, being the top priorities. Their professional socialization, however, led to real and deep growth and development in their pedagogies. The AEs' organizational socialization, unfortunately served to partially wash out these gains. Key socializing agents at the various stages of the AEs' development are identified and discussed as are practical implications for AE education.     

How to Go Green: Creating a Conservation Culture in a Public High School Through Education,Modeling, and Communication

This case study examines how energy conservation efforts in one public high school contributed to both sustainability education and the adoption of sustainable behavior within educational and organizational practice. Individual role models, school facilities, school governance and school culture together support both conservation and environmental education, specifically through the application of principles from behavior theory, including modeling commitments, values, expectations, and behaviors. In addition, role models with the traits of charismatic leaders can be especially instrumental. In this school, communication is the thread connecting the multiple aspects of modeling, helping to create the synergistic relationship between conservation efforts and environmental education. This study demonstrates that conservation efforts, when modeled successfully in a public school setting, can simultaneously and synergistically meet the goals of conservation and sustainability education.