Analytic considerations in distance education research

Abstract

All articles submitted to The American Journal of Distance Education are subjected to a multi‐stage review process. One of the stages of review is an evaluation of methodology, including the appropriateness of any analytic procedures that are used. For this article, a number of empirical research reports submitted over the past several years were reviewed to identify common analytic problems and errors often overlooked by distance education researchers.     

多点结合研训并举--浅谈在新课改形势下如何搞好微格教学

本文结合营口市两年来的微格教学实验的经验,探讨了新课改形势下搞好微格教学的主要工作思路与具体方法.     

我国高校社会服务30年发展实践研究

社会服务是高等学校的三大职能之一,是高等学校利用自身智力资源优势为社会做出直接贡献的有效途径。高等学校凭借社会服务而凸显自己不可替代的重要性。笔者在确定高校社会服务内涵的基础上,较全面地梳理改革开放30年来我国高等学校社会服务的发展实践历程、特征并探讨存在的问题。     

突破与超越——试论禅宗思想对中国诗学的影响

中国传统诗学理论向来有一种复古尚法的保守倾向：敬畏先圣权威，强调师承祖述，不敢表露真实性情。掸宗的兴起，对中国诗学理论带来了启发，受禅宗坚持“自家面目”心性理论，“自力自度”修行原则，蔑视权威法度、大胆发挥主体能动性行为作风的影响，中国诗学理论在反复古、反教条，突破规范约束，坚持艺术个性，发挥主体的自主性和创造性等方面对传统的保守观念实现了较为大胆的突破与超越，取得了卓越的建树。     

Fieldwork in Geography —importance,objectives and scope

As a subject concerned with the study of human activities in relation to the physical environment, geography should have a strong appeal to young people. Yet in many instances the subject evokes little interest and has even to justify its place in the curriculum. It is regrettable but true that in many of our schools geography is still largely taught as a compendium of facts about the world. Although more enlightened approaches are available, many teachers still cling to the traditional method for putting the subject across and emphasize learning of facts rather than understanding of principles. How can teachers avoid burdening the minds of children with mere factual information and make Geography more realistic, meaningful and intellectually challenging?     

应用型本科高校程序设计类课程校企合作模式探索与实践

在分析应用型本科高校特点的基础上,从选聘专业带头人、修订人才培养方案、优化课程设置、培育“双师型”人才、拓展实训平台、改革教学方法、规范教学管理等方面进行探索与实践,并取得了较好效果,对应用型本科院校相近专业具有一定的参考价值和借鉴作用。     

The relationship between teacher value orientations and engagement in professional learning communities

The development of teacher professional learning communities (PLC) has attracted growing attention among practitioners, policy-makers and researchers. The aims of this study were to identify typologies of professional learning teams based on measures of professional learning engagement, and assess their linkages with teachers’ value orientations. Based on data obtained from 408 professional learning teams in Singapore schools, cluster analysis identified three types of professional learning teams: highly engaged, moderately engaged and less engaged. These three profiles differ mainly in terms of level of endorsement for the four measures of professional learning engagement (collective focus on student learning, collaborative learning, reflective dialogue and shared values and vision). Results revealed that highly engaged professional learning teams reported the highest levels of endorsement for all four engagement measures. Teachers among the learning teams in the highly engaged profile reported a significantly higher level of uncertainty avoidance than those in the moderately engaged and less engaged profiles. Teachers in the less engaged profile also reported a significantly higher level of power distance than those in the highly engaged teams. Multinomial logistic regression analysis found that team power distance and team uncertainty avoidance were significant predictors of engagement profile membership. The implications for fostering effective teacher development through more systematic support of PLC are discussed.     

Hong Kong Student Achievement in OECD-PISA Study: Gender Differences in Science Content, Literacy Skills, and Test Item Formats

This study examined gender differences in students' scientific literacy as measured by OECD-PISA. In particular, we focused on the 2437 students from 140 Hong Kong schools. Hong Kong boys' and girls' science scores did not differ overall. However, boys scored higher than girls at the higher percentiles (75th and above). Moreover, specific test components showed gender differences. Boys tended to score higher on tests with more earth and physical science items, understanding of scientific knowledge items, and closed items. Meanwhile, girls tended to score higher on recognizing questions and identifying evidence items. These results suggest that a science test assessing diverse content and literacy skills in a variety of response formats provides both a more comprehensive picture of students' capabilities and a more likely gender-equitable assessment.     

Effect of School Decentralization and School Climate on Student Mathematics Performance: The Case of Hong Kong

For more than a decade, the Government of Hong Kong has instituted a policy of school decentralization aimed at devolving authority to all stakeholders, including the representatives of School Sponsoring Bodies, principals, teachers, parents, and community members. This study examines the relative contribution of two dimensions of school decentralization – teacher participation and school autonomy – to students' mathematics performance, and examines the role of school climate as a mediating variable between decentralization and performance. Data for the present study come from the second cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2003), which is a large international assessment measuring 15-year-old students' literacy performance across over 40 countries and regions around the world. Using multi-level analysis, the study finds that teacher participation is more important than school autonomy for student mathematics performance in Hong Kong. In addition, the effect of teacher participation on students' performance is mediated by four major school climatic factors – sense of belonging, disciplinary climate, students' morale and student behaviour – in Hong Kong's secondary schools.