Formative research on sequencing instruction with the elaboration theory

The elaboration theory of instruction offers guidelines for several patterns of simple-to-complex sequencing which were developed primarily from cognitive theory, especially schema theory. However, there has been relatively little empirical research on the theory. This study helps fill this void by conducting formative research to identify weaknesses in the theory and possible ways of overcoming those weaknesses. Four chapters in a text on electrical circuit analysis were revised according to the theory. The first phase of the study used interactive data collection for immediate, detailed reactions and suggestions on the sequence. Phase 2 utilized non-interactive data collection to assess the external validity of the results. Qualitative data analysis provided insights into ways to improve the theory. None of the results indicated that elements should be deleted. Weaknesses indicated new methods that should be added to the theory and existing methods that should be modified and/or enhanced. The authors would be happy to share their HyperCard course modules with those who would like to do further research with them. Direct inquiries by e-mail to reigelut@indiana.edu.     

大学英语四级翻译中的词汇转换

词语做为语言的基本单位,处于不断的发展变化之中。英汉词语在表达方式上差异较大,翻译时往往需要在词的数量上进行增减,或者对词性进行转换。如何应付四级英语中的翻译问题是一项重要课题,现谈谈翻译中的词汇转换方法。     

对英语听说教学模式的探索

根据《大学英语教学大纲》对听力部分的基本要求,针对学生中存在的问题,通过激发兴趣,做好三个结合,以探索一条适合高职高专英语听力教学的模式.     

Lifelong learning challenges: Responding to migration and the Sustainable Development Goals

International Review of Education - The 21st century, not yet two decades old, has already seen massive migration of peoples escaping the degradation of the environment, effects of war, threats to...     

微格教学与英语课堂教学技能训练

章提出以训练英语课堂教学技能为主，运用微格教学对学生进行培训，并通过问卷调查得出结论。即微格教学在训练学生课堂教学技能方面是传统教育无法比拟的。     

Collaborative action research on the learning and teaching of algebra: a story of one mathematics teacher's development

This paper presents the story of a mathematics teacher's transformation that resulted from her engagement in collaborative action research. The collaborative research, conducted by a university mathematics educator and an eighth-grade mathematics teacher (Marylin), centered on investigating the outcomes of implementing a Hands-On Equations approach to teaching algebra. This algebraic study, which is briefly reported herein, serves as a vehicle for examining the questions, reflections, and changes brought forth by Marylin throughout the collaborative process. Thus, the project of investigating the teaching and learning of algebra can be viewed as the sub-study within the broader study of the effects of collaborative action research on the mathematics teacher involved in the investigation. Within this paper, issues related to the broader study of collaborative action research in the mathematics classroom, that are connected to Marylin's transformation, are discussed. These issues include the characterization of and goals for collaborative action research as well as the challenges for collaborative action research in mathematics classrooms.This revised version was published online in September 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Academic help-seeking in the university setting: The effects of motivational set,attributional style,and help source characteristics

We examined university students' academic help-seeking under task-involved and ego-involved classroom conditions. The effects of these motivational sets on frequency of help-seeking were expected to depend on students' attributions for failure. Use of two types of help sources was investigated: (1) an instrumental help source that imparted useful strategies to the help-seeker, thereby allowing him or her to retain responsibility for solving the problem; (2) an executive help source that disclosed the solutions, thus relinquishing the help-seeker of the responsibility for independent problem-solving. We found that ego involvement increased executive help-seeking in students who attributed failure to low ability, but not in students who made effort attributions. Moreover, task involvement produced more instrumental help-seeking than ego involvement in all students regardless of their attribution style. Since executive help-seeking can impede academic development by inhibiting skill acquisition and by fostering dependence on a help source, university teachers should consider classroom strategies that promote task involvement.Support for this research was provided to Jamie-Lynn Magnusson by The University of Manitoba Research Funds Committee and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Support was provided to Raymond P. Perry by Franz E. Weinert, the Max Planck Institute, Munich. Portions of this paper were presented at the meetings of the American Educational Research Association. This paper is based on research conducted for a doctoral thesis submitted by Jamie-Lynn Magnusson, under the supervision of Raymond P. Perry, to the Department of Psychology at The University of Manitoba.     

Student teachers' reflections on their learning process through collaborative problem solving in geometry

This paper reports research that focuses on student teachers' reflections on their learning process in a collaborative problem-solving context. One group of students with limited mathematical backgrounds worked on two problems in geometry without teacher intervention. We focus on two episodes from the group dialogues. In the first episode (section 5) the students basically reflect on two key issues. The first reflection is related to the concern of making problem-solving tasks too difficult in general while the second reflection has to do with the concern of participation in the solution process. The students discuss how they can give hints or introduce particular ideas before presenting a solution in order to stimulate colleague participation, thus promoting the understanding of the solution process. The second episode (section 6) illustrates the reflection of students on their preparation as future teachers of mathematics. They emphasise that the experience of getting stuck with a problem may help them to better understand the frustration pupils experience while working on unfamiliar problems in classroom. Based on the experience of getting stuck, the students reflect on how they could motivate themselves as well as pupils to work on mathematical problems. They suggest that a good strategy is to start working on an easier problem. If they succeed in coming up with a solution to that problem, they think that it is then more stimulating to proceed to a difficult one.