Contextual cues and depth of processing in short prose passages

Two experiments compared context and depth-of-processing strategies applied to the learning of short aurally presented prose passages. In the first study, contextual orientation led to significantly higher recall than a continue-paragraph condition, and both strategy groups performed significantly better than a nonstrategy control group. In the second experiment, continuing paragraphs was superior to generating contextual theme statements, with both strategies again superior to the controls. These results were discussed in terms of the ways in which processing demands effect memory for connected discourse.     

Assessing students' ability to trace matter in dynamic systems in cell biology

College-level biology courses contain many complex processes that are often taught and learned as detailed narratives. These processes can be better understood by perceiving them as dynamic systems that are governed by common fundamental principles. Conservation of matter is such a principle, and thus tracing matter is an essential step in learning to reason about biological processes. We present here multiple-choice questions that measure students' ability and inclination to trace matter through photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Data associated with each question come from students in a large undergraduate biology course that was undergoing a shift in instructional strategy toward making fundamental principles (such as tracing matter) a central theme. We also present findings from interviews with students in the course. Our data indicate that 1) many students are not using tracing matter as a tool to reason about biological processes, 2) students have particular difficulties tracing matter between systems and have a persistent tendency to interconvert matter and energy, and 3) instructional changes seem to be effective in promoting application of the tracing matter principle. Using these items as diagnostic tools allows instructors to be proactive in addressing students' misconceptions and ineffective reasoning.     

Mapping beliefs about teaching to patterns of instruction within science,technology, engineering,and mathematics

In this paper, we identify beliefs about teaching and patterns of instruction valued and emphasized by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty in higher education in the USA. Drawing on the notion that effective teaching is student-centered rather than teacher-centered and must include a balance of knowledge-, learner-, community-, and assessment-centered learning environments; we use qualitative interview data to explore how faculty's reported beliefs about teaching are associated with their consideration of these four types of environments. Findings indicated that although a range of beliefs about teaching emerged, most were firmly located in knowledge-centered learning environments, with little or no focus on the remaining three learning environments. Furthermore, even patterns of instruction that were heavily student-centered were situated within a knowledge-centered learning framework. We argue that for student-centered instruction to be truly successful, faculty must consider all four learning environments in crafting and facilitating the classroom environment.     

La enseñanza de contenidos específicos en matemáticas

¿Matemáticas para todos o matemáticas de élite? ¿Lenguaje matemático o matemática aplicada? En la base de las últimas reformas educativas de todo el mundo no dejan de estar presentes dilemas, reales unas veces, ficticios otras, que tienen mucho que ver con los supuestos políticos—ideológicos—que sustenten los diseñadores de esa reforma respecto al papel de la educación y a los que no se sustrae la enseñanza de las matemáticas…