Self-directed lifelong learning in hybrid learning configurations

Present-day students are expected to be lifelong learners throughout their working life. Higher education must therefore prepare students to self-direct their learning beyond formal education, in real-life working settings. This can be achieved in so-called hybrid learning configurations in which working and learning are integrated. In such a learning configuration, learning is typically trans-boundary in nature and embedded in ill-structured, authentic tasks. The goal of this study is to develop a set of design guidelines for an intervention that would strengthen students’ capacity for self-directed lifelong learning within a hybrid learning configuration, a one-semester elective course at a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands. The research approach was educational design research. An intervention was designed, implemented and evaluated during two iterations of the course. Evaluation methods included interviews with students and the course facilitator, questionnaires, and students’ logs and reports. We developed five intervention design guidelines that will promote self-directed learning. Our conclusion is that the intervention was usable and effective: at a basic level, the students did develop their capacity for self-directed lifelong learning. Further research is needed to investigate conditions for realizing higher levels of proficiency in self-directed lifelong learning throughout the curriculum and beyond.     

The pupils’ view of electricity

Chemistry lessons were observed in the 8th grade of two West German schools over a period of a term. Boys received more attention from the teacher than girls. They were called on more often and they spontaneously gave their opinions more frequently. An equal proportion of girls’ and boys’ replies were praised and encouraged, but this meant that boys received more praise and encouragement in absolute terms. Teachers should be made aware of the problematic nature of their own behaviour, so that they can remove the discrimination against girls in chemistry education.     

Dopingkontrollen in Deutschland

The aim of the present study was to gather information from athletes and doping control officials about their satisfaction and acceptance concerning the accomplishment of the doping control system (DCS) in Germany. 761 high elite athletes and 101 doping control officers took part in a written survey. Special attention was given to the subjective estimation of knowledge about the DCS as well as to their experiences during doping controls (DC) and on the whereabouts system.Three quarters of the responding athletes stated to have control experience; many of them were controlled several times a year. The majority of athletes confirmed to be familiar with the sampling procedure. But every second mentioned deficits regarding their rights during the collection or the functioning of the whereabouts system. Athletes and control officials evaluated their communication and coordination among each other mainly positive. By the majority of athletes, control officials’ attitude was judged to be friendly and open minded and their behavior neutral and discreet. A strong and internationally comparable accomplishment of the DCS was demanded especially from athletes belonging to higher testing pools. Doping control officials appreciated athletes’ generally high willingness to cooperate and, predominantly, felt well instructed for their duty.     

Aspects of Competence-Based Education as Footholds to Improve the Connectivity Between Learning in School and in the Workplace

Recent developments in competence-based education have motivated institutions of vocational education and training (VET) to improve the links or connectivity between learning in school and learning in the workplace, which has been a problem for decades. In previous research, a theoretical framework describing the underlying aspects of competence-based education was developed. In this study, three aspects of this framework were used to analyse connectivity between learning in school and learning in the workplace. These aspects were: i) authenticity, ii) selfresponsibility, and iii) the role of the teacher as expert and coach. Three stakeholder groups (i.e., students, teachers, and workplace training supervisors) involved in secondary VET programs in the field of life sciences in the Netherlands were questioned on these aspects. Based on their interviews, it is concluded that these aspects provide information about the process of connectivity. Because stakeholder groups hold different conceptions of workplace learning and often do not communicate adequately about mutual responsibilities, the implementation of these aspects of competence-based education has not significantly improved the connectivity situation. Nevertheless, these aspects of competence-based education can guide stakeholder groups in making clearer agreements about mutual responsibilities, which may improve connectivity in the future.     

Counterfactual Reasoning: Developing a Sense of "Nearest Possible World"

This study investigated at what point in development 3- to 6-year-old children begin to demonstrate counterfactual reasoning by controlling for fortuitously correct answers that result from basic conditional reasoning. Basic conditional reasoning occurs when one applies typical regularities (such as "If 'whenever' it doesn't rain the street is dry") to counterfactual questions (such as "If it had not rained, would the street be wet or dry?") without regard to actual events (e.g., if street cleaners had just been washing the street). In counterfactual reasoning , however, the conditional reasoning must be constrained by actual events (according to the "nearest possible world"). In situations when counterfactual reasoning and basic conditional reasoning would yield the same answers, even the youngest children gave mostly correct answers. However, tasks in which the 2 reasoning strategies resulted in different answers proved unusually difficult even for the older children.     

Early Family and Child-Care Antecedents of Awakening Cortisol Levels in Adolescence

This study examined early observed parenting and child-care experiences in relation to functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis over the long term. Consistent with the attenuation hypothesis, individuals ( n  =   863) who experienced: (a) higher levels of maternal insensitivity and (b) more time in child-care centers in the first 3 years of life had lower awakening cortisol levels at age 15. Associations were small in magnitude. Nonetheless, results were (a) additive in that both higher levels of maternal insensitivity and more experience with center-based care uniquely (but not interactively) predicted lower awakening cortisol, (b) not accounted for by later caregiving experiences measured concurrently with awakening cortisol at age 15 or by early demographic variables, and (c) not moderated by sex or by difficult temperament.     

Schulen am Netz — Ergebnisse der bundesweiten Evaluation

Im Rahmen der Begleitforschung der bundesweiten Initiative „Schulen ans Netz e.V.“ (SaN) führte das Institut für Schulentwicklungsforschung (IFS) der Universit?t Dortmund eine Befragung der schulischen Koordinatorinnen und Koordinatoren der Internetarbeit der an der Initiative teilnehmenden Schulen durch. An der Untersuchung nahmen 520 Probanden aus allgemein-und berufsbildenden Schulformen aller Bundesl?nder teil. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich bezüglich der technischen Ausstattung noch deutlich zurückliegt und dass dies eine gewichtige Reihe von Problemen in der schulischen Internetpraxis nach sich zieht. Gleichzeitig zeigt sich, dass mit der Internetarbeit an den Schulen nach Einsch?tzung der Computerkoordinatorinnen und-koordinatoren insgesamt gute Erfahrungen gemacht wurden. Die Akzeptanz des neuen Mediums und insbesondere die Motivation bei den Schülerinnen und Schülern sind gro?. Die Zukunft des Internets für die Schulen wird positiv eingesch?tzt. Die Arbeit mit dem Internet an der Schule kann jedoch noch nicht als institutionalisiert interpretiert werden, da mehrheitlich nur eine Minderheit in den Kollegien dieses neue Medium einsetzt — und dies sind haupts?chlich Lehrer und deutlich weniger Lehrerinnen.     

Participatory pedagogy in an open educational course: challenges and opportunities

This article presents an empirical study of an open educational course in an online peer-to-peer university (P2PU). P2PU is a nonprofit organization offering free educational opportunities. Focus is on how peers are part of creating course content in a Web 2.0 environment. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have evolved into two different pedagogical directions: content-based xMOOCs and connectivist cMOOCs. cMOOCs emphasizing learning in networks developed informally, where learners are part of creating course content, resemble P2PU`s vision. We investigated processes of interaction in co-creation of tasks in an open educational course and what opportunities and challenges emerge. We employed template analysis for coding data. We report two different processes of interaction between users and organizers: problem identification and co-creation of tasks. This study contributes to understanding a new model of teaching and learning through scrutinizing participation in an open educational course and explores implications for the learning experience.