Singapore Students' Perceptions of Graphs,Charts and Maps

Graphs, charts and maps are often used to present quantitative information. Students learn about these in geography, mathematics and other subjects across the curriculum. From contact with school teachers it has been found that many students have problems with graphic representations. This is often seen as a problem of teaching method rather than a problem concerning students' understanding. Studies in Sweden (Ottosson & Aberg-Bengtsson, 1995) and Australia (Gerber et al., 1995) confirm that it is not teaching methods alone that matter. The studies also indicate that the meanings assigned by beholders of graphs, charts and maps are closely linked to their life experiences. This is similarly so for Singapore students. Over thirty students ranging from 11 to 20 years of age were interviewed on their interpretation of a set of graphs, charts and maps of an imaginary world. A phenomenographic analysis shows that the students experienced considerable variations in their perceptions of graphic representations of quantitative data (graphs, charts and maps). These variations are represented in an outcome space diagram showing three major levels of understanding.     

Liking to be liked: imitation,familiarity and pedagogy in the first years of life

This paper offers a review of the literature on the role of imitation in the earliest stages of social interaction between babies and familiar partners. The review focuses on the ways in which reciprocal imitation marks familiar relationships that provide special contexts for babies to engage actively and exuberantly in the construction of a shared culture. Because adults' perception of a baby's actions and intentions are filtered by the adult's experience of living within a particular culture, babies can obtain valuable information about this culture from the differences between what they do and how familiar adults respond to them. As they become increasingly interested in the social meaning of people's behaviour, infants also become more sensitive about how their own actions may be interpreted, showing pride and delight when their intentions are realised and embarrassed withdrawal when their efforts fail. When very young children are observed in unfamiliar contexts and when they are cared for and educated in professional settings, they may have relatively few opportunities for lively, joyful exchanges with reassuringly familiar partners and this can distort adults' perceptions of ‘normal’ infant behaviour. It is argued that adults' attentive interest in mutually enjoyable exchanges with young children is an important difference between humans and other apes and provides an essential foundation for pedagogy and for children's active participation in a shared culture.     

Towards university lectures' conceptions of student learning

A range of studies conducted since the late 1970s have sought to describe students' conceptions of learning, and more recently, teachers' conceptions of teaching. These studies, using what has come to be known as the phenomenographic approach, have identified conceptions of teaching, and conceptions of learning which have had a significant impact on the teaching-learning culture of higher education institutions in many parts of the world. The study reported here contributes to our understanding of student learning, describing it from the viewpoint of lectures from a range of disciplines. From the viewpoint of these lectures student learning was seen variously as: acquiring knowledge through the use of study skills; the absorption of new knowledge and being able to explain and apply it; the development of thinking skills and the ability to reason; developing the competencies of beginning professionals; changing personal attitudes, beliefs or behaviours in responding to different phenomena; and a participative pedagogic experience. The relationship between these conceptions and previously identified conceptions of teaching and learning is discussed.     

Reforming Teachers' Pay Systems: The Advanced Skills Teacher in Australia

Over the past five years, Australian education systems have attempted to establish a new career path for teachers called the Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) classification. The reform emanated from a historic and unique coming together of all teacher unions throughout the country to make a joint submission to the Industrial Relations Commission. Potentially, the AST constituted one of the most progressive educational initiatives ever adopted in Australia. In this article we review what happened in practice. Our findings point to a dilemma for those who might attempt to introduce professional career paths for teachers in the future. Fundamental improvements to teachers' pay systems and career structures undoubtedly depend on initiatives within the industrial relations arena. However, this arena proved to be an unsuitable context in which to develop the kind of teaching standards and performance assessments that are essential for career paths based on quality of practice. We concl ude that these tasks require instead the creation of stable, national, expert professional bodies that embrace all stakeholders.     

An Initial Exploration of Students’ Mindsets,Attitudes, and Beliefs About Public Speaking

This study investigated how students’ implicit theory that public speaking abilities can be developed and improved (i.e., growth mindset) was related to their apprehension, perceived competence, and beliefs regarding public speaking. Growth mindset was associated with lower apprehension and higher self-perceived competence. Growth mindset was also associated with the belief that public speaking involves reflection, revision, and adapting to one’s audience rather than merely transmitting information. Correlations were consistent with hypotheses.     

Crossing thresholds: Critical information literacy pedagogy and the ACRL framework

The new Framework for Information Literacy is a dramatic break from the previous Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards, but it does not depart as radically from actual library practice. Many librarians have already been trying to help students acquire a deeper, more contextual understanding of “information” and research. In this article, we review some of the practice-based literature on information literacy instruction that reflects efforts to teach this more nuanced view of “information,” and we highlight examples of ongoing instructional practices from a number of college and university libraries that teach in ways that are compatible with the new Framework.     

Understanding student engagement with research: a study of pre-service teachers’ research perceptions,research experience,and motivation

This study reports on findings from a research project that investigated the extent to which pre-service teachers at a major metropolitan Australian university engage with research, and the factors that influence their level of engagement or disengagement. Results from survey responses (n = 235) and focus group interviews suggest that attitudes towards research are more positive among pre-service teachers who possess research experience and those who are intrinsically motivated with respect to their university studies. The article discusses the implications of these results for the effective organisation and promotion of research activities for pre-service teachers.