A longitudinal study of conceptual change: Preservice elementary teachers' conceptions of moon phases

This research consists of a longitudinal study of 12 female elementary preservice teachers' conceptual understanding over the course of several months. The context in which the participants received instruction was in an inquiry‐based physics course, and the targeted science content was the cause of moon phases. Qualitative research methods, including observations and interviews, were used to investigate and describe participants' conceptual understanding over time. Participants were interviewed on their understanding of the cause of moon phases before instruction, 3 weeks after instruction, and again in delayed post‐interviews several months after instruction. Patterns and themes in the participants' conceptual understanding were identified through constant‐comparative data analysis. Consistent with results reported earlier, participants who had instruction that included recording and analyzing moon observations over time and psychomotor modeling of changes in moon phases were very likely to hold a scientific conceptual understanding shortly after instruction. The present study indicates a majority of participants continued to hold a scientific understanding six months or more after instruction. However, some participants reverted to alternative conceptions they had shown during the pre‐interview. These results are interpreted utilizing contemporary conceptual change theory. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 303–326, 2007     

Measuring approaches to learning in preschoolers: validating the structure of an instrument for teachers and parents

This study examined a 13-item instrument measuring approaches to learning (AtL) as a component of school readiness in the context of early childhood socio-emotional development. Few instruments, limited to preschool teacher ratings, measure AtL among kindergarteners with short easy-to-use questionnaires. We investigated psychometric properties of the instrument designed to provide practical measures of AtL behaviours identified in the Arizona Early Learning Standards with teacher (n?=?205) and guardian (n?=?1025) samples. We found a one-factor structure via exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The multi-group CFA for combined teacher and guardian models indicated a good fit, which demonstrated the structure validity of the AtL instrument. This finding, combined with evidence of reliability of the instrument, supported the educational utility of the AtL as a new tool for measuring school readiness among kindergarteners in Arizona.     

MULTINATIONAL INTEGRATION AND NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEMS: THE CASE OF AUSTRIA

This article examines the question of European integration from the vantage point of national education systems. Taking Austria and its education system as examples, it argues that even if Austria should join the European Community, it does not follow that its education system should be merged into a common education system. Just as the European Community is not the same thing as a united Europe, education systems are so closely linked to their individual countries that they should not be turned into supranational organizations, even if other national institutions lend themselves to this kind of integration.     

Investing in junior faculty: The teaching improvement program (TIPs)

One way in which institutions can assist junior faculty members is to facilitate appropriate nurturing through senior faculty. The Teaching Improvement Program (TIPs) at The University of Georgia was designed and implemented with this aspect in mind. This paper describes the philosophical base as well as the design, administration, and evaluation of this unique program that matches new junior faculty with senior faculty mentors. Despite some problems in scheduling, participants in the program received valuable suggestions on how to improve their classroom performance.He is a former Lilly Teaching Fellow.His office provides a wide range of instructional and professional services for faculty and academic administrators in the university's thirteen schools and colleges.The authors would like to thank Gina Dress for all her assistance in the TIPs program and three anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions.     

Perspectives on complexity: An essay on curricular reform

Curricular reform is a complex endeavor having many facets including (a) the development of teaching materials, (b) the identification of appropriate instructional approaches, (c) the implementation of processes by which these new materials and approaches will be introduced into practice and sustained, and (d) the appropriate attention to the social context in which it all occurs. Its full understanding requires that it be viewed from a multiplicity of perspectives including various psychological, socio-cultural, subject matter, philosophical, and economic perspectives. In this essay, the many facets of curricular reform are explored in terms of what scholarship from these many perspectives has to offer. Examples of research results are cited and promising research opportunities are identified.     

Contemporary practices in school psychology: A national survey of roles and referral problems

Eight hundred school psychologists who were members of the National Association of School Psychologists were mailed a survey designed to assess their roles, types of referrals, consultation practices, and crisis team involvement. Three hundred seventy (49%) completed surveys were analyzed. Assessment was the most common role followed distantly by consultation. Academic problems were the most frequent type of referral with reading being the most common concern. Of the behavioral referrals, externalizing problems were more frequent than internalizing concerns. Behavioral consultation was the most common model used but less than half of respondents follow all of the stages. Only forty percent use an evaluative component in consultation. A majority of the informants had some involvement with their schools' crisis team. Implications of these findings for training, professional development, and future roles are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

New Zealand management students’ perceptions of communication technologies in correspondence education

Nearly 1,000 management students enrolled in New Zealand's Technical Correspondence Institute during 1980‐1982 were mailed a questionnaire and followup letters from March ‐‐ July, 1983. Response rate was 76.9% (N=724). Did dropouts (3.43%) differ from persisters in their preferences for supplementary or alternative educational technologies? Dropouts were more receptive to telephone and audio taped communications and seminars. Audio tape and seminar variables were among surviving predictors of dropout after extensive multiple linear regression analyses. Distance education institutions should consider using multiple communication channels in order to cater to diverse student learning styles.     

The reliability of test scores for the pervasive developmental disorders rating scale

The Pervasive Developmental Disorders Rating Scale (PDDRS; Eaves, 1993) is a screening instrument used in the assessment of autistic disorder. In this study, the reliability of test scores for the PDDRS was examined with three samples. The first sample consisted of 456 participants ranging in age from 1 to 12 years old and the second sample consisted of 111 participants in the 13 to 24 year‐old range. Additionally, the test‐retest reliability of scores for the PDDRS was examined with a sample of 40 participants. The results indicated that coefficient alpha for the PDDRS Total Score was adequate for screening purposes (r = .89) for both age groups. The results of the test‐retest study also suggested that PDDRS had adequate test‐retest reliability (r = .92) for the PDDRS Total Score. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 39: 605–611, 2002.     

Does creativity have a place in classroom discussions? Prospective teachers’ response preferences

The purpose of this study was to examine prospective middle and secondary teachers’ preferences for unique versus relevant student responses during classroom discussions. Results indicate that, on average, prospective teachers (N = 70) preferred relevance to uniqueness in student responses. In addition, results of regression analysis indicate that prospective teachers’ preference for unique responses varied as a function of grade level and academic subject area. Finally, analysis of written explanations revealed nuanced reasons for prospective teachers’ preferences ranging from viewing unique responses as potentially distracting to viewing any response as acceptable because of a desire to encourage student participation. Implications for future research and teacher education are discussed.