Le Logiciel ‘Derive’ comme revelateur de phenomenes didactiques lies a l'utilisation d'environnements informatiques pour l'apprentissage

In this article, we address the issue of integration of computer environments in the mathematics secondary curriculum, by referring to the results of a research project carried out with the software DERIVE. Firstly, we present the research project and its theoretical framework, secondly, we evidence some didactical phenomenas linked to the DERIVE transposition of mathematical knowledge and learning processes in this environment which, in our opinion, play a crucial role in integration issues.This revised version was published online in September 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

正确把握和运用邓小平理论中的讲大局思想

讲大局思想是邓小平理论的重要组成部分.讲大局是党性原则的体现,是讲政治的起码要求;讲大局是传统美德的折射,是讲正气的重要内涵;讲大局是辩证思维的反映,是科学的方法论.自觉学习、正确把握和运用邓小平理论中的讲大局思想,对于深入开展"三讲"教育,提高干部队伍素质,把建设有中国特色社会主义伟大事业不断推向前进,具有十分重大的现实意义.     

What should a physical education teacher know? An analysis of learning outcomes for future physical education teachers in Sweden

Background: Research indicates that physical education teacher education (PETE) has only limited impact on how physical education (PE) is taught in schools. In this paper, our starting point is that the difficulties of challenging the dominating subject traditions in PE could be due to difficulties of challenging certain epistemological assumptions recurring in significant PETE subject matter and didactics courses.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to scrutinise how knowledge is expressed in learning outcomes formulated in curriculum documents at PETE institutions in Sweden and to discuss the potential educational consequences of the epistemological assumptions underlying the analysed expressions of knowledge.

Setting and participants: This paper offers possible explanations for the difficulties of influencing subject traditions in PE through analysing learning outcomes formulated in PETE curriculum documents. The analysis is based on 224 learning outcomes collected from a total of 18 course syllabi, spread at 6 PETE institutions in Sweden.

Research design, data collection and analysis: The documents have been collected through contact by e-mail with representatives for each institution. Through the analysis different themes in the material have been identified and clustered together. Inspired by Fenstermacher's ideas about teacher knowledge as propositional knowledge and performance knowledge, our ambition is to discuss the potential educational consequences of the epistemological assumptions underpinning the analysed learning outcomes.

Findings: In the collected learning outcomes, the following themes were identified: teaching PE, interpreting curriculum documents, physical movement skills, science, social health, pedagogy, critical inquiry, and research methods. In most of the identified themes, the learning outcomes represent both subject matter knowledge and general teacher knowledge and are also formulated with an integrated perspective on so-called performance knowledge and propositional knowledge. However, particularly in the themes science and physical movement skills, two very influential themes, the learning outcomes are limited to subject matter knowledge and the concept of knowledge in these themes is also limited and unilateral in relation to ideas of different forms of teacher knowledge.

Conclusions: We argue that a decontextualisation of knowledge, in this paper identified through dissolving science from its use in practice and through detaching physical movement skills from other conceptual foundations, contributes to the reproduction of subject traditions that render PE teachers incapable of critically reflecting over their practice, for instance how different groups of students benefit or suffer from the teaching of certain content. Drawing on the work of Tinning, we offer an explanation as to how teacher knowledge in the themes science and physical movement skills, emanating from behaviouristic and craft knowledge orientations, is formulated.     

Are cloze items sensitive to constraints across sentences? A review

Four types of study relating to the sensitivity of cloze to intersentential constraint are reviewed: (1) factor analytical and correlational studies; (2) studies which varied the length of available context; (3) studies which varied the mode of presentation; (4) studies which varied the quality of coherent context. Many of the investigations failed to provide convincing evidence that cloze is sensitive to intersentential constraint. However, this could be explained in part by weaknesses in the studies themselves. The factor analytical and correlational studies often failed to employ an adequate measure of global comprehension. While other studies demonstrated the importance of immediate context they did not specifically address the question of intersentential constraint. Quality of context needs to be considered separately from length of context. The quality of context studies provided conflicting results. Again, some of these investigations have serious weaknesses which tend to prejudice the results. The most reliable recent studies suggest that cloze is sensitive to intersentential constraint. Finally, tentative recommendations are made for establishing testing conditions which are most likely to encourage the use of intersentential constraint.     

‘I don't know what it is to be able to read’: how students with dyslexia experience their reading impairment

Better understanding of the diverse reading abilities of people with dyslexia is necessary for the design of more effective learning situations, which are vital both to students with dyslexia and to their teachers. Seven individuals with dyslexia currently or formerly in higher education were interviewed about their reading experiences to learn how they themselves understand and describe their reading. The interviews are treated as individual profiles. Although the respondents were adult experienced readers, aware of their impairments, none could identify any strategy for overcoming dyslexia other than investing much time in homework and study. Each profile is unique, yet they share some characteristics, including strong parental support and a refusal to accept the label of ‘stupid’. Teachers need to recognise the diverse effects of dyslexia in order to improve the chances of dyslexic students – especially those who cannot rely upon strong parental support – of continuing to higher education.     

Performing desires: The dilemma of aspirations and educational attainment

The authors critique the mechanistic notion of aspirations running through much research and policy‐making on educational and vocational outcomes. They present a performative model, with individuals drawing on limited social resources to express aspirations within constrained contexts. This argument is illustrated by discussion of the findings of large‐scale empirical investigation of the aspirations of 490 young people in three UK schools. Five themes from this analysis are presented and it is argued that these need to be explored in order to enrich and expand our understanding of young people's expression of aspirations.