Communities,networks and ICT professional development across schools in close physical proximity

ABSTRACT

Many studies have focused on professional development within schools, while this article focuses on ICT (information and communications technology) professional development across schools. The aim of this article is to explore how the encouragement of communities and networks might contribute to ICT professional development across schools in close physical proximity. The study is based on a two-year action research project and interviews with the participants of a lead teacher community across five schools. Although the lead teachers and school leaders played a central role, ICT professional development was dependent on a complex interplay of different types of communities and networks, both within, across and outside the schools. This study illustrates how ICT professional development occurred in both expected and unexpected ways and emphasises the need for professional development to take account of the complex needs of teachers, rather than being a ‘one size fits all’.     

Associative properties of a conditioned inhibitor as a function of age in kittens

The efficacy of conditioned inhibition in a novel conditioned stimulus/conditioned inhibitor (CS/CI) compound was tested in 6-, 10-, and 14-week-old kittens. The conditioned response was suppression of respiration elicited by a 5.1-sec CS paired with a brief, mild footshock. During original inhibitory training, a CI was presented 2 sec after the onset of the CS, and the stimuli coterminated 3 sec later without the shock. As previously reported, the CI trained in this paradigm is more potent in older kittens but passes a summation test in all age groups (Dess & Soltysik, 1989). In the transfer test, the order of the CS and CI was reversed, so that the CI preceded the CS with no stimulus overlap. Transfer of inhibition to this new compound was virtually absent in the 6-week-old kittens and nearly perfect in the 14-week-old kittens. The CI alone (before CS onset) elicited a strong fear response in the youngest kittens, moderate fear in the 10-week-old group, and very little fear in the oldest group. The transferability of inhibitory training to a different temporal configuration of the CS and CI is absent at 6 weeks of age and fully developed 8 weeks later.     

Welche Zusammenhänge bestehen zwischen dem fachspezifischen Professionswissen von Mathematiklehrkräften und ihrer Ausbildung sowie beruflichen Fortbildung?

Zusammenfassung Der vorliegende Beitrag besch?ftigt sich aus der Perspektive von Theorien zum Kompetenzerwerb mit dem Zusammenhang zwischen dem fachspezifischen Professionswissen von Mathematiklehrkr?ften und ihrer Ausbildung und beruflichen Fortbildung. Dabei wurden institutionelle Unterschiede der Lehramtsausbildung wie auch individuelle Unterschiede im Studienerfolg, der Berufserfahrung und der besuchten beruflichen Fortbildungen untersucht. Die Analysen basieren auf Daten von 195 Mathematiklehrkr?ften, die an der COACTIV-Studie teilnahmen. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich Lehrkr?fte unterschiedlicher Lehr?mter deutlich in ihrem professionellen Wissen unterscheiden und dass insbesondere der Erfolg im Studium mit besseren Leistungen im Fachwissen und im fachdidaktischen Wissen zusammen hing. Wir diskutieren Implikationen unserer Ergebnisse vor dem Hintergrund der Lehramtsausbildung und beruflicher Fortbildungen.      

Implicit Gender Stereotypes and Essentialist Beliefs Predict Preservice Teachers’ Tracking Recommendations

This study investigated the extent to which differences in implicit and explicit math–language gender stereotypes, and essentialist beliefs among preservice teachers affect tracking recommendations for math/science- versus language-oriented secondary schools. Consistent with expectations, the results suggest that student's gender influences preservice teachers’ school career recommendations: Boys are more likely to be recommended for a math/science-oriented secondary school, whereas girls are more likely recommended for a language-oriented school. Both implicit math–language gender stereotypes and beliefs in genetic determinism (reflecting essentialist beliefs) predicted the stereotypicality of school career recommendations, whereas explicit measures did not. The results suggest that more closely investigating factors contributing to stereotypical behavior in teachers might help to minimize biased actions and decisions in the educational context.     

Improving student outcomes in high‐enrollment statistics classes with the structured writing approach

The article describes an assignment that makes writing‐to‐learn feasible in high‐enrollment statistics classes. It combines the principles of structured writing with Bloom's taxonomy. The assignment helped improve related exam scores and was easy to implement and grade for instructors.     

Riskante Entscheidungen in der Sozialpädagogik

Jugendliche, die sich von den gesellschaftlich legitimierten Sozialisationsinstanzen Familie, Schule und Jugendhilfe abgewandt haben und für die stattdessen die Szenen an Bahnh?fen und anderen urbanen Orten zur dominanten Sozialisationsinstanz geworden sind, leben unter dem Risiko einer „Hyperinklusion“ in Milieus, die durch erhebliche soziale und gesundheitliche Gef?hrdungspotentiale gekennzeichnet sind. Die Frage nach der Legitimit?t und Angemessenheit sozialp?dagogischer Nicht-/Interventionen erh?lt hier eine besondere Brisanz. Eine theoretische Antwort auf diese Problemstellung l?sst sich aus Brumliks Konzeption der advokatorischen Ethik beziehen. Dort wird das Postulat begründet, dass p?dagogisches Handeln grunds?tzlich gleicherma?en an den Prinzipien der Integrit?t und der Bemündigung der Edukanden auszurichten sei; über die situative Realisierung dieser paradoxen Anforderung bestimme der Takt. Takt offenbart sich hier als L?sungsformel, mit der die P?dagogik den für sie typischen Handlungsparadoxien begegnet. Im Hinblick auf die konkrete sozialp?dagogische Praxis und die Gestaltung ihrer Bedingungen l?sst der Verweis auf den Takt jedoch viele Fragen offen. Der Beitrag versucht, den Begriff des Takts im Rahmen einer konkretisierenden Bestimmung von Randbedingungen, Handlungsmaximen und Gütekriterien sozialp?dagogischen Entscheidens n?her auszubuchstabieren. Die vorgeschlagenen L?sungen liegen in der Maximierung von Partizipation, Reflexivit?t, Variet?t und Reversibilit?t sowie in einer fortlaufenden Evaluierung von Entscheidungen unter Beteiligung der Betroffenen.     

How autonomy support mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and approaches to learning

Abstract

The significant interplay between self-efficacy, autonomy support and approaches to learning in adolescent students is widely recognized. However, less is known about whether substantial differences exist between early and middle adolescent students from schools with different environments. To close this research gap, this study used latent mean comparison and multigroup structural equation modeling with questionnaire data from a sample of German adolescent students (N?=?1153; M_AgeT1?=?13.97, SD = 1.37; M_AgeT2?=?14.27, SD = 1.25) in two waves. Multigroup structural equation modeling reveals that autonomy functions as a mediator in the association between self-efficacy and approaches to learning only for students from schools with a student-centered learning environment based on competence-matrices in contrast to a teacher-directed learning environment, particularly for early adolescent students. More specifically, adolescents’ approaches to learning can be enhanced through autonomy-supportive learning independently of their self-efficacy.     

Globalised student achievement? A longitudinal and cross-country analysis of convergence in mathematics performance

ABSTRACT

With the aid of longitudinal country-level data from five IEA TIMSS assessments (1995–2011), the current study addresses the issue of the globalisation of curricula and achievement. To explore the hypothesis of global convergence, we study performance in four subdomains of mathematics. Using regression with fixed effects for countries, we consider whether the variation of subdomain scores decreases globally over time. Additionally, we explore qualitative differences in performance profiles using latent class analysis. Our results provide little evidence for a global harmonisation of student achievement. Rather, for regions with a similar language and culture, we observe similar strengths and weaknesses in mathematics content areas. Furthermore, these patterns remain stable over time. Directions for future research include the exploration of global trends in aspects of attained curricula for other subjects, and the use of information on school achievement.     

Biomechanics of elite recumbent handcycling: a case study

In the presented research, a kinematic and electromyographic study was performed on one world-class male elite handbiker (UCI class H3.2). Activity of 14 muscles of the upper body were measured with surface electromyography (EMG), and a motion analysis of the athlete’s movement was performed concurrently for different backrest positions, crank lengths, and crank heights at three power levels (130, 160 and 190 W). Kinematics in terms of elbow and wrist angle, muscular on-off timing, EMG amplitudes, and integrated EMG were calculated. Results showed that little changes occurred for kinematic parameters and changes in position led to a shift in muscular timing. However, no indication for immediate improvement to the athlete’s preferred original position could be observed.     

Der Zusammenhang von Schulleitungshandeln,Unterrichtsgestaltung und Lernerfolg

Indicators and instruments for determining and measuring school quality within inspection systems are usually based on frameworks for inspection. These frameworks rely heavily upon school and teacher effectiveness research. Thus, a central assumption is that the effectiveness and improvement-oriented school conditions, as measured within an inspection, are related to student achievement. It is unclear if this assumption really holds true, as empirical evidence is still lacking. This study uses data from a random sampling of schools (n = 37) and teachers (n = 1663) and the achievement data from students (n = 23,943) to validate the interpretations and uses of school inspection results regarding the factor school leadership. The study follows Kane’s argument-based approach for validation. Results reveal that principals of schools with recurrent high student achievement very often demonstrate instructional leadership. It is evident that these principals are also leading in a fundamentally different way from principals in schools with lower achievement in that they lead with the specific school context in mind. The study demonstrates that it is possible to make inferences from scores provided by school inspections and to generalize from them. However, this generalizability does not extend to making extrapolations or decisions based on these scores. The analyses make it clear that providing feedback solely on the strengths and weakness of a school is insufficient when it comes to stimulating school improvement through inspection.