Student demand and progress at the Open University – the first eight years

At its inception educationalists and politicians alike were sceptical about the likelihood of the Open University being anything more than a pipe‐dream. Demand was not proven, students would not stay the course, degree level work could not be taught in such a way – the criticisms were numerous. This paper attempts to assess, after ten years, how far the University has succeed ed in its task of providing degree opportunities for adults. It considers the level and nature of demand for the OU, student progress through the University and graduation patterns. It concludes that, despite all the initial scepticism, the level of demand for the OU has continued at a high level, more students have survived than anyone had anticipated, and that these include significant groups without the requisite qualifications for entry to normal university. Despite this, there are many for whom the OU is not as open as it should be, and this represents the challenge over the next few years.     

Building Leadership Expertise of Future Early Childhood Professionals

Abstract

This article describes the effectiveness of the Structured Simulation Training Method (SSTM) as a pedagogical too] to prepare student teachers for work in inclusive early childhood settings. Simulations are a performance‐based methodology designed to allow student teachers to directly experience issues in diversity and practice interpersonal communication, consultation and decision‐making skills. Qualitative methodologies were employed to analyze data collected from student reactions to interactions with simulated clients. Themes that emerged from the data suggest that the SSTM allows student teachers to socially construct professional knowledge, improve attitudes about diversity and practice effective interpersonal skills in a realistic but supportive learning environment.     

Teacher training in early childhood education: The case of Ghana,West Africa

Abstract

Teacher training in early childhood education in Ghana, West Africa is more of a grassroots effort rather than a formal system that is fully supported financially by the Ministry of Education. Formal teacher‐training college or university‐based early childhood teacher training has yet to be realized for the thousands of teachers of children 3–5 years old in government or government‐supported primary schools. This work chronicles the past and present teacher‐training programs available in this country that reports approximately 4.3 million children in its population under the age of 6 years.     

Print exposure, reading habits, and reading achievement among deaf and hearing college students

This study explored relations of print exposure, academic achievement, and reading habits among 100 deaf and 100 hearing college students. As in earlier studies, recognition tests for book titles and magazine titles were used as measures of print exposure, college entrance test scores were used as measures of academic achievement, and students provided self-reports of reading habits. Deaf students recognized fewer magazine titles and fewer book titles appropriate for reading levels from kindergarten through Grade 12 while reporting more weekly hours of reading. As in previous studies with hearing college students, the title recognition test proved a better predictor of deaf and hearing students' English achievement than how many hours they reported reading. The finding that the recognition tests were relatively more potent predictors of achievement for deaf students than hearing students may reflect the fact that deaf students often obtain less information through incidental learning and classroom presentations.     

High school students' ideas about theories and theory change after a biological inquiry unit

Students' epistemological beliefs about scientific knowledge and practice are one important influence on their approach to learning. This article explores the effects that students' inquiry during a 4‐week technology‐supported unit on evolution and natural selection had on their beliefs about the nature of science. Before and after the study, 8 students were interviewed using the Nature of Science interview developed by Carey and colleagues. Overall, students held a view of science as a search for right answers about the world. Yet, the inconsistency of individuals' responses undermines the assumption that students have stable, coherent epistemological frameworks. Students' expressed ideas did not change over the course of the intervention, suggesting important differences between students' talk during inquiry and their abilities to talk epistemologically about science. Combined with previous work, our findings emphasize the crucial role of an explicit epistemic discourse in developing students' epistemological understanding. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 369–392, 2003     

Research on cognitive load theory: Application to e-learning

The purpose of this article is to review and critique each of the research studies published in this special issue. We will critique each article, derive one or more instructional design heuristics based on the findings for each study, and provide recommendations for extending particular lines of research. Three suggestions are provided concerning cognitive load theory and instructional design adaptations for e-learning.     

Behind the Smile: Reading Cultural Values in Thai Advertising

This study investigates how Thai cultural values are expressed in advertising messages. Manifest cultural values in Thai TV commercials were compared with value clusters identified by S. Komin in Psychology of the Thai people: Values and behavioral patterns (1991). Findings suggest that values expressed in the advertisements differ somewhat from those important to Thai people. While commercials were most likely to emphasize ego, a value rated as important to Thai people, the ads also focused on fun and pleasure and achievement/task orientation which are of lesser importance to Thais. Similarly, advertisements focused on maintaining smooth and gratifying interpersonal relationships were downplayed, despite the fact that these values are important in Thai society.