Instructional practices of teachers enrolled in educational technology and general education programs

This study investigated classroom practices of 38 teachers enrolled in university masters' degree programs in educational technology and in other areas of education. The classroom practices related to five key concepts associated with educational technology: (a) learner-centered instruction, (b) instructional design, (c) media and technology, (d) assessment, and (e) instructional alignment. Teachers rated their frequency of use of desirable practices in these five areas on a 30-item Likert type survey. In addition, one class of students per teacher rated its own teacher's frequency of use of the practices on 20 items parallel to items on the teacher survey. The mean overall rating across all teachers for the classroom practice items was very close to Often, or 4.0, on the 5-point scale. There were few reported differences between the teachers enrolled in educational technology programs and those enrolled in other education programs. Student ratings indicated less frequent teacher use of the desirable practices on 16 of the 20 common items, with significantly lower student ratings on 8 of these items. However, there was strong teacher-student agreement on several other comparisons.The study reported in this article was conducted as a doctoral dissertation at Arizona State University.     

Teaching Science Effectively With Analogies: An Approach for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Alternatives to rules for knowledge-based modelling

The technology of knowledge-based systems undoubtedly offers potential for educational modelling, yet its practical impact on today's school classrooms is very limited. To an extent this is because the tools presently used in schools are mostly rule-based expert system shells, which lack usability. We developed three alternative tools, using ideas from knowledge acquisition research, and compared their effectiveness to that of an established rule-based shell. Children working with the new tools produced higher quality models and developed more positive attitudes. We relate these findings to the forms of representation provided by the new tools and present evidence that modelling increases children's representational skill. We conclude that knowledge acquisition systems and alternative forms of representation can contribute to improved forms of knowledge-based modelling.     

Continuing professional development needs and activities of school psychologists

The study investigated school psychologists' continuing professional development (CPD) needs and their relationship to selected demographic factors, preservice training, incentives, and typical engagement in various CPD activities. A survey questionnaire was mailed to 500 randomly selected National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) members, and responses were received from 235. Respondents reported their greatest CPD needs to be in the areas of direct service and consultation. No demographic variables were related to respondents' CPD needs. Few preservice training or incentive factors were related to CPD needs. Respondents' perceived value of preservice training in CPD management was related to their CPD needs, but few respondents reported that they had received this type of preservice training. Several personal incentives for CPD, including self‐assessment of CPD needs, opportunity to practice new skills and receive feedback during CPD training, and opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of CPD training and CPD goal attainment were related to CPD needs. Respondents' CPD needs in each specific skill area, including direct service, consultation, assessment, program planning and evaluation, supervision, and research, had significant but low correlations with the amount of actual CPD activity in the respective skill area. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Index of science reading awareness: An interactive-constructive model,test verification,and grades 4–8 results

The purpose of this study was to develop and verify the Index of Science Reading Awareness (ISRA) based on a model of an efficient, successful interactive-constructive science reader and three independent metacognitive awareness domains. Several researchers have noted the need for efficient, reliable, and valid measures of metacognition. ISRA data collected on 532 students (Grades 4–8) were analyzed using factor analyses, linear structural modeling, and analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to help verify the model and the test. The factor analyses and linear structural modeling indicated that these data did not support the assumption about the three independent metacognitive awareness domains, but suggested that the model and the test were structured around the design features of science reading, science text, and science reading strategies. One-way ANOVAs indicated significant, predicted reading ability and gender differences but unexpected grade-level differences. The composite metacognitive awareness data indicated that most Grade 4–8 students have surface knowledge about science reading, science text, and science reading strategies, and indicated specific targets for explicit science reading instruction. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 27-51, 1998.