Reaching a Consensus on the Definition of Genetic Literacy that Is Required from a Twenty-First-Century Citizen

To determine what knowledge of genetics is needed for decision-making on genetic-related issues, a consensus-reaching approach was used. An international group of 57 experts, involved in teaching, studying, or developing genetic education and communication or working with genetic applications in medicine, agriculture, or forensics, answered the questions: “What knowledge of genetics is relevant to those individuals not professionally involved in science?” and “Why is this knowledge relevant?” The answers were classified in different knowledge components following the PISA 2015 science framework. During a workshop with the participants, the results were discussed and applied to seven cases in which genetic knowledge is relevant for decision-making. The analysis of these discussions resulted in a revised framework consisting of nine conceptual knowledge components, three sociocultural components, and four epistemic components. The framework can be used in curricular decisions; its open character allows for including new technologies and applications and facilitates comparisons of different cases.     

Identifying pathways of teachers’ PCK development

This paper describes a method of analysing teacher growth in the context of science education. It focuses on the identification of pathways in the development of secondary school teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) by the use of the interconnected model of teachers’ professional growth (IMTPG).The teachers (n = 12) participated in a one-year action research project focused on their individual concerns related to teaching science. The use of the IMTPG revealed that teachers use different pathways of learning to develop different aspects of their PCK. For each PCK component, three distinct pathways could be identified, two of which clearly were associated with professional growth. When examining these two pathways in detail, it was found that (1) teachers learned about new instructional strategies and assessment methods mostly through literature reviews and discussions with peers and (2) teachers who analyzed and reflected on student learning as it happened in their classrooms developed understandings that helped them to select and apply instructional strategies to further promote student learning. Both the analytical method as well as the identification of the different developmental pathways help to better understand teacher development in the context of classroom practices.     

Web 2.0 and competence‐oriented design of learning—Potentials and implications for higher education

This paper discusses the potential of learning technologies to foster competence development of students. It aims to improve understanding of pedagogical conditions that have to be met to establish a competence orientation in e‐learning. We review the literature to summarise recent changes in e‐learning, identify attributes of web 2.0 technologies, revisit the concept of competence and specify implications for the competence‐oriented design of learning environments. By referring to Kolb's learning cycle, we illustrate this view with a case study on the use of Google Apps as collaborative learning environment and recommend how competence‐oriented e‐learning activities can be created. Our findings reinforce the position that web 2.0 tools enable a shift from a distributive to a more collaborative mode in e‐learning. In particular, the ease of use and intuition of web 2.0 technologies allow creating learning environments, which realise activity‐rich pedagogical models and facilitate competence development of students. The paper concludes that, despite the demand of firms for versatile graduates and the obvious potential of learning technologies to foster competence development of students, universities need to establish institutional strategies to make this pedagogical change happen.     

On Subject Variations in Achievement Motivations: A Study in Business Subjects

Student achievement motivations are crucial in learning in two ways: as a determinant and an aim of learning. In this study, we focus on two related questions with regard to achievement motivations: to what extent are they subject-specific, and to what extent are they malleable? Answers to both questions are especially important when aiming to influence motivations. Malleability of motivation is studied by designing structural equation models that explain achievement motivation out of the most stable student characteristics one can think of: gender, and personality traits. Subject matter variability is studied by estimating these models for five main subject areas in a business program. The motivation construct we use is based on the expectancy-value model and distinguishes four different facets: cognitive competence, difficulty, task-value and affect. We find evidence for strong subject-specificity and considerable non-malleability of achievement motivation; part of that last aspect is a remarkably constant over-confidence gender gap present in the data of the calibration of competency beliefs and performance in all subject areas.     

The interaction of functional and dysfunctional emotions during balance beam performance

The interaction between functional and dysfunctional emotions, as one of the major tenets of the individual zones of optimal functioning (IZOF) model (Hanin, 2000), was studied in a sport specific setting. Fourteen female gymnasts performed three attempts of a compulsory balance beam routine at three different heights. Heart rate and self-report of functional and dysfunctional emotions were measured during each routine. These data revealed the effectiveness of inducting emotions by manipulating height. Also, performance decreased on the most challenging condition, (i.e., the first attempt on the highest height). Moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between functional and dysfunctional emotions only when the dysfunctional emotion level was low.     

Turning Groups Inside Out: A Social Network Perspective

Most research related to learning in groups focuses on the unit of the group and/or group members. However, students may benefit from crossing the boundaries of their own group, as students in different groups may provide access to new, nonredundant knowledge and opportunities for learning. Whether boundary crossing between groups is beneficial for learning and academic performance has received limited conceptual and empirical attention. Using social network analysis and structural equation modeling, we contrasted pre/post network developments among 693 students (132 groups) across 4 modules at a UK business school. We examined whether it is better for students to invest in social relations in groups to learn and enhance academic performance or to (continue to) invest in social relations outside groups. Our findings indicated that students seemed to learn more from learning relations outside their group than from their own group members. Students with more intergroup relative to intragroup learning relations performed better on module assessments and throughout the academic year than students with more intragroup learning relations. Boundary crossing and intergroup learning deserves more empirical attention and experimentation on how to balance boundary crossing and effective group learning strategies.     

A dynamic analysis of why learners develop a preference for autonomous learners in computer-mediated communication

A large number of studies in CMC have assessed how social interaction, processes and learning outcomes are intertwined. The present research explores how the degree of self-determination of learners, that is the motivational orientation of a learner, influences the communication and interaction patterns in an online Problem Based Learning environment. Given the complexity of CMC, we expected that autonomous learners would be more willing to contribute to cognitive discourse. In time, we expected that control-oriented learners would develop a preferential attachment to contribute to discourse from autonomous learners. Data were gathered from 37 autonomous and 39 control-oriented learners who posted 1669 messages. Using a dynamic multi-method approach of content analysis of cognitive and social discourse, social network analysis, and measures of academic motivation, we find some preliminary evidence that motivational orientation influences communication and social interaction patterns amongst learners. From the beginning, most control-oriented learners develop a preference to connect to and communicate with autonomous learners, although a separate team-analysis indicates that group dynamics also influence how learners develop connections with other learners in time. Our findings further the understanding of differences found in distance learning courses about participation and drop-out.     

Attracting solutions in crowdsourcing contests: The role of knowledge distance,identity disclosure,and seeker status

We investigate in the context of crowdsourcing how seekers can increase open innovation performance, measured as received solver attention, by making two strategic decisions: selecting innovation tasks that are well suited for crowdsourcing and choosing between the potentials of status signalling through identity disclosure versus enjoying the benefits of anonymity. Drawing on uncertainty reduction theory, we suggest that a well-articulated problem statement reduces uncertainties of potential solvers and increases their willingness to participate. We argue that the ability of seekers to draft high-quality problem statements depends on the distance between the problem domain and their current knowledge stock. An analysis of 637 crowdsourcing projects finds that problem-seeker knowledge distance and received solver attention are curvilinear related such that moderate levels of knowledge distance maximize solver participation. However, high-status seekers who engage in identity-based status signalling are able to benefit from crowdsourcing across all levels of problem-seeker knowledge distance.     

Putting learning back into learning analytics: actions for policy makers,researchers, and practitioners

Educational technology research and development - This paper is based on (a) a literature review focussing on the impact of learning analytics on supporting learning and teaching, (b) a Delphi...