Higher education's new playbook: Learning Reconsidered

The rules that dictate educational practice on most campuses were written prior to the invention of movable type and long before scientists fully understood learning as an integrated and context‐specific process. Jane Fried summarizes two documents that may well replace the tired old playbooks of yore.     

Primary Children and Computer-Based Artwork: Their Learning Environment and Strategies

This article summarises a research project with a group of twenty Singapore primary students who were introduced to computer graphics in an eight-week programme. Their actions and artwork were closely monitored by participant observers to see how they interacted with the computers and with each other as they learned how to use the tools and exercise judgement and control. Three aspects of behaviour which seemed to be particularly significant were: watching and internalising, providing a running commentary and pointing. The children's artwork showed that they could use the computer as a tool to create artwork and engage in high-level symbol-weaving.     

Reviews

Foster , John , L. (Editor ). (1977). Reluctant to Read? Edinburgh Reading Tests - Stages 1 and 4 - Godfrey Thomson Unit. Dubin , F. and Olshtain , E. (1977). Facilitating Language Learning. Skitt , Frank . (1978). Themes for Language Learning.     

Houston Teaching Academy: Partnership in developing teachers

The need for excellent teachers to teach at-risk inner-city children is well documented. Too often new teachers who have received their field experience in the suburbs are hired to teach in multicultural inner-city schools with little preparation to serve this population of children and families. Changing the history of failure for this population of teachers and their students to an experience of success was the primary goal of the partnership between the Houston Independent School District and the University of Houston's College of Education.The structure of the Houston Teaching Academy (HTA) includes four collaborative decision-making councils. Representatives from the school and college serve on each of the councils. Shared weekly seminars for supervising teachers, student teachers, and college supervisors are led by school teachers or college supervisors. Methods courses are taught at the HTA, and the students serve as tutors in the classrooms. Several graduate college courses requested by teachers are offered at the HTA.Concurrent with the development of the HTA, a formative and summative evaluation has monitored the progress of the HTA toward its goals. The HTA graduates have been followed into their first years of teaching. Interviews with their principals indicate that 77% are effectively teaching in inner-city and multicultural settings.     

Undergraduate Medical Students' Usage and Perceptions of Anatomical Case-Based Learning: Comparison of Facilitated Small Group Discussions and eLearning Resources

While case-based discussions can empower students to apply knowledge to contextual clinical situations, scheduling these activities is a challenge in crowded curricula. Case-based eLearning activities, derived from existing cases discussed within anatomy small group tutorials, were created incorporating principles such as interactivity, reinforcement, and feedback. Over half of the students accessed one or more of these online cases, with 18% accessing all eight online cases provided. Access increased as the semester progressed, particularly just before summative examinations, implying students used these primarily as revision aides. Students rated both formats highly, but favored the online format with regard to enjoyment (P = 0.048), learning (P = 0.101), and feedback (P = 0.086). However, more students discussed these cases in small group tutorials within the anatomy dissecting room than completed them online (122 vs. 67) and themes emerging from free text comments included a desire to have more time dedicated to these cases during small group tutorials, and an appreciation for the opportunity for discussion with staff and learning through doing. Additionally, native English speakers rated the anatomy room discussions significantly higher in all aspects than non-native English speakers, suggesting that non-native speakers may be hesitant or reluctant to fully participate in front of peers. While online case-based learning activities are a useful adjunct to anatomy teaching, particularly for revision, assumptions that “digital natives” have an innate preference for digital resources require critical evaluation, as students still place a high value on opportunities for discussion with staff during their studies.