The role of institutional learning and teaching grants in developing academic capacity to engage successfully in the scholarship of teaching and learning

The current focus on identifying criteria for academic teaching practice is influencing performance goals for teaching academics. This has produced a strong imperative to engage with the scholarship of teaching and learning; however, it is not always clear how teaching academics continue to build capacity to do this during their academic career. Drawing on the literature, this paper analyses the outcomes from two years of faculty and institutional teaching grants to gauge their role in generating effective engagement in the scholarship of teaching and learning. The paper identifies some improvements to the grants programs which have contributed to quality outcomes.     

Student teachers’ emotional landscapes in self- and co-regulated learning

Self- and co-regulation are central elements in skillful student-teacher learning. Studies have confirmed the interrelation between positive academic emotions and student engagement in self-regulated learning. There are also indicators of student-teachers experiencing co-regulative learning activities as highly significant. Yet, we know surprisingly little about the emotional landscape of the self- and co-regulation of learning among student-teachers. Hence, in this study, we explore the kinds of academic emotions that primary school student-teachers experience during self- and co-regulated learning. Altogether 19 Finnish primary school student-teachers were interviewed. The data were qualitatively content analyzed. The results showed that both self- and co-regulated learning experiences were emotionally activating. Student-teachers reported primarily positive emotions (80%) in self- and co-regulated learning. The results also showed that positive activating emotions, such as enthusiasm, were emphasized in all regulatory phases: goal setting and task analysis, strategy use and monitoring, and reflection. Our findings on the high frequency of various positive emotions embedded in self- and co-regulated learning confirmed that positive activating emotions are essential elements in student-teachers self- and co-regulated learning. The findings imply that self- and co-regulated learning can trigger a positive cycle in student-teacher learning in terms of both emotions and productive learning.     

Changes in muscle activity with increasing running speed

Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the leg muscles and the ground reaction forces were recorded in 17 elite male middle-distance runners, who performed isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) as well as running at different speeds. Electromyograms were recorded from the gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior. The results indicated that the averaged EMG (aEMG) activities of all the muscles studied increased (P < 0.05) with increasing running speed, especially in the pre-contact and braking phases. At higher speeds, the aEMG activities of the gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris and gluteus maximus exceeded 100% MVC in these same phases. These results suggest that maximal voluntary contractions cannot be used as an indicator of the full activation potential of human skeletal muscle. Furthermore, the present results suggest that increased pre-contact EMG potentiates the functional role of stretch reflexes, which subsequently increases tendomuscular stiffness and enhances force production in the braking and/or propulsive phases in running. Furthermore, a more powerful force production in the optimal direction for increasing running speed effectively requires increased EMG activity of the two-joint muscles (biceps femoris, rectus femoris and gastrocnemius) during the entire running cycle.     

Conceptualisation of a professional doctorate program: Focusing on practice and change

Professional doctorates are frequently described as research degrees that combine workplace and professional engagement with the scholarly rigour of the university. This paper draws on findings from an empirical study of a professional doctorate program in nursing. During this study, a curriculum model that focuses on the intersecting spheres of university, profession and workplace was used as a prompt in interviews. Although this curriculum model has become a reference point for any discussion about the framework for professional doctorates in Australia, it became clear during the study that the predominant themes in the nursing program were different to those in the model. The disparity between the accepted model and the findings from the nursing program are discussed and an alternative model is offered. In this alternative model, the university retains its central role, combined with the themes of professional practice and change. These themes provide a curriculum framework that reflects the knowledge, experiences and intentions of both the students and the staff. The broader implications of the alternative model are also discussed.     

Mindfulness and situational interest

In an attempt to exploit the concept of mindfulness for educational contexts, we investigated the role of dispositional mindfulness as an internal resource for the development of situational interest. Using an online questionnaire, we assessed participants’ (N?=?161, mean age?=?30.4 years, 74% female, 66% university students) mindfulness, presented them with a text on bionics, and asked them to indicate their situational interest regarding the material (t1). One week later, they indicated their maintained situational interest (t2). Findings reveal a positive relationship between mindfulness and situational interest at t1, especially with regard to participants’ ability to be momentarily ‘present’ and affective aspects of situational interest. Furthermore, we found an indirect effect of mindfulness on maintained situational interest at t2 via participants’ interest at t1. These findings were independent from participants’ initial interest and knowledge. Contrary to our expectation, we did not find a moderation effect for mindfulness on the relation between situational interest at t1 and t2. We discuss these findings in terms of implications for formal learning contexts.     

Curriculum coherence as perceived by district-level stakeholders in large-scale national curriculum reform in Finland

Abstract

It has been suggested that curriculum coherence is crucial in successful educational reform. However, empirical research on the topic is still scarce. This study explores how the stakeholders involved in curriculum development at the district level perceived curriculum coherence. Survey data (n?=?550) were analysed using structural equation modelling. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that curriculum coherence consists of three complementary components: consistency of the intended direction; an integrative approach to teaching and learning; and alignment between objectives, content and assessments. Moreover, the results showed that curriculum coherence contributes to the expected impact of the reform on the school level development. The study adds to the research on curriculum reform by showing that curriculum coherence is a central determinant of the reform taking root at the school level, and by introducing a scale for measuring perceptions of curriculum coherence within the context of large-scale national curriculum reform.     

A horizontal approach to school transitions: a lesson learned from Finnish 15‐year‐olds

Various school transitions provide both challenges and opportunities for pupils. The ways in which pupils cope with these transitions can have a significant impact on their everyday lives and futures. This study focuses on exploring the kinds of transitions pupils face during their comprehensive school path. The aim is to gain a better understanding of horizontal and vertical school transitions faced by Finnish ninth graders (n = 518) who are 15‐ to 16‐years‐old during their school careers. These transitions are empirically examined through two complementary aspects: (1) determining the horizontal and vertical transitions in the pupils’ school career; and (2) identifying the challenges faced by the pupils in these transitions. By introducing a horizontal and vertical school transition model and exploring the transitions in this framework we aim at contributing to breaking down the complexity of the transfer process.     

The coordination role in research education: emerging understandings and dilemmas for leadership

Changes in expectations of research education worldwide have seen the rise of new demands beyond supervision and have highlighted the need for academic leadership in research education at a local level. Based on an interview study of those who have taken up local leadership roles in four Australian universities, this paper maps and analyses different dimensions of the emerging leadership role of research education coordination. It argues that while there is increasing clarity of what is required, there are considerable tensions in the nature of the coordination role and how coordination is to be executed. In particular, what leadership roles are appropriate and how can they be positioned effectively within universities? The paper draws on the Integrated Competing Values Framework to focus on the activities of coordination and on ideas of distributed leadership to discuss the leadership that characterises coordination. It is argued that without acknowledgement of the influences that coordinators need to exert and the positioning and support needed to achieve this, the contemporary agenda for research education will not be realised.