The dynamics of online learning at the workplace: Peer-facilitated social learning and the application in practice

Research stresses the importance of social components in learning. The social contact with peers and tutors stimulates reflection and supports higher processes of learning necessary for the internalisation and application of new knowledge. However, merely proposing opportunities for interaction does not necessarily lead to fruitful discussion and collaboration. Social presence and facilitation are key concepts for successful mutual learning. Both are represented in Murphy’s collaboration model; social presence forms the basis of collaboration on which discussions and co-construction of knowledge evolve. Facilitation supports the entire collaboration process. In this paper, an adjusted version of Murphy’s model was applied to analyse 1085 comments shared in an online course between career practitioners of a public employment service. The results show that without a dedicated tutor, learners can still be involved in collaborative learning and co-construction of new knowledge provided that the topic under discussion is highly relevant and controversial. Learners themselves take over social presence and facilitation activities, but less frequently than when a professional tutor facilitates discussions. Ex post summative evaluation revealed that only a few learners applied the gained knowledge in the long-term. As comparisons with related research suggest, higher facilitation support leading to a higher cognitive interaction with the learning could have better supported the transfer to practice.     

Investigation of secondary science teachers' beliefs and practices after authentic inquiry‐based experiences

This study continues research previously conducted by a nine‐university collaborative, the Salish I Research Project, by exploring science teachers' beliefs and practices with regard to inquiry‐oriented instruction. In this study, we analyzed the relationship among secondary science teachers' preparation, their beliefs, and their classroom practices after completion of a course designed to provide authentic inquiry experiences. From Teacher Pedagogical Philosophy Interview data and Secondary Science Teacher Analysis Matrix observational data, we analyzed links between the teachers' conveyed beliefs and observed practice regarding the teachers' actions (TA) and students' actions (SA). Also presented is a listing of teachers' perceived influences from university preparation course work. Results indicated that 7 of the 8 teachers professed a belief in teacher‐centered or conceptual style with regard to TA and SA. The observational results indicated that 7 of the 8 teachers displayed a teacher‐centered or conceptual style with regard to TA and SA. Inconsistencies between interview and observational data were unexpected, as half of the teachers professed slightly greater teacher‐centered styles with regard to TA than what they actually practiced in their classrooms. All teachers reported that an inquiry‐based science course was valuable. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 938–962, 2006     

Attitudes towards sexuality information for adolescents: what parents should and should not say

The goal of this study was to investigate the attitudes of Colombians with respect to what can and what must not be said to young people of different ages and genders regarding sexuality. A convenience sample of 329 adults, aged 18–64 years, living in Bogotá participated in the study. They were presented with a set of 36 vignettes describing situations in which either a young girl or a young boy seemed to be concerned about sexuality and sexual relationships. Each scenario contained three items of information: the child’s gender, age and the parent’s decision (e.g. not to say anything regarding sexuality). Through cluster analysis, seven qualitatively different sets of attitudes were found. The five most common ones were: (i) it is never appropriate to talk about sexual matters (6%); (ii) delegate this responsibility to the school nurse (4%); (iii) provide incomplete information restricted to the biology of sexuality (11%); (iv) provide comprehensive information but with a recommendation of abstinence (28%); and (v) provide comprehensive information and a recommendation of pre-marital sexual experience (36%). Although it was expected that attitudes would vary as a function of the young person’s gender and age, such variations proved to be limited in their extent.     

The Relationship Between Security of Attachment and the Development of a Personal Premise System of Relationships and Expectations for Peer Interaction

Block (1984) postulated that children develop a personal premise system concerning the nature of relationships from the kind of responsiveness, balance, and control they experience when interacting with the caregiver and the caregiver's degree of accessibility during caregiver-child interactions. Block's theory was used in this review to discuss how children's personal premise systems or models of relationships develop through the process of attachment to the caregiver, and how, as children establish more extensive social relationships, this premise system becomes a more generalized model of self and others which shapes all interactions with others including peer relationships during early and middle childhood. The review also suggests continuity in the organization of behavior, for just as the nature of the early personal premise system is shaped by caregiver responsiveness, control, consistency, and availability, so the quality of ties youngsters form with their peers seems also to be shaped by the tone of children's responsiveness to peers, the degree and kind of control youngsters exert in peer interactions, the consistency of behaviors with peers, and children's emotional and physical availability to peers.     

Artistic and Moral Imagination in The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

This essay provides a close reading of The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. It argues that the story's two themes—a celebration of artistic creativity and a ringing denunciation of prejudice—are closely related through their reliance on the importance of imagination, both artistic and moral. The role of moral perception in ethical decision making has recently come under new scrutiny in moral philosophy. This essay employs recent work in moral theory to analyze the way in which the resolution of Estes's story turns on the characters' growth in both moral courage and moral imagination.     

Migrant preschool children's school readiness and early elementary school performance

Little is known about the early educational performance of children in migrant farmworker families. The authors examined the school readiness and early school success of 289 four-year-old preschool children of migrant families attending Redlands Christian Migrant Association centers. Children's school readiness was assessed and public school records were used for longitudinal follow-up. Children improved on age-4 school readiness domains, and although some struggled with emergent English literacy, many performed well on school readiness measures and later coursework. Children quickly became proficient in oral English, and had above-average school attendance. Many scored low on high-stakes tests; however, typically well enough for grade promotion. Students in the sample were comparable to similar students in poverty. School teachers and administrators should have high expectations for students from migrant families because many of them do stay in the public school system, and appear to be quite resilient despite many challenges they face.     

Longitudinal Study of Middle Grades Chemistry Professional Development: Enhancement of Personal Science Teaching Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy

The purpose of this research was to enhance self-efficacy beliefs, chemistry content, and pedagogical content knowledge of middle grades teachers by incorporating specific design elements into professional development. This study analyzed the influence of program design on achieving gains in personal science teaching self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, chemistry content, and pedagogical content knowledge in 4 discrete cohorts (N = 135). Significant changes were produced in self-efficacy at .01 in each cohort, personal science teaching self-efficacy was significantly enhanced in Cohorts 1, 2, and 4 at .01, and outcome expectancy was significantly enhanced in Cohorts 1 and 3 at .01 and in Cohort 4 at .05. Professional development that enhances personal science teaching self-efficacy and outcome expectancy should be recognized as essential to achieving scientific literacy for all students.     

First-Time Fathers' Expectations and Experiences Using Child Care and Integrating Parenting and Employment

This study explores the expectations and experiences of 37 first-time fathers about using child care and combining work and family responsibilities. Fathers completed questionnaires and participated in interviews at two home visits, the first at infant age 4-6 weeks, the second at 4-5 months. At the first visit, fathers' expectations were positively correlated with paternal self-esteem. At the second visit, fathers' experiences were positively correlated with the quality of child care, the support at their work, and their desire for their partner to work. At both visits, fathers expressed their dissatisfaction with the length of their parental leave and indicated interest in reducing their work hours. At the second visit, fathers who were spending more time caring for their infants expressed greater feelings of competence and pleasure in parenting. Outcomes of this study suggest that employer policies such as increased parental leaves and reduced work hours may enhance fathers' experiences integrating parenting and employment by providing increased opportunities for fathers to spend more time with their infant. In contrast to their partners, fathers' greater objectivity in monitoring the quality of their infant's child care suggests that fathers should be encouraged to take a more significant role.