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.     

Integrating storytelling and quantitative career assessment

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - Combining quantitative career assessment with narrative career counselling is a career counselling challenge. The Integrative...     

Culture Clashes,Value Conflicts and Professional Education

Radical changes have taken place in the conditions of professional practice in recent decades, which have been recorded and analysed by a number of authors, together with various proposals for the adaptation of courses of professional training. One area in this evolution which has received less than systematic investigation is the greatly increased occurrence of clashes arising from ethical complications in much professional practice, a major source of which has been the greatly increased intermingling of cultures worldwide. In the present paper it is argued that the training of professional practitioners in the understanding of value conflicts is different in nature from the training in the knowledge and techniques specific to a profession. The distinction is traced and a definition offered of the educational problem involved in preparing professional practitioners for handling such matters. The remainder of the paper is taken up with a review of several approaches that have been reported.     

Exercising a bounded autonomy: novice and experienced teachers’ adaptations to curriculum materials in an age of accountability

This study explores teachers’ first enactments of a set of theory-based curriculum materials designed to support academic language instruction. Specifically, this multiple case study looks at how six middle school English teachers in three US schools adapted the materials; each case includes a pair of teachers, one novice and one more experienced. All schools were located in the same district where a school performance measurement system was being used to publicly rank schools’ academic performance and growth. Multiple measures were used to look for evidence of adaptations and why teachers made adaptations. We found that all teachers adapted the curriculum, most often in response to either perceived student needs or district reform pressures. In two cases, patterns of adaptation differed by teacher experience; experienced teachers appeared better able to adapt curriculum materials to meet instructional goals. This pattern did not hold up at the third school, where teachers faced greater reform pressures. Taken together, these findings suggest that researchers should pay more attention to the role of school and district policy on teachers’ enactments of theory-based reforms. We conclude with guidance to researchers, instructional leaders and others interested in the potential of theory-based curricula as a lever for improving classroom instruction.