A study of the effects of video tape recording in microteaching training

The study investigated, in a Nigerian setting, whether the use of videotape recordings is an effective method of teacher education prior to full-time teaching. Two groups of students were used for study. The first group was allowed to practice the skills through micro-teaching with the aid of video recording equipment. The second group practiced their own skills through micro-teaching but without the aid of video recording equipment. At the end of the study it was discovered that the group which used the video recording equipment had more significant progress in the mastery of teaching skills.     

Doctoral dissertations in instructional design and technology, 1977 through 1988

This is a summary of data on doctoral dissertations completed in instructional design and technology programs over the period 1977–88. During this period, 1,518 dissertations were completed at 46 different institutions, with nearly half completed at only 7 institutions. The 1,518 dissertations were chaired by 286 different professors, but approximately half were chaired by just 39 professors. The number per professor ranged from 89 to 1. Output was fairly steady over the 12 years, averaging 127 per year, with a low of 106 in 1980 and a high of 149 in 1983 and 1985.     

Psychometric data for teacher judgments regarding the learning behaviors of primary grade children

The psychometric properties of the Classroom Performance Profile (CPP), a teacher rating scale, were investigated using primary grade children from economically at‐risk families. Students were rated as they progressed from kindergarten through third grade. The CPP demonstrated high internal consistency yielding Cronbach alpha coefficients for the total score of at least .96. CPP ratings were correlated with scores from the Woodcock‐Johnson Psycho‐Educational Battery–Revised: Tests of Achievement and the Social Skills Rating System–Teacher Form, Elementary Level. Results suggest that the CPP ratings were positively correlated with measures of academic achievement, academic competence, and social skills, and negatively correlated with problem behaviors. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On the ecological validity of measuring the sensitivity of professional caregivers: The laboratory versus the nursery

Much research indicates the importance of interactional experience for young children in developing their competence. In particular sensitive responsiveness in interaction has been associated with beneficial developmental outcomes and is often regarded as a central component of good quality child care. This study considers some alternative ways of measuring the sensitivity of caregivers. Thirty professional caregiver-infant dyads were observed in three different situations: In the laboratory during free-play (1), during a task (2) and at the nursery itself while caring for 10 infants with a colleague (3). Results indicated that their sensitivity was highest in situation 1; this score was moderately related to the sensitivity score in situation 2 and to that in the nursery. The sensitivity scores in situations 2 and 3 were not significantly related. The data support the view that sensitivity is subject to contextual influences and that researchers need to think carefully about the when and where of such measurements.     

Tradition versus Technology: Careers Fairs in the 21st Century

The traditional methods ofgraduate recruitment do not adequately meet theneeds of the changing profile of students andgraduates. As industry becomesinternationalised, the needs of employers arealso changing. Graduate recruitment is inresponse to short term needs and varying levelsof experience are required. A case study methodwas used in Dublin Institute of Technology toevaluate the effectiveness of a virtual careersfair in providing greater access to jobopportunities for students and graduates.Access by employers to potential employees wasalso measured. Findings showed that whileaccess improved, other issues requiringattention emerged.     

The Use and Interpretation of Logistic Regression in Higher Education Journals: 1988–1999

This article examines the use and interpretation of logistic regression in three leading higher education research journals from 1988 to 1999. The journals were selected because of their emphasis on research, relevance to higher education issues, broad coverage of research topics, and reputable editorial policies. The term logistic regression encompasses logit modeling, probit modeling, and tobit modeling and the significance tests of their estimates. A total of 52 articles were identified as using logistic regression. Our review uncovered an increasingly sophisticated use of logistic regression for a wide range of topics. At the same time, there continues to be confusion over terminology. The sample sizes used did not always achieve a desired level of stability in the parameters estimated. Discussion of results in terms of delta-Ps and marginal probabilities was not always cautionary, according to definitions. The review is concluded with recommendations for journal editors and researchers in formulating appropriate editorial policies and practice for applying the versatile logistic regression technique and in communicating its results with readers of higher education research.     

Images of teacher, students, and the classroom held by preservice and in-service educators of students who are deaf or hard of hearing

A sample of 163 preservice and in-service teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing students was surveyed on perceptions of the roles of teacher, students, and the classroom. The participants' perceptions were examined utilizing the Survey of Practical Knowledge (SPK) designed and developed by the researcher for the study. The SPK asked the participants to respond to different "images" of teachers, students, and classrooms. Through factor analysis, the following images were generated: the teacher as artisan, the teacher as custodian, the student as subordinate, the student as peer, the classroom as arena, and the classroom as refuge. Beginning education students, graduating education students, novice teachers, and experienced teachers were assessed on their endorsement of those images. Beginning education students tended to view students more as peers than members of the other three groups. In-service teachers were more consistent and flexible in their images than preservice teachers were. Deaf and hard-of-hearing teachers viewed students more as subordinates than did hearing teachers. The dominant view among the study participants conceptualized the teacher as artisan, the students as subordinates, and the classroom as a refuge.