Attitudes and aspirations regarding engineering among Chinese secondary school students: comparisons between industrialising and post-industrial geo-engineering regions of Mainland China and Hong Kong

School-based pipelines/routes for university and technical engineering education are recognised as important for economic development and the high-school years are critical for shaping students’ career aspirations and attitudes. This study examined a range of attitudes/experiences on the aspirations of secondary students to pursue engineering education and vocation. Experiential/attitudinal aspects covered demographic characteristics, family/school support, practical learning experiences, curricular/extra-curricular experiences, attitudes, perceptions and engineering-efficacy that may affect aspirations. A validated questionnaire capturing these variables was administered to respective samples of secondary school students from four Chinese geo-engineering regions (Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and ShanXi; 5965 students) that represent differing degrees of industrialisation. Comparative analyses across regions show ‘doing’ engineering is key to motivating students’ aspirations; while regional variations suggest that schooling and family factors are generally more significant in industrialising Mainland cities, and extracurricular opportunities and personal factors are more significant for students in post-industrial Hong Kong.     

Predictive validity of my class inventory

A recent guest-edited issue of this journal (Volume 6, Number 3, 1980) summarizes the considerable interest evident since the late 1960s in the conceptualization, assessment, and study of student perceptions of psychological characteristics of their classroom learning environment. This issue and several other recent key overviews (Moos, 1979; Walberg, 1979; Fraser, 1981; Fraser and Walberg, 1981) have firmly established classroom environment as a thriving field of study.When used as criterion variables in prior curriculum evaluation research, student perceptions of classroom environment characteristics have differentiated revealingly, usefully, and appreaciably between classrooms following alternative curriculum materials or instructional strategies (Anderson, Walberg, and Welch, 1969; Levin, 1980). In addition, other studies have established the criterion validity of classroom environment perceptions in differentiating between classrooms varying in class size (Walberg, 1969), grade level (Welch, 1979), and subject matter (Anderson, 1971a; Hearn and Moos, 1978), and between classrooms in five different types of schools (urban, rural, suburban, vocational, alternative) (Trickett, 1978). The strongest tradition in past research on classroom learning environment, however, has involved investigation of the predictive validity of student perceptions (i.e., the ability to predict student cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning outcomes).     

A comparison of actual and preferred classroom environments as perceived by science teachers and students

This study of perceptions of classroom environment is distinctive in that, first, it made use of two instruments (the Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire and Classroom Environment Scale) which have had very little use in prior science education research and, second, it involved assessment not only of student perceptions of actual environment, but also of student perceptions of preferred environments and teacher perceptions of actual environment. Administration of these instruments to a sample of 2175 junior high school students in 116 classes revealed that the environment scales exhibited satisfactory internal consistency reliability and discriminant validity in each of the three forms (student actual, student preferred, and teacher actual), and that there were some fascinating systematic differences between the profiles of environment scale scores obtained for the different forms. In particular, it was generally found that students preferred a more favorable classroom environment then was perceived as being actually present and that teachers perceived the environment of their classes more favorably than did students in the same classrooms.     

Notes on the progress and plans for educational research in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Educational research in Vietnam is directed primarily by the National Institute of Educational Science (NIES), which consists of some thirteen specialised research departments. The Institute investigates various long-term aspects of educational policy reform, curriculum innovation and methodological approaches to education as well as more specialised fields such as national-ethnic minorities and population education.The major tasks of educational research in Vietnam have to be predicated on the demands of a developing society wishing to modernise its educational structure qualitatively while coping quantitatively with enormous population growth and a situation where school-age children currently comprise some 30% of the total population. Hence, harsh demographic realities and limited economic resources have to be offset, where possible, by efficient utilisation of the intellectual capital of the people and by the establishment of realistic educational priorities on the part of the government. These are amongst the major considerations of the NIES and are exemplified by the kind of research publications already emanating from the Institute as well as by the recently announced five-year plan for research development during the period 1981–1985.

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Zusammenfassung In Vietnam wird pädagogische Forschung in erster Linie von dem National Institute of Educational Science (NIES) gesteuert, das aus dreizehn spezialisierten Forschungsabteilungen besteht. Das Institut erforscht verschiedene langfristige Aspekte der erziehungspolitischen Reform, Curriculum-Innovation und methodologische Erziehungsansätze sowie speziellere Gebiete wie das der national-ethnic minorities und das der population education.Die Hauptaufgaben der pädagogischen Forschung in Vietnam müssen auf den Forderungen einer sich entwickelnden Gesellschaft basieren, die einerseits ihr Erziehungssystem qualitativ modernisieren möchte, andererseits jedoch quantitativ bei einem enormen Bevölkerungswachstum mit einer Situation fertig werden muß, in der derzeit 30% der Gesamtbevölkerung Kinder im schulpflichtigen Alter sind. Deshalb müssen harte demographische Realitäten und begrenzte ökonomische Ressourcen so ausgeglichen werden, daß, wo immer möglich, das intellektuelle Kapital der Bevölkerung wirksam genutzt wird und realistische pädagogische Prioritäten von der Regierung gesetzt werden. Diese Gesichtspunkte gehören zu den Hauptüberlegungen des NIES. Sie werden durch die Art der von diesem Institut bereits herausgegebenen Forschungsberichte sowie durch den kürzlich angekündigten Fünf-Jahres-Plan zur Forschungsentwicklung für die Zeit von 1981 bis 1985 belegt.

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Résumé Au Viet-Nam, la recherche en matière d'éducation est assurée essentiellement par l'Institut National des Sciences de l'Education (INSE) qui regroupe quelque treize départements de recherche spécialisés. L'Institut étudie les différents aspects à long terme de la réforme de la politique de l'éducation, de l'innovation du curriculum et des approches méthodologiques de l'éducation ainsi que des domaines plus spécialisés tels les minorités ethniques nationales et l'éducation en matière de population.Les principales tâches de la recherche en matière d'éducation au Viet-Nam doivent être formulées d'après les besoins d'une société en développement qui souhaite moderniser qualitativement sa structure éducative et faire face quantitativement à une énorme augmentation de la population, à une situation où les enfants en âge scolaire représentent actuellement quelque 30% de la population totale. C'est pourquoi il faut compenser, là où c'est possible, la sévérité des réalités démographiques et les ressources économiques limitées par une utilisation efficace du capital intellectuel du peuple et par des priorités réalistes établies en matière d'éducation par le gouvernement. Ce sont les principales considérations de l'INSE comme le montrent le type de publications de la recherche émanant déjà de l'Institut ainsi que le plan quinquennal présenté récemment pour le développement de la recherche pour la période allant de 1981 à 1985.

     

Evaluation criteria for competency-based syllabi: a Chilean case study applying mixed methods

In recent decades, higher education institutions worldwide have been moving from knowledge-based to competence-based curricula. One of the greatest challenges in this transition is the difficulty in changing the knowledge-oriented practices of teachers. This study evaluates the consistency between syllabus design and the requirements imposed by a competence-based learning environment. To make this comparison, the study sets four criteria (C1: explicit relationship between syllabus and graduate profile; C2: precision of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria; C3: contents that mobilise the learning outcomes; and C4: learning and assessment activities) derived from the literature and a thematic analysis of competence-based learning in higher education. Afterwards, a sample of 150 syllabi from different disciplines of five Chilean public universities were analysed, all of which stated the use of learning outcomes and competences in their learning models. Using a three-point Likert scale derived from the aforementioned criteria and their indicators, a comparison was made between the actual practices reflected in the syllabus design and the previously established criteria. Results show a gap between the declaration of a competency-based curriculum and actual syllabus outlines. Moreover, there are important differences among disciplines. Although all disciplines present high levels of accomplishment for Criteria 1 and 3, only the discipline of health sciences presents an acceptable level for Criteria 2 and 4. It is recommended that further research be undertaken towards identifying effective competency-based syllabus design.     

Market-level information and the diffusion of competing technologies: An exploratory analysis of the LAN industry

Market-level information diffused by print media may contribute to the legitimation of an emerging technology and thus influence the diffusion of competing technological standards. After analyzing more than 10,000 trade media abstracts from the Local Area Networks (LAN) industry published between 1981 and 2000, we found the presence of differential effects on the adoption of competing standards by two market-level information types: technology and product availability. The significance of these effects depends on the technology's order of entry and suggests that high-tech product managers should make strategic use of market-level information by appropriately focusing the content of their communications.     

Promoting social inclusion in the early years of elementary school: a focus on children’s epistemic beliefs for moral reasoning

As classrooms continue to diversify, there is an increasing need to understand children’s inclusive behaviours and moral reasoning. Research shows that epistemic beliefs (beliefs about knowing and knowledge) can influence reasoning for adults, but we know little about this relationship in younger children or how classroom contexts relate to epistemic beliefs for moral reasoning. Thirty-one elementary school children (mean age 6.5 years) participated in epistemic beliefs and moral reasoning tasks in the first year of a three-year longitudinal study. Findings showed that while children described objectivist epistemic beliefs (right/wrong answers) about social inclusion, their justifications revealed an unexpected, more complex set of epistemic beliefs. Implications for moral pedagogies are discussed.     

The effect of authentic project-based learning on attitudes and career aspirations in STEM

Can engaging college students in client-centered projects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) coursework increase interest in STEM professions? The current study explored the effectiveness of project-based learning (PjBL) courses on student attitudes, major choice, and career aspirations in STEM. Framed in expectancy-value and social cognitive career choice models, we examined the effect of engaging in at least one authentic, project-based course during the first four semesters of college on student STEM attitudes and career aspirations in a quasi-experimental study with a sample of (N = 492) natural science and engineering students. STEM self-efficacy and subjective task value variables (STEM attainment, intrinsic and utility value of STEM courses, and relative cost associated with engaging in STEM courses) were examined as mediators of the relationship between classroom project-based experiences and STEM career aspirations. Gender and underrepresented minority status were also examined. We found that engaging in at least one project-based course during the first four semesters affected student perceptions of STEM skills, perceptions of the utility value of participating in STEM courses, and STEM career aspirations. Furthermore, we found that the effect of project-based courses on STEM career aspirations was mediated by STEM skills and perceptions of course utility. The effect of PjBL was not moderated by race or gender. We highlight areas of future research and the promise of PjBL for engaging students in STEM professions.     

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT MOTIVATION AND SELF-REGULATION IN SCIENCE LEARNING: A MULTI-GROUP STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of students?? motivational beliefs (learning goal orientation, task value and self-efficacy) in science learning on students?? self-regulation in the science classroom. The study also examines the moderating effect of gender on the proposed relationships. Data were collected from 719 boys and 641 girls across grades 8, 9 and 10 in 5 public schools in Perth, Western Australia. Results from structural equation modeling analysis indicated that all 3 motivational constructs were strong predictors of students?? self-regulation in science learning. The multi-group analysis to examine gender differences revealed that the influence of task value on self-regulation was statistically significant for boys only. The findings present possible opportunities for educators to plan, and to put into practice, effective intervention strategies aimed at increasing students?? self-regulation in science learning. The core feature would be to target and develop students?? motivational beliefs of learning goal orientation and self-efficacy in science learning. Additionally, for boys, the intervention strategies would be to elevate boys?? perspectives of science task value.