Video diaries: a tool to investigate sustainability-related learning in threshold spaces

This paper takes as a case study an undergraduate field class from a UK university to rural Uganda. It describes and evaluates the use of video diaries as a tool for investigating the process of transformative learning in the context of education for sustainability. The applicability of threshold concept theory to this learning is investigated. Results show the video diary technique to be much more successful in capturing the development of student learning than written diaries. Despite some practical difficulties, rich data were generated. Analysis demonstrated that learning met three of the five criteria for threshold concepts: the learning was transformative, integrative and troublesome. Further research could test whether the learning in this case study met the threshold concept criterion of irreversibility. Further elaboration of the theoretical relationship between threshold concepts, transformative learning and education for sustainability is also needed. It is concluded that the video diary method is potentially transferable to other educational research contexts and may be particularly suitable for researching learning in threshold spaces.     

Socioeconomic Status– and Gender‐Based Differences in Students’ Perceptions of E‐Learning Systems

Many universities are pursuing increases in on‐line course offerings as a means of offsetting the rising costs of providing high‐quality educational opportunities and of better serving their student populations. However, enrollments in online courses are not always sufficient to cover their costs. One possible way of improving enrollments is through marketing campaigns targeted to specific demographic groups. In this study, we take a first look into how students’ perceptions of e‐learning systems, prior to their enrollment in an online course, vary across socioeconomic status and gender. Findings suggest that prior to taking an online course, working‐class students perceive e‐learning systems more positively than their middle‐class peers but that little difference exists between genders. Armed with this knowledge, universities may improve online course enrollments by marketing online courses specifically to working‐class students or through campaigns aimed at improving middle‐class students’ perceptions of e‐learning systems.     

Using Paper Helicopters to Teach Statistical Process Control

This hands‐on project uses a paper helicopter to teach students how to distinguish between common and special causes of variability when developing and using statistical process control charts. It allows the student to experience a process that is out‐of‐control due to imprecise or incomplete product design specifications and to discover how the process can be brought into control through the use of standardized product specifications and associated construction procedures. It also allows the student to experience common causes of variability, to distinguish these from the special causes of variability resulting from the incomplete design specifications, and to discover how standardization reduces process variability. The project has been used in both undergraduate and MBA classes and demonstrates these concepts in a way that is easy for the student to understand and remember.     

Curriculum stasis: the disconnect between music and technology in the Australian curriculum

Technology is a dominant mediating factor impacting on current human behaviour and social change, which both acts on and is acted upon by other phenomena. This changing social landscape, along with new expectations and requirements, drives our educational priorities and curriculum agenda. There is no denying the prevalence of technology found in the statements and guidelines of the national Australian Curriculum. Further, the National Review of School Music Education identified the importance of technology in school music education in 2005. The curriculum guidelines illustrate an understanding of technology in Music and the Arts that is both vague and limiting. In 2015 we are at a point of curriculum stasis, an equilibrium that highlights a disconnect between music, technology and Australian music education. This article investigates current secondary school Years 7–10 (ages 11–15 years) Music and Arts curriculum statements concerning the use of technology and compares this to the general capability information and computer technology (ICT) curricula. There is wide recognition that digital technology is essential in teaching and learning, but this is not reflected in contemporary Australian Arts and Music curricula.     

Tracking New Directions in the Evaluation of Postgraduate Supervision

This article focuses on the evaluation of thesis supervision and highlights the vast range of problem areas presently documented as significant areas of concern for both graduate students and their supervisors. Additionally, the authors report on a study completed in 1995, which surveyed all Australian universities about current evaluative practices in postgraduate supervision. The conclusion of this study was that the conduct of such evaluations appears to be minimal and is primarily designed to obtain an indicator of the general health of a university's postgraduate supervision rather than to foster improved supervisory practices. As part of the same study, the authors conducted University faculty-based student and supervisor focus groups. Key issues emerging from these focus groups were: (1) the importance of relational aspects of supervision as the student communicates over the long term with one or more supervisors; (2) the importance of systematic feedback, monitoring, and evaluation to the supervisory process; and (3) the lack of strategies to facilitate this evaluative feedback process. On the basis of these findings, the authors designed evaluative strategies to facilitate regular ongoing feedback between students and supervisors.     

Skills for Independence for Children with Cerebral Palsy: a comparative longitudinal study

Thirty‐six children with cerebral palsy, aged 3.5 to 4.5 years were compared on their skills for independence. Of the 36 boys and girls, 19 children were enrolled in a Conductive Education Program in Birmingham and 17 were enrolled in British special education programs in the Greater Manchester area. Skills for independence were measured with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales via teachers’ responses, once a year on three occasions. Parents were interviewed using the Developmental Profile 2, once a year on three occasions. The results of two‐way ANOVA with one repeated measure on both teachers’ and parents’ responses indicate that there was no significant difference between the two groups in their skills for independence. However, both groups performed significantly better as they were getting older. Despite the strong emphasis on independence in Conductive Education, the children's level of independence was no different from their counterparts. Thus, the claim for the effectiveness of Conductive Education is not supported by the study.     

African Oral Traditions: Riddles Among The Haya of Northwestern Tanzania

This study argues for the integration of African oral traditions and other elements of traditional learning into the modern school curriculum. It thus contributes to supporting the increased relevance of education to local communities. In particular, using the example of riddles collected from one of the main ethnic groups in Northwestern Tanzania, the Haya people, the present study challenges the views of those social and cultural anthropologists who hold that African riddles have no substantially meaningful educational value. Instead, it is maintained that riddles make an important contribution to children’s full participation in the social, cultural, political, and economic life of African communities, especially by fostering critical thinking and transmitting indigenous knowledge.

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Zusammenfassung MÜNDLICHE TRADITIONEN IN AFRIKA: DER ERZIEHERISCHE WERT VON RÄTSELN BEI DEN HAYA IM NORDWESTLICHEN TANSANIA – Diese Studie argumentiert für die Einbeziehung afrikanischer mündlicher Traditionen und anderer Elemente traditionellen Lernens in den modernen schulischen Lehrplan. Sie fördert somit die gestiegene Bedeutung der Bildung für die örtlichen Gemeinschaften. Insbesondere begegnet die vorliegende Studie, indem sie das Beispiel von Rätseln gebraucht, die bei einer der Hauptvolksgruppen im nordwestlichen Tansania, dem Volk der Haya, gesammelt wurden, den Ansichten derjenigen Sozial- und Kulturanthropologen, die behaupten, dass afrikanische Rätsel keinen wesentlich bedeutungsvollen erzieherischen Wert haben. Stattdessen wird die These aufgestellt, dass Rätsel einen wichtigen Beitrag zur vollständigen Teilnahme von Kindern am gesellschaftlichen, kulturellen, politischen sowie wirtschaftlichen Leben afrikanischer Gemeinschaften leisten, besonders durch die Förderung von kritischem Denken und die Weitergabe des Wissens der Eingeborenen.

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Resumen TRADICIONES ORALES AFRICANAS: EL VALOR EDUCATIVO DE LAS ADIVINANZAS PARA EL PUEBLO DE LOS HAYA EN EL NOROESTE DE TANZANÍA – Con este trabajo, el autor aboga por una integración de tradiciones orales africanas y de otros elementos de aprendizaje tradicional en los actuales planes de estudios de las escuelas. Al mismo tiempo, hace énfasis en la creciente relevancia que la educación tiene para las comunidades locales. Con este estudio, el autor desafía la posición de aquellos antropólogos sociales y culturales que sostienen que las adivinanzas africanas no tienen ningún valor educativo digno de mención, ante todo presentando el ejemplo de adivinanzas que ha recopilado entre los miembros del pueblo de los haya, uno de los principales grupos étnicos del noroeste de Tanzanía. Por lo contrario, el autor afirma que las adivinanzas promueven en gran medida la participación plena de los niños en la vida social, cultural, política y económica de las comunidades africanas, ante todo porque incentivan el pensamiento crítico y transmiten conocimientos indígenas.

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Résumé TRADITIONS ORALES AFRICAINES : LA VALEUR ÉDUCATIVE DES ÉNIGMES CHEZ LES HAYAS DE LA TANZANIE DU NORD-OUEST – Cette étude argumente en faveur de l’intégration des traditions orales africaines et autres éléments de l’apprentissage traditionnel dans le programme d’étude de l’école moderne. Elle contribue ainsi à soutenir la pertinance accrue de l’éducation au sein des communautés locales. En particulier, utilisant l’exemple des énigmes recueillies chez l’un des principaux groupes ethniques de la Tanzanie du Nord-Ouest, le peuple Haya, l’étude présente conteste les vues de ces anthropologues sociaux et culturels qui soutiennent que les énigmes africaines n’ont pas de valeur éducative substantiellement significative. Au lieu de cela, on maintient que les énigmes apportent une contribution importante à la pleine participation des enfants à la vie sociale, culturelle, politique et économique des communautés africaines, spécialement en ce qu’elles favorisent la pensée critique et transmettent les connaissances indigènes.