Supporting teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge of fractions through co-designing a virtual manipulative

This study explores the impact that co-designing a virtual manipulative, Fractions Lab, had on teachers’ professional development. Tapping into an existing community of practice of mathematics specialist teachers, the study identifies how a cooperative enquiry approach utilising workshops and school-based visits challenged 23 competent primary school teachers’ technological, pedagogical and content knowledge of fraction equivalence, addition and subtraction. Verbal and written data from the workshops alongside observations and interviews from the school visits were analysed using the technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) framework. The findings show that the assumptions of even experienced teachers were challenged when Fractions Lab was shared as an artefact on which they were asked to co-design and subsequently interact with, using it in subsequent phases of the cooperative inquiry process. Two original aspects of successful co-design of virtual manipulatives through communities of practice are identified and offered to others: (1) careful bootstrapping of the first design iteration that gathers intelligence about the content area and the technological affordances and constraints available; and (2) involvement of highly motivated teachers who perceive themselves as agents of change in the domain area.     

Professional training and economic change: Theory,methodology, and case studies

This report specifies theory and methodology to study the relation of professional training programs to large-scale socioeconomic trends. Sensitized by the case example of counselor training at Berkeley, the theoretical argument links increased demand for counselors to a convergence of problems of welfare and/or manpower utilization with capabilities to respond. Time Series Analyses of both Berkeley and of the quite different counseling program at San Francisco State demonstrate the predictive capabilities of the approach. Practical implications and possibilities of further application are discussed.     

Shifting boundaries in Europe and North America: Reflections and synthesis

This article provides a synthesis of the three articles on boundary shifting brought about by the European Economic Community and the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. It is pointed out that, due to the rapid and dramatic societal changes around the world, much of the discussion in the issue is and must be speculative. The changes being effected through the Common Market and Free Trade Agreements were anticipated and planned, while more recent changes such as the crumbling of the Berlin Wall and political shifts in Eastern and Central Europe were more abrupt and unplanned.The article discusses perceived commonalities and differences in the changes which are occurring in these Western countries, advantages and disadvantages of the shifting boundaries for individuals and societies, and problems and progress in implementing the proposed changes. The author provides a summary of the implications for counseling and guidance and particularly for educational-vocational guidance and the role of the counselor in the new configurations. Among issues highlighted are effects on educational-occupational mobility, coordinated policies for worker recruitment, need for new data-gathering and delivery systems for educational-occupational information, recognition of professional standards, language problems, and improved counseling and guidance services. Finally, questions and gaps related to the new economic arrangements and to guidance and counseling are noted, including attention to the effects of the changes on 1) the role and status of women, 2) effects on racial and ethnic minorities within each culture, and 3) the pace and scope of change.University of Minnesota     

The services provided during a child abuse and/or neglect case investigation and the barriers that exist to service provision

More than one million cases of child abuse and neglect come to attention of child protection agencies each year. During the course of investigating these cases, social workers are charged with protecting the child while assessing whether or not abuse or neglect has actually occurred. Child welfare philosophy also dictates that at the same time the investigation is being conducted, the social worker strives to maintain the family intact, if at all possible. One way to address this dual responsibility of protecting the child while working towards family stability is through the provision of services during the investigation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the services that are provided during the course of a child abuse and/or neglect case investigation. The paper also identifies the barriers that exist both within an agency and within the external community that discourage the provision of services to children and families. The findings of this research show that in the majority of cases services are not provided during the investigation. In those case investigations where services are provided, a much broader range of services are considered for provision than are actually delivered. The research also found that placement is the most frequently provided service; however, only one-third of those children in placement receive any clinical services while in placement. Finally, this study found that the greatest barrier to service provision is a lack of evidence necessary to intervene in the home situation.     

Computer training and general education

Is it possible to integrate ideals of general and liberal education into computer‐training programmes? To answer this question an analysis was made of computer training programmes for adults in Denmark. The results showed that the participants expressed a positive attitude towards computers and towards learning computer technology but they only expressed few and general expectations of the courses. This is problematic according to ideals of general education and of self‐directed learning. The organizers wanted to produce courses with general and enlightening contents but the form and contents of the actual courses only to a moderate degree realized the organizers’ intentions. The participants obtained a broad learning outcome. However, they only to a very moderate degree used this outcome at work or in relation to further education. The conclusion was that it is possible to integrate ideals of general and liberal education if computer training helps the participants to develop more precise intentions, if the teaching methods are modernized, and if the contents of the courses correspond better with the possibilities in the workplace.     

The development of the Danish Folkeskole,towards a school for all

ABSTRACT

The development of the Danish Folkeskole (the basic school for pupils aged six to 16) followed a reform passed in 1969 by the Danish Parliament which stated that all children with special needs should be able to receive instruction in a normal school environment. The results obtained over the past 20 years are encouraging. Only 0.5 per cent of all school children attend a special school and about 12 per cent of all pupils receive special educational support in ordinary classes. This article evaluates the reform which has taken place, analyses some of the underlying factors and looks at possible future developments.     

The impact of polices on government social media usage: Issues, challenges, and recommendations

Government agencies are increasingly using social media to connect with those they serve. These connections have the potential to extend government services, solicit new ideas, and improve decision-making and problem-solving. However, interacting via social media introduces new challenges related to privacy, security, data management, accessibility, social inclusion, governance, and other information policy issues. The rapid adoption of social media by the population and government agencies has outpaced the regulatory framework related to information, although the guiding principles behind many regulations are still relevant. This paper examines the existing regulatory framework and the ways in which it applies to social media use by the U.S. federal government, highlighting opportunities and challenges agencies face in implementing them, as well as possible approaches for addressing these challenges.     

Graph Magic: A Visual Graph Package for Students

This paper presents Graph Magic, a package of Java classes that represents graphs. It is specifically designed for undergraduate students to use early in their studies. It combines graph visualization with ease of programming. It allows students to implement graph algorithms using high level, easy to understand methods. Students create graphs for their programs interactively. Their programs manipulate the graphs while the students continue to view them. The emphasis on interactive editing combined with interruptible viewing provides a powerful tool for student exploration of graph concepts and algorithms.