Pre‐service science teachers' perceptions of written lesson appraisals: the impact of styles of mentoring

Biology and chemistry graduates (n = 29) on a one year, post graduate, initial teacher training course were asked about their perceptions of written lesson appraisals produced by mentors when observing their teaching. Data were collected using the same open questions at three points in their course. The data relating to mentors who had received only generic training were compared with those for mentors who had been trained to focus on topic‐specific pedagogy. Marked differences in pre‐service science teachers' perceptions are identified. The implications arising from these differences for using written lesson appraisals in developing topic‐specific pedagogy are discussed and opportunities for future research identified.

Nous avons demandé à des licenciés en biologie et chimie poursuivant des études de formation pédagogique d'un an comment ils percevaient les évaluations écrites par leur conseiller pédagogique (mentor) lors des observations de leurs leçons. Nous avons rassemblé les données en posant les mêmes questions ouvertes, à trois reprises pendant leur cours. Nous avons comparé les données reliées aux mentors ayant reçu une formation générique avec les données reliées aux mentors ayant reçu une formation spécifique centrée sur leur matière. Nous avons identifié de nettes différences dans les perceptions des professeurs‐stagiaires. Nous discutons les implications issues de ces différences pour l'utilisation des évaluations écrites de leçons dans le but de développer une pédagogie propre à chaque matière et nous identifions des possibilités de recherches dans le futur.

Preguntamos a licenciados en biología y química que siguen una formación pedagógica de un año cómo percibían las evaluaciones escritas por sus mentores cuando observan sus lecciones. Colectamos nuestros datos por medio de las mismas preguntas abiertas que les hicimos durante el curso. Comparamos los datos relacionados con los mentores que habían recibido una formación genérica con los datos relacionados con los mentores que habían recibido une formación enfocada en una asignatura específica. Notamos diferencias claras en las percepciones de los profesores‐aprendices. Discutimos las implicaciones que resultan de esas diferencias para la utilización de dichas observaciones escritas a fines de desarrollar una pedagogía específica a cada asignatura y acertamos oportunidades para investigaciones futuras.

Biologen und Chemiker (n = 29) mit abgeschlossenem Studium, die an einer einjährigen Referendarausbildung teilnahmen, wurden gefragt, wie sie die schriftlichen Unterrichtsbeurteilungen ihrer beobachtenden Mentoren einschätzten. Daten wurden gesammelt, indem die selben offenen Fragen zu drei verschiedenen Zeitpunkten im Kurs gestellt wurden. Daten bezüglich Mentoren, die nur eine allgemeine Mentorenausbildung mitgemacht hatten, wurden mit Daten betreffs anderer verglichen, die darin ausgebildet worden waren, sich auf themenspezifische Pädagogik zu konzentrieren. Deutliche Unterschiede in den Einschätzungen der Referendare wurden festgestellt. Die aus diesen Unterschieden aufkommenden Implikationen für den Benutz schriftlichen Unterrichtsbeurteilungen bei der Entwicklung themenspezifischer Pädagogik werden hier diskutiert, und Möglichkeiten für zukünftige Forschung identifiziert.     

Developing phoneme awareness through alphabet books

Previous research suggests that children who are successful in phoneme awareness tasks also have high levels of alphabet knowledge. One connection between the two might be alphabet books. Such books typically include both letter-name information and phonological information about initial sounds (B is for bear). It may be that children who are read alphabet books, and thus understand how B is for bear, will learn both letter names and be able to isolate phonemes. To examine this, we gave three treatments to different groups of prekindergarteners. In the first group, the teacher read conventional alphabet books. In the second, the teacher read books chosen to contain the letter names only, without example words to demonstrate sound values. The third group, a control, read only storybooks. We found that all groups gained in print concept and letter knowledge over the course of the study. The conventional alphabet group made significantly greater gains in phoneme awareness than the group that read books about letters without example words, suggesting that conventional alphabet books may be one route to the development of phoneme awareness.     

An interdisciplinary theory of behavior

This paper combines biological, biochemical and psychological data toward the construction of a bio-psychological theory of behavior. The fundamental assumptions are that the environment favored the evolution of organisms possessing receptors sensitive to periodic or repetitive stimuli. Moreover the presence of periodic stimuli in space and time have induced, through natural selection, the appearance of highly advanced forms of living organisms capable of exploiting the environment by utilizing information in periodic stimuli. Indeed, this dependency on periodic stimulation, such as light energy and movement of surrounding matter, has induced a psychological, perceptual bias to readily assimilate repetitive stimuli thereby producing changes in behavior. This perceptual bias favored by organic evolution and reinforced by stimulation of the organism during development produces communication patterns in higher animals characterized by repetitive sounds. The relationship of this theory to current learning models is discussed and applications are made to human learning.     

Multimodal learning analytics for game-based learning

A distinctive feature of game-based learning environments is their capacity to create learning experiences that are both effective and engaging. Recent advances in sensor-based technologies such as facial expression analysis and gaze tracking have introduced the opportunity to leverage multimodal data streams for learning analytics. Learning analytics informed by multimodal data captured during students’ interactions with game-based learning environments hold significant promise for developing a deeper understanding of game-based learning, designing game-based learning environments to detect maladaptive behaviors and informing adaptive scaffolding to support individualized learning. This paper introduces a multimodal learning analytics approach that incorporates student gameplay, eye tracking and facial expression data to predict student posttest performance and interest after interacting with a game-based learning environment, Crystal Island . We investigated the degree to which separate and combined modalities (ie, gameplay, facial expressions of emotions and eye gaze) captured from students (n = 65) were predictive of student posttest performance and interest after interacting with Crystal Island . Results indicate that when predicting student posttest performance and interest, models utilizing multimodal data either perform equally well or outperform models utilizing unimodal data. We discuss the synergistic effects of combining modalities for predicting both student interest and posttest performance. The findings suggest that multimodal learning analytics can accurately predict students’ posttest performance and interest during game-based learning and hold significant potential for guiding real-time adaptive scaffolding.     

The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: a meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions

This article presents findings from a meta-analysis of 213 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) programs involving 270,034 kindergarten through high school students. Compared to controls, SEL participants demonstrated significantly improved social and emotional skills, attitudes, behavior, and academic performance that reflected an 11-percentile-point gain in achievement. School teaching staff successfully conducted SEL programs. The use of 4 recommended practices for developing skills and the presence of implementation problems moderated program outcomes. The findings add to the growing empirical evidence regarding the positive impact of SEL programs. Policy makers, educators, and the public can contribute to healthy development of children by supporting the incorporation of evidence-based SEL programming into standard educational practice.     

An Ecological Perspective of Latina/o College Student Ethnicity

Although Latinos are the largest minority population in the United States and the largest minority population on American campuses, there is little research concerning Latino college student ethnic identity. This study incorporates an ecological model to examine the levels of influence of different settings and backgrounds of Latino college students. The findings show that Latinos from different countries of origin and within the same countries of origin identify their ethnic identity differently depending on several factors including generation, immigration status, country of origin, language preferences, and discrimination.     

Talking relationships,babies and bodies with young children: the experiences of parents in England

Parents often find themselves ill-prepared for the moment at which questions of a sexual nature arise, or when children display signs of playful behaviour that can be interpreted as sexual. How these behaviours and questions are dealt with establishes the foundations on which children begin to interpret relationships, their bodies, those of others and the sexual world in which they live. In this study, the views and experiences of dealing with early childhood sexuality education, along with the ways in which communication had occurred, were collected from 110 parents in London and southern England during focus group discussions and analysed using thematic analysis. Parents who had chosen to communicate with their children reported a range of justifications as to why childhood sexuality communication was considered necessary and had, indeed, occurred. Six key themes were identified: communication prompts, the need for truth, the threat of ignorance, exposure, healthy and positive relationships and openness. Findings reveal that many parents are making strategic decisions about how to discuss relationships and sexuality with their young children. By highlighting the central trigger points for early parent-child sexuality communication, findings can be used to aid the development of relevant practice responses to support less confident parents to communicate effectively.