Improving Dean's writing: or,what shall we tell the children?

In this paper Graham Frater finds early signs of a revival of explicit instruction in English grammar to pupils of compulsory school age in England; this is accompanied by an expectation that such teaching might play an important part in closing the ‘writing gap’. He suggests that, strengthened by the National Literacy Strategy, this early re‐awakening invokes again some of the debates that accompanied the construction of the National Curriculum. Rooted in a case study of a text by a low‐achieving Y7 writer, and in two surveys of effective practice with writing (covering Key Stages 2–4), this paper argues that purposeful text‐level teaching, reading in particular, and the creation of real readerships offer more secure ways of promoting progress in writing.     

Studying children's knowledge base of one-sided levers as force amplifiers

Attention to core concepts in science and engineering in early education has grown recently, and understanding levers as force amplifiers can be recognized as one of these. Previous studies focused on two-sided levers and do not provide sufficient information about children's knowledge of levers as force amplifiers, nor about their learning and its support from an education perspective. It is important to consider load distance and force distance separately, as may be done in one-sided levers, to understand children's knowledge of levers as “simple machines” thoroughly. Moreover, children's zone of proximal development and the possibilities to foster their knowledge should be explored to understand important features of teaching. We thus directed two studies with 6- to 7-year-old children. In study 1, we conducted a paper-and-pencil test in the context of wheelbarrows (N = 370; age M = 6.62). We investigated whether it is possible to empirically separate the features load, load distance, and force distance as well as to determine their level of difficulty. Our study showed that children's concepts of the three aspects load, load distance, and force distance are fragmented, with children finding it continuously more difficult to judge load, load distance, and force distance correctly. In study 2, we developed a 20-min intervention with a controlled 2 × 2 pre-post follow-up design for exploring the zone of proximal development of 304 6- to 7-year-old children in the domain of one-sided levers as force amplifiers, focusing on force distance and load distance. We implemented a structured learning environment that encouraged the children to manipulate wheelbarrows and supported them with pictures and/or verbal prompts. 6- to 7-year-old children had a higher learning gain when they were exposed to scaffolds that combined pictures and verbal prompts in the posttest as well as in the follow-up test four weeks later compared to the control group.     

复杂系统、知识管理与组织学习过程动态模型研究

知识经济时代的组织是一个具有无尺度网络结构的复杂系统。知识管理是知识经济时代的必然要求。组织学习作为组织获取核心竞争力和可持续发展能力的重要手段，是一个动态的过程。本文在系统回顾相关研究成果的基础上，从复杂系统的视角对知识经济时代复杂环境下的组织学习动态复杂过程进行了系统的模型整合和创新，并对构建学习型组织可能遇到的障碍进行了一系列对策分析。     

普通高校体育课程设置与跨世纪人才培养关系的探讨

本文通过对普通高校体育课程设置与跨世纪人才培养关系进行理性的探讨,使普通高校的体育教育适应市场经济和全民健身的需求。     

新型通用英语网络学习平台设计与研究

文章从网络自主学习开始谈论,探讨Web2.0网络自主学习平台的主要特征,同时提出新型通用英语网络自主学习平台总体功能模式和设计研究,设计构建基于Web2.0技术的英语网络学习平台。     

高职学生学习力现状与对策分析——以对外贸易类专业为例

伴随着越来越快的知识老化速度,人才竞争的核心已归结到学习力的竞争上.高职学生普遍存在动力不足、毅力缺乏、方法不当、效率低下以及转化力欠佳的问题,应从加强与企业的对接、变革教学模式、规范学习行为和增强师生交流等方面加以改进.     

Engineering students’ experiences of interactive teaching in calculus

This study reports on an educational development initiative where peer instruction was used instead of traditional lectures in a calculus course for first-year engineering students. The aim of the study was to explore students’ experiences of this method. Data were collected by means of an open-ended questionnaire on two occasions: early and late in the course. The data were analyzed with an inductive content analysis. The findings comprise three qualitatively different ways to experience the interactive teaching method in calculus: (1) enthusiasm, (2) nuanced skepticism and (3) aversion. The categories differed regarding emotional reactions to the teaching, experiences of learning, conceptions of teaching and learning, and experiences of meaningfulness. Many students expressed enthusiasm for learning with peer instruction and noted that the method gave both teachers and students feedback on what students have difficulties with. These students perceived that they were responsible for their own learning. Other students experienced that peer instruction had some advantages and disadvantages, and preferred a mix between traditional lectures and peer instruction sessions. They seemed to believe that teachers and students share responsibility for learning. Some students expressed an aversion for peer instruction and the method seemed to challenge their beliefs of how teaching and learning is best conducted. Our study illustrates that educational development initiatives, even though based on research on student learning, do not benefit all students. One of the major obstacles seems to be that students’ underlying beliefs regarding teaching and learning may be counterproductive to the ideas behind the educational initiative. We suggest that beliefs regarding teaching and learning need to be addressed when introducing new teaching and learning methods.     

追加反馈对背越式跳高学习效果影响的实验研究

采用实验法,探讨不同频率的追加反馈对运动技能学习效果的影响。结果显示,在运动技能的学习过程中,给予学习者追加反馈有助于学习效果的提高。但是过高频率的追加反馈会减少学习者自身的内部反馈,给运动技能学习效果带来负效应。只有建立一个科学、合理的反馈频率区间值,明确最佳指导运动技能学习的追加反馈频率,才能使运动技能的学习得到最优化控制。     

论研究性学习的发展价值

研究性学习可以培养并发展学生的主体性 ,有利于使类主体的智力资源转化成个体的智力资源 ,有利于培养学生可持续发展的能力 ,有助于使学生养成良好的治学之道 ,明晓做人之理。     

Interactive radiological anatomy eLearning solution for first year medical students: Development,integration, and impact on learning

A technology enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) solution, radiological anatomy (RA) eLearning, composed of a range of identification‐based and guided learning activities related to normal and pathological X‐ray images, was devised for the Year 1 nervous and locomotor course at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton. Its effectiveness was evaluated using a questionnaire, pre‐ and post‐tests, focus groups, summative assessment, and tracking data. Since introduced in 2009, a total of 781 students have used RA eLearning, and among them 167 Year 1 students in 2011, of whom 116 participated in the evaluation study. Students enjoyed learning (77%) with RA eLearning, found it was easy to use (81%) and actively engaged them in their learning (75%), all of which were associated to the usability, learning design of the TELT solution and its integration in the curriculum; 80% of students reported RA eLearning helped their revision of anatomy and 69% stated that it facilitated their application of anatomy in a clinical context, both of which were associated with the benefits offered by the learning and activities design. At the end of course summative assessment, student knowledge of RA eLearning relevant topics (mean 80%; SD ±16) was significantly better as compared to topics not relevant to RA eLearning (mean 63%; SD ±15) (mean difference 18%; 95% CI 15% to 20%; P < 0.001). A well designed and integrated TELT solution can be an efficient method for facilitating the application, integration, and contextualization of anatomy and radiology to create a blended learning environment. Anat Sci Educ 7: 350–360. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.