Using communities of practice to enhance interdisciplinary teaching: lessons from four Australian institutions

We report on the establishment of communities of practice at four Australian institutions and evaluate their effectiveness and durability as a means of building staff and institutional capacity for interdisciplinary teaching. A community of practice approach is a potentially valuable methodology for overcoming dynamics of fragmentation, isolation and competition within universities. The communities we established were anchored by a shared focus on the topic of climate change and they worked collaboratively to build relationships of trust and reciprocity between teachers in a wide range of disciplines. The aim of each community was to improve the teaching of climate change through enabling members to integrate diverse disciplinary perspectives, to teach collaboratively, to promote innovation through exchange and to demonstrate leadership within their institutions. The key factors that made our communities effective and durable are: (1) designation of two leadership roles, activator and facilitator, (2) provision for institutional autonomy in domesticating the model to fit local circumstances and (3) a pragmatic emphasis on opportunities for teaching innovation and leadership within existing administrative structures, teaching programs and workloads. We conclude that suitably designed and resourced communities of practice are a viable means of improving interdisciplinary teaching of complex problems by facilitating both staff development and institutional learning.     

“现代民间绘画之乡”的现状调查研究——以剑河县温泉村为例

我国现代民间绘画始于20世纪50年代,首先江苏邳县陈楼乡成立六人美术小组;陕西户县掀起农民墙画高潮;上海金山农民画兴起;浙江嵊泗渔民画出现;贵州现代民间绘画也崭露头角,民间绘画逐步在全国形成热潮。经过不懈努力,到了90年代,贵州分别有剑河、黄平、麻江、水城、大方五县被文化部命名为“现代民间绘画之乡”,贵州现代民间绘画在国内和国际美术界产生了一定影响。近年来,由于各种原因,民间绘画出现下滑现象。以剑河温泉为例,还原民间绘画发展过程,力图实况反映其传承发展面临的实际困境,谋求现代民间绘画的健康发展。     

针对高等职业教育毕业设计组织方式的几点改进

文章论述了高职院校毕业生毕业设计实施现状及高职院校毕业设计环节的重要性,分析了目前高职院校中学生在毕业设计各阶段存在的问题,并提出解决方案使高职院校毕业设计达到既能锻炼学生能力,又能体现高职特色的目的。     

民族地区地方性高校专业建设中存在的问题与对策--以吉首大学为个案

新世纪以来,吉首大学这所典型的民族地区地方性高校在专业建设中存在专业设置与区域经济社会发展的人才实际需求偏离,学科建设与专业建设错位发展严重,课程体系设计与教学内容的安排未充分考虑培养对象的特殊性,基层学院办学实力与专业数量倒挂现象突出,专业数量增长与内涵建设方面用力失衡,以及专业建设尚缺乏整体性与规划性处于自发状态等问题。针对上述问题,提出了加强民族地区地方性高校专业建设的一些主要措施与对策。     

我国中小学校园欺负研究的文献计量分析

对收录在中国知网（CNKI）中的我国有关中小学校园欺负的160篇文献（1990-2013）进行文献计量分析,以揭示我国关于中小学校园欺负的研究特点和研究动态.结果发现：我国相关研究起步较晚,2000年以后呈现稳步增长的趋势,近5年来发展迅速;文献发表以教育学类期刊为主,医学类期刊收录的文献数量最少;现状研究所占比例最大,工具开发研究最少,预防研究欠缺;国家级项目的资助力度最大,省部级、厅级和校级项目资助力度需要加强;研究方式以独立研究为主,合作研究特别是各学科之间的合作研究需要加强.     

Perspectives on a zero-tolerance approach to discipline: towards maintaining a nurturing and secure school environment

Abstract

This article reports on inquiry into school managers’ and teachers’ views on a zero-tolerance approach to managing learner discipline in schools. The study was conducted by way of multiple focus group interviews with selected participants from six inner city schools. Additional (secondary) data were obtained from schools’ code of conduct journals. The data were analysed in grounded theory mode and the main themes of the findings show that the participants are deeply concerned about the way in which disciplinary problems are affecting everyday school life. The participants struggle with applying the democratic principles of the law and reflect on times past when order was supposedly maintained by way of corporal punishment. The study included a section in which participants were asked to converse about the “zero-tolerance” approach to maintaining school discipline. It appears that this is seen as a viable option. Having introduced the notion, the principal researcher, with the other authors, caution such an introduction without coupling it with a school renewal drive that includes counselling and the development of an ethic of care.     

高职高专翻译教材建设的问题及对策探究

翻译教材作为翻译教学的主要信息载体,在整个教学过程中至关重要。翻译教材质量的优劣在很大程度上会影响到翻译教学的质量。高职高专翻译教学的特点决定了其教材建设也应具有自身鲜明的特点。文章探讨在职业教育的大背景下翻译教材建设存在的问题,据此提出了相应的建设性对策。     

Beverages in the Library

ABSTRACT

In the current era the policy of “Just say NO!” to food and beverages in the library ought to be re-examined. Beginning with the Medical Sciences Library, a new and more liberal policy regarding food in the library was adopted by the Sterling C. Evans Library. The process of development has ensured that student concerns were addressed while the library's principle concern, the integrety of the collection, was also met.     

Teachers' democratic and efficacy beliefs and styles of coping with behavioural problems of pupils with special needs

This study examines how teachers actually cope with behavioural problems of included students. In order to understand the impact of individual differences on teachers' coping strategies, the authors looked at the relationship between these strategies and teachers' democratic beliefs and self‐efficacy. Participants were 33 teachers in Israel, who teach inclusive classes (1st–3rd grade). Data were collected through classroom observations, teacher interviews and questionnaires. In the interviews, teachers reported that they preferred helpful strategies as a solution to behavioural problems; however, classroom observation revealed that teachers actually used more restrictive responses. These results indicated that there is a gap between teachers' hypothetical knowledge and their applications of this knowledge in authentic classroom situations. In addition, positive correlations were found between teachers' democratic beliefs, teacher efficacy and the use of helpful strategies in regard to different behavioural problems. Practical implications for teacher education are discussed.     

目前高职教育发展中存在的问题及思考

我国高职教育在不断发展壮大的同时,出现了校企合作深度不够、教师团队技能差、缺乏科研能力、人才流动性大等不适合职业教育的现况。为此,应改革校企合作模式,拓展校企合作思路;组建科研团队,培养创新人才;调整人才战略,完善激励机制;深化教学改革,突出职业教育特色。