Assessing learning,quality and engagement in learning objects: the Learning Object Evaluation Scale for Students (LOES-S)

Learning objects are interactive web-based tools that support the learning of specific concepts by enhancing, amplifying, and/or guiding the cognitive processes of learners. Research on the impact, effectiveness, and usefulness of learning objects is limited, partially because comprehensive, theoretically based, reliable, and valid evaluation tools are scarce, particularly in the K-12 environment. The purpose of the following study was to investigate a Learning Object Evaluation Scale for Students (LOES-S) based on three key constructs gleaned from 10 years of learning object research: learning, quality or instructional design, and engagement. Tested on over 1100 middle and secondary school students, the data generated using the LOES-S showed acceptable internal reliability, face validity, construct validity, convergent validity and predictive validity.

New Resources for Childbirth Educators and Parents

In this column, reviewers offer perspectives and comments on a variety of new media resources for childbirth educators and expectant and new parents. The books, CDs, DVDs, and kits reviewed in this issue''s column include the following topics: the birth experiences of mothers who survived childhood sexual abuse; lively teaching techniques and ideas to help energize and enhance childbirth education classes; breastfeeding in the workplace; expectant fathers; perspectives on motherhood; unique, helpful tools for childbirth educators to use in designing their class content, addressing the stages of labor, and discussing planned cesarean birth; exercises for pregnant women on bedrest; and a compilation of presentations featured at Birthing the Future''s international symposiums.     

Inclusion Means Everyone! The Role of the Early Childhood Educator when Including Young Children with Autism in the Classroom

The impact of the emphasis on inclusion in special education has resulted in a higher frequency of young children with autism being included in early childhood programs with typically developing peers. Many early childhood educators have risen to face the challenge, and this has resulted in enhanced learning for young children with autism in the regular classroom. This article focuses on the multiple roles of early childhood educators as they work with the diverse needs of young children with autism in their classrooms.     

Hands-on at a Distance: Evaluation of a Temperature and Heat Distance Learning Course

The No Child Left Behind Act requires that all teachers be certified within the content areas that they teach. However, attracting and retaining highly qualified science teachers in rural school districts is particularly difficult due to limited resources and geographic and professional isolation. Science professional development programs could help improve inservice teachers’ understanding of concepts they are expected to teach, but such programs are often limited in rural areas. This study evaluates a unique distance learning, inquiry-based professional development course in physical science developed to meet the needs of central Appalachian middle school teachers. Instruction through hands-on inquiry investigations distinguishes this program from other distance learning programs. Preliminary findings from the pilot study reported in this paper reveal significant growth in 43 teachers’ content knowledge for six of nine temperature and heat concepts assessed in the course. Outcomes from the distance learning project are discussed as they relate to future research goals and implications for science professional development programs in rural regions.     

Utilizing Science Philosophy Statements to Facilitate K-3 Teacher Candidates’ Development of Inquiry-based Science Practice

This study utilized pre-service teachers’ philosophy statements to connect their beliefs for science teaching with inquiry-based constructivist classroom practice. The major findings of this study suggested that before entering the classroom prospective teachers are strongly aligned with inquiry-based, constructivist-based theories, and describe teaching science as a process approach. However, after entering public classrooms the teacher candidates often abandoned those notions of constructivist, inquiry-based science in favor of a more traditional approach to science instruction. This study addresses a method to engage prospective teachers in designing inquiry-based science pedagogy as well as developing their professional pedagogical confidence.     

论决策者及其个性对杜鲁门政府中东政策的影响

在国际关系研究理论中,层次分析法是研究国家外交政策的一种独特方法,个人层次是层次分析法之一。该方法认为决策者及其个性影响国家外交政策的决策和实施。杜鲁门政府时期中东政策的主要决策者,尤其是总统杜鲁门和国务卿艾奇逊对杜鲁门政府中东政策起着不可低估的影响。     

高校外国文学教学应该重视日耳曼文化根基

西方文学的根基除了希腊-罗马、希伯来-基督教文化外,还应该包括日耳曼文化。然而,长期以来我国高校外国文学教学界对日耳曼文化的特点及其与西方文化构成的关系缺乏足够的重视。这种状态势必影响到对欧洲中世纪乃至近代文化特质的准确把握。     

社会中产阶层的法律品格及法律秩序效应

中产阶层是伴随着市民社会和市场经济的发展而渐生的阶层。其独立平等的人格特征、自由理性的权力要求、诚信守法的行为方式构成了中产阶层最为主要的法律品格。这三大法律品格使得中产阶层具有谋求法治、制约权力的民主推进功能,自由商谈、恪守规则的秩序回应功能以及诚心交往、忠实守法的行为示范功能。作为社会主流阶层的中产阶层,在现代社会法律秩序的构建中具有无与伦比的重要作用。     

苏童小说童年意绪的情绪表征

苏童小说中的童年意绪作为一种意绪之流,本身就处于一种绵延不断的活动状态中,它的表征也随着情绪体验的改变而改变,可划分为代表性的三类：残酷、冷漠、温情。这三种情绪表征以截然不同的姿态在苏童小说中频繁呈现,共同构筑了一幅鲜活明亮又意味丰富的图景。