The perceived impact of agricultural advice in Ethiopia

Purpose: We examine the impact of advice given by extension agents to Ethiopian farmers, as perceived by the farmers themselves. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data from 2014, we analyze the perceived impact of advice on farmers’ incomes and crop yields. We use a bootstrapped instrumental variable (IV) estimator and the conditional mixed process estimator. Theoretical implications: The impact of advice will depend upon its relevance and whether and how efficiently it is implemented by the farmer. This in part depends upon the farmer’s ability and on the impact of fully implemented advice on output, which will vary from farm to farm. Findings: There is a positive perceived impact of most advice on both crop yields and income. However, some advice works better in drought-affected areas and other in non-drought-affected areas. Fertilizers have more impact on crop yields than income, possibly reflecting cost factors. There is evidence that the farmers’ ability to implement the advice increases with their level of education and that advice is being tailored to the needs of the individual. Practical implications: Advice has a positive impact on both crop yields and income. However, not all advice is equally effective and effectiveness varies according to farmer and farm characteristics. There is little evidence of credit advice having a positive impact. Originality/value: The paper is one of only a few to analyze farmers’ perceptions of advice impact and, as far as we are aware, is the first to analyze how advice effectiveness varies according to farmer and farm characteristics.     

从“好人治村”到“硬人治村”——免税后村干部角色变化及其解读

改革开放以来,农村干部的角色特征和行为方式不断发生变化。在一些地区出现了＂能人治村＂、＂混混治村＂、＂恶人治村＂、＂富人治村＂等现象。村干部角色变化反映了转型期乡村社会性质变迁和乡村治理逻辑的嬗变。陕西关中Z村调研发现,该地区免税以来干部角色经历了从＂好人治村＂到＂硬人治村＂的转换。＂好人治村＂主要源于该地区＂弱结构、强规范＂的村庄性质;而＂硬人治村＂不同于学界所讲的＂富人治村＂和＂能人治村＂,需要结合地方社会性质和免税后基层治理逻辑予以解读。     

高职英语教学改革中学生学习动机对比研究

通过问卷调查和访谈对高职英语教学改革前后学生英语学习动机进行了对比研究,结果表明,网络自主学习教学改革后,学生英语学习动机得到明显提高和增强。     

Teachers’ reports of learning and application to pedagogy based on engagement in collaborative peer video analysis

Given international use of video-based reflective discussions in teacher education, and the limited knowledge about whether teachers apply learning from these discussions, we explored teachers’ learning of new ideas about pedagogy and their self-reported application of this learning. Nine inservice and 48 preservice teachers participated in video-based reflective discussions and documented their learning, sources of knowledge that contributed to their learning, and application of this learning to their teaching in their practica courses. A total of 227 response sheets with this information were collected. Multilevel logit regression was used to examine how sources of learning and content learned were related to teachers’ application of learning to their teaching practices. We found that teachers reported applying 40% of their learning; particularly, what they learned about methods and materials for instruction, and that they learned from both video and discussion almost equally.     

民国时期教师专业化与教育类课程发展

民国时期高等师范院校教育类课程的曲折发展历程充分印证了在教师教育领域中的＂钟摆＂现象。正是人们对教师专业化认识与理解的左右摇摆与飘忽不定,最终演绎了高等师范院校教育类课程发展的曲折变化。学术性与师范性是教师专业性的两大体现。民国初期教师专业化中师范性特征明显,教育类课程获得稳步发展;民国中期教师专业化中学术性倾向突出,教育类课程一定程度上被边缘化;民国后期教师专业化中学术性与师范性的整合,为教育类课程提供了广阔的发展空间。追求学术性与师范性的整合将成为教师教育课程发展的历史必然,而这也将是今后教师教育课程改革的选择方向。     

法国成人教育经验谈

法国的成人教育在世界教育体系中是比较成功的。其成功经验主要有四个方面：重视成人教育立法、建立完善的成人教育管理体系、设立面向不同层次学生的各类培训机构、成人教育面向社会发展。法国的成人教育对中国成人教育的发展具有极大的借鉴意义。     

Middle leaders in successful and less successful schools

ABSTRACT

All large high schools have teachers in middle tier roles who help run the school, and subject leaders (SLs) who engage in administrative and pedagogical practices to improve departmental achievements. By applying structuration theory (Giddens, 1984. The constitution of society: Outline of the theory of structuration. Berkeley, CA: University of California.) we seek to understand how rules, resources, and structural position enable SLs to contribute to school effectiveness. A multi-case study method was employed to study 12 SLs from two effective schools and two less effective schools. Interviews, observations, and document analysis served as data collecting tools. The findings indicate that all the SLs engage in administrative practices but in different ways. The SLs in the less effective schools devoted much more time to such practices and much less to pedagogical practices than the SLs in the effective schools, which provided clearer rules and sufficient resources. We conclude that on the pyramid of school needs, administrative practices are more basic for school effectiveness, and only after this is achieved can SLs devote time to satisfy pedagogical needs. However, the ability of SLs to satisfy administrative needs depends to a large extent on the principal providing them with the necessary rules and resources. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Differences in pedagogical understanding among student–teachers in a four-year initial teacher education programme

As teacher educators, preparing student–teachers who are able to address diverse student needs is our main concern. It has been suggested in the literature that teachers who are adaptive to students’ needs are those who possess adequate pedagogical content knowledge or pedagogical understanding. However, it is not uncommon for teacher educators to find student–teachers with diverse pedagogical understandings even at the point of graduation from the teacher education programme. This paper aims to explain and analyse the development of pedagogical understanding among student–teachers in an initial teacher education programme. The findings are drawn from a study conducted at the Hong Kong Institute of Education where in-depth interviews were carried out during the four-year programme. The findings from the three selected cases provide an explanation for why some individual student–teachers show continuous development, whereas others remain confused in their pedagogical understanding throughout the teacher education programme. While acknowledging individual differences in pedagogical understanding, we attempt to explain such differences by investigating the relationship between different dimensions of the student–teachers’ learning such as the integration of pedagogical understanding with the teaching contexts, integration of feedback from lecturers and supporting teachers, and their focus of concern. The findings reveal that the three cases demonstrate different levels of pedagogical understanding and possess varying ‘senses of agency’. Of the three cases, the first one, Peggy has the strongest sense of agency. Despite influences related to classroom management, diverse learning ability among pupils, and the teaching methods which pupils were accustomed to previously, she actively introduced rhythmic movements into her lessons, developed pupils’ ability to learn gradually and achieved an impact on pupils’ learning which was also recognized by her supporting teacher. The analysis suggests that the second case, Lilian has a weaker sense of agency as she was severely limited by influences in the teaching context in her first teaching practice and resorted to teacher-centered teaching strategies. She improved later on in the programme and started to plan her own learning, drawing on the feedback she received as well as learning from other taught modules, from feedback from various sources, and from her pupils’ responses to her teaching and her own evaluation of her teaching. The third case, Stephanie remained confused throughout the programme and struggled with the implementation of student-centered teaching strategies. The ability to practice one’s own convictions and demonstrate an active sense of agency distinguishes the student–teacher who achieves better pedagogical understanding. Drawing on the findings, the paper concludes that it is crucial for teacher educators to identify ways to nurture a sense of agency among student–teachers. Implications for teacher education programmes are discussed, including providing opportunities for student–teachers to be able to articulate and integrate their pedagogical understandings, as well as negotiate how to accomplish their learning and teaching targets despite complex classroom situations.