Blended learning in higher education: professional development in a Hong Kong university

ABSTRACT

Online learning has become a ubiquitous part of the educational landscape and how teachers are supported in developing approaches to teaching online is a fundamental aspect of the students’ learning experience. Based on the implementation of a professional development course on becoming an online teacher offered in a blended learning mode at one university in Hong Kong, this article proposes that offering this type of professional development in a blended mode is very effective in facilitating enhanced usage of the university’s learning management system. In a blended mode, teachers are actively engaged with blended learning and were found to make more extensive use of features/tools in Blackboard after they attended the professional development course. Results support that offering professional development in a blended mode provides teachers with an authentic student perspective, at the same time as they take guided steps in the teacher’s role in blended learning.     

电机学精品在线开放课程校企合作初探

工程教育专业认证背景下,电机学省级精品在线开放课程注重校企合作,收集丰富的生产现场教学资源,聘请企业专家录制教学视频,开展网上讨论、网上直播课等。下阶段校企合作重点是编写理论和实践教材、共建电机科技活动实训室、企业专家指导网上PBL项目、指导学生选取企业真题申报大创项目。     

How can children with mild literacy difficulties be supported at the transition to secondary school? A small‐scale quasi‐experimental study

There is evidence that pupils with weak literacy skills struggle on transition to secondary school. Many experience a drop in attainment in the summer break between the two. A British government‐funded programme of rigorously designed research on boosting literacy at transition had (by 2015) found only four of 15 interventions evaluated had positive effects. This small‐scale quasi‐experimental study investigated the effectiveness of support for pupils with mild literacy difficulties on transition to secondary school. Thirty‐two pupils in three schools were involved; half received the programme. Pairs were matched on reading, spelling, age and gender. Intervention was designed around the individual needs of each pupil, focusing variously on language skills, writing, reading and spelling. The group receiving the programme made modest gains in spelling, reading efficiency and single word reading. The comparison group lost ground, relatively, in all three areas. The results suggest a promising line for more rigorous investigation.     

影响山西高职高专田径队发展的因素研究

通过对山西省第19届大学生田径运动会高职高专组35支参赛队的分析可知:各院校参赛人数水平参差不齐,学校的重视程度可左右田径队的参赛或存在。运动员的选择受各方面的影响,部分院校教练员的职称和人数不合理。运动员的训练时间与文化课较难协调,奖励制度有待完善。     

Exploring the work and learning stories of para‐teachers in a college for further education in England

This paper reports findings from a research project which developed and introduced the Enhanced Learning Support Assistant Programme (ELSAP). This was a source of professional development for learning support assistants who were supporting students with additional learning needs in a college for further education in England. The purpose of this paper is to share findings from the project and to report on how learning support assistants experienced their work in inclusive college classrooms. The research project was a mixed methods study with participants drawn from learning support assistants within one college for further education in England. Data was collected throughout the 14‐week intervention. Findings indicate that issues exist around the uniqueness of the vocational curriculum and the implications this has for classroom support. It also shows how conflicting classroom procedures can generate feelings of confusion and how learning support workers often feel lonely in their role with no natural opportunity to mix with others. Furthermore, it indicates how a general lack of knowledge about teaching and learning contribute to them experiencing difficulty when performing their role which feed their views that a college for further education can be a complex and hostile environment to work in.     

基于工作过程导向的高职课程改革——以高职环境类专业《水污染控制技术》课程为例

以工作过程为导向进行高职课程改革,关键在于根据工作实境创设学习情境,并依据学习情境整合课程内容,改善教学方法,实现理实一体化.在高职环境类专业《水污染控制技术》课程改革中,针对特定的学习目标,在对工作岗位和行动能力分析的基础上形成课程体系,并按照岗位工作过程合理设置和序化教学内容,同时综合运用多种教学手段和方法,有效提升学生的专业技能和综合素质.     

日本小学综合性学习活动的实施特点及其启示——以东京都大田区矢口小学六年级“新矢口渡调查”为例

随着课程改革的不断深入,综合性学习活动的实施及价值备受关注。本文以东京都大田区矢口小学六年级的新矢口渡调查为例,通过对矢口小学六年级学生新矢口渡调查活动的组织、实施及评价过程的考察,分析了日本小学综合性学习活动的特点,以期为我国中小学有效开展综合实践活动提供必要的参考和借鉴。     

Assessment in special schools: national early assessment procedures and pupils attending special schools in England

An implicit assumption that fostering inclusion means having shared systems encompassing the needs of all children is evident in many aspects of policy development over the past decade. Reflecting this, the implementation of ‘baseline assessment’ schemes (i.e. testing at around age 5 years) is a statutory requirement on all state-maintained special and mainstream schools in England since 1998. Our argument is that the enthusiasm for commonality has obscured the need to question the value and validity of baseline assessment schemes for children with special educational needs (and possibly some others such as children having English as an additional language). We illustrate this position with reference to data from our recent study on baseline assessment in England. The study encompassed survey data from a national sample of 982 schools, of which 107 were special schools. Between them, these special schools used 42 different baseline assessment schemes. Comparisons between our mainstream and special school respondents indicated that there were similarities in the nature and perceived value of the schemes used. However, special schools were less satisfied with their schemes. We suggest that a reappraisal of the nature and purpose of baseline assessment for pupils with special educational needs warrants greater critical debate. Without this, there is a danger that a stress on commonality, veiling an inclusion orthodoxy, will ultimately be counterproductive.     

高职机械类专业学生学习兴趣的培养

高职院校机械类专业学生的学习兴趣普遍较弱,影响了学习成效。应从激发学生的奇异感和快乐感、创设知识的应用情景、发挥教学评价的激励功能等途径来发展并保护他们的学习兴趣。     

专业性市属高校开展师资博士后工作的可行性分析研究

本文以天津中医药大学开展的师资博士后可行性分析调查研究为例,探讨专业性市属高校开展师资博士后工作的可行性和注意问题,认为专业性市属高校开展师资博士后工作可以促进学校在博士后、人才引进、人才培养等工作的全面发展。同时建议专业性市属高校在首次实施时,应以试点部门招收少量师资博士后的模式进行,不断探索相关经验、完善管理制度,使师资博士后制度真正成为学校全面发展的助推器和创新平台。