Full time adult credential students’ instructional preferences at California State University,Long Beach: pedagogy or andragogy?

This study investigated the instructional preferences of full time adult credential students after they took a live course called Principles of Adult Education at California State University, Long Beach, (CSULB) in the fall semester of 2002. These full time adult credential students had been working on their adult teaching credentials to meet the competencies specified by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The course introduced students to Andragogy developed by Malcolm Knowles out of the andragogical model, developed by Lindeman (1926). The study used Principles of Adult Learning Scales (PALS), advanced by Gary Conti in 1983 to measure instructional preferences. Data were collected from 30 (100% of 30) full time adult credential students enrolled in a live course to, determine their instructional preferences of helping adults learn. The results of the study showed in most cases these adult learning professionals taught adult students andragogically: in some cases they taught adult students pedagogically.     

Children’s images of beauty: environmental influences on aesthetic preferences

This article reports on a recent study that explored children’s aesthetic preferences. Authors of previous studies in this area have concluded children have a relatively narrow range of preferences based on judgments about their responses to images. In other contexts, researchers have investigated children’s perspectives on their environments and created opportunities for them to take photographs in response to research tasks. This study is the first to draw on both approaches in order to develop a clearer understanding of children’s aesthetic preferences. Fifty-one children in two primary schools were asked to find and photograph images to represent their perceptions of beauty. In order to investigate whether or how children’s environments influenced their preferences, the schools were located in contrasting urban and rural areas. The article explores several contrasts between the two sets of images and offers explanations for these contrasts. It suggests that previous studies may have underestimated the diversity of children’s aesthetic preferences and that social, cultural and environmental factors may explain the differences between children’s aesthetic preferences. The article concludes that both researchers and teachers could adopt similar methods to develop our understanding of children’s perspectives, identities and experiences.     

Learner preferences and prior knowledge in learner-controlled computer-based instruction

This study examined the effects of prior knowledge, learner preference for control, and type of control (learner or program) on the achievement of middle-school students in a computer-based instructional program on adding and subtracting integers. Students were blocked by preference-for-control scores and randomly assigned to either a learner-control or program-control version of instruction. A significant three-way interaction (prior knowledge × preference scores × type of control) revealed that students with high prior knowledge achieved better on the posttest when their preference for control was matched with the type of control they received, whereas students with low prior knowledge achieved better when their preference was mismatched. A significant three-way interaction on attitude reflected the same pattern found in the interaction for achievement scores. The overall results indicate that matching learner preference to the type of program they receive is an effective strategy for high-prior-knowledge students but not for those with low prior knowledge.

Autonomy at mealtime: Building healthy food preferences and eating behaviors in young children

This article discusses family-style meal service as a means to building autonomy and healthy eating behaviors in young children. The authors discuss the development of food preferences, age-related developmental responses to food, and the importance of socially mediated exposure to food as a way to increased food acceptance. Guidelines for implementing family-style mealtimes in child care settings are outlined. To think, “On a typical day in 1992, 1.9 million children ate at least one of their meals in a child care center or family day care home”. (Briley, Roberts-Gray, & Simpson, 1994).     

How School Choice Is Framed by Parental Preferences and Family Characteristics: A Study of Western Area,Sierra Leone

This research set out to investigate how, in a post-conflict area, parental preferences and household characteristics affect school choice for their children. A multinomial logit is used to model the relationship between education preferences and the selection of schools for 954 households in Freetown and neighboring districts, Western Area, Sierra Leone. The increased economic well-being of a family tends to increase the likelihood of choosing a nongovernment school. As a child gets older parents are more likely to select government over nongovernment schools. For girls, parents are twice as likely to select a nongovernmental organization (NGO) school than a government one. Where parental preference for girls is a “safe environment” government is the preferred choice over a private proprietor school. Interestingly, the level of household education does not affect the likelihood of attending any school management type.     

Technology student learning preferences and the design of flexible learning programs

The learning preferences of three hundred and thirty eighttechnology students enrolled in sub-degree programs at an Australian institution of Technical andFurther Education were tested using the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory (CLSI). The results have been interpreted in a learning preferences framework and providesupportive evidence for the preferences factors of print-nonprint, collaborative, dependent,and autonomous learning identified by Sadler-Smith & Riding (1999). Although theresearch focussed on learning preferences the analysis also indicated support for theWholist-Analytic cognitive style proposed by Riding & Cheema (1991). Genderdifferences were shown for the Interest subscales of the CLSI. Age-group differenceswere shown for several Conditions of Learning and Modes of Learning subscales.Implications for the design of training programs, and the skillsthat may need to be developed in technology learners to enable effective use offlexible delivery, are also discussed.     

促进主动学习(英文)

本文原是1997年10月在南平师专举办的“世行贷款师资发展项目闽、桂、赣英语学科教学法省级研讨班”讲座稿。笔者在提出了讨论观点后,探究了主动学习的概念。根据对一组亚洲学生,特别是对中国学生的研究结果,举出了好学生在学习语言(这里指外语)时选择的手段。为了将教育的主要重点从教师转向学生,笔者认为对那些好学生的反应我们应该谨慎对待,某种学习态度的改变也许会对学习效果产生影响。在这个过程中,笔者没有忘记教师。为此,文章还列举了参加研讨班教师们提出的有关促进主动学习的建议,供大家今后能有效地进行学习者培训作参考。     

Cognitive style and instructional preferences

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between learners' cognitive styles and their instructional preferences. The sample consisted of 240 business studies students at a UK university. Subjects' cognitive styles were assessed using the Cognitive Styles Analysis (which assesses the wholist-analytical and verbaliser-imager dimensions of style) and their instructional preferences assessed using an instructional preferences inventory which consisted of three sub-inventories (instructional method, instructional media and assessment method). Overall subjects favoured dependent methods, print based media and informal assessment methods. There was a significant main effect of wholist-analytical style on collaborative method preference (role play, group discussions and business games) and non-print based media preference (overhead transparencies, slides and videos). There was an interaction of the two dimensions of style and gender in their effect on informal assessment method preferences (individual and group assignments and multiple choice and short answer-type questions). The findings are discussed in terms of: (i) models of the cognitive style construct; (ii) the practical implications of individual differences in style and preference.     

WTO与外资税收优惠政策的功能演变

外资税收优惠政策负载资本吸引与宏观产业政策之基本功能。加入WTO前,吸引外资是我国外资税收优惠政策的首要功能取向,在制度上表现为对外资的超国民待遇;加入WTO后．税收优惠对于吸引外资的作用已经相当有限,应当以产业政策为基调来制定外资税收优惠措施。     

Bridging the gap between theory and applied research in acculturation

This study aims to obtain the scoping map of scientific production in the acculturation field since the 1980 s and overview the applications of the acculturation framework in the last five years. Using Biblioshiny, Phase 1 employs bibliometrics techniques to depict how the scholarship in acculturation has been produced, disseminated, and communicated across different academic fields. A series of research questions are asked to investigate the topic trends, the contributions of the countries and journals, and the impact and productivity of authorship and articles. Phase 2, then, uses a systematic review method to investigate how empirical studies have applied and operationalized the acculturation framework. The results of Phases 1 and 2 indicate that there are discrepancies between theoretical directions and applications in terms of dimensions and acculturation indicators.