An analysis of scientific understandings of preservice elementary teacher education students     

Ian S. Ginns  James J. Watters 《科学教学研究杂志》1995,32(2):205-222

This article reports an investigation of the intuitive scientific ideas and understandings of 321 preservice elementary teacher education students enrolled in the 2nd year of a 3-year program. The sample completed a physical science concept challenge instrument by responding, in writing, to open-ended questions about the concepts of floating/sinking, the nature of matter, air pressure and its effects, and the balance beam. Subjects' responses and explanations were analyzed, and response categories established. The results reveal that the majority of subjects, with the exception of a high proportion of those who had a successful senior high school background in physics and chemistry, have misunderstandings in these basic concept areas. It is argued that teachers should have a sound conceptual knowledge base in order to implement effective problem-solving strategies in the elementary science classroom. The importance of teaching science in elementary schools is widely acknowledged, therefore, teacher educators must identify and implement more effective strategies for science instruction in preservice teacher education courses that will enable all students to construct scientifically accurate concept knowledge.  相似文献   

A longitudinal study of pupils’ understanding of dynamics: Relationship between cognitive development and performance on dynamics items     

Joan Bliss  Ian Morrison 《European Journal of Psychology of Education - EJPE》1990,5(4):439-457

In this article we describe a longitudinal study with secondary school pupils which focuses on the relationship between pupils’ cognitive development and understanding dynamics. Two classes of pupils the first between 12–14 and the second between 14 and 16, together with a sub-sample from each of these classes were followed for three years. The main sample completed two tests composed of standard dynamics items and a Piagetian cognitive task. The subsample were interviewed on some of the dynamics items tested and carried out additional cognitive tasks. The results showed that the majority of younger pupils, and the sub-sample reflect the tendency, make very little or no cognitive progress during the three years whereas the older pupils of the main sample and sub-sample make reasonable propgress mainly in the fourth year. The study showed that the relationship between cognitive scores and results on dynamics items is variable with both samples and sub-samples. Further different domains within dynamics related in different ways to cognitive development. An analysis of dynamics concepts suggested that some are more accessible to pupils than others. Three different types of relations are proposed between pupils’ understanding of dynamics concepts and the use of these in the real world.  相似文献   

An investigation of hierarchical relationships in children’s literacy attainments at baseline     

Marian Sainsbury  Ian Schagen  Chris Whetton  Louise Caspall 《Journal of Research in Reading》1999,22(1):45-54

This paper describes one element of the research basis for the Baseline Assessment Scales now published for optional use in baseline schemes nationally (SCAA, 1997a). The aim in developing these scales was to provide a range of criteria that would allow almost all children to show some attainment, whilst also acknowledging the attainments of the most able. For this purpose, four-point scales were required. The first point would be attainable by over 80 per cent of children in their first term of school, and the fourth by only 20 per cent or fewer, with two intermediate points. Four such scales were trialled for reading, and one for writing. As part of the trial analysis, an investigation was undertaken into the hierarchies amongst the items on each scale – that is, to what extent was it possible for a child to attain a more difficult item, whilst failing an easier item on the same scale? A ‘coefficient of dependency’ was calculated for each pair of items on each scale. The percentages of children achieving each item are reported, and the strength of the hierarchies amongst them. This provides some evidence as to the interrelationships between children’s literacy attainments at the start of school.  相似文献   

In support of teachers’ learning: specifying and contextualising teacher inquiry as professional practice     

Ian Hardy 《Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education》2016,44(1):4-19

Drawing upon research into a case study of teacher inquiry in one school in Queensland, Australia, recent theorising into professional practice, and relevant literature on teachers’ learning, this article reveals the complexity and particularity of teacher inquiry processes in support of teachers’ learning. Specifically, the research reveals how particular actions, dialogue, and relationships collectively constitute a practice of teacher inquiry which seeks to promote substantive teacher-led learning. The research draws upon a group of Year 5 teachers engaged in collective inquiry into their work in what was described as an “Inquiry Cycle” approach in a school in northern Queensland, during a period of support for substantial curriculum reform. The research reveals the Inquiry Cycle approach as characterised by specific actions, dialogue, and relationships – “doings,” “sayings,” and “relatings” – productive of the development of a learning culture focused on significant curriculum reform; overt support for whole-school “explicit” approaches to teachers’ pedagogies; and active/robust critique of data-focused assessment processes. The research reveals necessary texture and detail in support of teachers’ learning, and the specific circumstances and contextual “arrangements” that help constitute this learning.  相似文献   

Problematising the use of education to address social inequity: Could participatory action research be a step forwards?          下载免费PDF全文

Marina‐Stefania Giannakaki  Ian David McMillan  John Karamichas 《British Educational Research Journal》2018,44(2):191-211

This paper critiques international trends towards certain school practices aimed at promoting equity and social justice by closing gaps in specific learning outcomes among students. It argues that even though some of these practices (e.g. individualised student support, data‐driven leadership) improve learning outcomes for certain groups considered ‘disadvantaged’, they fail to have a genuine impact on the issue. They remain ‘locked’ in the logic of social mobility, reaffirming the legitimacy of a hierarchical system underpinned by competitive individualism, which unfairly distributes social opportunities under the guise of ‘merit’ and ‘justice’. The paper argues that unless students develop awareness of the subtle injustices legitimised by the current system, no specialised interventions will ever tackle inequity, but will, instead, reinforce it. Yet, attempts to explicitly challenge mainstream school practices are likely to face harsh resistance from system agents due to being so ingrained in school cultures. An alternative strategy is suggested which, without being too subversive, could raise students’ awareness—what Freire called ‘conscientização’. This would entail the application of participatory action research (PAR), under the cloak of traditional (system‐aligned) action research. Such PAR, despite its political character, would initially appear to fulfil the performative role of more technical interventions (e.g. raising test scores), but in such a way that ‘conscientização’ also happens in the process. This may set the ground for social reform, encouraging the transition to a more sustainable and equitable society based on collectivity and solidarity.  相似文献   

Sensitivity of the χ2 Goodness‐of‐Fit Test to the Choice of Classes     

Jennifer Mooney  Ian Jolliffe 《Teaching Statistics》2004,26(1):22-23

The χ² goodness‐of‐fit test is often one of the first tests of hypotheses encountered by students. When some of the expected frequencies are small, classes need to be combined. A real‐life example is given that illustrates a surprising sensitivity of the results of the test to the way in which such combinations are chosen.  相似文献   

Using mobile technologies for mathematics: effects on student attitudes and achievement     

Khristin Fabian  Keith J. Topping  Ian G. Barron 《Educational technology research and development : ETR & D》2018,66(5):1119-1139

The ubiquity of mobile devices together with its potential to bridge classroom learning to real-world has added a new angle to contextualising mathematics learning. This study investigated the effects of using mobile technologies to students’ attitudes and achievement. A quasi-experimental mixed method design was adopted. Participants were 52 Primary 6 and 7 students. The experimental group participated in a weekly mobile-supported, collaborative learning activities spanning over three months. A no treatment control group was adopted. The experimental group have positive perception of the activities evidenced by student interviews and end activity evaluations. Students’ attitude to mathematics, as assessed by a mathematics attitude inventory, found no significant change for both groups except for the significant decline in enjoyment for the control group. A t test of the gain score between group showed a significant difference, t(43) = 4.57, p = 0.005, ES = 0.89 which indicates that the experimental group had higher gains than the control group. These results indicate that the use of mobile technologies elicit positive responses from students both in terms of how they perceive the mobile activities and how it improved their performance but its’ effect on students attitudes towards mathematics will need to be further investigated. Some implications of the findings are discussed.  相似文献   

Does the gender of the teacher really matter? Seven‐ to eight‐year‐olds’ accounts of their interactions with their teachers     

Bruce Carrington  Becky Francis  Merryn Hutchings  Christine Skelton  Barbara Read  Ian Hall 《Educational studies》2007,33(4):397-413

In recent years, policy‐makers in England, Australia and other countries have called for measures to increase male recruitment to the teaching profession, particularly to the primary sector. This policy of targeted recruitment is predicated upon a number of unexamined assumptions about the benefits of matching teachers and pupils by gender. For example, it is held that the dearth of male ‘role models’ in schools continues to have an adverse effect on boys’ academic motivation and engagement. Utilizing data from interviews with more than 300 7‐ to 8‐year‐olds attending primary schools in the north‐east and south‐east of England, the paper sets out to scrutinize these claims. The findings revealed that the gender of teachers had little apparent effect on the academic motivation and engagement of either boys or girls. For the majority of the children, the gender of the teacher was largely immaterial. They valued teachers, whether men or women, who were consistent and even‐handed and supportive of them as learners.  相似文献   

Cultural diversity and the imagined community of the global academy     

Cally Guerin  Ian Green 《Asia Pacific Journal of Education》2016,36(1):1-12

Transnational academic mobility and the ongoing push towards “internationalization” together raise challenges for the cultural climate of today's universities. This paper explores these issues from the perspective of supervisors of research degrees in an Australian university in which “internationalization” and “academic mobility” apply to supervisors as much as to students. The concepts of the imagined community and cosmopolitanism are employed to interpret a series of one-on-one and group interviews conducted with international academic staff, conversations which reported surprisingly untroubled negotiation of cultural difference. Using the insights provided by the concepts of “imagined community” and “cosmopolitanism”, we investigate the mechanisms mobilized by these supervisors in apparently backgrounding cultural diversity in the workplace, and consider the implications of the academic subjectivities they perform.  相似文献   

A Review of: “Knowledge Power: Intellectual Property, Information, and Privacy, by Renée Marlin-Bennett. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2004. xii + 274 pp. $59.95 cloth/$23.50 paper. ISBN 1-58826-281-2”     

Ian Hosein 《The Information Society》2006,22(5):367-368

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