Understanding science teaching effectiveness: examining how science-specific and generic instructional practices relate to student achievement in secondary science classrooms     

Jamie N. Mikeska  Tamara Shattuck  Steven Holtzman  Daniel F. McCaffrey  Nancy Duchesneau  Yi Qi 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(18):2594-2623

ABSTRACT

In order to create conditions for students’ meaningful and rigorous intellectual engagement in science classrooms, it is critically important to help science teachers learn which strategies and approaches can be used best to develop students’ scientific literacy. Better understanding how science teachers’ instructional practices relate to student achievement can provide teachers with beneficial information about how to best engage their students in meaningful science learning. To address this need, this study examined the instructional practices that 99 secondary biology teachers used in their classrooms and employed regression to determine which instructional practices are predictive of students’ science achievement. Results revealed that the secondary science teachers who had well-managed classroom environments and who provided opportunities for their students to engage in student-directed investigation-related experiences were more likely to have increased student outcomes, as determined by teachers’ value-added measures. These findings suggest that attending to both generic and subject-specific aspects of science teachers’ instructional practice is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms that result in more effective science instruction in secondary classrooms. Implications about the use of these observational measures within teacher evaluation systems are discussed.  相似文献   

Assessing System Thinking Through Different Concept-Mapping Practices     

Kristina Brandstädter  Ute Harms  Jörg Großschedl 《International Journal of Science Education》2013,35(14):2147-2170

System thinking is usually investigated by using questionnaires, video analysis, or interviews. Recently, concept-mapping (CM) was suggested as an adequate instrument for analysing students' system thinking. However, there are different ways with which to use this method. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether particular features of CM practices affect the valid assessment of students' system thinking. The particular features analysed were the medium (computer versus paper–pencil) and the directedness (highly directed versus nondirected) of CM practices. These features were evaluated with respect to their influence on (a) students' performance in CM and (b) the validity of different CM practices for system thinking. One hundred fifty-four German fourth graders (mean age: 9.95 years) and 93 eighth graders (mean age: 14.07 years) participated in the study following an experimental pre-test–post-test design. Three variations of CM practices were applied: (a) highly directed computer mapping, (b) highly directed paper–pencil mapping, and (c) nondirected paper–pencil mapping. In addition to the CM task, a paper–pencil questionnaire was employed to investigate the validity of the CM practices. Results showed that the computer positively influenced student performance in CM when compared with paper–pencil. By contrast, there was no difference between highly directed and nondirected mapping. Whereas the medium rarely influenced the validity of CM for system thinking, high directedness showed a positive influence. Considering the limitations and benefits of particular CM practices, we suggest highly directed and computer-based CM as an appropriate assessment tool—in particular, with regard to large-scale assessments of system thinking.  相似文献   

Homework Stress: Construct Validation of a Measure     

Idit Katz  Tamara Buzukashvili  Liat Feingold 《Journal of Experimental Education》2013,81(4):405-421

This article presents 2 studies aimed at validating a measure of stress experienced by children and parents around the issue of homework, applying Benson's program of validation (Benson, 1998 Benson, J. 1998. Developing a strong program of construct validation: A test anxiety example. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 17: 10–17. doi: 10.1111/j.1745–3992.1998.tb00616.x[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). Study 1 provides external validity of the measure by supporting hypothesized relations between stress around homework and students’ and parents’ positive and negative affect, students’ sense of competence, and students’ type of motivation. In Study 2, the measure was administered to students with and without learning disability—2 groups assumed to differ in the level of stress experienced while doing homework. Results of both studies support the validity of the measure.  相似文献   

Assessing the Development of Educational Research Literacy: The Effect of Courses on Research Methods in Studies of Educational Science     

Jana Groß Ophoff  Sandra Schladitz  Juliane Leuders  Timo Leuders  Markus A. Wirtz 《Peabody Journal of Education》2013,88(4):560-573

The ability to purposefully access, reflect, and use evidence from educational research (Educational Research Literacy) is expected of future professionals in educational practice. Based on the presented conceptual framework, a test instrument was developed to assess the different competency aspects: Information Literacy, Statistical Literacy, and Evidence-based Reasoning. This paper addresses the question of whether this test allows monitoring students’ development during courses on research methods in educational science. In winter semester 2013/14, two courses in Early Education and Teacher Training degree programs were accompanied. Both cross-sectional (multidimensional latent regression models) and longitudinal (paired t tests of plausible values) comparisons are reported. The results indicate no significant differences in competencies between the degree programs at start of the semester. For the end of semester, only data of the Early Education course was available. These course participants showed higher proficiency in all aspects of educational research literacy. In conclusion, the results are discussed with regard to the goals of the assessment of competencies in higher education, particularly the use of test feedback for course development, and desiderata for future research (e.g., ability to transfer research into practice) are stated.  相似文献   

Impact of senior design project for the development of leadership and management skills in construction management     

Tamara Chowdhury 《European Journal of Engineering Education》2013,38(4):452-467

Senior design courses are a core part of curricula across engineering and technology disciplines. Such courses offer Construction Management (CMG) students the opportunity to bring together, assimilate and apply the knowledge they have acquired over their entire undergraduate academic programme to an applied technical project. Senior or Capstone design course engages students in a real-world project, enhance leadership development, and prepare to manage and lead project teams. The CMG programme's multidisciplinary approach at Alabama A&M University, combines essential components of construction techniques with concepts of business management to develop technically qualified individuals for responsible management roles in the design, construction and operation of major construction projects. This paper analyses the performance of the students and improvement due to the interaction with the faculty advisors and industrial panel during the two semester Capstone project. The results of this Capstone sequence have shown a continuous improvement of student performance.  相似文献   

The worked example and expertise reversal effect in less structured tasks: Learning to reason about legal cases     

Fleurie Nievelstein  Tamara van Gog  Gijs van Dijck  Henny P.A. Boshuizen 《Contemporary educational psychology》2013

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Valuing the promise,wrestling with the process: reflections on ITV teaching and learning in teacher education     

Tamara A Arthaud  Gay. A Ragan  Suzanne. M George 《Educational Action Research》2013,21(2):237-258

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Forming a collaborative action research partnership     

Tamara Platteel  Hans Hulshof  Petra Ponte  Jan van Driel  Nico Verloop 《Educational Action Research》2013,21(4):429-451

This article describes the complex nature of collaborative relationships, the difficulties of conducting research with others, and the complications of partnerships in educational research. To create and sustain a communicative space in which participants can collaborate to innovate education and curriculum, time and opportunity to develop trust in the group are needed. We report on a collaborative action research project in the Netherlands in which 14 teachers, three facilitators and an academic researcher formed a partnership, and together designed Language 1 education. We find contextual and the communicative conditions are important in the collaborative action research partnership. We use metaphors of facilitative actions – map, magnifying glass, mirror and compass – formulated by Wadsworth to analyze and describe the collaboration. We show that the participants had to come to terms with their roles and responsibilities and, through dialogue and reflection, evolved and learned to contribute to the collaborative action research partnership by sustaining dialogue and utilizing their unique expertise.  相似文献   

Black Adolescent Males: Intersections Among Their Gender Role Identity and Racial Identity and Associations With Self‐Concept (Global and School)          下载免费PDF全文

Tamara R. Buckley 《Child development》2018,89(4):e311-e322

Intersectional approaches for understanding identity have gained momentum in the social sciences. Black adolescent males are often perceived as threatening, underachieving, and hypermasculine, which is reinforced through media outlets and psychological research that portray them as a monolith rather than a heterogeneous group with multiple intersecting identities. This cross‐sectional study of 70 Black adolescent males between 14 and 18 years old simultaneously explores their race and gender identities and associations with self‐concept (global and school). Results demonstrated that participants reported a combination of feminine and masculine gender roles, rather than hypermasculine. A canonical correlation analysis found that Black racial identity attitudes (RIAS‐L) and gender roles simultaneously contributed to significant relationships with total and school self‐concept. Study limitations and future directions for research and practice are discussed.  相似文献   

When parenting does not ‘come naturally’: providers’ perspectives on parenting education for incarcerated mothers and fathers     

Cathrine Fowler  Angela Dawson  Chris Rossiter  Debra Jackson  Tamara Power  Michael Roche 《Studies in Continuing Education》2018,40(1):98-114

Learning to parent sensitively and safely can be challenging for adults with childhood abuse and neglect experiences. Such childhood experiences are prevalent among incarcerated parents whose ability to parent their own children is also limited by separation from them. Several prisons have developed programs to foster pro-social parenting skills among incarcerated mothers and fathers to assist them on release. This paper reports a qualitative research study that explored the factors affecting the delivery and outcomes of parenting programs in correctional facilities in New South Wales Australia from the perspective of individuals involved in developing and implementing the programs. Thematic analysis of 19 interviews identified two main themes: supporting parents’ learning in correctional settings and providers’ learning about parent education in correctional settings. Respondents reported the benefits of providing creative learning opportunities enabling parents to build on their strengths and to develop relationships. These factors contributed to changing prisoners’ attitudes and supporting them to consider alternative parenting approaches. The co-productive approach to parent education supported enhanced parenting knowledge among parents and greater insights among educators. Parenting education can be successfully delivered in correctional settings and can assist incarcerated parents to build on existing knowledge and adapt it to their own needs.  相似文献