Comparative teaching strategies In special relativity

Περιέχει το πλήρες κείμενοThe introduction of modern physics topics in secondary schools is one of the highest challenges in physics education. In this regard, a specific exercise has been carried out in the context of a dedicated Summer School involving both teachers with a Master in Education and secondary school students previously acquainted with these teachers. In the case of enlightening and overcoming conceptual and learning problems – with a deep insight to concepts and terms in contrast with common sense and everyday experience – a dedicated analysis of two different curricular proposals is outlined, showing possible weaknesses and strengths in both teaching frameworks and approaches

Teaching PSHE in secondary schools

This Spotlight article looks at teaching PSHE in secondary school

Student-Centered Learning Opportunities For Adolescent English Learners In Flipped Classrooms

This study documents opportunities for diverse adolescent English learners to deeply engage with content and language in flipped learning environments. Through a linked description of teaching practices and student learning experiences in an urban New England high school, the study attempts to understand the potential of flipped instruction in preparing a traditionally underserved population for post-secondary education. Our research partner Patriot High School (PHS) is one of the New England schools implementing flipped learning. PHS represents a typical secondary school context for adolescent English learners: More than half of students speak a language other than English at home and the majority of students are from minority and low-income homes (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2014). PHS is also an urban school committed to implementing student-centered learning strategies to meet the needs of its diverse students

Transition Planning -- Responsibilities and Strategies

This meta-synthesis of the literature, on transition planning for youth with disabilities, examines several important facets that impact the post school outcomes for students with disabilities. Eight specific areas have been highlighted that point out the common theme areas of this metasynthesis. Research recognizes the responsibilities of the regular and special education teachers to the secondary transition process and the roles of the student and parent are not minimized at all. Professional development and continuous training are needed and highlighted for teachers, counselors, administrators, parents and students. There are specific successful strategies and methods to apply to the transition planning process. Raising expectations will likely result in positive post school outcomes as well. However, it is only too often that teachers, counselors, parents, and students are ill prepared for secondary transitions from high school to employment or further training. Expectations are too low and students are not prepared to make decisions about their employment or training in spite of the fact that self determination and self advocacy are strong tools that can and will promote positive outcomes for students. Indeed, individualized transition planning and person centered planning are valuable tools

Leading careers education information advice and guidance (CEIAG) in secondary schools

This report summarises the findings of a set of six case studies, undertaken during November 2010, which explored the effective leadership of careers education information advice and guidance (CEIAG) in a small sample of secondary schools in England. The findings indicate that effective CEIAG is an extremely important component of school provision as it impacts upon students’ aspirations, achievement and therefore potentially their life chances and social mobility. The report describes different curriculum models, with the integration of CEIAG across the curriculum as the preferred approach allied to a strong emphasis on partnership working. The leadership and management of CEIAG follow a distributed model with staff operating at a variety of levels to secure its development and implementation. There is significant evidence of this model combining the skills of both teaching and non-teaching staff. The importance of strategic vision, continuing professional development and monitoring and evaluation is highlighted as substantial. The report concludes with a set of key message for both school leaders and policymakers

Autism and the U.K. secondary school experience

This research investigated the self-reported mainstream school experiences of those diagnosed on the autistic spectrum compared with the typically developing school population. Existing literature identifies four key areas that affect the quality of the school experience for students with autism: social skills, perceived relationships with teaching staff, general school functioning, and interpersonal strengths of the young person. These areas were explored in a mainstream U.K. secondary school with 14 students with autism and 14 age and gender matched students without autism, using self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analyses showed consistent school experiences for both groups, although content analysis of interview data highlighted some differences in the ways in which the groups perceive group work, peers, and teaching staff within school. Implications for school inclusion are discussed, drawing attention to how staff awareness of autism could improve school experience and success for students with autism attending mainstream schools

S3 Pupils' Career Aspirations and Views on Language Learning

In May 2005, the Scottish Centre for Language Teaching and Research (SCILT) undertook a government-funded nationwide survey of approximately 1500 pupils in the S3 cohort of Scottish secondary schools. Pupils in 47 randomly selected Scottish secondary schools completed a questionnaire that explored their career aspirations and how these related to their views on language learning. The responses of S3 pupils are significant because the government's educational policy A Curriculum for Excellence is proposing to give pupils in this year group the opportunity to have a greater say in their subject choices. The findings provide useful indicators for government officials, head teachers, careers advisers and language teachers in Scottish secondary schools

Validity and worth in the science curriculum: learning school science outside the laboratory

It is widely acknowledged that there are problems with school science in many developed countries of the world. Such problems manifest themselves in a progressive decline in pupil enthusiasm for school science across the secondary age range and the fact that fewer students are choosing to study the physical sciences at higher levels and as careers. Responses to these developments have included proposals to reform the curriculum, pedagogy and the nature of pupil discussion in science lessons. We support such changes but argue from a consideration of the aims of science education that secondary school science is too rooted in the science laboratory; substantially greater use needs to be made of out-of-school sites for the teaching of science. Such usage should result in a school science education that is more valid and more motivating and is better at fulfilling defensible aims of school science education. Our contention is that laboratory-based school science teaching needs to be complemented by out-of-school science learning that draws on the actual world (e.g. through fieldtrips), the presented world (e.g. in science centres, botanic gardens, zoos and science museums) and the virtual worlds that are increasingly available through information and communications technologies (ICT)

Computer science in Dutch secondary education: independent or integrated?

Nowadays, in Dutch secondary education, computer science is integrated within school subjects. About ten years ago computer science was considered an independent subject, but in the mid-1980s this idea changed. In our study we investigated whether the objectives of teaching computer science as an independent subject are met when computer science is integrated within school subjects. The main problem was that there was no formal curriculum of computer science as an independent subject. Therefore we interviewed 13 experts in the field of computer science and then compared this formal curriculum with the operational (integrated) curriculum, which is still in the development stage. It appears that most of the components of the formal curriculum are being covered by the operational curriculum, and we therefore concluded that these curricula are equivalent, although there may be differences in the level of teaching. In our opinion the best approach to computer science is to combine the independent and the integrated approaches

Prison Education in Slovakia from the Teacher\u27s Perspective

The present study deals with teaching practices in prison education in Slovakia. Attention is paid to secondary school teachers who, at the same time, teach adult prisoners. The aim of the qualitative research conducted was to find out in what ways, in the view of the teachers approached, prison education and school education differ and how they react to the differences. Another objective was to find out whether the teachers feel competent enough to teach prisoners. It was found out that theabsence of teacher training for prison education and the power of the prison regime strongly affect teaching practice. The teachers adjusted the syllabus, the pace and demands placed on the learners to the limited conditions of the prison regime. The authors believe that the present study could shed more light on teaching practices in prison education and help recognize such areas where specific teacher training is needed