A Learning Theory Framework for Sustainability Education in Tourism.

As efforts abound across tourism educator networks to craft plans for guiding educational responses to the threats of tourism to people and the planet, it is worth exploring areas in which such labors might be made more efficient, and thus more timely and productive. In this article, we examine how the concept of learning systems can serve as a useful tool for identifying opportunities to improve sustainability education planning in tourism. We provide a conceptual framework for sustainability education that moves beyond current models by incorporating additional concepts from learning theory and from a 2-year curricular revision process

Integration of course management system communication tools in instruction

A major thrust of education is integration of technology in to teaching. In the face-to-face classroom, computer mediated communication tools such as electronic mail, discussion forums and chat are currently being integrated into instruction at a rapid pace. This is especially true in courses that use course management systems to deliver content. Are the current integration practices leading students to higher levels of cognitive engagement? Faculty members that choose to use technology in their teaching practice need to use a sound pedagogical framework to structure course tasks that use the technologies. The purpose of the study was to identify which Blackboard computer mediated communication tools faculty members chose to integrate in their teaching practices, with particular interest in the cognitive levels at which tools were integrated. Data were gathered via a web-based survey that answered the following research questions: 1. What communication tools are faculty members using to support instruction, based on Blackboard\u27s communication tools, i.e., electronic mail, discussion forum, and virtual classroom (chat)? 2. At what cognitive level(s) can use be categorized based on Bloom\u27s hierarchy of cognitive levels: 1) knowledge 2) comprehension 3) application 4) analysis 5) synthesis and 6) evaluation? Data were gathered using a survey instrument that was completed by 91 faculty members at UTK who were using CMC tools in their teaching. In summary, electronic mail (e-mail) is the most widely used tool, followed by the discussion forum. Chat is being used at a very low frequency. The tools are mainly being used to as a convenience to communicate course management issues. Additionally, when the tools are being used to support instructional tasks, the middle to upper levels of cognitive engagement are rarely reached. Recommendations based on the findings included a reexamination of what is intended by integration and suggestions to increase faculty development in pedagogical uses of technology in instruction in relation to discipline

Secondary English Teachers\u27 Experiences on Critical Thinking for African American Male Students

African American male students (AAMSs) can benefit from literacy instruction that is student-based and geared towards using higher-level thinking skills. The conceptual framework was guided by Dewey\u27s constructivism theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore whether high school English language arts (ELA) teachers in an urban-suburban Midwest region of the United States have sufficient knowledge and skills to incorporate higher order thinking skills (HOT) instruction for AAMSs. Five ELA teachers from a low-performing, urban-suburban high school in the Midwest region of the United States participated in semistructured interviews; observations were conducted in the classroom, and lesson plans were reviewed. Patterns, categories, and themes emerged through using the coding process by breaking down the data into units and then grouped according to their characteristics. According to the findings, participants from this study suggested that problem- solving was the main higher level thinking skill for AAMSs. These local ELA teachers also used the Socratic questioning method as their primary instructional strategy but limited constructivist activities for AAMSs to engage during the instructional process. The findings from the data collection support the development of a professional training program. The professional development program could help teachers engage AAMSs in increasing their academic endeavors. ELA teachers can participate in professional learning communities by communicating concerns about AAMSs, using HOT skills to increase AAMSs literacy performance, become change agents, and promote a positive social change by using constructivist practices into school curriculum and instructions for AAMSs, eventually closing the achievement gap

The Status and the Specifications of the Questions of an Achievement Exam from the Points of View of the Teaching Staff-members of Palestine Technical University- Kadoorie (PTUK)\Tulkarm-Campus

The aim of this study was to investigate the status and specifications of the questions of an achievement exam from the points of view of the teaching staff-members of Palestine Technical University Kadoorie PTUK Tulkarm campus to achieve the purpose of this study the researchers followed a descriptive quantitative approach through which a 24-item questionnaire was distributed after ensuring its reliability and validity to a sample of 140 subjects out the population of 355 teaching staff-members of PTUK Findings and conclusions of this study confirm the shaggy and blurred reality of the status and the specifications of the questions of an achievement exa

Validating Bloom\u27s Revised Taxonomy as a Rubric for Assessing Middle School Students\u27 Levels of Thinking

Educators in a rural charter middle school in the United States were challenged with the reliable assessment of student thinking skills even though the development of higher order thinking was an espoused goal for the school. The purpose of this study was to validate a new rubric based on Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (BRT) to reliably assess student levels of thinking as reflected in the students’ written work. A quantitative, nonexperimental design was used. The focus of the research questions was on the BRT rubric’s reliability and validity. Interrater reliability was assessed using Krippendorff’s alpha. Validity was explored by assessing the relationship between the BRT scores collected in this study to the original teacher scores of students’ archived writing samples. Reliable, unrelated scores would have suggested that the two processes were scoring different constructs. The convenience sample of 8 volunteer teachers scored papers using the new BRT rubric. Each teacher scored 52 writing samples, 2 each from 26 students in the 7th grade. The Spearman correlation coefficient between the BRT and original teachers’ scores was not statistically significant. The teachers’ original scores could not validate the BRT as a measuring tool. Also BRT measure failed to demonstrate evidence of reliability (Krippendorf’s α = .05). A position paper was created to present the results of this study and to explore possibilities for improving the assessment of thinking. Positive social change may be encouraged by the use of a reliable and valid scoring process to quantify levels of thinking. A reliable scoring process for levels of thinking could lead to more balanced curricula, instruction, and assessment ultimately providing a base for customized student learning experiences

BLENDED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: DELIVERY METHODS SELECTION

Blending online delivery methods with traditional face-to-face instruction has emerged in an effort to accommodate an increasingly diverse student population whilst adding value to the learning environ-ment. A large number of research studies have shown a positive effect of blended learning for teaching and learning. However, designing a successful blended learning course is still challenging for many academics in the higher education sector. A major design problem is selecting the most appropriate delivery methods to achieve the course outcomes. This study contributes to addressing this problem by: (i) identifying criteria that teachers should consider when selecting delivery methods for their blended learning courses; and (ii) rating the importance of each of these criteria. It employs a two-round online modified Delphi survey to achieve its aims

The Skills Framework for the Information Age: Engaging Stakeholders in Curriculum Design

This paper reports on a research project, examining the role of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) curriculum design and management. A goal was to investigate how SFIA informs a top-down approach to curriculum design, beginning with a set of skills that define a particular career role. A further goal was to evaluate the extent to which SFIA facilitates stakeholder interaction, such that academic programs can better identify industry needs while preparing graduates for the intended career role. The paper also evaluates the extent to which SFIA informs the identification of authentic forms of assessment and the skills and levels of autonomy and responsibility required by entry-level and Masters graduate ICT positions. Processes and practices for ICT curriculum design and management are recommended based on findings arising from this research. Although this research was conducted in an Australian context, findings suggest that there is value in using SFIA for ICT curriculum design and management, even in those jurisdictions where it is not required for accreditation or professional certification purposes

The Skills Framework for the Information Age: Engaging Stakeholders in ICT Curriculum Design

This paper reports on a research project, examining the role of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) curriculum design and management. A goal was to investigate how SFIA informs a top-down approach to curriculum design, beginning with a set of skills that define a particular career role. A further goal was to evaluate the extent to which SFIA facilitates stakeholder interaction, such that academic programs can better identify industry needs while preparing graduates for the intended career role. The paper also evaluates the extent to which SFIA informs the identification of authentic forms of assessment and the skills and levels of autonomy and responsibility required by entry-level and Masters graduate ICT positions. Processes and practices for ICT curriculum design and management are recommended based on findings arising from this research. Although this research was conducted in an Australian context, findings suggest that there is value in using SFIA for ICT curriculum design and management, even in those jurisdictions where it is not required for accreditation or professional certification purposes