Uncovering the truth behind Vygotsky's cognitive apprenticeship: engaging reflective practitioners in the 'master-apprentice' relationship

In recent years theories of situated cognition sharing the idea that learning and doing are inseparable as part of a process of enculturation, largely based upon the work of Vygotsky in developing a model of ‘cognitive apprenticeship’, have received much attention in education (Vygotsky, 1978) as an insightful model underpinning forms of learning and teaching. The master-apprentice relationship using techniques of apprenticeship such as modelling, scaffolding and reflection has since been used as a base for considerable research helping researchers and practitioners to understand teacher-student action across a range of different teaching situations (Collins et al., 1989; Hennessy, 1993; Jarvela, 1995; Rojewski et al., 1994). The focus of much of this research has explored the efficacy of the model when set against the question of how to improve forms of learning and teaching in particular settings

An Investigation Of Student Participation And Student-teacher Interaction In The Case Method Classroom

This research investigated the role of student participation and student-teacher interaction in Master of Business Administration classrooms utilizing the case method of teaching. The first goal of the study was to investigate how student characteristics are related to classroom participation and to amount learned in two diverse business courses (i.e. Marketing and Finance). The second goal was to examine the development of problem-solving skills during class participation throughout the academic year and to examine the cognitive congruence between level of teacher question and level of student response.;The 58 first year, Master of Business Administration students were videotaped at three intervals throughout the academic year. The students\u27 responses from the transcribed tapes were analyzed both qualitatively (in terms of problem-solving components and cognitive level) and quantitatively (in terms of frequency and length of time), for each of the three time periods in each course.;As hypothesized, the results of the study suggested that degree type, undergraduate average, and critical thinking skills (as measured by Watson-Glaser) were significant predictors of course grades. For the Finance course, the most important predictor of grades appeared to be having an Engineering degree, whereas for the Marketing course critical thinking skills were the most important predictor. It was found that high cognitive level student responses were a significant predictor of final Finance participation grades.;Over the course of the year, it was found, as postulated, that more low level problem-solving skills were exhibited in Marketing than Finance. Similarly, more low level teacher questions were asked in Marketing than in Finance. Overall, it was found that as time progressed, students increased in their use of lower level problem-solving skills.;Finally, as hypothesized, there was a strong congruence between the cognitive level of teacher questions and the cognitive level of student responses. It was found that the majority of questions asked in both courses were low level in nature. The results of the present study suggest the case method can be an excellent active learning technique. Several recommendations are offered for improving problem-solving and critical thinking in class discussion

Educational Technologies. Analysis of Master dissertations carried out in Portugal

Acknowledging the importance scientific research may have in terms of the foundation, orientation and evaluation of the use of technologies in an educational context, it is only natural that there should also be greater knowledge on the research carried out in this particular field. This is what we set out to achieve in a recent conference held in Portugal on the theme Research in Education (1). Using the theme of the conference itself – Research in Education between 1960 and 2005 – as our basis, we decided to focus on what has actually been the object of research in our country within the framework of Educational Technology. We realised, at a very early stage, that there were hardly any studies in this field before Portuguese universities took on a more active role, nor in the field of educational technologies, particularly after the appearance of the first Masters courses at the University of Minho in 1987. Even though we are not aware of any in-depth study to characterise scientific research developed in Portugal in this area, several Portuguese authors have referred to this issue in some way or another (Abrantes, 1981, 1998; Blanco & Silva, 1993; Caldas, 2001; Fernandes, 1969;Ponte, 1994; Silva, 2000). On the other hand, since we have stated that a considerable part of research, in this particular field, focuses precisely on this academic qualification, we have decided to construct our analysis around this aspect. Therefore, in this article we present the result of the studies on Masters dissertations carried out in Portugal, with a view to furthering understanding of the studied themes, their theoretical and methodological frameworks, and to finding out where they are carried out, who does the research, what the collection techniques are and the type of data analysis used, just to mention some of the aspects around which our analysis is centred. This is an exploratory analysis within a restricted context, however, we hope that it may contribute to the acquisition of more profound knowledge regarding research practices in this specific field of Educational Sciences in Portugal

Les émotions dans les métaphores personnelles des futurs professeurs de l'enseignement secondaire sur le rôle du professeur et des élèves

Este estudio analiza, a través de un cuestionario de preguntas abiertas, la evolución de las metáforas personales de una muestra de la especialidad de Economía del Máster Universitario en Formación del Profesorado en Educación Secundaria, durante el curso 2012/2013. Para el análisis se han considerado cuatro categorías: conductistas-transmisivas, cognitivas-constructivistas, situadas y autorreferenciadas. Al comparar las metáforas del profesor, antes y después de las prácticas de enseñanza, se produce una evolución progresiva de las metáforas conductistas-transmisivas a cognitivas-constructivistas y situadas. La mayor parte de las emociones asociadas a las metáforas fueron sociales, tanto para el profesor como para el alumnado. La mayoría de los participantes no cambiaron sus modelos didácticos, que estaban ya firmemente asentados al comienzo del Máster. Sin embargo, en algunos se produce una evolución progresiva hacia modelos más centrados en los estudiantes.Using the responses to open questions, this study analyzes the evolution of personal metaphors of a sample of prospective secondary economics teacher during their Master's degree course in Secondary Teacher Education during the 2012/2013 academic year. For the analysis, four categories have been considered: transmissive/behavioral, cognitive/constructivist, situated and selfreferential. Comparing teacher' metaphors before and after teaching practice, a progressive evolution occurs from transmissive-constructivist metaphors to cognitive-behavioral and situated metaphors. Most of the emotions associated with the metaphors were social, both for the teacher and for the pupils. The results revealed no changes in most of the participants' associated models. Instead, these appeared to be firmly set already at the beginning of the Master's course. However in some there is a progressive evolution towards more student-centered models.Cette étude analyse, au moyen d'un questionnaire de questions ouvertes, l'évolution des métaphores personnelles dans un échantillon d'étudiants de la spécialité d'Économie du Master de Formation de Professeurs d'enseignement secondaire, pendant l'année académique 2012/2013. L'analyse se base sur quatre catégories: comportementaliste-transmissive, cognitive-constructiviste, située et autoréférenciée. En comparant les métaphores du professeur, avant et après le stage pratique d'enseignement, nous observons une évolution progressive des métaphores comportementaliste-transmissive vers les cognitive-constructive et située. La plupart des émotions associées aux métaphores ont été sociales, tant pour le professeur comme pour les élèves. Une majorité des participants n'a pas changé ses modèles didactiques, qui étaient fermement établis au début du Master. Cependant, certains participants montrent une évolution progressive vers des modèles plus centrés sur les étudiants

The Development of Inquiry Science Worksheet to Facilitate the Process Skills

This research aimed for developing Inquiry Worksheet to facilitate the process skill. Inquiry Worksheet gave the opportunity for student to make good observations in giving hypothesis, designing the experiment, collecting, analyzing, and inferring the data. To involve the students in Inquiry process is the important point in Science lessons which can help the students to develop Science literacy and give the opportunity to drill their Science process skill. This research used the steps of developing 4P but the fourth step was not used, this analysis used the descriptive qualitative. Based on the validation result showed the Lesson Plan (RPP) and Inquiry Worksheet (LKS) had been developed were in valid category. The implementation of the good Lesson Plan for Evaluation Results was classically achieved. The process skill obtained 100 for the average score. For pretest and posttest, the students obtained 82.85 and 57.14. Learning using the Inquiry worksheet showed good responses by the students. The conclusion of this research was Inquiry Worksheet competent to facilitate the process skills

Teacher Resistance to Implementation

Excerpt: When teachers first confront the requirement that they implement some new idea or method into their teaching, they can respond in any of several ways. If we view on a continuum the many possible responses to such a requirement, we will see on one end those teachers who flatly refuse to make any changes. They may rationalize that their pedagogy requires no change or that they already know better than curriculum designers and consultants what needs to occur in their own classrooms and\u27 even in classrooms in general. Jumping to the other extreme of our continuum, we find those teachers who chase down and study all the material they can find on the new method, who end up leading workshops on how to implement the new method, and whose sample classroom lessons or units eventually circulate in print so that others might see what successful implementation actually looks like. Of course, we recognize these extremes as extremes; these illustrations fail to represent the more moderate and more mixed reactions of the majority of teachers. Most teachers fall between my two characterizations. And most teachers likely experience feelings of willingness to implement the method and, simultaneously, frustration over exactly how to go about irnplementing curriculum changes that come their way (Doyle and Ponder 1978, Sieber 1972)

Teachers' adoption of inquiry-based learning activities : the importance of beliefs about education, the self, and the context

Even though studies have shown that the impact of professional development on inquiry-based learning (IBL) tends to remain limited when it fails to consider teachers' beliefs, there is little known about how these beliefs influence teachers' adoption of IBL. In answer to this issue, the present study offers a framework that explains teachers' use of IBL through three constitutive dimensions of beliefs systems, covering the constructs of education, the self, and the context. This framework is empirically investigated through a survey study with 536 secondary school history teachers. The resulting data are used to estimate a structural equation model (SEM), which indicates that the framework is able to explain a relatively large portion (38%) of the variance in teachers' decision to implement IBL. Based on the findings, the implications for professional development and research on teachers' use of IBL in general, and within history education in particular, are discussed