34,550 research outputs found
Applying self-organised learning to develop critical thinkers for learning organisation: a conversational action research report.
The information explosion characteristic of a knowledge-based economy is fuelled by rapid technological changes. As technology continues to permeate our lives, there will be fresh demands upon the conduct of learning and teaching to ensure that learners are equipped with new economy skills and dispositions for creating significant and relevant meaning out of the large chunks of transmitted data. In the spirit of building learning organisations, this paper proposes that a two-pronged strategy of promoting self-organised learning (SoL) amongst educators and students be adopted. As an enabling framework based on social constructivism, the model of SoL, originally developed by Harri-Augstein & Thomas, is described and applied to an educational setting. For educators engaged in action research, SoL is suited as an approach for managing and reflecting upon change. The use of two such thinking tools, the Personal Learning Contract and the Purpose-Strategy-Outcome-Review (PSOR) reflective learning scaffolds are considered. For students who are now expected to learn independently in situations requiring problem-solving skills, much akin to real life contexts, this article also considers the application of Learning Plans as a conversational tool for personal project management. The authors conclude that SoL promotes skilful critical thinking through a systems thinking process of continuous reflective learning. It is proposed that these are essential qualities for citizens working in a technological age. Case study samples of the thinking tools used in this action research project are included as appendices and evaluated in this article
What is it like learning with an eportfolio for online distance learners?
This paper reports on a doctoral research project which examines the nature of the learning experience of
using an eportfolio and whether it enhances the development of critical thinking among online distance
learners. It aims to interrogate the process of the development of critical thinking rather than the product.
The project adopts a case study approach, following 24 online distance learners over the course of one
academic year in a Dublin based third level institution.
The research question for the study is: How can eportfolios enhance the nature of the learning experience
and the development of critical thinking among online distance learners? This study is using an exploratory
holistic single-case design where the “object of the study” is the of the learner experience of using an
eportfolio and the process of developing critical thinking are investigated.
The participants are intermediate online distance sociology learners studying a module called Soc3A- Power,
Social Order, Crime, Work and Employment as part of the BA (Hons) in Humanities which is a modular
humanities programme whereby learners can study a combination of history, sociology, literature,
psychology and philosophy. Participants have used their eportfolios to create a critical commentary of their
learning and completed five eportfolio entries over the course of one academic year at key points in their
learning journey. Eportfolio entries follow a prescribed structured template of critical questions intended to
encourage reflection about their learning.
Within this case study 37 interviews were conducted for an in-depth exploration of the learner experience of
using an eportfolio and the development of criticality. The participants were interviewed with their
eportfolios, written, visual and physical artefacts from the participant’s eportfolios were used as stimulus
during the interviews using the technique of “photo elicitation”
Logistics of Mathematical Modeling-Focused Projects
This article addresses the logistics of implementing projects in an
undergraduate mathematics class and is intended both for new instructors and
for instructors who have had negative experiences implementing projects in the
past. Project implementation is given for both lower and upper division
mathematics courses with an emphasis on mathematical modeling and data
collection. Projects provide tangible connections to course content which can
motivate students to learn at a deeper level. Logistical pitfalls and insights
are highlighted as well as descriptions of several key implementation
resources. Effective assessment tools, which allowed me to smoothly adjust to
student feedback, are demonstrated for a sample class. As I smoothed the
transition into each project and guided students through the use of the
technology, their negative feedback on projects decreased and more students
noted how the projects had enhanced their understanding of the course topics.
Best practices learned over the years are given along with project summaries
and sample topics. These projects were implemented at a small liberal arts
university, but advice is given to extend them to larger classes for broader
use.Comment: 27 pages, no figures, 1 tabl
Teachers as action researchers: Some reflections on what it takes
Towards the end of 2006, a group of secondary and primary teachers, in collaboration with university researchers based at the University of Waikato, began a two-year journey where they researched their own practice as teachers of literature in multicultural classrooms in Auckland, New Zealand. This presentation briefly outlines the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI), which initially provided a vision of teachers, working in partnership with university researchers, researching their own practice with the aim of enhancing the practice of the teaching profession as a whole. Through the eyes of one of the university-based researchers, but drawing on the experiences of four of the teacher participants, this presentation reflects on factors that had a bearing on the successful (or otherwise) induction of these teachers as teacher-researchers in their own right
Analytic Framework for Students' Use of Mathematics in Upper-Division Physics
Many students in upper-division physics courses struggle with the
mathematically sophisticated tools and techniques that are required for
advanced physics content. We have developed an analytical framework to assist
instructors and researchers in characterizing students' difficulties with
specific mathematical tools when solving the long and complex problems that are
characteristic of upper-division. In this paper, we present this framework,
including its motivation and development. We also describe an application of
the framework to investigations of student difficulties with direct integration
in electricity and magnetism (i.e., Coulomb's Law) and approximation methods in
classical mechanics (i.e., Taylor series). These investigations provide
examples of the types of difficulties encountered by advanced physics students,
as well as the utility of the framework for both researchers and instructors.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, in Phys. Rev. - PE
Formative Assessment for Middle School Mathematics Instruction: An Evidence-based Approach to Evaluating Teacher Posing, Pausing, and Probing Moves
This study involved empirical investigation of a moves-based conceptualization of teacher practices of planning, enacting, and reflecting on formative assessment (FA) in mathematics classrooms in a high-needs school district in California. A qualitative case study of six middle school mathematics teachers’ practices of posing questions, pausing to foster equity of participation and quality of response, and probing student thinking, the study provides empirical evidence of qualitatively distinct levels of teacher posing, pausing, and probing moves. The study utilized a National Research Council-based educational assessment design framework that employed construct maps, multi-faceted items design, and scoring guides to examine teacher practice and to provide feedback protocols for teachers engaged in FA. Guided by the 2014 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, the study provides evidence for content validity and tools for future rater reliability investigations. The study found levels of teacher questioning practice, operationalized as posing, pausing, and proving moves, could be represented along generalized continua in the context of middle school mathematics instruction. The study’s work toward the development of a teacher learning progression framework in the formative assessment domain has implications for establishing an empirically-based, common grammar of practice in mathematics instruction and preparation
Reviews
Francis Botto, Dictionary of Multimedia and Internet Applications ‐ A Guide for Developers and Users, Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, 1999. ISBN: 0–471–986240. Hardback, x+362 pages, £34.95
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