Trialing project-based learning in a new EAP ESP course: A collaborative reflective practice of three college English teachers

Currently in many Chinese universities, the traditional College English course is facing the risk of being ‘marginalized’, replaced or even removed, and many hours previously allocated to the course are now being taken by EAP or ESP. At X University in northern China, a curriculum reform as such is taking place, as a result of which a new course has been created called ‘xue ke’ English. Despite the fact that ‘xue ke’ means subject literally, the course designer has made it clear that subject content is not the target, nor is the course the same as EAP or ESP. This curriculum initiative, while possibly having been justified with a rationale of some kind (e.g. to meet with changing social and/or academic needs of students and/or institutions), this is posing a great challenge for, as well as considerable pressure on, a number of College English teachers who have taught this single course for almost their entire teaching career. In such a context, three teachers formed a peer support group in Semester One this year, to work collaboratively co-tackling the challenge, and they chose Project-Based Learning (PBL) for the new course. This presentation will report on the implementation of this project, including the overall designing, operational procedure, and the teachers’ reflections. Based on discussion, pre-agreement was reached on the purpose and manner of collaboration as offering peer support for more effective teaching and learning and fulfilling and pleasant professional development. A WeChat group was set up as the chief platform for messaging, idea-sharing, and resource-exchanging. Physical meetings were supplementary, with sound agenda but flexible time, and venues. Mosoteach cloud class (lan mo yun ban ke) was established as a tool for virtual learning, employed both in and after class. Discussions were held at the beginning of the semester which determined only brief outlines for PBL implementation and allowed space for everyone to autonomously explore in their own way. Constant further discussions followed, which generated a great deal of opportunities for peer learning and lesson plan modifications. A reflective journal, in a greater or lesser detailed manner, was also kept by each teacher to record the journey of the collaboration. At the end of the semester, it was commonly recognized that, although challenges existed, the collaboration was overall a success and they were all willing to continue with it and endeavor to refine it to be a more professional and productive approach

Research and Practice of Blended Teaching Mode Based on Network Teaching Platform—Taking Engine Principles as an Example

With the development of Internet information technology, a new educational model of “Internet + education” has emerged[1],It has promoted the reform of the university teaching classroom, and the hybrid teaching mode based on the online teaching platform will also enter the university classroom. In this paper, taking the engine principle course as an example, combines the school situation, teaching situation and learning situation of our school, and builds a hybrid teaching mode based on the online teaching platform. The construction and implementation of blended teaching mode are completed through the analysis of teaching content, teaching environment, teaching situation and teaching evaluation. It breaks the traditional teaching mode of teacher’s one-man show, realizes the dominant role of students and the leading role of teachers, stimulates students’ interest in learning, improves their independent learning ability, and ensures the quality of teaching

Plant Biology Experimental Courses in Universities: Status Quo, Limitations and Prospects

Plant biology, as a significant compulsory course for biological science students, is intuitive and practical, which plays a unique role in improving students' comprehensive quality and cultivating their innovation ability. Because of its strong practical characteristics, the experimental course is of great necessity in the study of this course. This paper analyzes the traditional teaching mode of plant biology experiment, as well as its shortcomings in modern teaching, and puts forward diversified reform methods based on the development of contemporary plant biology to promote the teaching mode of plant biology experiment to meet the needs of contemporary students on this subject. Based on the rapid development of modern science and technology, this paper includes the teaching contents, teaching methods, and assessment system of plant biology experiments, and discusses them respectively. This paper aims to improve the teaching efficiency of modern plant biology experiments and help to achieve the goal of efficiently improving students' innovation and scientific research ability

Get yourself connected: conceptualising the role of digital technologies in Norwegian career guidance

This report outlines the role of digital technologies in the provision of career guidance. It was commissioned by the c ommittee on career guidance which is advising the Norwegian Government following a review of the countries skills system by the OECD. In this report we argue that career guidance and online career guidance in particular can support the development of Norwa y’s skills system to help meet the economic challenges that it faces.The expert committee advising Norway’s Career Guidance Initiativ

The Application of Virtual Reality Technology to Enhance Students’ Chorus Conducting Performance in a Technology Institute in Southeast China

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the  application  of VR technology as a supplementary tool for enhancing students' chorus conducting performance and determining the students' satisfaction with using VR technology to enhance students' chorus conducting performance. A mixed research design was used for this study:  quasi-experiment as  quantitative research  and  face-to-face interview as qualitative research. The participants in this study were 60 music students at Changshu Institute of Technology. Aged 18- 20 years and are music teacher majors. The participants in the quasi-experiment were divided into two groups: 30 participants for the control group and 30 participants for the experimental group. Ten students were recruited from the experimental group to conduct face-to-face interview. A traditional classroom was used for the control group and blended learning with VR technology integration was developed as a supplement for the experimental group. The researcher employed an independent sample T-test to test the hypotheses and content analysis to analyze qualitative data. The results revealed that four variables had higher scores and there was significant improvement in the conducting skills of students in the experimental group than in the control group. The results revealed that blended learning using VR technology serves as an effective learning tool to improve student chorus conducting performance. The students presented a positive reflection and satisfaction toward using VR technology to enhance students' chorus conducting performance throughout the teaching and learning process

America's Next Manufacturing Workforce: Promising Practices in Education and Skills Building

The promising practices presented in this report demonstrate some of the most encouraging approaches for education and skill building of America’s new manufacturing workforce. These practices have been selected by a panel of experts from business, government, and education who serve on the MForesight Education and Workforce Development Working Group (EWD). This report summarizes a sampling of replicable and scalable promising practices being pursued to ensure that America builds an educated, skilled, and ready workforce. MForesight has not endorsed any particular product or method in presenting these promising practices, and is pleased to invite learning institutions, professional organizations, and manufacturers to submit descriptions of additional programs and initiatives serving similar purposes. In this way, MForesight hopes to build a community of practitioners and learners to help build an educated, skilled, and ready advanced manufacturing workforce. Concurrently, the EWD will continue its work to translate the key characteristics of these promising practices into policy and investment guidelines for government, industry, and educational enterprises that will support efforts to bring such practices to scale.National Science Foundation, Grant No. 1552534https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145154/1/WorkforceReport_Final.pd

A manifesto for the creative economy

The UK\u27s creative economy is one of its great national strengths, historically deeply rooted and accounting for around one-tenth of the whole economy. It provides jobs for 2.5 million people – more than in financial services, advanced manufacturing or construction – and in recent years, this creative workforce has grown four times faster than the workforce as a whole. But behind this success lies much disruption and business uncertainty, associated with digital technologies. Previously profitable business models have been swept away, young companies from outside the UK have dominated new internet markets, and some UK creative businesses have struggled to compete. UK policymakers too have failed to keep pace with developments in North America and parts of Asia. But it is not too late to refresh tired policies. This manifesto sets out our 10-point plan to bolster one of the UK\u27s fastest growing sectors

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort