Pedagogies of inclusion: a critical exploration of small-group teaching practice in higher education

This paper provides a critical examination of inclusion as a pedagogic principle through a practice-based interrogation of contemporary ‘good practice’ strategies for encouraging inclusion in small-group teaching. It reflects on our experiences of delivering four classroom exercises that are frequently proposed as strategies for increasing inclusion, and borrows insight from critical intersectional feminist pedagogy to interrogate normative discourses of inclusion in HE. We argue that both the terms of inclusion, and the assumption that (verbal) participation is itself a measure of improving inclusion in classroom spaces, require interrogation. This article thus responds to the proliferation of inclusion discourses in contemporary UK HE, by identifying some of the potential pitfalls of measuring inclusion through the limited scope of participatio

Exploring the use of a gap analysis approach for quantitative evaluation of teaching effectiveness

The article investigates the potential of an adaptation of the SERVQUAL approach for obtaining student feedback. The technique involves measuring the gaps between what students want in terms of teaching delivery and what they actually receive, thereby enabling areas for improvement to be identified. Improving the effectiveness of classroom teaching so as to enhance the students’ learning experience is frequently viewed as a key to raising retention rates. Student feedback, just one of many indicators of teaching quality, plays a crucial role in teaching enhancement. Whilst informal methods are also useful for teaching appraisal, this project investigates a formal approach for obtaining student feedback. If a SERVQUAL type approach can be adapted using a fairly short questionnaire then it may prove a useful alternative / supplement to traditional survey methods for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The project focuses on several undergraduate and postgraduate business Marketing modules and was conducted to see whether the technique offers any particular benefits which the Department of Business and Service Sector Management may use in the future

Experiencing Science, An Introduction to Real Methods of Science for the Preservice Teacher

The scientific method presented in the middle school classroom introduces the experimental approach of science in a way that may actually bear little resemblance to the processes actually used by working scientists. Teachers equipped with an insight into the motivations, philosophy, tools, and culture of science will better convey an accurate and positive picture of science as a critically important human endeavor. The Experiencing Science course was designed to answer the challenge of giving the pre-service teacher and decision-maker better insight into actual processes used by scientists, in the context of each of the major disciplines

Measure for Measure: A Critical Consumers' Guide to Reading Comprehension Assessments for Adolescents

A companion report to Carnegie's Time to Act, analyzes and rates commonly used reading comprehension tests for various elements and purposes. Outlines trends in types of questions, stress on critical thinking, and screening or diagnostic functions

A nodes model for creativity in mathematics education

This paper sets outs a proposition for a model of understanding creativity in the mathematics classroom. It aims to show that creativity in mathematics can be conceptualised as the mental processes involved in ‘meaning making’ in the mathematics classroom. It is currently primarily a conceptual exploration, with only preliminary empirical investigation, however it is hoped that this is to be addressed in the coming academic year. The paper comes from more formal conceptual development of an informal discussion about what creativity in mathematics actually is between the author and a number of researchers at University of Durham. A variety of ideas were put forward, and while there was little consensus on what creativity in mathematics is, there was agreement on what creativity in mathematics is not – creativity in mathematics is not about making classroom mathematics ‘shiny’. While colourful displays and beautifully drawn graphs were useful in themselves, this did not, the group concluded, constitute creativity in mathematics. Similarly, while setting project work could be considered creativity in mathematics it wasn’t necessarily. It was agreed that there was something more fundamental about what creativity in mathematics may be. This nodes model takes one of the ideas discussed and is an attempt to describe what this ‘more fundamental’ aspect may be

A Development Evaluation Study of a Professional Development Initiative to Strengthen Organizational Conditions in Early Education Settings

High quality instruction is essential to producing developmental gains for young children and can mitigate risk factors such as family poverty and low parental education. Even in programs with highly qualified teachers, teacher-child interactions often do not provide the level of instructional support that children need to be well-prepared for success in kindergarten. In order to improve instructional quality, an emerging focus on early childhood professional development involves supporting leaders in creating a web of supports for teacher learning and child growth. The purpose of the 3-year evaluation study was to assess the effectiveness of an Early Childhood Education Professional Development Initiative (ECE PDI) in advancing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of community-based early childhood leaders and teachers in relation to creating the conditions for superior developmental outcomes for low-income students served by these community-based centers. Findings from the implementation and impact studies are reported

Developing a validated instrument to measure pre-service teachers’ ICT competencies : meeting the demands of the 21st-century

The main objective of this study is to develop a self-report instrument to measure pre-service teachers’ ICT competencies in education. The questionnaire items of this instrument are based on an existing comprehensive framework and were created with input from experts in the field. The data were collected from a sample of 931 final-year pre-service teachers in Flanders (Belgium). A first subsample was used for an exploratory factor analysis, and a second one to verify the identified factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. A two-factor structure of ICT competencies was identified: (a) competencies to support pupils for ICT use in class and (b) competencies to use ICT for instructional design. This two-factor structure was confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. Recommendations are made on how this reliable instrument can help assess the level and progress of pre-service teachers’ ICT competencies

A systematic literature review of methodology used to measure effectiveness in digital game-based learning

In recent years, a growing number of studies is being conducted into the effectiveness of digital game-based learning (DGBL). Despite this growing interest, however, it remains difficult to draw general conclusions due to the disparities in methods and reporting. Guidelines or a standardized procedure for conducting DGBL effectiveness research would allow to compare results across studies and provide well-founded and more generalizable evidence for the impact of DGBL. This study presents a first step in this process by mapping current practices through a systematic literature review. The review included peer-reviewed journal and conference publications between 2000 and 2012. Other inclusion criteria were that (1) the study’s primary aim was effectiveness measurement of cognitive learning outcomes, (2) the focus was on digital games and (3) a pre-post design with a control group was used. Twenty-five publications were found eligible for this study. Important differences were found in the number of control groups used and the type of intervention implemented in the control group (e.g. traditional classroom teaching, use of multimedia, computer-based learning, paper exercises, other games, or no intervention). Regarding the implementation method of the DGBL intervention in the experimental group, two approaches can be distinguished: stand-alone intervention or as part of a larger program. Moreover, a wide variety of effectiveness measures was used: measures for learning outcomes were complemented with time measurements and/or with self-reported measurements for self-efficacy and motivation. Learning effect calculation also varied, introducing pre-test scores in the analysis, conducting a separate analysis on pre- and post-test scores or conducting an analysis on difference scores. Our study thus indicates that a variety of methods is being used in DGBL effectiveness research opening a discussion regarding the potential and requirements for future procedural guidelines

The Relevance of Double Consciousness among Black Males in College

“The Souls of Black Folk,” by W. E. B. Du Bois (1903) is a means to explain the experience of the Negro in the late 1800s. Many of the attitudes and perceptions of Black people are still present today. In Du Bois’ work, he discussed his coined term, double consciousness; Du Bois indicated that it is a curse along with a gift, a most unwelcome one. He discussed the racial binary of what a Black person experiences in society compared to White people. The experiences a Black man has in a predominantly White society can mirror the experiences of a Black man who attends a predominantly White institution (PWI). It is imperative for current student affairs practitioners to understand why this topic is important. This article explains how double consciousness is a timely concept that is applicable to Black males who attend PWIs