From teaching physics to teaching children : the role of craft pedagogy

Current policy developments in Scottish Education have increased the emphasis on constructivist teaching approaches from 3 – 18 as a way to raise pupils‟ attainment by increasing teachers' skill levels. The aim of this study was to explore student teachers' developing pedagogical content knowledge about teaching electricity, which is a traditionally difficult topic in physics, during a one year PGDE course, the following Probationary Year and beyond. Some of the cohort volunteered to be interviewed about aspects of the electricity syllabus taught in the Scottish secondary school curriculum. An interview schedule was developed based on a typical line of development through the basic electricity syllabus in Scotland. Semi-structured interviews were carried out at the beginning and end of the PGDE year and again at the end of the Probationary Year. A fourth interview was carried out nearly four years after completing the PGDE year. The repeat interviews were analysed using an analytical framework based on Shulman's pedagogical content knowledge as interpreted within science education research using thematic analysis. Most of the student teachers showed a change from concentrating on how to teach physics (to these children) to how to teach these children (physics). The analysis suggested that the teachers had learned how to present their knowledge by interacting with pupils. In the course of this analysis a Craft Pedagogy framework was developed to account for their development: they developed individual Craft Pedagogies. The thesis presented here is that these individual Craft Pedagogies can be synthesised to generate a new Craft Pedagogy framework with wider application to teachers' learning

The Educational Leader, Vol. 9, No. 1: Mathematics, Health and Physical Education and Industrial Education Number

The Educational Leader, November 1945, Vol. 9, No. 1, 51 pages, a bulletin by Kansas State Teacher College of Pittsburg

Effects of metacognitive instructional strategies in secondary career and technical education courses

This dissertation was comprised of three exploratory studies investigating the effects of metacognitive instructional strategies on secondary career and technical education students\u27 problem solving performance. Recommendations for future research are discussed

Οι ιδέες μαθητών και μαθητριών δευτεροβάθμιας επαγγελματικής εκπαίδευσης για κυκλώματα και βασικές έννοιες στον ηλεκτρισμό: μια διδακτική παρέμβαση με χρήσης ΤΠΕ σε ένα περιβάλλον συνδυασμένης μορφής μάθησης (Blended Learning)

Παρατηρήσεις έκδοσης: λείπει η σελίδα 147 από το φυσικό τεκμήριο.Σκοπός της παρούσας έρευνας ήταν να ερευνηθούν ον παρανοήσεις - εναλλακτικές ιδέες των παιδιών σε βασικές έννοιες και κυκλώματα στον ηλεκτρισμό στην ειδικότητα των Ηλεκτρολόγων των Επαγγελματικών Λυκείων (ΕΠΑ.Λ.), καθώς και να ερευνηθεί το πόσο αποτελεσματική είναι η χρήση των ΤΠΕ για την αντιμετώπιση των παρανοήσεων στο πλαίσιο ενός εποικοδομητικού και συνεργατικού περιβάλλοντος μάθησης με υποστήριξη από υπολογιστή (CSCL). Για την υλοποίηση της παρούσας έρευνας πραγματοποιήθηκε διδακτική παρέμβαση στο μάθημα «Ηλεκτροτεχνία I», μέσα σε ένα περιβάλλον Συνδυασμένης Μορφής Μάθησης (Blended Learning). To Σύστημα Διαχείρισης Μάθησης (LMS - Learning Management System) που χρησιμοποιήθηκε ήταν το Moodle. Τα δεδομένα της έρευνας προήλθαν από ένα αρχικό και ένα τελικό ερωτηματολόγιο, ένα φύλλο παρατήρησης και από συζητήσεις με τα παιδιά και με άλλους καθηγητές και καθηγήτριες. Η ερευνητική μέθοδος που χρησιμοποιήθηκε ήταν ένας συνδυασμός ποιοτικής και ποσοτικής έρευνας με στοιχεία στατιστικής ανάλυσης. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι τα παιδιά άλλαξαν σε μεγάλο βαθμό τις εναλλακτικές ιδέες που είχαν για τα φυσικά φαινόμενα, κατάφεραν να εργαστούν με επιτυχία στο περιβάλλον μάθησης της διδακτικής παρέμβασης και συμμετείχαν ενεργά στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Ακολούθησε η διατύπωση συμπερασμάτων αλλά και προτάσεων σε σχέση με την εφαρμογή τέτοιων τρόπων και πρακτικών διδασκαλίας

An exploration of the integration of technology by mathematics teachers: the case of 10 schools in KwaZulu-Natal under Umlazi District.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This interpretive qualitative study sought to explore the integration of technology by mathematics teachers in Umlazi district of KwaZulu-Natal province. A purposive non-probability sample of ten teachers from ten different schools in Umlazi district participated in the study. Data was collected from the participants using a questionnaire, interview, classroom observation schedule and document analysis, while the thematic analysis method was employed to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that the South African Department of Basic Education advocates for the integration of technological tools for all teaching and learning processes in basic education. However, the study showed that teachers underutilise the technological resources they have at their disposal and that they mainly rely on the teaching of mathematics using traditional methods of teaching. The findings established possible factors contributing to the under utilisation of technology by mathematics teachers in Umlazi district. These factors include: (1) lack of training to confidently integrate technology; (2) lack of technology pedagogical content knowledge; (3) limited access to technological tools; (4) crime (break-ins); (5) overcrowded classrooms; (6) lack of technical support for software updates; (7) electric power failure during the teaching and learning hours; and (8) lack of exposure to government policies advocating for technology integration in teaching. Lastly, the study found that though teachers are not actively utilising the technological tools in the teaching of mathematics, they however demonstrated a positive attitude towards its use. The results further showed that if the factors above are well addressed, the mathematics teachers in Umlazi district would be utilising their tools effectively in their teaching practices.Author's Keywords on page i

Alleviating higher education challenges through strategic integration of technology: a case of selected universities in Africa.

Doctor of Philosophy. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The higher education sector in Africa is evolving and information technology continues to play a key role in driving these changes. Information and communications technologies are improving the creation and transmission of knowledge. This is attributed to the way people learn and create ideas as well as disseminate information within the educational environment and in the public sphere. In this study, an exploratory research was conducted to identify and understand the challenges and opportunities associated with information technology integration in higher education. A survey of 592 staff at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and University of South Africa was undertaken to address the research problem. The study makes use of a blend of theoretical frameworks to provide the foundation for identifying, proposing, planning and suggesting information technology strategies that can be integrated into higher education to alleviate higher education challenges in order to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. The three models used are: The Change Management Model; Model of Technology Adoption in the Classroom; and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The study evaluates the role of ICTs in higher education and also identified issues, challenges and instances of ICT strategic integration in higher education institutions at the selected universities in Africa. In the process of understanding the strategic integration of information technology in higher education institutions at the selected universities, the study identified what was considered successful technology integration strategies, what were not as successful, and why this was the case. The study further identified the factors that influence information technology integration in higher education. Having identified the limitations to technology integration and the significance of information technology in higher education at the selected universities, the study proffered recommendations and proposed a strategic framework. The framework offers strategies for the integration of information technology into higher education which can be used to alleviate higher education challenges, enhance teaching and learning outcomes, sustain the integrated information technologies and achieve ICTs promised benefits to higher education

Ottawa County Times, Volume 10, Number 27: July 19, 1901

Weekly Democratic newspaper published in Holland, Michigan from 1892-1905.https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/oct_1901/1013/thumbnail.jp

Interdisciplinary Research Methodology for Secondary Level Social Studies: A Teaching Unit Concerning the Holy Shroud of Turin

In the past decade, numerous educational leaders have been critical of the quality of achievement of the educational system of the United States. Declining scores on standardized tests and the Scholastic Aptitude Test, illiteracy and the inequality of educational opportunities for America\u27s youth were a few of the concerns documented by educational leaders. In an effort to correct some of the existing problems, reform measures have been delineated by various commissions and educational authorities. The use of interdisciplinary curriculum, particularly in Social Studies, was among the suggestions for improving the quality of education. The purpose of this study was to present historical research concerning the Holy Shroud of Turin which could be used to demonstrate the development of an interdisciplinary curriculum approach suitable for use by instructors of secondary level Social Studies. An historical methodology research design was chosen to indicate the techniques utilized in gathering data concerning the Shroud of Turin. Data for the teaching unit concerning the Holy Shroud was acquired from a variety of sources. Public, university and college libraries were contacted for pertinent materials and the investigator\u27s personal library and files also contained materials related to the Holy Shroud. Written and oral communications with renowned sindonologists yielded invaluable information for this study. Individuals whose Religious Orders, had, at one time, housed the Holy Shroud also proved to be valuable sources of information. As a result of this extensive research, an interdisciplinary teaching unit concerning the Holy Shroud of Turin was presented. Further, the techniques, skills, tools, and information necessary for use by educational practitioners who wish to integrate interdisciplinary learning into their classrooms were presented. In conclusion, recommendations were made for consideration by educators as a means of improving the curriculum, particularly in relationship to secondary level Social Studies

Attitudes to contemporary English interference on Welsh

The research outlined in this thesis is based on the hypothesis that there is a connection between interference usage and language attitudes. The milieu chosen for the research is present day Wales, with the contact situation under investigation involving the English and Welsh languages. The research proceeds by investigating the attitudes and usage of four groups of subjects from the Aberystwyth area. These comprise groups of Lecturers and local Teachers and two less well-educated groups of urban subjects from Aberystwyth and rural subjects from Llangwyryfon. The language attitudes investigated involve both general attitudes towards the language situation in Wales and attitudes towards language standards in Welsh with particular reference to interference from English. The instrument employed to elicit this data was a questionnaire comprising largely closed questions. Comparable examples of interference usage, mainly in the lexical field, were elicited by the use of a number of specially devised tests. Results showed that the two less well-educated groups were not as normative towards certain kinds of interference (especially lexical) and less aware of other kinds. In addition, these groups also tended to be less pro- Welsh on an index of Welsh commitment which consisted of questions on language use and on political aspects of the language situation. In the usage tests, high levels of interference usage were revealed in the same less well-educated groups. Some differences were also revealed between sub-groupings of the Lecturer and Teacher groups on the basis of the medium of instruction employed by the subjects in their work. Any differences are, however, restricted to the attitude questionnaire and are not paralleled in usage. It is posited that while there is a clear relationship between the two phenomena tested, it is not proven that the relationship is a direct one

A practice based learning environment for engineering students: Acquiring competencies for working on advanced manufacturing engineering

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.In this thesis the author describes the design and operation of a learning environment aimed at imparting technical, technological and managerial knowledge, developing understanding of the underlying issues and enhancing team work skills for an advanced technology future. He offers an analysis of learning, education and training and compares group work with individual tasks, presents a major case study and illustrates the features which distinguish the approach from role play, simulation and experiential learning. When staff at Brunel University were faced with the problem of teaching Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) to engineering students on thin sandwich type undergraduate degree programmes the writer suggested the use of an approach he would later describe as 'practice based learning' or 'real life simulation'. The fourth year course in CIM is designed as a double option for the complementary undergraduate courses, Brunel Manufacturing Engineering (BME) and Special Engineering Programmes (SEP). It is an extension of the Manufacturing Design and Practice course in years one to three of the BME course and of the Design strand on SEP, both of which restrict students' work to the use of individual machine tools and stand alone computing facilities. A wide range of teaching methods is used on the CIM course, including lectures by course staff, presentations by experts and, as the major element, a large group project involving all the students on the course, organised in a management matrix, coordinated by the students and supported by the staff acting as experts. The students also undertake assignment work alongside the technical tasks, to focus their thinking and to improve written communication skills. While the course described cannot replace more than a small proportion of the more conventional lecture, laboratory and tutorial teaching on an engineering programme, it provides a setting where students can experiment and learn about their own strengths and weaknesses in a realistic situation and in the context of teamwork. It also offers a space where they can make quite serious mistakes without direct consequences to their careers. The experience of seven years leads the author to believe that advanced manufacturing technologies and the associated management techniques should be taught in a project based environment with clear and real targets and realistic constraints, offering students challenges to which they can only rise through close and creative team work. The management of task execution must be left largely in the students' own hands. A high level of "consultant" type support is essential though, allied to an assessment scheme which promises and ensures fair treatment of the individual. The different parts of the thesis will be relevant to readers depending on their interest and background. Chapter 1 sets the scene and outlines the approach taken. Following this broad outline of the scope of the dissertation the author places Computer Integrated Manufacturing in a wider context in chapter 2, by providing an introduction to the underlying issues of computer integration and human factors. He puts forward a case for new approaches to the education and training of engineers and managers who will be working in Computer Integrated Manufacturing and Advanced Manufacturing Environments in general. Chapter 3 is devoted to the management of projects while chapter 4 is used to question the role of the engineer. Chapters 5 and 6 provide an introduction to theories of knowledge, teaching, learning and motivation. Chapters 7 and 8 are devoted to particular aspects of engineering education, while chapter 9 reviews the approach used at Brunel University. The topical issues of competence and its relevance to engineering education is discussed in chapter 10, leading into chapters 11 and 12 which deal with aspects of the CIM course. Chapters 13 and 14 are devoted to case-studies and particular tools. The key question of assessment of a practice oriented and team based course is addressed in chapter 15, followed by an evaluation of the CIM process and its application to engineering education of a full time nature which is included in chapters 17 and 18.Funding was obtained from The General Electric Company Prize 1993: Manufacturing Systems Engineering