Una experiencia de investigación utilizando portafolios para evaluar la docencia universitaria

In this article, we use the findings of a study conducted in a university in the southeast of Mexico to examine strengths and limitations of portfolios to assess formatively the quality of teaching. The research is part of the study: Model for the Development and Evaluation of Academic Competencies, involving researchers from six Mexican universities. Findings of the study indicate that the use of portfolio allowed faculty members to collect evidence of the quality of their work, analyze their classroom instruction and began to involve in a dialogue for improving teaching.En este artículo, usamos los resultados de un estudio que se lleva a cabo en una Universidad del sureste de México para examinar las fortalezas y limitaciones de los portafolios para evaluar de manera formativa la calidad de la docencia. La investigación es parte del estudio: Modelo para el Desarrollo y Evaluación de Competencias Académicas e involucra a investigadores de seis universidades Mexicanas. Los resultados de la investigación indican que el uso del portafolio permitió a los docentes colectar evidencia sobre la calidad de su trabajo, analizar su práctica en el aula y comenzar a involucrarse en un diálogo para mejorar la docencia

Usando os resultados da avaliação para melhorar as práticas pedagógicas: um estudo de caso

A substantial body of research has been conducted on the use of student evaluations of college teaching. This research has mainly centered on the dimensionality, validity, reliability and generalizability of the ratings, and the study of possible biasing factors that could affect the validity of the ratings (Marsh, 1984; Braskamp & Ory, 1994; El -Hassan, 1995). Only a limited number of studies have been conducted on the longitudinal use of student ratings and their possible influence on instructional improvement. This research case study is committed to that purpose. This is a case study of a senior professor in a public research university in the Midwest. The study traces how the instructor uses the feedback from peers, his department head and students. The research is an attempt to better understand the evaluation results as feedback for instructional improvement.Un cuerpo sustancial de investigación se ha centrado en el uso de opiniones de los estudiantes para evaluar la docencia universitaria. Esta investigación se ha centrado principalmente en la dimensionalidad, validez, fiabilidad y generalización de los puntajes otorgados por los estudiantes, y el estudio de los posibles factores de polarización que podrían afectar su validez (Marsh, 1984; Braskamp y Ory, 1994; El-Hassan, 1995). Sólo un número limitado de estudios se han dirigido hacia el uso longitudinal de valoraciones de los estudiantes y su posible influencia en la mejora de la enseñanza. Esta investigación por estudio de casos se ha comprometido con dicho propósito. Se trata de un estudio de caso acerca de un catedrático en una universidad pública orientada a la investigación en el medio oeste de los Estados Unidos de América. El estudio examina cómo el instructor utiliza la retroalimentación de sus compañeros, de su jefe de departamento y de los resultados de la evaluación basados en opiniones de estudiantes. La investigación es un intento de comprender mejor los resultados de la evaluación como retroalimentación para la mejora de la enseñanza.Um corpo substancial de investigação se centrou no uso de opiniões dos estudantes para avaliar a docência universitária. Esta investigação se centrou principalmente na dimensionalidad, validez, fiabilidade e generalização dos puntajes outorgados pelos estudantes, e o estudo dos possíveis fatores de polarização que poderiam afetar sua validez (Marsh, 1984; Braskamp e Ory, 1994; O-Hassan, 1995). Só um número limitado de estudos se dirigiram para o uso longitudinal de valorações dos estudantes e sua possível influência na melhora do ensino. Esta investigação por estudo de casos se comprometeu com dito propósito. Trata-se de um estudo de caso a respeito de um catedrático numa universidade pública orientada à investigação no médio oeste dos Estados Unidos de América. O estudo examina como o instrutor utiliza a retroalimentação de seus colegas, de seu chefe de departamento e dos resultados da avaliação baseados em opiniões de estudantes. A investigação é uma tentativa de compreender melhor os resultados da avaliação como retroalimentação para a melhora do ensino

Closing in on the picture : analyzing interactions in video recordings

This paper provides a detailed account of the processing and analysing of data, obtained through video recording during reflective practitioner research. It sets out five stages in the analysis of video recordings of classroom interactions during a series of educational drama lessons: from decisions relating to the selection of data for close analysis, to the seeking of themes, and finally to the presentation of conclusions. The researcher adapted and synthesised several processes derived from discourse analysis (Wells, 2001; Spiers, 2004; Gee, 2005) to produce a range of instruments for use in transcription and analysis of verbal and non-verbal discourse. These include: a simple transcription key; classifications for verbal and non-verbal discourse; and a template for a transcription and analysis matrix

Can health trainers make a difference with difficult-to-engage clients? A multisite case study

A political attempt in the United Kingdom to address health inequalities in the past decade has been the government’s initiative to employ local health trainers (HTs) or health trainer champions (HTCs) to support disadvantaged individuals with aspects of their health-related behaviors. HT/HTCs provide health-related information and support to individuals with healthy eating, physical activity, and smoking cessation. They undertake community engagement and direct individuals to relevant health services. They differ in that HTs are trained to provide health interventions to individuals or groups and to make referrals to specialist health care services when necessary. This article provides an evaluation of HT/HTCs interventions across three sites, including one prison, one probation service (three teams), and one mental health center. An evaluation framework combining process and outcome measures was employed that used mixed methods to capture data relating to the implementation of the service, including the context of the HT/HTCs interventions, the reactions of their clients, and the outcomes reported. It was found that HT/HTCs interventions were more effective in the prison and mental health center compared with the probation site largely as a result of contextual factors

A Tribute to Patrick Baude

The Board of Editors dedicates Volume 86 of the Indiana Law Journal to the memory of Patrick Baude, who taught at the School of Law from August 1968 until his death in January 2011, and who served for many years as the faculty advisor for the Indiana Law Journal. As evidenced below, Professor Baude’s influence spread far beyond the bounds of his classroom walls, and his presence in the Law School’s community will be sorely missed

3D virtual worlds as environments for literacy learning

Background: Although much has been written about the ways in which new technology might transform educational practice, particularly in the area of literacy learning, there is relatively little empirical work that explores the possibilities and problems - or even what such a transformation might look like in the classroom. 3D virtual worlds offer a range of opportunities for children to use digital literacies in school, and suggest one way in which we might explore changing literacy practices in a playful, yet meaningful context. Purpose: This paper identifies some of the key issues that emerged in designing and implementing virtual world work in a small number of primary schools in the UK. It examines the tensions between different discourses about literacy and literacy learning and shows how these were played out by teachers and pupils in classroom settings.Sources of evidence: Case study data are used as a basis for exploring and illustrating key aspects of design and implementation. The case study material includes views from a number of perspectives including classroom observations, chatlogs, in-world avatar interviews with teachers and also pupils, as well as the author’s field notes of the planning process with accompanying minutes and meeting documents.Main argument: From a Foucauldian perspective, the article suggests that social control of pedagogical practice through the regulation of curriculum time, the normalisation of teaching routines and the regimes of individual assessment restricts teachers’ and pupils’ conceptions of what constitutes literacy. The counternarrative, found in recent work in new litearcies (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006) provides an attractive alternative, but a movement in this direction requires a fundamental shift of emphasis and a re-conceptualisation of what counts as learning.Conclusions: This work on 3D virtual worlds questions the notion of how transformative practice can be achieved with the use of new technologies. It suggests that changes in teacher preparation, continuing professional development as well as wider educational reform may be needed

A Tribute to Patrick Baude

The Board of Editors dedicates Volume 86 of the Indiana Law Journal to the memory of Patrick Baude, who taught at the School of Law from August 1968 until his death in January 2011, and who served for many years as the faculty advisor for the Indiana Law Journal. As evidenced below, Professor Baude’s influence spread far beyond the bounds of his classroom walls, and his presence in the Law School’s community will be sorely missed

Vertically illuminated TW-UTC photodiodes for terahertz generation

More efficient and powerful continuous-wave photonic mixers as terahertz sources are motivated by the need of more versatile local oscillators for submillimeter/terahertz receiver systems. Uni-Travelling Carrier (UTC) photodiodes are very prospective candidates for reaching this objective, but so far only have been reported as lumped-elements or as edge-illuminated optical-waveguide travelling-wave (TW) devices. To overcome the associated power limitations of those implementations, we are developing a novel implementation of the UTC photodiodes which combines a traveling-wave photomixer with vertical velocity-matched illumination in a distributed structure. In this implementation called velocity-matched travelling-wave uni-travelling carrier photodiode, it is possible to obtain in-situ velocity matching of the beat-fringes of the two angled laser beams with the submm/THz-wave on the stripline. In this way, minimum frequency roll-off is achieved by tuning the angle between the two laser beams. A first design of these TW-UTC PDs from our Terahertz Photonics Laboratory at University of Chile has been micro-fabricated at the MC2 cleanroom facility at Chalmers Technical University