The effects of concept mapping on learning approach and meaningful learning /

Two hundred and nine undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory Anthropology course were pre-tested using the Learning and Study Strategy Inventories (LASSI) to establish their learning approach. Concept mapping was used to alter a student's learning approach from a non-creative to a creative approach. Students were then post-tested using the LASSI to evaluate the learning intervention. The first hypothesis proposed that non-creative learners would become more holistic and creative learners as a result of the concept mapping intervention. No significant treatment effects were found. Non-creative learners made significant gains in concentration from pre to post testing. It was also hypothesized that certain demographic variables would help explain the learning approach a student demonstrated. Science students had the highest mean attitude, motivation, concentration and time management and use of test strategies. Anthropology students had the highest anxiety, and arts students increased on information processing. Nineteen year olds were the most motivated and attitude decreased with age. Second year students who had taken a previous course in anthropology had higher mean attitudes, motivation, concentration, selecting main ideas, and use of test strategies when compared to second year students who hadn't taken a previous course. Science students increased their mean use of test strategies regardless of previous course work. Overall, the mean use of test strategies increased regardless of faculty affiliation had a student taken a previous course

Individual instructor's perceptions of teaching context : identifying facilitators and barriers to completion of teaching projects

Frameworks seeking to explain teaching competency and development in higher education indicate that context and personal perspectives, as well as knowledge and action are crucial components in the understanding of how and why faculty teach as they do and how development may be encouraged and may be supported. This study sought to contribute to a deeper understanding of individual instructors' perceptions of context of higher education as it related to their teaching projects. This study investigated the daily pursuits and pre-occupations (teaching goals/projects) of an individual instructor, specifically, the instructional demands, departmental demands, the personal and professional pursuits of knowledge and the pursuits of pedagogical knowledge. More specifically, this study investigated perceived facilitators and barriers to the realization of individual teaching and other work projects.Nineteen full-time faculty members in the Departments of Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Nursing, Social Work, Educational Psychology and Education at a large research and teaching university in Montreal, Quebec participated in this study. The instructors were asked to complete an adapted version of Little's (1983) Personal Project Analysis (P.P.A.) instrument, which is designed to elicit an instructor's current pre-occupations or projects in his or her current context. The instructors were asked to rate these projects (seven teaching projects and seven other work projects) using a Likert scale (0 to 10) on twenty-one empirically supported dimensions. These dimensions included the following: enjoyment, difficulty, control, initiative, stress, time pressure, outcome, self-identity, others' view, value congruency, challenge, commitment, competence, support, self-worth, fun, others' benefit, self-benefit, supportiveness of culture (departmental level), hindrance of culture (departmental level), and overall current satisfaction. Instructors were asked to assess their perceived conflicts between two of their teaching projects and two of their other work projects in addition to completing a demographic questionnaire.The findings indicate that instructors identified five different types of daily pursuits that formed and defined their teaching context, as they perceived it. These five types of daily pursuits (projects) included: course planning and preparation projects; student investment, support and delegation of tasks to student projects; knowledge building and knowledge sharing projects; committees, faculty support and faculty teaching projects; and finally, teaching strategy projects. The instructors also identified five different types of daily pursuits that formed and defined their other work context. These included: publishing, conference presentation and research projects; grant proposals and funding projects; office organization projects; correspondence, university committees, outside mandates, departmental expectations and management of student and faculty projects; and finally, personal objectives and technical skill building projects.P.P.A. enabled the researcher to identify on an individual instructor level the instructor's perceived facilitators and barriers to the successful completion of teaching and other work projects. Furthermore, P.P.A. as a faculty development instrument or as an alternative to semi-structured interview methods is supported by the findings

Trouble envahissant du développement : un modèle d’intervention précoce centrée sur la famille

L’intervention précoce auprès des enfants souffrant d’un trouble envahissant du développement (TED) fait consensus. Toutefois, les modèles de services qui en intègrent les multiples composantes sont rares. Il importe en effet de soutenir non seulement l’enfant mais aussi sa famille, d’identifier les besoins de façon précoce et de bien évaluer et diagnostiquer tôt pour offrir une réponse rapide. Cet article propose un modèle de services en cinq phases, soit : l’identification précoce ; le plan de service individuel à la famille ; l’évaluation préliminaire de l’enfant ; l’évaluation diagnostique approfondie et l’intervention. Les deux dernières phases sont conduites en parallèle. Les cinq phases sont élaborées et intégrées dans un modèle dynamique.Early intervention with children suffering from a pervasive developmental disorder is widely recognized. However, models of services which integrate the many components are lacking. It is indeed important to support not only the child but also his family, to identify the needs at an early stage and to assess and diagnose very early on in order to respond rapidly. This article proposes a model of services divided in five phases: 1) early identification; 2) individualized family service plan; 3) preliminary assessment of the child; 4) detailed diagnostic evaluation and 5) intervention. The last two phases are concurrent while the five phases are elaborated as well as integrated within a dynamic model.La intervención precoz en los niños que sufren de un desorden extendido del desarrollo (PDD) es un consenso. Sin embargo, son raros los modelos de servicios que integran los múltiples componentes. No obstante, no sólo es importante apoyar al niño, sino también a su familia, identificar las necesidades de manera precoz, y hacer una buena evalucación y un diagnóstico temprano para ofrecer una respuesta rápida. Este artículo propone un modelo de servicios en cinco fases, es decir: la identificación temprana, el plan de servicio individual a la familia, la evaluación preliminar del niño, la evaluación de un diagnóstico profundo y la intervención. Las dos últimas fases se conducen paralelamente. Las cinco fases se elaboran e integran en un modelo dinámico.Todos estão de acordo a respeito da intervenção precoce junto às crianças que sofrem de distúrbios globais do desenvolvimento (DGD). Entretanto, raros são os modelos de serviços que integram os vários componentes desta intervenção. Realmente, é importante apoiar não apenas a criança, mas também a família, identificar as necessidades logo no início e avaliar e diagnosticar logo para oferecer uma resposta rápida. Este artigo propõe um modelo de serviços em cinco fases: identificação antecipada; plano de serviço individual junto à família; avaliação preliminar da criança; avaliação diagnóstica profunda e intervenção. As duas últimas fases são realizadas simultaneamente. As cinco fases são elaboradas e integradas em um modelo dinâmico