924 research outputs found
Adult education in small states : the case of Malta
A small state faces several challenges with regard to adult continuing education and training. The paper discusses some of these challenges with specific reference to the Mediterranean small island state of Malta. It starts with a general discussion of some of the issues affecting adult education in a small state such as Malta that paves the way for the more focused analyses in the second and third sections. These sections focus on a selection of just two topics from among the many that affect adult education in Malta, namely those of adult education and work and adult education for sustainable development. These analyses are tackled from the perspective of the small state condition.peer-reviewe
Integrating knowledge, feelings and action : using vee heuristics and concept mapping in education for sustainable development
Although children are regularly showered with environmental knowledge, this is rarely
transformed into concerned action, probably because it is not meaningful for the learner
and/or is highlighted at the expense of a personalized process of learning. Research in
Education for Sustainable Development shows that besides knowledge acquisition
feelings, psychological factors and active participation while learning are important
determinants of commitment. Fostering an attitude of responsible environmental action
is not dependent on what knowledge is delivered, but on how it is delivered and
experienced. This paper describes the use of Vee Heuristics and Concept Mapping as
pedagogical tools within the context of primary school learnersĂ different learning
patterns. It provides illustrations of Concept Maps constructed before and after the
learning programme and discusses some implications of the findings. This paper suggests
that the use of Vee Heuristics and Concept Mapping along with an awareness of how
the child prefers to learn may be steps towards tapping-in the childĂs internal talking so
that educators can understand how each learner responds to incoming information.
Learning about environmental issues becomes relevant, meaningful and, in the long
run, conducive to improved environmental responsible behaviour.peer-reviewe
The impact of site-visits on the development of biological cognitive knowledge
Classroom-based science teaching
tends to be dominated by teaching
that stifles the studentsâ natural curiosity
and eagerness to discover their surroundings.
Knowledge makes sense to students
particularly when it is learned within the
context of an authentic experience. Thus
classroom-based science needs to be complimented
by out-of-classroom activities
which offer direct and relevant information
that influences studentsâ learning.
Students build new knowledge on already
existing schema, thus it is important for
both teacher and students to question
and evaluate their knowledge to be able
to build on solid grounds. This paper illustrates
examples of meta-cognitive tools
(i.e. Vee diagrams and concept maps) used
before and after site-visits to explore the
contribution of out-of-classroom activities
to the studentsâ biological cognitive
development. This research shows that
site-visits are a necessary part of science
learning because they help students develop
observational and reasoning skills, link
biology to personal life experiences and
contextualise inert classroom knowledge,
making it more meaningful and easier to
remember.peer-reviewe
Teaching education for sustainable development : implications on learning programmes at higher education
This paper considers the basic elements associated with teaching education for
sustainable development and outlines the implications on learning programmes
at higher education institutions. In particular, the paper considers the extent to
which the formation of educators influences this process, and defends the view
that an emphasis on the long-term pre-service and in-service training of
educators should be a top priority.peer-reviewe
Portfolios in environmental education : the TEPEE project
Teaching and assessment in Environmental Education (EE) is rather complex because it needs to address the learnersâ ability to ask questions, solve problems, and develop positive values. Portfolio assessment is a holistic way to evaluate the growth and development of skills and values in EE by providing a cumulative record of work carried out by students in a variety of contexts and allowing students to reflect on the process of how their views and values change. The main aim of this paper was to discuss the process of the development and implementation of a European Portfolio for Environmental Education by TEPEE (Towards a European Portfolio for Environmental Education) Network, within seven European countries. The paper narrates the development and implementation of EPEE through the eyes of the TEPEE scientific committee coming from the seven partner countries. Their views about the advantages and disadvantages of the use of portfolios within the context of EE were collected by means of questionnaires using open-ended questions. The results of the study suggest that the main advantage of using portfolio assessment is that it provides a holistic picture of the learning and growth of students in different contexts and situations. The major asset was the enthusiasm and motivation it raised among the teachers using it. The major difficulty was trying to change the assessment culture of teachers who were used to more traditional forms of assessment.peer-reviewe
Education for sustainable development : current discourses and practices and their relevance to technology education
Technology education is a well-established field of knowledge whose applications
have many ramifications. For example, technology education may be used as a tool
in meeting the challenges of sustainable development. However, the usefulness of technology
education to the sustainability debate as a whole and to education for sustainable
development in particular, has largely been overlooked in the past. Indeed, there is a
paucity of academic studies which examine the contribution technology education may
provide to education for sustainable development. On the basis of the need to address this
knowledge gap, this paper reviews the state of affairs in relation to education for sustainable
development and considers its links and appropriateness to technology education.
A further objective of this paper is to present examples of initiatives and existing practices
around the world, drawing partly from the results of the 1st European Conference on
Education for Sustainable Development held in Greece in October 2007, as well as from
other initiatives undertaken in Europe and North America. Finally, some measures that
may be adopted in order to enhance the contribution of technology education to education
for sustainable development are outlined.peer-reviewe
Dynamic automata in Larva
As computer systems become larger and more sophisticated,
they bring about an increased level of possible execution
paths and environment configurations, which, generally, cannot be reliably catered for by testing due to its inherent lack
of coverage. As such, many developers are turning onto runtime software verification to be able to provide higher system
quality assurance, intercepting undiscovered bugs as they
arise. However, sophisticated systems tend to involve large
specification properties and thus pose a considerable overhead when the states of such properties are fully enumerated
to perform runtime verification. The problem is even more
intricate with infinite-state properties where enumeration is
not possible. A solution to this issue is through the use of
on-the-fly state generation techniques where the next state is
dynamically computed at runtime. In this paper, we present
dLarva â an extension of the Larva runtime verification
tool supporting on-the-fly state-generating automata. This
enables the definition of automata in a symbolic manner
while also making it possible to traverse infinite state properties. To demonstrate the possibilities of dLarva, we provide
an implementation of dLarva that accepts properties using
regular expressions which are dynamically evaluated at runtime using derivatives. This implementation is used as the
basis for a simple rule-based intrusion detection system for
the AnomicFTPD FTP server.peer-reviewe
Environmental education : providing a context for a meaningful science education
The paper initially highlights the main principles and methods of environmental
education and the opportunities and challenges it offers to a fragmentary curriculum structure with special reference to science curricula in Malta. The results of a survey about teachers'
attitudes about environmental education are then analysed in relation to the possibility of
promoting environmental education as a cross-curricular unifying theme. The paper proposes
specific guidelines for the development of science curricula that are both interdisciplinary and
socially relevant.peer-reviewe
Science education in Malta : quo vadis?
The low number of students who choose science and who
eventually pursue a career in science (Cauchi, 1996) is a
clear indication of the need to revise our present policy
regarding science education. In our strategy to improve
the situation we should be extra careful not to waste too
much energy on attempting to cure the symptoms of this
problem. What we really need is to recognise our
responsibilities. be bold enough to address the deep
rooted causes of the problem and to do our utmost to
resolve them even though solutions might imply radical
changes in our present educational policies.peer-reviewe
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