Applying learning strategy questionnaires: problems and possibilities

This article discusses measuring learning strategies by means of questionnaires. In ‘multi-method’ research, in which think-aloud measures are compared with questionnaires, low or moderate correlations are found. A conclusion often drawn is that learners are not able to verbally report on their learning activities. Alternative explanations concern two other possibilities: first, that different learning strategies may be measured by the two methods; second, that the measuring methods may be aimed at different learning tasks. Keeping these prerequisites in mind, we constructed a task-specific questionnaire directly based on a taxonomy for coding think-aloud protocols in text studying. We found a higher correlation (r=.51) between the questionnaire and think-aloud protocols than is regularly reported. A case-study, in which four students answered the questionnaire while thinking aloud, led to new insights into why a questionnaire may lead to somewhat different ratings of activities than the think-aloud method. Based on these results, task-specific questionnaires may be improved. Our studies involved a fair comparison between a questionnaire and think-aloud protocols. We cautiously conclude that if task-specific questionnaires are meticulously constructed and examined in new ways, they might become reasonably adequate alternatives for the labor-intensive think-aloud method in measuring learners’ learning strategies

Florida Volunteers in the War with Spain, 1898

For many years the Spanish American War has been referred to as a “Splendid Little War.” John Hay first used the term to describe the war in a letter to his friend Theodore Roosevelt and Teddy, without doubt, fully agreed. Recently Professor Frank Freidel used the same words to title a book concerning that war. Perhaps many of the participants in the Second World War, or the Korean conflict, would also agree that the war with Spain was a comparatively splendid affair as wars go. Imagine a war in which there was no draft, and that was fought largely by regular army troops while nearly 200,000 volunteers remained in camp! A war in which the enlisted men elected the company officers after all the ritual and excitement of a local political campaign certainly offers a picture far from that presented in the 1940’s or the 1950’s. One more thing that makes this war in 1898 attractive to later soldiers is simply the fact that there were very few battle casualties

The Advent of the Spanish-American War in Florida, 1898

On February 1, 1898, the Jacksonville Times Union and Citizen angrily denounced General Nelson Miles for what it termed an attempt to waste the taxpayers’ money. Miles had appeared before a Congressional committee with a plea for funds with which to build fortifications around Washington. The Jacksonville editor declared that there was “no war in sight,” and that the money might better be spent on the construction of an intracoastal waterway, a project already looming large in the minds of many Floridians. His denial of any need for defenses was merely another manner of expressing his stubborn opposition to anything that might encourage people to think that war with Spain might result from the Cuban crisis. His attitude on this matter was the same as that of other Florida editors, all of whom believed that war would be harmful to Florida’s future

Florida and the Cuban Revolution, 1895-1898

The Cuban revolt against Spanish rule in 1895 and the possibility that this might lead to war between Spain and the United States placed Florida in a dilemma. There were a number of reasons for the state’s rejoicing at the prospect of Cuban independence, and for many individual Floridians to want to aid the rebels. Against this, however, was the fear that if the United States went to war against Spain it could end only in disaster for Florida. As a result, an attempt was made to walk a middle path, to encourage the giving of private aid to the rebels, and yet to strongly oppose any official action that might lead to intervention and war. During this period, Florida presented the unique picture of being the only state in which all important newspapers were united in opposition to war. The journals continued to oppose it right up to the day on which President McKinley signed the joint resolution of Congress that, in effect, placed the country in a state of war. Then and only then did the press of Florida capitulate and begin to display any enthusiasm for war

Signaling task awareness in think-aloud protocols from students selecting relevant information from text

Self-regulated learning has been described as an adaptive process: students adapt their learning strategies for attaining different learning goals. In order to be adaptive, students must have a clear notion of what the task requirements consist of. Both trace data and questionnaire data indicate that students adapt study strategies in limited ways and that their awareness of task demands seems to be low. In the present think-aloud study we examined task awareness of tenth-graders who selected text fragments in three different selection tasks. Students’ task awareness was analysed at a global and a local task level. Awareness at the global task level refers to processing the instruction and reflecting about general selection goals; awareness at the local task level includes spontaneous reasoning about selecting specific text fragments. On either level, students showed difficulties in verbalizing task demands. In line with previous work, tenth-graders apparently experience a limited awareness of task demands

Professional identity assignments to support beginning teachers’ growth into the profession

Developing a professional identity is a key element of the transition into the teaching profession. Limited research exists on professional development activities and ideas that support beginning teachers’ development of their professional identity in practice. For this study teachers participated in an induction programme that focused on beginning teachers’ professional identity. This study reports on the development and testing of three online professional identity assignments with 46 beginning teachers from 11 secondary schools. These assignments were based on research findings regarding the influence of ‘significant others’ and ‘stories to live by’ on teachers’ professional identity development. Analysis of the results reveals that the assignments each provide valuable input for doing identity work with beginning teachers in view of their further professional development. It can be concluded that the assignments we developed are useful for beginning teachers to reflect on and make sense of who they are and want to become