Decomposing the observation-based coaching process:The role of coaches in supporting teacher learning

Coaching is increasingly emphasised as a promising feature of professional development, yet concrete understanding of this complex process is lacking. This study investigates an observation-based coaching process by interviewing coaches and teachers from a three-year longitudinal PD programme. Findings indicate that coaches often supplemented their pedagogy by establishing coaching culture and credibility, which were embedded in four general coaching phases. Depending on how a coach chose, stressed and shifted among coaching phases, the coaching process can vary mainly between prescriptive and collaborative coaching pathways, with multiple routes to shift between them. Findings also suggest that these pathways require different combinations and intensity of coaching culture and coaching pedagogy to be effective. Lastly, the coaching pathway framework not only illuminates different coaching pathways but also helps coaches differentiate their coaching in the future (i.e., shift between and stress different phases), corresponding to the needs of individual teachers related to specific topics in their unique school context

How Features of the Implementation Process Shape the Success of an Observation-Based Coaching Program:Perspectives of Teachers and Coaches

Studies investigating the effectiveness of professional development (PD) programs have provided no conclusive findings on what exactly makes a PD effort effective. Using an observation-based coaching PD program, we explore which features in the PD implementation process facilitated or impeded teachers' meaningful engagement in and learning from the PD program. We interviewed seven PD coaches and a selection of 11 teachers involved in a 3-year PD project. We found that how the school and the coach implemented the PD project played a critical role in shaping teachers' willingness to participate in the program. We conclude that the success of a PD program depends not only on enduring effective PD features but also and especially on the PD implementation process within the context of daily school life

Cutting Force Predication Based on Integration of Symmetric Fuzzy Number and Finite Element Method

In the process of turning, pointing at the uncertain phenomenon of cutting which is caused by the disturbance of random factors, for determining the uncertain scope of cutting force, the integrated symmetric fuzzy number and the finite element method (FEM) are used in the prediction of cutting force. The method used symmetric fuzzy number to establish fuzzy function between cutting force and three factors and obtained the uncertain interval of cutting force by linear programming. At the same time, the change curve of cutting force with time was directly simulated by using thermal-mechanical coupling FEM; also the nonuniform stress field and temperature distribution of workpiece, tool, and chip under the action of thermal-mechanical coupling were simulated. The experimental result shows that the method is effective for the uncertain prediction of cutting force

Matching of Manufacturing Resources in Cloud Manufacturing Environment

With the introduction and application of new information technology in manufacturing, various advanced manufacturing models and national strategies have received more and more attention. The goal of cloud manufacturing is to closely link the resources and capabilities of manufacturers through a variety of services to create a dedicated platform for complex manufacturing process needs. How to achieve effective matching of various manufacturing resources and capabilities in the form of services will be a common problem in the future. In order to effectively improve cloud manufacturing tasks and resource matching efficiency and save resources, this study considers the common aspects of cloud manufacturing resource matching as service quality indicators, and extends the scope to the requirements of manufacturing resources, and the matching pattern of traditional service resources. There are additional restrictions on the resource service matching process. At the same time, the resource service matching is usually asymmetric. Therefore, we introduce the concept of task complexity of demand resources, and propose a combination system based on task complexity and service quality evaluation. The artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC) is used for analysis and verification. The experimental paper further validates the proposed the feasibility and efficiency of the method

Transitioning to an independent researcher:Reconciling the conceptual conflicts in cross-cultural doctoral supervision

To gain an in-depth understanding of the causes of the often implicit misunderstandings between Western supervisors and their Chinese doctoral students, we examined my lived experiences as a Chinese international doctoral student under the supervision of my Australian supervisors. Our data revealed how misunderstandings arose and evolved from mismatched assumptions that are rooted in the home and host cultures. We found that I was able to gain new insight in three key ways: developing self-confidence in driving my own research; re-conceptualising 'critical thinking'; and re-evaluating my own gendered social construction as an independent researcher. We reconsidered the possible roles of misunderstandings as catalysts for positive development of independent judgment