Interest, Instructional Strategies, and the Creation of Group Space

Research on small-group work and on whole class discussions has shown specific benefits for student learning. At the same time, research on interest stresses the generation of situational interest when particular learning conditions are met. This qualitative study explores whether the type of instructional strategy (small group vs. whole class discussion) influences triggering of situational interest about theoretical and practice-oriented pedagogical topics among preservice science teachers (N = 44). Triggering of interest was identified by participation rate, degree of comfort during interactions, and quality of arguments. Results show that whole class discussions of theoretical topics shifted towards practical teaching issues, while small groups sustained the theoretical nature of a topic. Both interaction patterns imply triggering of situational interest. But the small group interaction patterns indicate the collective construction of a “triple problem-solving space”, in which content, social/relational, and interest were balanced from the start; the whole class discussions needed first to renegotiate the content

The importance and influence of middle management on organisational culture change : an action research study

This doctoral thesis explores the influence of middle management on cultural change processes in organisations. An action research strategy in a medium-sized organisation that was facing broad structural and cultural change was adopted. It is well-documented in the literature that the position top management takes with respect to cultural change is of high importance for successful change. At the same time, the role of middle management seems to have lacked attention until recently. The purpose of this work is to contribute to knowledge about middle management during such processes and to explore the roles middle-managers play within such cultural change. In addition it researches if middle managers take over the explored roles, when the organisation creates an environment that supports cultural change. Middle management is mainly discussed in the literature in the context of strategic change. In the context of organisational culture research with a middle management perspective still seems to be missing. Using a critical realist philosophical approach an action research strategy was adopted. The practical part reveals the action cycles undertaken. First, the action research cycles according to the consultancy work are presented, as they form an important basis for the parallel conducted thesis cycles. Actions and data collection methods are discussed. During the research different methods have been chosen to create an extensive picture of the development inside the organisation, and to answer the research questions: three qualitative interviews, participative observations on six occasions (workshops and meetings), as well as two quantitative questionnaires (staff surveys). The findings suggest that an organisational culture change occurred in the time-span of two years and that middle management played a crucial part within this process. Several roles can be located with the role 'cultural role model' as the most important one. In addition, the roles middle management play as part of strategic changes according to various literatures was in the main confirmed. These findings contribute to knowledge about middle management and help to minimise the existing gap. The results can be used to develop a model of integrating middle managers actively into the change process and using their creative potential. The thesis finishes with recommendations, not only for further research but also concerning practical considerations. Furthermore, limitations of this research work are outlined.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Language instruction educational programs and academic achievement of Latino English Learners: Considerations for states with changing demographics

Little research currently examines language instruction educational programs (LIEPs) in states with a more recent growth of the Latino English learner population. To meet this need, the authors examined the content each of the state LIEPs, focusing chiefly on the extent to which the types of language support, as well as the stipulations associated with them, are made explicit. Using US Census data from 1970 and 2009, the authors assessed LIEPs in the context of Latino population patterns and examined the relationship between the degree to which state LIEPs emphasize bilingual education and fourth-grade Latino English learners’ achievement patterns in reading, mathematics, and science achievement on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Latino English learners in states with a higher proportion of Latinos tend to have higher achievement outcomes when policies emphasize bilingual education, but these states also have a longer history of Latino presence. Implications for high-growth states are discussed

Tetraspanin Tspan9 regulates platelet collagen receptor GPVI lateral diffusion and activation

The tetraspanins are a superfamily of four-transmembrane proteins, which regulate the trafficking, lateral diffusion and clustering of the transmembrane proteins with which they interact. We have previously shown that tetraspanin Tspan9 is expressed on platelets. Here we have characterised gene-trap mice lacking Tspan9. The mice were viable with normal platelet numbers and size. Tspan9-deficient platelets were specifically defective in aggregation and secretion induced by the platelet collagen receptor GPVI, despite normal surface GPVI expression levels. A GPVI activation defect was suggested by partially impaired GPVI-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation. In mechanistic experiments, Tspan9 and GPVI co-immunoprecipitated and co-localised, but super-resolution imaging revealed no defects in collagen-induced GPVI clustering on Tspan9-deficient platelets. However, single particle tracking using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy showed that GPVI lateral diffusion was reduced by approximately 50% in the absence of Tspan9. Therefore, Tspan9 plays a fine-tuning role in platelet activation by regulating GPVI membrane dynamics

Problems and possibilities for learning in an introductory chemistry course from a conceptual change perspective

Based on research on the effect of preinstructional knowledge on students\u27 learning of chemical phenomena, this study explores individual learning processes in an introductory chemistry course (ninth grade of the German Gymnasium). The study focuses on four common everyday conceptions about two basic chemistry concepts: changes of substances and the particle model of matter. The question is how learning of these concepts is influenced and hindered by students\u27 everyday conceptions about chemical phenomena. Questionnaire data were collected in four classes over one school year at six time points. The questionnaire items were tasks pertaining mostly to everyday problems. Data analysis of these items is based on five categories of answers including “everyday description” and “scientific explanation.” Results show some erosion of students\u27 everyday conceptions in favor of scientific concepts, especially in their understanding of changes of properties of a substance as an indication that a new substance has been created. At the same time, some students\u27 notions can be described as a mixture of everyday descriptions and scientific explanations. These students are “on the way” to the scientific concept but have not fully understood and accepted it during the project. Conclusions for teaching are as follows: a chemical concept needs to be taught in different contexts. Each new context gives students different opportunities to practice the new concept on similar tasks as well as to apply it to everyday phenomena. Second, knowledge of students\u27 “mixed” conceptions allows teachers to develop more individual learning environments and also gives students an opportunity to understand their current location in their learning process

Attitudes toward science: a review of the field

There is surprisingly little known about affect in science education. Despite periodic forays into monitoring students’ attitudes-toward-science, the effect of affect is too often overlooked. Beyond Cartesian Dualism gathers together contemporary theorizing in this axiomatic area. In fourteen chapters, senior scholars of international standing use their knowledge of the literature and empirical data to model the relationship between cognition and affect in science education. Their revealing discussions are grounded in a broad range of educational contexts including school classrooms, universities, science centres, travelling exhibits and refugee camps, and explore an array of far reaching questions. What is known about science teachers’ and students’ emotions? How do emotions mediate and moderate instruction? How might science education promote psychological resilience? How might educators engage affect as a way of challenging existing inequalities and practices?This book will be an invaluable resource for anybody interested in science education research and more generally in research on teaching, learning and affect. It offers educators and researchers a challenge, to recognize the mutually constitutive nature of cognition and affect

Student Affect and Conceptual Understanding in Learning Chemistry

This study explores the relationship between affective and cognitive variables in grade 9 chemistry students (n ¼ 73). In particular, it explores how students’ situational interest, their attitudes toward chemistry, and their chemistry-specific self-concept influence their understanding of chemistry concepts over the course of a school year. All affective variables were assessed at two time points: at the middle of the first semester of grade 9, and at the end of the second semester of grade 9, and then related to students’ postinstructional understanding of chemical concepts. Results reveal that none of the affective variables measured at the earliest time point have a significant direct effect on postinstructional conceptual understanding. Looking at the different affective variables as intermediary constructs, however, reveals a pattern in which self-concept and situational interest measured at the middle of grade 9 contribute to selfconcept measured at the end of grade 9, which in turn, has a positive, significant effect on students’ postinstructional conceptual understanding. These results reveal the importance of a strong and positive self-concept, the feeling of doing well in the chemistry class, for developing a meaningful understanding of scientific concepts