Classroom Race/Ethnic Composition,Family-School Connections,and the Transition to School

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (N = 13,970), we examined whether two aspects of school-family connections, parental involvement and communication quality, accounted for the association between classroom composition and children's academic and socioemotional functioning following the transition to elementary school. For students with more same-race/ethnic representation in their classrooms, greater classroom race/ethnic diversity promoted more parental involvement, which in turn promoted children's interpersonal skills and reading achievement. Classroom diversity made little difference to parental involvement when students had fewer same-race/ethnic peers in the classroom. Teacher–parent communication quality did not emerge as an explanatory mechanism, and findings did not vary by the race/ethnic match between students and their teachers.     

互动式课堂教学现状的调查（Ⅲ）

为加强课堂教学改革,提高人才培养质量,采取问卷调查的形式对互动式课堂教学现状进行了研究。结果表明：多数教师认为学生的兴趣和智力是影响师生互动的重要因素,其次学习态度和个人情绪也会影响互动式课堂教学效果;在调查互动式课堂教学对教师要求方面,27%的学生认为教师应该教学严谨且条理清晰,24%的学生认为教师应该幽默风趣且引人入胜,13%的学生认为教师应该知识渊博,36%的学生认为教师讲课不仅要教学严谨、幽默风趣、知识渊博,而且要综合能力较强;而在调查师生互动角色时,68%的教师认为需要师生双方面的共同努力,16%的教师认为重在教师,15%的教师认为重在学生,个别的选择了其他;另外,在调查师生互动的方式时,35%的学生认为采用“设置场景”进行课堂互动效果最好,28%的学生认为“辩论赛式”互动效果好,21%的学生选择“点名式”互动,只有少数学生选择了采取“留言薄”互动。本次调查获得的结果为高校进行互动式课堂教学改革提供了参考。     

Teaching and Learning with Mobile Technology: A Qualitative Explorative Study about the Introduction of Tablet Devices in Secondary Education

This paper investigates teachers’ and students’ perceptions concerning the impact of using tablet devices for teaching and learning purposes. An explorative focus group study was conducted with teachers (n = 18) and students (n = 39) in a secondary school that has implemented tablet devices since 2012. The general finding of this study shows that the use of tablet devices in the classroom setting has an impact on both teaching and learning practices. The results suggest that teachers can be divided into two categories: the innovative teachers and the instrumental teachers. Innovative teachers attempt to shift from a teacher-centered to a learning-centered approach. They have changed their teaching style by transforming lessons in accordance with the advantages tablet computers can offer. Instrumental teachers seem to use the device as a ‘book behind glass’. The distinction between the two groups has consequences for both the way courses are given and how students experience them. In general, the introduction of tablet devices entails a shift in the way students learn, as the devices provide interactive, media-rich, and exciting new environments. The results of this study indicate that policy makers should consider introducing technical and pedagogical support in order to facilitate both teachers’ and students’ understanding of the full potential of this kind of technology in education.     

情景模拟在“医学微生物学”翻转课堂教学中的应用

翻转课堂是实现以学生为中心、提升学生自主学习能力的重要教学方法。随着线上课程的开展和学习平台技术的成熟,学生已能在课前获得足够的资源。然而,习惯于灌输式教育的学生仍缺乏自主学习的动力和方法。为此,我们教研团队尝试采用情景模拟的课堂活动设计来突破翻转环节实施的难点。研究发现,参考临床案例撰写剧本的过程能有效提升学生的自学兴趣和能力。学生课前在线预习时长和章节访问次数,以及参考资料阅读率和小组讨论时长均显著增加。课堂上,学生将课前所学知识在模拟实践中进行练习,促进了师生互动,帮助学生加深对知识的理解,提升学习成绩和满意度,同时也培养了学生的团队合作精神,建立临床思维,提升职业兴趣和能力。因此,情景模拟的融入实现了翻转课堂教学中“课前学”和“课上习”的教学闭环,为进一步推进翻转课堂的开展提供参考。     

Stomata: Versatile Sensory Devices but Difficult Experimental Subjects

This study examined what worldviews are present among Dutch students and teachers and how the students cope with scientific knowledge acquired in the biology classroom. Furthermore, we investigated what learning and teaching strategies teachers adopt when they teach about evolution and worldviews. For this survey, 10 schools for higher general secondary education or pre-university level were selected. The data showed that most teachers did not have an articulated learning and teaching strategy. Controversial topics and discussions with students about their own worldviews were ignored in the classroom. Furthermore, the data revealed that students and teachers have a large variety of different worldviews. Some students acknowledged having difficulties coping with the knowledge gained from the classroom, because it contradicted their own worldviews. These results support our hypothesis that there is need for an explicit learning and teaching strategy that supports both teachers and students to teach and learn about evolution in multiple contexts.     

A study of Nigerian pupils' understanding of selected biological concepts

120 Nigerian Secondary school biology pupils, mostly aged 16–18, were interviewed individually to assess their level of understanding of a range of biological concepts. The concepts were related to growth, reproduction, and transport mechanisms within living organisms. The responses of each pupil were scored and examined to determine whether they revealed concrete or formal operational thinking. Given 21 opportunities to do so, almost 50 per cent of pupils either failed to exhibit formal thinking at all, or revealed it on only one occasion. Fewer than 5 per cent exhibited formal thinking on ten or more occasions. There was no significant difference in the performance of boys as compared with girls, nor between pupils whose parents were from different socio-economic groups. Pupils from urban schools performed significantly better than those from rural schools. Pupils' common misconceptions were identified. The importance of ascertaining pupils' misconceptions and their levels of understanding of biological concepts is discussed from the viewpoint of the classroom teacher.     

Gas Law for the Classroom

The author provides information on how science teachers can write science literacy objectives that help English language learners (ELLs) develop the scientific literacy needed for academic success in the science classroom. The article offers suggestions on how teachers can determine the vocabulary, language functions, and sentence structures that their students need to engage in critical thinking in science. An approach for collaboration with students' English as a second language (ESL) teacher is discussed.     

Teacher–child interaction quality as a function of classroom age diversity and teachers’ beliefs and qualifications

Data from 332 teachers who participated in the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education study were used to examine the implications of classroom age diversity in preschool programs for teacher interactions with students in areas of instructional and emotional support, and classroom organization. Teachers in early childhood classrooms with greater age diversity within a school year and who experienced an increase in age diversity across years exhibited less optimal teacher–child interactions. The negative effects of age diversity for teacher–child interactions were only noticeable among teachers with fewer years of education and experience, and among teachers whose views of children were less child-centered. When taken together, results indicate that closer attention should be paid to the consequences of classroom age diversity in preschool and that a multi-year perspective on teachers’ classroom experiences would allow for a more nuanced understanding of the quality of teacher–child interactions.     

Do You Really Want to Know? Elementary Music Personnel and Potential in Utah

This is the second of two articles reporting the results of a study by the author regarding the status of elementary music education in the state of Utah. This article focuses on the qualifications of Utah's elementary music teachers (music certified, elementary classroom certified, artists-in-residence, volunteers, and paraprofessionals) and the conditions under which they teach. Interactions among teacher qualifications and teaching status are explored. Paraprofessionals play a significant role in Utah's elementary music programs. While over 90 percent of elementary schools in the United States provide regular music instruction taught by certified music specialists, less than 10 percent of Utah's elementary population receives such instruction. Nearly half of the elementary students in the state receive no designated music instruction beyond that provided by their regular elementary classroom teacher. The influence of school funding, No Child Left Behind and other accountability measures, high-stakes testing, urban/rural populations, and leadership are highlighted. Policy considerations are discussed.     

Science Classroom Inquiry (SCI) Simulations: A Novel Method to Scaffold Science Learning

Science education is progressively more focused on employing inquiry-based learning methods in the classroom and increasing scientific literacy among students. However, due to time and resource constraints, many classroom science activities and laboratory experiments focus on simple inquiry, with a step-by-step approach to reach predetermined outcomes. The science classroom inquiry (SCI) simulations were designed to give students real life, authentic science experiences within the confines of a typical classroom. The SCI simulations allow students to engage with a science problem in a meaningful, inquiry-based manner. Three discrete SCI simulations were created as website applications for use with middle school and high school students. For each simulation, students were tasked with solving a scientific problem through investigation and hypothesis testing. After completion of the simulation, 67% of students reported a change in how they perceived authentic science practices, specifically related to the complex and dynamic nature of scientific research and how scientists approach problems. Moreover, 80% of the students who did not report a change in how they viewed the practice of science indicated that the simulation confirmed or strengthened their prior understanding. Additionally, we found a statistically significant positive correlation between students’ self-reported changes in understanding of authentic science practices and the degree to which each simulation benefitted learning. Since SCI simulations were effective in promoting both student learning and student understanding of authentic science practices with both middle and high school students, we propose that SCI simulations are a valuable and versatile technology that can be used to educate and inspire a wide range of science students on the real-world complexities inherent in scientific study.     

A ‘species identification’ approach to concept mapping in the classroom

ABSTRACT

The detailed analysis and scoring of concept maps may not be necessary in order for students to gain from their use in the classroom. A simplified recognition of different types (‘species’) of map may increase the likelihood of teachers employing maps in their classrooms so that more teachers and students might benefit from concept mapping on a regular basis. A greater familiarity and level of engagement with concept maps is likely to support an increase in the level of mapping expertise developed by both teachers and students, enabling maps to be used to support higher order thinking skills – as intended. The counter-intuitive conclusion to this prospect is that the adoption of a non-analytical consideration of maps may actually make them a more valuable classroom asset. However, this requires a greater level of expertise in the application of concept maps on the part of the teacher. A simplified typology of ‘map species’ is presented to support the development of this perspective.     

"Quit Talking and Learn English!": Conflicting Language Ideologies in an ESL Classroom

This article addresses the relationship between educational theory—as manifested in particular ideologies of teaching and learning—and classroom practice. Based on an ethnographic study of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learning at a Canadian senior public school, I outline a conflict between two language ideologies that give shape to, and are shaped by, the classroom practices of the ESL teacher, his assistants, and the students. I discuss the implications of this ideological conflict in terms of the opportunities ESL students are given, and that they create for themselves, to practice speaking English. I end by outlining how these findings can be used to shape educational policy as it relates to ESL classroom curricula in order to create a more equitable learning environment for ESL students.     

Can Schools Support HIV/AIDS-Affected Children? Exploring the ‘Ethic of Care’ amongst Rural Zimbabwean Teachers

How realistic is the international policy emphasis on schools ‘substituting for families’ of HIV/AIDS-affected children? We explore the ethic of care in Zimbabwean schools to highlight the poor fit between the western caring schools literature and daily realities of schools in different material and cultural contexts. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 44 teachers and 55 community members, analysed in light of a companion study of HIV/AIDS-affected pupils’ own accounts of their care-related experiences. We conceptualise schools as spaces of engagement between groups with diverse needs and interests (teachers, pupils and surrounding community members), with attention to the pathways through which extreme adversity impacts on those institutional contexts and social identifications central to giving and receiving care. Whilst teachers were aware of how they might support children, they seldom put these ideas into action. Multiple factors undermined caring teacher-pupil relationships in wider contexts of poverty and political uncertainty: loss of morale from low salaries and falling professional status; the inability of teachers to solve HIV/AIDS-related problems in their own lives; the role of stigma in deterring HIV/AIDS-affected children from disclosing their situations to teachers; authoritarian teacher-learner relations and harsh punishments fuelling pupil fear of teachers; and lack of trust in the wider community. These factors undermined: teacher confidence in their skills and capacity to support affected pupils and motivation to help children with complex problems; solidarity and common purpose amongst teachers, and between teachers and affected children; and effective bridging alliances between schools and their surrounding communities–all hallmarks of HIV-competent communities. We caution against ambitious policy expansions of teachers'' roles without recognition of the personal and social costs of emotional labour, and the need for significant increases in resources and institutional recognition to enable teachers to adopt support roles. We highlight the need for research into how best to create opportunities for teacher recognition in deprived and disorganised institutional settings, and the development of more culturally appropriate notions of caring.     

Retrospective Reports of Child Feeding Practices,Current Eating Behaviors,and BMI in College Students

Research concerning child feeding practices has focused on children and adolescents, and little is known about how feeding practices used in childhood relate to eating behaviors and weight status in early adulthood. We assessed college students' and their parents' retrospective reports of child feeding practices used when the students were in middle childhood. We also assessed the college students' current reports of their eating behaviors using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), and measured their current BMI. Results showed that college students' and their parents' reports about previous parental use of child feeding practices were not correlated. Parent reports of their own use of child feeding practices were more related to students' eating behaviors and BMI than were students' recollections about feeding practices used by their parents. An analysis of gender effects showed that there were positive correlations between parental child feeding practices, BMI, and emotional eating for female students. These relationships did not exist for male students. The results suggest that child feeding practices recollected by parents are linked to the development of emotional eating and weight status of women in early adulthood.     

Pendulums: A Hands-on Way to Experience Resonance

In this integrated inquiry, students in an elementary teaching methods class investigate a real-world problem outside the classroom. The students use the Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT) thinking strategy to find the causes of, impact of, and possible solutions to the problem. They present their findings and then discuss implementation of this activity in elementary classrooms. The activity is followed by a whole-class discussion about the activity and its application to the elementary classroom. This is an open-ended inquiry that future teachers will be able to do with their elementary school students.     

The persistence of race: continuity and change in Germany from the Wilhelmine empire to National Socialism

This article examines Greek-Cypriot teachers' constructions of Turkish-speaking children's identities in the Greek-Cypriot educational system. Drawing on interviews and classroom observations from a two-year ethnographic study conducted in three primary schools in the Republic of Cyprus, the author explores how Turkish-speaking children enrolled in these schools are racialized, ethnicized and classed within the dominant discourse of Greek-Cypriot teachers. The article discusses how the homogenized perceptions expressed by the majority of participating teachers in this study are illustrative of structural racism that reinforces these constructions in teaching practices. Yet, at the same time, resistance is present in the discourse and practice of a few teachers; this resistance is expressed through a counter-positioning of the ‘normal/ized’ identities of Turkish-speaking children. The author argues that without structural transformation, the fact and practice of racism/nationalism/classism will go unaltered in schools.     

Chocolate and Cognac: Gifts and the Recognition of Social Worlds in Post-Soviet Russia

This paper examines the culture of gift-giving in contemporary urban Russia, illuminating in the process broader post-socialist deliberations about social identity and personal worth. Drawing upon ethnographic research in St. Petersburg (1998-99), I consider how marketization influences, informs, and overlaps with logics of gift-giving and with the social networking practices so central to Soviet-era consumer strategies. In contrast to most previous analyses of such phenomena, this article attends closely to the items of exchange themselves, asking why certain goods are chosen as gifts in particular contexts (such as the chocolate and cognac typically given as tokens of gratitude to doctors, teachers, and others whom one wishes to thank for services well provided). Social theorists have commented on the 'misrecognition' inherent in such gift-giving, in that transactors tend to view these presents not as pragmatic investments but simply - as Russian teachers put it - 'signs of attention' Yet here I push further to consider what it is people are actually recognizing about their shifting social worlds in these activities, as they take stock of one another's claims to cultural and moral value (as well as material wealth) and conceptualize the kind of 'society' in which they are participating.