Showing papers in "Cogent Education in 2014"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared students' of high, medium, and low levels of understanding of basic chemical concepts, and chemical representations, in their representational competence, and found that students with a high level of understand of chemical concepts and (2) chemical representations had significantly higher overall level of representational capability compared to both the medium and the low groups, at p < 0.001.
Abstract: Representational competence is defined as “skills in interpreting and using representations”. This study attempted to compare students’ of high, medium, and low levels of understanding of (1) basic chemical concepts, and (2) chemical representations, in their representational competence. A total of 411 Form 4 science students (mean age = 16 years) from seven urban secondary schools in Malaysia participated in this study. Data were collected from three instruments namely the test of chemical concepts, the test of chemical representations, and the test of representational competence. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used to analyze the data. Findings showed students with a high level of understanding of (1) chemical concepts and (2) chemical representations had significantly higher overall level of representational competence compared to both the medium and the low groups, at p < 0.001. However, students with medium and low levels of understanding of (1) chemical concepts and (2) ...
36 citations
TL;DR: This paper explored the outcomes of an instructional intervention that taught data understanding, comprehension, and data use with pre-service teacher candidates, based on the premise that using data for professional purposes is becoming a necessary proficiency for teacher education graduates and that teacher education curricula must explicitly address that need.
Abstract: As the quality of educational outputs has been problematized, accountability systems have driven reform based upon summative assessment data. These policies impact the ways that educators use data within schools and subsequently, how teacher education programs may adjust their curricula to teach data-driven decision-making to inform instruction. This study explores the outcomes of an instructional intervention that taught data understanding, comprehension, and data use with pre-service teacher candidates. The intervention was based on the premise that using data for professional purposes is becoming a necessary proficiency for teacher education graduates and that teacher education curricula must explicitly address that need. Pre-service teacher candidates participated in a Data Chat where they collaboratively analyzed standardized testing and end-of-course assessment data and structured instructional interventions based upon determined strengths and weakness areas in student learning. Data were co...
31 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the electroencephalogram and associated psychophysiology of players in the game Peacemaker (Impact Games 2007) were studied and the analysis of the physiological signals recorded during game play and their relationship to learning scores.
Abstract: Motivated by the link between play and learning, proposed in literature to have a neurobiological basis, we study the electroencephalogram and associated psychophysiology of “learning game” players. Forty-five players were tested for topic comprehension by a questionnaire administered before and after solo playing of the game Peacemaker (Impact Games 2007), during which electroencephalography and other physiological signals were measured. Play lasted for one hour, with a break at half time. We used the Bloom taxonomy to distinguish levels of difficulty in demonstrated learning—with the first five levels assigned to fixed questions—and “gain” scores to measure actual value of demonstrated learning. We present the analysis of the physiological signals recorded during game play and their relationship to learning scores. Main effects related to biomarkers of vigilance and motivation—including decreased delta power and relatively balanced fronto-hemispheric alpha power—predicted learning at the analyse...
23 citations
TL;DR: Results of this study identify a cross section of both major thematic institutional and teacher-related barriers and enablers affecting the implementation of the Smart Moves policy.
Abstract: The specific focus of this study is to explore Queensland (Australia) state school generalist teachers’ perceptions regarding the barriers and enablers associated with the implementation of the Smart Moves (compulsory physical activity) policy in the primary classroom setting. This study sought to primarily add to the literature on, and understanding about, implementing compulsory physical activity policy by generalist primary teachers. More generally, this study also aimed to explore generalist primary teachers’ attitudes towards daily compulsory physical activity policy within the context of Smart Moves. Such a research undertaking was positioned within the interpretivist paradigm and a basic interpretive study methodology was employed. The research project involved semi-structured interviews with six generalist teachers from six Gold Coast State primary schools. Results of this study identify a cross section of both major thematic institutional and teacher-related barriers and enablers affectin...
15 citations
TL;DR: This article investigated probable test language effect by using as data the country means reported in reading, the PISA 2009 Reading, the average proportion of test language speakers is 80% with a wide standard deviation of 22%.
Abstract: International achievement comparison studies assess students on core subjects such as Reading, Mathematics and Science. Students who do not speak the test language at home can be expected to be disadvantaged because of language proficiency. The test language effect has not been given sufficient attention. The present study investigated probable test language effect by using as data the country means reported in Reading, the PISA 2009 Reading. There was a wide range of proportions of non-speaker of test language among the participating countries. The average proportion of test language speakers is 80% with a wide standard deviation of 22%. The Reading mean for test language speakers is 39.2 points greater the that for non-speakers and the effect size is Cohen’s d = .69. An adjusted Reading means to off-set test language effect was suggested. Careful scrutiny of the differences between original and adjusted means indicates that the test language effect is not simply linear. Effectiveness in second-l...
9 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the complexity theoretical framework provides an alternative design for leadership development programs that is able to meet current and future challenges in the world of education, and it is important to ensure that the outcome of training, learning and development must yield practical outcomes that are relevant, innovative and implementable solutions.
Abstract: In programme delivery, while the international trend in education has seen a shift from teacher-centred to student-centred learning and from transmission to reflective approaches, most leadership programmes have remained heavily teacher-centred. A key feature of teacher-centred learning relies on practices of course-driven programmes. This feature has been remarkably resilient over the years in the face of efforts to effect change in programme delivery and a new understanding of complexity in the world of education. The complexity theoretical framework provides us the advantage of an alternative design for leadership development programmes that is able to meet current and future challenges. Yearly, billions of dollars are spent on training and development. It is important to ensure that the outcome of training, learning and development must yield practical outcomes that are relevant, innovative and implementable solutions.
8 citations
TL;DR: This article analyzed the role of school leaders, a departmental-level leader and a teacher in implementing a reform within a school, and the nature of the relations between the groups and individuals that attended this process.
Abstract: This article considers the roles of school leaders, a departmental-level leader and a teacher in implementing a reform within a school, and the nature of the relations between the groups and individuals that attended this process. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s “thinking tools”, the article analyses the nature of the leadership practices surrounding the implementation of a single-sex mathematics class from the perspective of key participants in the change process: two school-level leaders, one departmental chair, and the teacher charged with teaching the class. By considering a secondary school and one of its constituent departments as a field and sub-field, respectively, we argue that even as there is evidence of contestation over the nature of the practices that influence or potentially influence the leadership practices at play within the field and sub-field as a whole, there are also significant learnings in relation to student learning on the part of those involved which serve as “links” between the...
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the efficacy of a small group (Tier 2 in a three-tier Response to Intervention model) literacy intervention for older low-progress readers (in Years 3-6).
Abstract: The study reported here examined the efficacy of a small group (Tier 2 in a three-tier Response to Intervention model) literacy intervention for older low-progress readers (in Years 3–6). This article focuses on the second phase of a two-phase, crossover randomized control trial involving 26 students. In Phase 1, the experimental group (E1) received the 1 h literacy intervention daily for three school terms. The control group received regular classroom instruction. In Phase 2, the original control group received the intervention (E2). At the end of Phase 1, there was a statistically significant difference between groups and a large treatment effect on one of five measures—the Martin and Pratt Non-word Reading Test of phonological recoding. At the end of Phase 2, the large effect on phonological recoding was confirmed for the second experimental group, and there were also statistically significant differences with moderate or large effect sizes on four other measures—single word reading, fluency, p...
7 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of qualitative data analysis show that students' initial constructs can be categorized into three cognitive constructs (perception, strategy, and goal, each with deep and surface orientation constructs) and one affective construct.
Abstract: This study aims to understand students’ constructs regarding mathematical problems. Fifty-one Taiwanese primary students’ constructs are elicited using interviews with the repertory grid technique based on their responses to creative and non-creative problems. The results of qualitative data analysis show that students’ initial constructs can be categorized into three cognitive constructs (perception, strategy, and goal, each with deep and surface orientation constructs) and one affective construct. The results of correlation analysis reveal that deep strategy for both creative and non-creative problems and affect for creative problems are related to mathematics achievement. The results of multivariate analysis of variance reveal that students have fewer surface strategies and more surface goals for creative problems than those for non-creative problems. No significant gender differences or interaction effects between problem types and genders occur for either construct. The results reveal implica...
3 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that Singapore's approach to teaching Chinese as a second language have to be highly diverse and specialized, in cohesion with Singapore’s constantly evolving sociolinguistic landscape and Chinese-language teaching environment.
Abstract: In Singapore’s unique and complex linguistic environment, it is common to have Chinese-language learners from many different backgrounds in the same school classroom, which is why Singapore is nicknamed as a “language laboratory.” In this paper, I hope to examine our linguistic environment and response strategies from different angles, including theories of second-language acquisition and Singapore’s teaching methods and distinguishing features. This paper argues that Singapore’s approach to teaching Chinese as a second language have to be highly diverse and specialized, in cohesion with Singapore’s constantly evolving sociolinguistic landscape and Chinese-language teaching environment.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a multi-year effort to create cultures of excellence among cohorts of graduate students was described, and a statistical analysis of subsequent student performance on a significant, related task indicates that explicitly promoting a culture of excellence in course participants can have a positive and sustained impact on their individual practices.
Abstract: Research findings on effective support for learning, the development of expertise, and the psychology of success suggest that the pursuit of excellence is teachable. Within the emerging field of research and practice termed “the scholarship of teaching and learning,” considerable effort has been made to document the practices of teachers who, by various measures, have been deemed excellent. In contrast, no effort has been made to codify how students can be trained to self-consciously build behaviors that generate excellent outcomes. This article reports on a multi-year effort to create cultures of excellence among cohorts of graduate students. A statistical analysis of subsequent student performance on a significant, related task indicates that explicitly promoting a culture of excellence among course participants can have a positive and sustained impact on their individual practices. Comments from subsequent student reflections further support this claim. The teaching strategies reported here cou...
TL;DR: A definition for induction is proposed to better understand common misconceptions and best practice induction is highlighted as a way to retain quality teachers in the profession and help ameliorate conditions for beginning teachers.
Abstract: The problems that teachers face early in their careers are a major factor in growing rates of attrition among neophyte teachers. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, high rates of attrition, coupled with and aging teacher population in many countries in the developed world, may cause a teacher shortage crisis in coming years. Beginning teacher induction is an imperative process in acculturating teachers to their new careers and helping them overcome the hardships of teaching and the accreditation process. While induction practices have become more common in recent years, there are still no mandated structures for inducting teachers into the profession throughout Australia. This article reviews a number of international induction programs, which have been successful in supporting beginning teachers and curbing attrition rates, to emphasize why many programs are inadequate at meeting the needs of beginning teachers. The review proposes a definition for induction t...
TL;DR: This paper found that teachers have an intimate cultural knowledge of the students in their classrooms, define culturally responsive mathematical practices consistent with research, use culturally responsive mathematics teaching for authentic learning, and express a need for additional professional development and curriculum support for culturally-responsive mathematics instruction.
Abstract: Elementary classroom teachers in eight school districts across Colorado, United States, share the knowledge of their students’ home and community life, define culturally responsive mathematics based on the children they instruct, and give examples of how students learn math through culture in their classrooms. Findings from two interviews, classroom observations, and student artifacts reveal that teachers have an intimate cultural knowledge of the students in their classrooms, define culturally responsive mathematical practices consistent with research, use culturally responsive mathematics teaching for authentic learning, and express a need for additional professional development and curriculum support for culturally responsive mathematics instruction. Culturally responsive mathematics is important in elementary classrooms because it allows students to make personal connections to mathematics content.