Does a course on the history and philosophy of chemistry have any effect on prospective chemistry teachers’ perceptions? The case of chemistry and the chemist

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Sendur ◽  
M. Polat ◽  
C. Kazancı
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Retention Test ◽  
State University ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Philosophy Of Chemistry ◽  
Chemistry Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Post Test ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

The creative comparisons prospective chemistry teachers make about “chemistry” and the “chemist” may reflect how they perceive these concepts. In this sense, it seems important to determine which creative comparisons prospective teachers make with respect to these and how these can change after the history of chemistry is treated in the classroom. This study seeks to investigate the impact of the basic History and Philosophy of Chemistry course on prospective chemistry teachers’ perceptions towards chemistry and the chemist. The study was conducted during the 2012–2013 academic year at a state university in Turkey with 38 prospective chemistry teachers. A creative comparisons questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used as data collection instruments in the study. This questionnaire was administered to the prospective teachers in the form of a pre-test, post-test, and retention test. Results of the analysis showed that the prospective teachers produced creative comparisons related to chemistry in the pre-test that mostly relied on their own experiences and observations, but that in the post-test and retention test, their comparisons mostly contained references to the role of chemistry in daily life, its development, and its facilitating aspects. Similarly, it was observed that in the pre-test, the prospective teachers made creative comparisons regarding the chemist that related mostly to the laboratory, but that the post-test and retention test rather contained the aspects of chemists as researchers, meticulous persons, facilitators and managers. Also, 18 prospective teachers were engaged in interviews to understand their prior knowledge about chemistry and the chemist, as well as the reasons for the changes in their creative comparisons. The results of the interviews indicated that a large majority of the prospective teachers were able to fully reflect on their inadequacy about their previous knowledge about “chemistry” and “chemist,” and it was seen that they could explain the reason they changed their creative comparisons as an outcome of the History and Philosophy of Chemistry course. In the light of these results, it can be said that the History and Philosophy of Chemistry course may help prospective chemistry teachers in their perceptions about both chemistry and the chemist and may add depth to their knowledge.

Internet-Based Text-Matching Software and EFL Preservice Teachers' Awareness of Academic Integrity

2021 ◽  
pp. 243-305
Author(s):  
Işıl Günseli Kaçar ◽  
Hale Işık-Güler
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Academic Integrity ◽  
State University ◽  
Plagiarism Detection ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Mixed Methods Case Study ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Self Discovery

Having been investigated from different perspectives across a broad range of disciplines, plagiarism in English as a Second Language (ESL)/English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts has not received much attention until very recently. This mixed-methods case study in the Turkish context is a critical analysis of EFL preservice teachers' perceptions, motives, knowledge of, and practices regarding plagiarism, as well as their academic integrity awareness and plagiarism detection ability in a freshman academic writing course at a state university. The quantitative data from the pre- and post-test questionnaires in the study were analyzed through descriptive statistics while the qualitative data from the questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with the preservice teachers were analyzed via thematic analysis. Findings suggested the favorable impact of Turnitin on preservice teachers' self-discovery to overcome and reduce possible plagiarism attempts in the Turkish context.

scholarly journals A qualitative study of organisational response to national quality standards for 7-day services in English hospitals

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Sutton ◽  
Julian Bion ◽  
Russell Mannion ◽  
Janet Willars ◽  
Elizabeth Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organisational Culture ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Senior Staff ◽  
National Quality ◽  
History Of ◽  
Day Services ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background National standards are commonly used as an improvement strategy in healthcare, but organisations may respond in diverse and sometimes negative ways to external quality demands. This paper describes how a sample of NHS hospital trusts in England responded to the introduction of national standards for 7-day services (7DS), from an organisational behaviour perspective. Methods We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with executive/director level and clinical staff, in eight NHS trusts that varied in size, location, and levels of specialist staffing at weekends. We explored approaches to implementing standards locally, and the impact of organisational culture and local context on organisational response. Results Senior staff in the majority of trusts described a focus on hitting targets and achieving compliance with the standards. Compliance-based responses were associated with a hierarchical organisational culture and focus on external performance. In a minority of trusts senior staff described mobilising commitment-based strategies. In these trusts senior staff reframed the external standards in terms of organisational values, and used co-operative strategies for achieving change. Trusts that took a commitment-based approach tended to be described as having a developmental organisational culture and a history of higher performance across the board. Audit data on 7DS showed improvement against standards for most trusts, but commitment-focused trusts were less likely to demonstrate improvements on the 7DS audit. The ability of trusts to respond to external standards was limited when they were under pressure due to a history of overall poor performance or resource limitations. Conclusions National standards and audit for service-level improvement generate different types of response in different local settings. Approaches to driving improvement nationally need to be accompanied by resources and tailored support for improvement, taking into account local context and organisational culture.

Enhancing EFL Teachers’ Pronunciation Pedagogy Through Professional Learning: A Vietnamese Case Study

RELC Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 003368822095247
Author(s):  
Loc Tan Nguyen ◽  
Jonathan Newton
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
The Impact

The role of teacher professional learning (TPL) in assisting teachers to teach pronunciation in English as a second/foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts has received little attention. The study reported in this paper extends this line of research by investigating how six EFL teachers at a Vietnamese university transform and integrate the pronunciation pedagogical knowledge they received from a TPL workshop into teaching practice. It then examines the teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the workshop on their knowledge gains and pronunciation teaching skills. Data were collected from seven lesson plans designed by the teachers, video recordings of 24 subsequent classroom observations, and six individual semi-structured interviews. The study adopted a content-based approach to qualitative data analysis. The findings show that the teachers were all able to translate TPL into classroom practice of pronunciation teaching. The findings further show that workshops designed and implemented in accordance with research-based TPL principles can be effective for promoting teachers’ knowledge of pronunciation pedagogy and refining their pronunciation teaching skills. The study has implications for ESL/EFL teachers’ professional development in pronunciation teaching.

scholarly journals Is it Worth Flipping? The Impact of Flipped Classroom on EFL Students’ Grammar

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishaq Salim Al-Naabi
Keyword(s):  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Flipped Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Intact Group ◽  
English Grammar ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact

In light of contemporary pedagogical methods, the flipped classroom has been recognised as an effective pedagogy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This study employed a quasi-experimental one-group research design to investigate the impact of flipped learning on Omani EFL learners’ grammar and to examine students’ perceptions on the flipped classroom. An intact group of students (n=28) enrolled at the foundation programme in Arab Open University-Oman was randomly selected. Seven videos on English grammar were developed and shared with the students prior to the class. A varaiety of activities were conducted in the class following task-based language teaching. Students met for 8 lessons over the period of 8 weeks. Pre-test, post-test and semi-structured interviews were used in the study. The findings indicated that flipped learning had a positive impact on students’ understanding and usage of English grammar. Students’ perceptions on the flipped approach were positive. The study also provided pedagogical insights for the flipped classroom and recommendations for future research. 

Supporting Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning Through Kinect-Based Gaming

2019 ◽  
pp. 1486-1503
Author(s):  
Mehmet Fatih Urun ◽  
Hasan Aksoy ◽  
Rasim Comez
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
State University ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Qualitative Part

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a Kinect-based game called Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to investigate possible contributions of game-based learning in a virtual language classroom at a state university in Ankara, Turkey. A quasi-experimental design where the treatment group (N= 26) was subjected to kinect-based learning environments, and the control group (N = 26) continued with traditional learning environments was used. All the participants were administered an achievement test as a pre-test, and a post-test. Moreover, the qualitative part of the study included post-study semi-structured interviews with 10 students. The findings showed that there was significant mean difference in student achievement in post-test scores in favor of the experimental group. In addition, the study explored the opinions of the students toward the use of gesture-based computing systems for instructional purposes. The findings suggested some important points to consider while making use of kinect-based games for educational purposes like interaction and learner motivation.

scholarly journals Effects of synbiotic supplement on LPS level in Thai smokers: A preliminary study

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-21
Author(s):  
Parama Pratummas ◽  
Vachrintr Sirisapsombat ◽  
Phuttharaksa Phucharoen ◽  
Thamthiwat Nararatwanchai ◽  
Chaiyavat Chaiyasut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nicotine Dependence ◽  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Biochemical Parameter ◽  
Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽  
Intestinal Microbiome ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Test Study ◽  
Post Test ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

Background: The impacts of smoking on the intestinal microbiome piece and arranged assortment have been appeared in different arranged controlled and observational clinical trials in individuals. Synbiotics are utilized not fair for the progressed survival of beneficial microorganisms included to food, however in expansion for the prompting of the duplication of specific nearby bacterial strains display within the gastrointestinal tract. Aims and Objective: This research proposes the impact of synbiotic supplement on gut-brain axis in Thai smokers in the realm of gut-related biochemical parameters and cognition. Materials and Methods: We directed a single gathering, pre-and post-test study; 20 patients lived in Mahasarakham, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence at 4 or above, and no history of cerebrovascular diseases, brain and abdominal surgery, and not taking hormones or medications impacted brainwaves or utilizing antibiotics inside about fourteen days prior. Subjects were allocated to synbiotic supplement containing 3 kinds of prebiotics and 7 types of probiotics prior to sleep every day for about two months. Results:Results were estimated in gut-related biochemical parameters change and alternation in cognition. The present outcomes have indicated essentially decline in the scores of Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and also the scores of craving for smoke after intervention. In additions, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in plasma significantly decreased after the intervention. Conclusion: Further researches are obligatory to lead in finding a propensity to improve in gut-related biochemical parameter and cognition after admission of synbiotic supplement.

scholarly journals The Impact of Authentic Materials and Tasks on Students’ Communicative Competence at a Colombian Language School

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Augusto Castillo Losada ◽  
Edgar Alirio Insuasty ◽  
María Fernanda Jaime Osorio
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Authentic Materials ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Language School ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language school at a Colombian public university. Its main purpose was to analyze the extent to which the use of authentic materials and tasks contributes to the enhancement of the communicative competence on an A2 level English course. A mixed study composed of a quasi-experimental and a descriptive-qualitative research design was implemented by means of a pre-test, a post-test, observations, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and diaries. The findings showed that the use of authentic materials and tasks, within the framework of a pedagogical project, had an impact on students’ communicative competence progress and on the teaching practices of the experimental group teacher.

scholarly journals TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF ASSESSMENT RUBRICS IN ASSESSING STUDENTS’ LEARNING AT HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Ghulam Abbas ◽  
◽  
Sadruddin Bahadur Qutoshi ◽  
Dil Angaiz ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Gilgit Baltistan

This study aims to explore teachers’ perceptions and practices of the use of rubrics in assessing students’ learning in the context of higher education institutions in Gilgit-Baltistan. A case study method of inquiry within a qualitative paradigm was adopted to collect the relevant data through semi-structured interviews from three purposefully selected teacher-educators (instructors) and six student-teachers (prospective teachers) of semester III and IV from one of the colleges of education. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis and following themes were emerged: (1) the importance of assessment rubrics in teaching and learning processes, (2) effectiveness of rubrics in assessing teaching and learning, (3) coconstruction of assessment rubrics by student-teachers and teacher-educators, and (4) the challenges for student-teachers and teacher-educators in developing and using of assessment rubrics. From the discussion on the emerging themes, it is concluded that (a) use of assessment rubrics makes assessment process more meaningful to both teacher-educators and students-teachers; and (b) use of rubrics makes student-teachers and teacher-educators more focused on their purpose of teaching and learning outcomes. It is recommended that teacher-educators in teacher training institutions should use rubrics to assess prospective-teachers so that they, after completing their degree programs, would use similar techniques in their respective schools to assess their students’ learning outcomes effectively. Keywords: Assessment, Assessment Rubrics, Rubric Design, Teaching and Learning.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Organisational Response to National Quality Standards for 7-Day Services in English Hospitals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Sutton ◽  
Julian Bion ◽  
Russell Mannion ◽  
Janet Willars ◽  
Elizabeth Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Poor Performance ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Improvement Strategy ◽  
Senior Staff ◽  
National Quality ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background National standards are commonly used as an improvement strategy in healthcare, but organisations may respond in diverse and sometimes negative ways to external quality demands. This paper describes how a sample of NHS hospital trusts in England responded to the introduction of national standards for 7-day service (7DS), from an organisational behaviour perspective. Methods We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with executive/director level and clinical staff, in eight NHS trusts that varied in size, location, and levels of specialist staffing at weekends. We explored approaches to implementing standards locally, and the impact of organisational culture and local context on organisational response. Results Senior staff in the majority of trusts described a focus on hitting targets and achieving compliance with the standards. Compliance-based responses were associated with a hierarchical organisational culture and focus on external performance. In a minority of Trusts senior staff described mobilising commitment-based strategies. In these trusts senior staff reframed the external standards in terms of organisational values, and used co-operative strategies for achieving change. Trusts that took a commitment-based approach tended to be described as having a developmental organisational culture and a history of higher performance across the board. Audit data on 7DS showed improvement against standards for most trusts, but commitment-focused trusts were less likely to demonstrate improvements on the 7DS audit. The ability of trusts to respond to external standards was limited when they were under pressure due to a history of overall poor performance or resource limitations. Conclusions National standards and audit for service-level improvement generate different types of response in different local settings. Approaches to driving improvement nationally need to be accompanied by tailored support for improvement that takes into account local context and organisational culture.

scholarly journals Doctoral Students Living, Leading, and Learning During a Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Debra Bukko ◽  
Jaskaran Dhesi
Keyword(s):  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
State University ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data ◽  
Uncertain Time ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of COVID-19 on doctoral students’ personal, professional, and academic roles and factors contributing to their persistence during the pandemic.Research Methods: The researchers engaged in qualitative research at a California State University CPED-inspired Ed.D. program, using semi-structured interviews, document analysis and a focus group. Data were analyzed through the CPED mentoring and advising framework, transformative learning theory, and self-authorship theory.Results: Three themes emerged: a convergence of roles within home and virtual spaces, leading in a complex and uncertain time, and caring relationships encourage persistence.Implications: Participants experienced increased self-awareness and development of cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal dimensions of self. Relationships between cohort members and with faculty were integral to student persistence during a time of significant change and uncertainty. Recommendations for practice within Ed.D. programs and for future research are offered.

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