Predicting the mathematical preparedness of first-year undergraduates for teaching and learning purposes

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year

scholarly journals Developing Number Sense: An Approach to Initiate Algebraic Thinking in Primary Education

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 518
Author(s):  
Natividad Adamuz-Povedano ◽  
Elvira Fernández-Ahumada ◽  
M. Teresa García-Pérez ◽  
Jesús Montejo-Gámez
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Number Sense ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Number System ◽  
Algebraic Thinking ◽  
First Year ◽  
Symbolic Language ◽  
Decimal Number ◽  
Language Characteristic ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Traditionally, the teaching and learning of algebra has been addressed at the beginning of secondary education with a methodological approach that broke traumatically into a mathematical universe until now represented by numbers, with bad consequences. It is important, then, to find methodological alternatives that allow the parallel development of arithmetical and algebraic thinking from the first years of learning. This article begins with a review of a series of theoretical foundations that support a methodological proposal based on the use of specific manipulative materials that foster a deep knowledge of the decimal number system, while verbalizing and representing quantitative situations that underline numerical relationships and properties and patterns of numbers. Developing and illustrating this approach is the main purpose of this paper. The proposal has been implemented in a group of 25 pupils in the first year of primary school. Some observed milestones are presented and analyzed. In the light of the results, this well-planned early intervention contains key elements to initiate algebraic thinking through the development of number sense, naturally enhancing the translation of purely arithmetical situations into the symbolic language characteristic of algebraic thinking.

A Compass During the Storm: Offering Students Critical Rigor for Polarizing Times

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Objective ◽  
First Year

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.

scholarly journals Interventions to improve teaching and learning in first year mathematics courses

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1046-1060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann Engelbrecht ◽  
Ansie Harding
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mathematics Courses

An exploration of the factors that contribute to learning satisfaction of first-year anatomy and physiology students

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saramarie Eagleton
Keyword(s):  
Learning Community ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Community Support ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Effectiveness ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
Learning Satisfaction ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Teaching Anatomy ◽  
Physiology Students

Lecturers have reverted to using a “blended” approach when teaching anatomy and physiology. Student responses as to how this contributes to their learning satisfaction were investigated using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of closed- and open-ended questions that were based on three determinants of learning satisfaction: perceived course learnability, learning community support, and perceived learning effectiveness. Regarding course learnability, students responded positively on questions regarding the relevance of the subject for their future careers. However, students identified a number of distractions that prevented them from paying full attention to their studies. As far as learning community support was concerned, respondents indicated that they were more comfortable asking a peer for support if they were unsure of concepts than approaching the lecturing staff. Most of the students study in their second language, and this was identified as a stumbling block for success. There was a difference in opinion among students regarding the use of technology for teaching and learning of anatomy and physiology. From students' perceptions regarding learning effectiveness, it became clear that students' expectations of anatomy and physiology were unrealistic; they did not expect the module to be so comprehensive. Many of the students were also “grade oriented” rather than “learning oriented” as they indicated that they were more concerned about results than “owning” the content of the module. Asking students to evaluate aspects of the teaching and learning process have provided valuable information to improve future offerings of anatomy and physiology.

scholarly journals A virtual alternative to molecular model sets: a beginners’ guide to constructing and visualizing molecules in open-source molecular graphics software

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siripreeya Phankingthongkum ◽  
Taweetham Limpanuparb
Keyword(s):  
General Chemistry ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Molecular Model ◽  
Bond Line ◽  
First Year ◽  
Molecular Graphics ◽  
Model Sets ◽  
Graphics Software

Abstract Objective The application of molecular graphics software as a simple and free alternative to molecular model sets for introductory-level chemistry learners is presented. Results Based on either Avogadro or IQmol, we proposed four sets of tasks for students, building basic molecular geometries, visualizing orbitals and densities, predicting polarity of molecules and matching 3D structures with bond-line structures. These topics are typically covered in general chemistry for first-year undergraduate students. Detailed step-by-step procedures are provided for all tasks for both programs so that instructors and students can adopt one of the two programs in their teaching and learning as an alternative to molecular model sets.

PEER FEEDBACK TECHNIQUE IN IMPROVING THE STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY OF THE FIRST GRADE STUDENTS IN SMA NEGERI BALIKPAPAN

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-131
Author(s):  
Dayang Suriani
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
First Grade ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Writing Practice

This study is directed to obtain information how peer feedback can improve students’ ability in writing. Specifically, it is directed to investigate whether peer feedback works and can improve students’ writing ability in writing sentences and narrative paragraphs, at the first year students of SMA Negeri 1 Balikpapan. The study was conducted based on the result of preliminary study at the school. It is found that the students’ ability in the language skills especially in writing is still insufficient. In the teaching and learning process the teacher provides fewer portions in writing activities for the students in class. In addition, the strategies used in the teaching and learning process are uninteresting because the students have to do the writing activities in under pressure. To answer the problems, a classroom action research is conducted. The teacher as a researcher works in planning the action, implementing the action, observing, and analyzing and reflecting the action. The subjects of the study are the second year students (X-IPA-1) of 2019/2020 academic year consisting of 40 students. The results shows that peer feedback obviously can improve the students’ ability in writing sentences and narrative paragraphs at the first year students of SMA Negeri 1 Balikpapan. It has been observed that the improvements are caused by the regular writing practice done by the students and the teacher’s response given to their writing. It becomes a sort of on going dialogue.

scholarly journals Embedding an institution-wide capacity building opportunity around transition pedagogy: First Year Teaching and Learning Network Coordinators

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Clark ◽  
Lisa Gurney ◽  
Sarah Lawrence ◽  
Rhonda Leece ◽  
John Malouff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Network

scholarly journals A LEITURA LITERÁRIA DE A HORA DA ESTRELA: UM PERCURSO DE ENCONTROS E DESCOBERTAS

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-134
Author(s):  
Sarah Vervloet Soares ◽  
Neide Luzia de Rezende
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Library ◽  
First Year ◽  
Clarice Lispector ◽  
Reading Practices ◽  
Literary Reading ◽  
Literature Teaching ◽  
Espírito Santo ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Espirito Santo

Resumo: O presente artigo apresenta um relato de experiência de leitura literária, realizada no primeiro ano do ensino médio, do Instituto Federal do Espírito Santo (IFES – campus Piúma) e, ainda, discute alguns aspectos que se tornaram relevantes durante essa prática. Por meio de aulas transformadas em encontros, o projeto de leitura da obra A hora da estrela (1977), de Clarice Lispector, teve o objetivo de aproximar os alunos da prática da leitura. Assim, a leitura literária, a mediação de leitura, a interação com a biblioteca escolar, a produção do portfólio de leitura e a didática de literatura são os principais pontos de interesse deste artigo. Para tanto, dialogaremos, principalmente, com Colomer (2007), Petit (2008, 2009, 2013), Jauss (1994), Rouxel (2013) e Rezende (2013). A leitura literária, neste caso, resultou na abertura para novas possibilidades de ensino e aprendizagem e provocou nos estudantes maior autonomia para se expressarem, emitirem opiniões a respeito das leituras, ou seja, trata-se de um momento em que eles se reconheciam como leitores de literatura. Palavras-chave: Leitura literária. Portfólio de leitura. LITERARY READING OF THE HOUR OF THE STAR: A JOURNEY OF ENCOUNTERS AND DISCOVERIES Mediação de leitura. A hora da estrela. Clarice Lispector. Abstract: This paper reports on a literary reading experience in the first year of high school, at the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo (IFES – campus Piúma) and discusses some aspects that became relevant during this practice. Through lectures turned into meetings, the reading project of The hour of the star (1977), by Clarice Lispector, aimed to bring students closer to reading practices. The main points of interest in this paper are the literary reading, the reading mediation, the interaction with the school library, the reading portfolio production and the literature teaching. In order to do this, discussions are mainly based on Colomer (2007), Petit (2008, 2009, 2013), Jauss (1994), Rouxel (2013) e Rezende (2013). The experience resulted in the opening of new teaching and learning possibilities and provoked in the students a greater autonomy to express themselves, to express their opinions regarding the readings; in other words, it was a time when they recognized themselves as literature readers. Keywords: Literary reading. Reading mediation. Reading portfolio. The hour of the star. Clarice Lispector.

scholarly journals Challenges and Opportunities of Asynchronicity: Task-Based Approach After COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Līga Beļicka ◽  
◽  
Tatjana Bicjutko
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Professional Contexts

The fast transition to fully online studies due to the pandemic made the universities around the world question many of their accepted notions on teaching foreign languages in general and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) methodology in particular. Putting stress on the synchronous remote teaching and learning has proven to yield a reductionist perspective missing asynchronicity, the dimension which makes reconsider the whole educational process. With its shift from the sole focus on learning terminology to training skills in authentic professional contexts, the task-based approach has long excelled in meeting the diverse needs of students. Thus, the research question is how well task-based teaching (TBT) solves the problems raised with asynchronous learning in a university ESP course. The research of available literature on TBT yielded the framework for constructing an extended task applicable in the advanced medical English. The case study with 120 first-year students of medicine organised around an informational interview with health professionals demonstrated easy adaptability of the task to the asynchronous nature of the educational process. Personal observations by the course instructor, summaries of student-conducted interviews, and student written feedback proved the responsiveness of the method to the learners’ needs and the potential of the approach in terms of motivation. The emphasis on self-directed learning, however, threatens the systematicity of the acquired language skills, as a more controlled teaching environment would not allow “skipping” any learning step. Additionally, TBT does not solve the problem of the voluminous teaching load.

scholarly journals Creative teaching design in STEM: Using graduate learning outcomes to distribute students' existing knowledge in first-year biology practical work groups

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Savage ◽  
◽  
Jillian Healy ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Work Groups ◽  
Practical Work ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
New Learning ◽  
First Year University

In Australia, a significant number of students enrol in first-year university biology without the benefit of high school biology. In order to help students support each other, the authors of this paper (a central unit academic developer and a biology coordinator of first-year biology) created a classroom activity that facilitated the distribution of the more experienced students of biology throughout the practical work groups. An important feature of this creative design for forming groups, called the GLO Activity in this paper, was the embedding of two of the University’s key teaching and learning priorities within the activity. These were the University’s eight graduate learning outcomes (GLOs) and, inclusive education practice. We discuss creative pedagogies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and their link to supporting students in their first year of university study. We explain our scholarly thinking behind the GLO Activity and evaluate its impact. Finally, we reflect on how we, the educators, found satisfaction in thinking deeply to create a new learning structure for a biology practical class that solved one teaching challenge but also met a number of the University’s curriculum principles.

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