Enhancing Student-Driven Learning Strategies by Examining the Faculty Conceptions of Teaching

Author(s):  
Despina Varnava Marouchou

Despite the extensive interest demonstrated by academics and policy makers, and the vast amount of information written, during the past twenty years or so, in the area of student learning, very little of what has been written has been transformed into solid policies and practices, “the discourse advocates for learning, but seldom gets down to the level of detail” (Weimer 2002, p. xii). By making instructors aware of their own conceptions of teaching they will be informed of how such conceptions influence their teaching practices. Thus, a critical examination of the conceptions of teaching can initiate adjustments directed towards a reform-based perspective, leading to student driven learning strategies. In this chapter the findings of the conceptions of teaching identified by a group of lecturers in a small university are discussed, secondly, the possibility of a relation between the lecturers' conceptions of teaching and student-driven learning strategies are outlined and thirdly, the importance of taking these issues into consideration, when exploring learning environments, learning outcomes, curriculum design and the professional development of academics.

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee deNoyelles ◽  
Ryan Seilhamer

Purpose – While the integration of mobile and eTextbook technologies is rapidly growing throughout higher education learning environments, these technologies are often challenging to implement across the university landscape. Professional development tailored to these fluid and evolving technologies is essential to supporting effective classroom integration. The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate a special interest group approach to professional development regarding mobile and eTextbook technologies implemented by one university in the USA. Issues such as recruitment of members, selection of face-to-face and online spaces, and curriculum design are addressed. Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate effectiveness, a survey was given to the participants that asked about sense of community, perceived increase in knowledge and teaching practices, and overall satisfaction with the experience. Findings – The interrelated factors of sense of community, knowledge, and teaching practices were identified as valuable, along with group organization. Survey results revealed that participants highly valued the opportunity to share best practices with others they typically would not, and benefitted from the expertise of guest speakers. Online spaces were found to serve as a repository of on-demand resources and dissemination of information, while face-to-face meetings capitalized on interactivity and nurtured community. Sharing the work of the members with the university and beyond was critical to incentivizing members to produce, and also built further professional networks. The planning team identified a tension between encouraging active involvement from instructors and offering it in convenient ways given their other commitments. Originality/value – Although this is a single case, this analysis suggests generalizable strategies that may create and sustain a community interested in mobile and eTextbook technologies.


Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1478-1499
Author(s):  
Álvaro Hernán Galvis ◽  
Angélica Avalo ◽  
Alexandra Ramírez ◽  
Diana Carolina Cortés ◽  
Helmman Cantor

Purpose The REDINGE2 – Reengineering Engineering Teaching, version 2 – project seeks to transform engineering education practices at the University of los Andes (UNIANDES) by using technology-based active learning strategies in courses from different disciplines that are to be reformed using a Big-ideas approach. Studies from this two-year project (2017-2018) seek to solve three main questions: What changes in engineering teaching conceptions, methods, tools and practices could be generated by reengineering courses using a Big-ideas approach? What changes in key conditions of learning environments have the students perceived in courses that use a Big-ideas approach? What lessons can be derived from the initial studies of REDINGE2’s pilot experiences? Design/methodology/approach The REDINGE2 project was conceived as a technology-based educational transformation initiative. It is the Faculty of Engineering at UNIANDES’ explicit intention to move engineering teaching from being content-focused to being big-ideas focused. It also wants to migrate from teacher-centered teaching strategies to student- and group-centered approaches. Additionally, this project intends to enrich engineering education ecologies with digital resources by integrating experiential, flexible and collaborative digital learning environments with traditional classroom/workshop/library/home/work learning settings. To promote this organic change, the project implemented a facilitation-from-the side strategy, which redesigned 14 engineering courses: each was given a two-year grant from the Office of the Dean of Engineering to rethink teaching practices and redesign the course. A cybernetic evaluation system was embedded in the life cycle of the transformation process that could support decision-making through each of the project’s stages (Stufflebeam, 1971). Questions of interest in this study are provided with information using triangulation of data at different times during each course’s redesign process. Findings After a year and half of the two-year REDINGE2 project (2017-2018), it is possible to say the following three research questions are fully solved. Concerning Question #1: What changes in engineering teaching conceptions, methods, tools and practices contribute to reengineering courses when using a Big-ideas approach? Participating teaching staff have demonstrated changes in their teaching conceptions, methods and resources, which can be attributed to their exposure to active-learning strategies supported by digital technologies. In fact, each one has redesigned and pilot tested at least one restructured learning unit for one of their courses according to the proposed Big-ideas approach; in addition, most admit to already having adjusted their teaching practices by changing their mindset regarding learning and how to promote it. Concerning Question #2: What changes in key conditions of learning environments have the students perceived in courses that have been redesigned using a Big-ideas approach? Data collected from students and participating staff members, both before the redesign and throughout this process, have provided teachers and students with feedback concerning perceived changes in learning environments. This has had positive results and provided opportunities for improvement. Concerning Question #3: What lessons can be derived from REDINGE2’s pilot experiences? Lessons from this project are multi-dimensional and there are organizational, pedagogic, technological and cultural considerations. A decalogue of critical success factors was established, which considered the things that must go right to successfully accomplish proposed educational transformations. Research limitations/implications This study is a good case of educational transformations in engineering teaching. No generalizations should be made, but it shows that similar processes of planned change can be made in tertiary science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) education. Practical implications The lessons learned from this experience are very valuable for higher education decision-makers who want to innovate by using learning ecologies in their institutions. In addition, theoretical considerations that illuminate the innovation process become very useful to help provide a foundation to similar interventions. Originality/value A non-conventional approach to integrate digital technologies in higher education teaching is the most significant contribution this experience has made. Its focus has been to transform educational practices with pedagogically sound uses of digital technologies instead of just integrating technologies in current SMET teaching practices. Facilitation-from-the-side and embedded cybernetic evaluation through the transformation process are key ideas that add value to organic change processes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Delfi Yendri

This research is motivated by the poor results of Study Social Sciences (IPS) Student Class VI SDN 024 Tarai Bangun Kecamatan Tambang. This study aims to determine the resulting increase studying social sciences (IPS) student class VI SDN 024 Tarai Bangun Kecamatan Tambang through the application of learning strategies go to yuor post, which carried out for 1 month. The subjects were VI SDN 024 Tarai Bangun Kecamatan Tambang by the number of students as many as 38 people. Form of research is classroom action research. The research instrument consists of instruments and instrument performance data collection activity observation sheet form teacher and student activity. Based on the research, the conclusion to this study is based on the analysis and discussion in chapter IV can be concluded that the application of learning strategies go to yuor post can improve learning outcomes in the subject of social sciences grade VI SDN 024 Tarai Bangun Kecamatan Tambang. Evidenced by the increase in learning outcomes before action to the first cycle, to cycle II. Before the act of student learning outcomes classified as unresolved with an average of 59%, an increase in the first cycle by an average of 69%. While the results of student learning in the second cycle must be increased by an average of 75% with the category completed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timbul Purba ◽  
Harun Sitompul

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan: (1) hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa yang diajar dengan strategi pembelajaran elaborasi lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan siswa yang diajar dengan strategi pembelajaran ekspositori, (2) hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa yang memiliki motif berprestasi tinggi lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan siswa yang memiliki motif berprestasi rendah dan (3) interaksi antara strategi pembelajaran dengan motif berprestasi dalam mempengaruhi hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode quasi eksperimen dengan desain penelitian faktorial 2x2, sedangkan teknik analisis data menggunakan ANAVA dua jalur pada taraf signifikansi a = 0.05. Hasil penelitian diperoleh: (1) hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa yang diajar dengan strategi pembelajaran elaborasi lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan hasil belajar siswa yang diajar dengan strategi pembelajaran ekspositori, (2) hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa yang memiliki motif berprestasi tinggi lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan hasil belajar siswa yang memiliki motif berprestasi rendah dan (3) terdapat interaksi antara strategi pembelajaran dengan motif berprestasi dalam mempengaruhi hasil belajar menggambar teknik siswa.   Kata Kunci: strategi pembelajaran elaborasi dan ekspositori, motif berprestasi, hasil belajar menggambar teknik   Abstract: This research was aimed to: (1) the learning outcomes of students who are taught drawing techniques with learning strategy elaboration higher than students taught by expository learning strategy, (2) drawing techniques learning outcomes of students who have high achievement motive higher than students who have low achievement motive, and (3) the interaction between learning strategy and achievement motives in affecting student learning outcomes drawing techniques. The research method used was quasi experiment with 2 x 2 factorial design. The analysis technique used is the two-track analysis of variance ANOVA (2 x 2) with a significance level α = 0.05. The findings of the study indicate: (1) the learning outcomes of students who are taught drawing techniques with learning strategy elaboration higher learning outcomes than students taught by expository learning strategy; (2) drawing techniques learning outcomes of students who have high achievement motive higher than the learning outcomes of students who have low achievement motive; and (3) there is interaction between learning strategy and achievement motives in affecting student learning outcomes drawing techniques. Keywords: elaboration learning strategies and expository, achievement motive, the result of learning drawing techniques


Author(s):  
Erna Pebriana ◽  
Bela Mustika Sari ◽  
Yasa Abdurrahman

This writing aims to make students more active and disciplined in the learning process and can also increase creativity and learning outcomes. The low mathematics learning outcomes are not only due to difficult mathematics, but are caused by several factors which include students themselves, teachers, learning approaches, and learning environments that are interconnected with each other. To improve the ability and results of learning it is necessary to make modifications to the task learning strategy and force. Quantum learning is a tip, a guide, a strategy and an entire learning process that can sharpen understanding and memory, and make learning a pleasant and useful process. Task and Forced Learning Strategies are strategies that focus on giving assignments and a little coercion so that students complete their tasks on time so that the learning process can run effectively. Therefore, the writer modifies the model of quantum learning with task and forced learning strategies, the results of this modification show that learning with quantum learning models with forced and task strategies can improve the learning process so that students become more disciplined in doing tasks, can motivate student learning, and can improve student learning outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-172
Author(s):  
Veky Robinson Sabarlele

The purpose of this classroom action research (CAR) is to aim to find out whether there is an increase in learning outcomes in the subject of Citizenship Education students using cooperative learning strategies. This research is a classroom action research study involving 30 students of class X Accounting SMKN 2 Tanimbar Selatan consisting of 5 women and 20 men. Some of the variables investigated in this study are as follows (1) input variables which include students, lesson material, learning resources, (2) the variable process of organizing teaching and learning activities, such as teaching and learning interactions, student questioning skills, student learning methods, and (3) output variables such as student curiosity, students' ability to apply knowledge, student learning motivation, student learning outcomes, student attitudes towards learning experiences through improvement activities. There are four stages carried out in carrying out this research activity, namely: the stages of planning, implementation of actions, observation and interpretation as well as analysis and reflection. This research was conducted in two research cycles. From the results of the action in the first cycle, it was found that the average value of students was 78.67 with the highest score of 90 and the lowest value of 65 and completeness of learning only reached 77% or 23 students out of 30 students, still below the established completeness of 85% of students unfinished learning 23% or 7 students out of 30 students. Thus the next learning cycle still needs to be designed. Results in Cycle II the average value of students 81.00 with the highest value of 95 and the lowest value of 70 and completeness of learning has only reached 87% or 26 students out of 30 students, already above the mastery that has been set that is 85% of students who have not finished learning 13 % or 4 students out of 30 students. Thus there is no need to design further learning cycles. The results showed that the use of cooperative learning strategies in fact can improve learning outcomes in subjects Citizenship Education in class X Accounting for SMKN 2 Tanimbar Selatan 2018/2019


Author(s):  
Marco Civico

AbstractThe objective of this paper is to develop an simulation model able to test different language education orientations and their consequences for the EU population in terms of linguistic disenfranchisement, that is, the inability of citizens to understand EU documents and parliamentary discussions should their native language(s) no longer be official. I will focus on the impact of linguistic distance and language learning. Ideally, this model would be a tool to help EU policy makers make informed decisions about language practices and education policies, taking into account their consequences in terms of diversity and linguistic disenfranchisement. The model can be used to force agents to make certain choices in terms of language skills acquisition. The user can then go on to compare different scenarios in which language skills are acquired according to different rationales. The idea is that, by forcing agents to adopt certain language learning strategies, the model user can simulate policies promoting the acquisition of language skills and get an idea of their impact. In this way, the model allows not only to sketch various scenarios of the evolution of language skills among EU citizens, but also to estimate the level of disenfranchisement in each of these scenarios.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1356336X2110031
Author(s):  
Tan Zhang

The purpose of this study was to reveal the work life of physical educators who were experiencing a teacher accountability system in the US. A combination of stratified and purposeful sampling procedures was adopted to select a sample of schools that served communities with various socioeconomic backgrounds. The schools were recently incorporated in a state teacher accountability system that used student learning growth for teacher evaluation. A group of 51 certified physical educators was selected from the sampled schools. Data were collected from three sources: an online survey, in-school observations, and semi-structured interviews. The survey and observations cross-validated data related to job description, workload, general working environment, and demographic information. The interviews detailed the teachers’ accounts about their work life, perceptions of the job demands, and resources under the teacher accountability system. Inductive analysis revealed that the lack of critical job resources, especially curricular supports, equipment, and professional development, limited the teachers from promoting student learning that the teacher accountability system required. Teachers were subjected to immense job demands, specifically a large body of content knowledge to teach with shrinking instruction time and ambiguous role. They also felt pressured to incorporate reading, writing, and mathematics in physical education lessons with little or no curricular support. For teachers to teach physical education successfully in this accountability context, systemic changes are needed to provide teachers with adequate professional development and curricular resources to promote learning in physical education.


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