scholarly journals Champions or Helpers: Leadership in Curriculum Reform in Science

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 74-90
Author(s):  
Elizabeth D. Johnson ◽  
◽  
Fiona L. Bird ◽  
Jeanette Fyffe ◽  
Emma Yench ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science Teaching ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
School Directors ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
School Director ◽  
Associate Dean ◽  
Perceptions Of Leadership

This study describes the perceptions of embedded teaching and learning leadership teams working on curriculum reform in science teaching departments. The teams combined a formally recognised leader, School Director of Learning and Teaching, with a project-based, more junior academic, Curriculum Fellow, to better leverage support for curriculum reform. Teams were established on the principles of localizing support and maximising credibility with discipline staff. The core teams were supported by a larger Faculty team of Associate Dean Academic, academic developer, educational designer, first year coordinator and project manager. Key themes emerging from the collected data were the complementary roles of members of the team, different perceptions of leadership between the School Directors of Learning and Teaching and the Curriculum Fellows, the importance of acting locally within the disciplines and the synergistic value of working in a team. The combination of formal and informal leadership aggregated into the FSTE School teams offers a model to support sustainable improvement in science teaching and learning in higher education.

scholarly journals Reformed Teaching and Learning in Science Education: A Comparative Study of Turkish and US Teachers

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burhan Ozfidan ◽  
Baki Cavlazoglu ◽  
Lynn Burlbaw ◽  
Hasan Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Science ◽  
Science Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
American Science ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Teachers Beliefs

Achievements of educational reform advantage constructivist understandings of teaching and learning, and therefore highlight a shift in beliefs of teachers and apply these perceptions to the real world. Science teachers’ beliefs have been crucial in understanding and reforming science education as beliefs of teachers regarding learning and teaching science impact their practice. The purpose of this study was to compare US and Turkish science teachers’ beliefs about reformed learning and teaching science. As an instrument, we used Beliefs about Reformed Science Teaching and Learning (BARSTL) to collect and measure the teachers’ beliefs regarding teaching and learning science education. We used an independent-sample t-test to analyze Turkish and American science teachers’ beliefs about reformed learning and teaching science. In total, 38 science teachers from the US and 27 science teachers from Turkey participated in this study. Results showed that US science teachers’ beliefs about reformed learning and teaching science are statistically higher than Turkish science teachers. The results of this study also indicated that although American and Turkish science education aim similar constructivist views on learning and teaching science, American science teachers hold more reformed beliefs in science teaching and learning than their Turkish colleagues.

scholarly journals Potencialidades pedagógicas do filme Bambi no ensino de Ecologia e Educação Ambiental

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliane Gonçalves dos Santos ◽  
Caroline Santos dos Anjos
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Science Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Teaching Science ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Teacher Needs

Resumo: O professor precisa analisar e pensar sobre sua prática visando a novos encaminhamentos que favoreçam o ensino e a aprendizagem. Um desses encaminhamentos podem ser os filmes comerciais, os quais possibilitam discussões e questionamentos de várias áreas para a educação e o ensino de Ciências e Biologia. Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar as potencialidades pedagógicas do filme comercial Bambi (EUA, 1942) e Bambi II (EUA, 2006) para o ensino de Ecologia e Educação Ambiental. A pesquisa é de cunho qualitativo em Educação, na qual se fez um estudo descritivo e exploratório das referidas obras cinematográficas. O encaminhamento metodológico deu-se pelo contato com o filme, assistindo-o de diferentes modos (sem interrupção, com pausas para registros, assistindo aos extras), com registro em caderno de campo e a escolha de cenas para a análise. As categorias definidas após a análise foram questões ambientais, tópicos de ecologia e visão antropocêntrica. A partir da análise, foi possível constatar que os filmes apresentam temáticas que podem ser trabalhadas em sala de aula, tais como os conteúdos de Ecologia, aspectos ambientais  ̶  como o cuidado com a natureza e sua conservação  ̶  e aspectos da visão antropocêntrica. Os filmes Bambi e Bambi II apresentam potencial para o ensino, pois possibilitam a compreensão de processos vitais que ocorrem na natureza, a discussão sobre questões ambientais e sociais além de poderem auxiliar na compreensão de conteúdos e temas da área da Ecologia no ensino de Ciências e Biologia.Palavras-chave: Cinema. Metodologia didática. Meio ambiente. Ensino de Ciências. Ensino de Biologia. PEDAGOGICAL POTENTIALITIES OF THE BAMBI FILM IN ECOLOGY TEACHING AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAbstract: The teacher needs to analyze and think about his / her practice, aiming at new directions that support in teaching and learning. One of these directions may be commercial movies, which allow discussion and questioning in several subjects for education and  broaden world issues as disciplinary ones, showing a potential for learning and teaching Science and Biology. This research aims to analyze the pedagogical potential of the commercial movies Bambi (USA, 1942) and Bambi II (USA, 2006) for Ecology teaching and Environmental Education. The research is a qualitative approach in education, in which a descriptive and explanatory study related to cinematographic fiction was made. The methodological referral was given by the contact with the films, which have being watched in different ways (without interruption, with breaks for records, watching the extras), with record in a diary and the choice of scenes for analysis. The categories defined after the analyses were: environmental, ecology topics and anthropocentric view. From the analysis it was possible to verify that the films present themes that can be worked in the classroom about environmental aspects as the care and conservation of nature, the contents of Ecology and on aspects of anthropocentric vision. Bambi and Bambi II movies show a potential for teaching as they allow the understanding of life processes which happen in nature, the discussion of environmental and social issues as well as the understanding of content and themes from Ecology in the teaching of Sciences and Biology.Keywords: Cinema. Didactic Methodology. Environment. Science teaching. Biology teaching.

scholarly journals SANTPEN’s SoTL Journey: Building and Using a SoTL Approach Across Institutions

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 107-122
Author(s):  
Deborah West ◽  
Helen Stephenson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Grant Programs ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
The Status ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Teaching In Higher Education

In the current higher education environment, providing high quality teaching and learning experiences to students has moved beyond desirable to essential. Quality improvement takes many forms, but one core aspect to ensure sustainable improvement is the development of a culture of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Developing such an institutional culture is surprisingly challenging yet essential to improving the status of teaching in higher education (HE), being successful in teaching and learning awards and grants, and, improving the student experience. The Australian Government’s Promoting Excellence Network initiative funds networks to foster collaboration between HE institutions to improve outcomes in national learning and teaching award and grant programs. Supported by this funding, the South Australian / Northern Territory Promoting Excellence Network (SANTPEN), a grouping of six institutions, formed. Bringing together a diverse network of institutions, similar only by virtue of geographic location is challenging. This paper describes the first three years of SANTPEN’s journey from the context of our own development with the concept of SoTL and how we applied this to build a culture of SoTL in and between our institutions. It also demonstrates how a modest budget can be put to effective use to benefit those immediately involved, institutional objectives and the aims of the national funding body. We provide evidence of this effectiveness and conclude with our collective aspirations for the future of SANTPEN and other likeminded and funded networks.

Qatari students’ pre-college experience with information literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-69
Author(s):  
Ethan P Pullman
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
College Experience ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning And Teaching

Purpose – There’s little information available on Qatari students’ experience with information literacy. What little information does exists draws from outdated surveys and assumptions about the current population. The purpose of this paper is to describe how data collected from first-semester Qatari students who enrolled in a semester-long information literacy course at Carnegie Mellon University helped update perceptions of this population, drove changes made to content and instructional delivery, and enabled a reflective process for teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach – Pre- and post-surveys completed by students explore Qatari students’ pre-college experience with information literacy concepts, using libraries, and writing. They also compare the students’ attitude toward information literacy before and after taking the course. Qatari students’ data were extracted from the overall student population to focus on this population and analyzed descriptively based on cumulative responses. The pre-survey data were used to inform changes made to instructional content and delivery throughout the term. Findings – Contrary to assumptions, first-year Qatari students expressed familiarity with information literacy concepts before attending college. The data indicated strong learning preferences and a positive attitude toward information literacy. Research limitations/implications – Since information collected in this study relied on student perceptions of their experience, results must be paired with performance measurement before drawing additional conclusions about information literacy competencies of first-year Qatari students. Further, the study did not explore gender and sociocultural differences; therefore no general conclusions should be drawn. Practical implications – Instructional design should be based on a current understanding of local information needs and searching habits. In addition, this approach encourages reflective learning and teaching and help instructors avoid prior assumptions about their students. Originality/value – This paper provides information on how Qatari students perceive their experience with information literacy before college, the importance of understanding information literacy concepts and its role in their personal, academic, and professional lives. It centers on a population for whom information literacy concepts remain both relatively challenging and critical for their future learning development and offers suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals Driving departmental change through evaluation: some outcomes and problems

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Hall ◽  
Derek Harding
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Teaching Innovation ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Barriers To Change ◽  
Integration Of Learning ◽  
Context Of Learning

This paper will focus upon some of the outcomes from the first year of the Courseware for History Implementation Consortium (Chic), a Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP), Phase 3 project. It is particularly important that the consortium addresses the issue of embedding change within organizations if it is to succeed in its aims. However, as Brown (1998) has noted, the integration of learning and teaching innovation into the broader fabric of an institution, by projects with a fixed remit and life cycle, is problematic. Here we will investigate how the Chic project has related evaluation outcomes to disciplinary pedagogical imperatives in order to foster a greater sense of purpose and cohesion towards the project and its objectives. This recognizes the value of evaluation in affecting the context of learning, through the iteration of teaching techniques and resource provision. The resultant implications for institutions, and the barriers to change, need to be examined in the light of the pedagogical context of the history discipline. Whilst accepting the premise that change needs to be placed in the context of institutional policy (Hart, Ryan and Bagdon, 1999; Li and Kaye, 1999), this paper will show how a culture of change can be promoted within departments.DOI: 10.1080/0968776000080103

scholarly journals Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice Editorial 11.2

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 2-3
Author(s):  
Romy Lawson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Associate Professor ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Editorial Team ◽  
Online Journal ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Associate Dean ◽  
Learning Development ◽  
Education Science

In this, my first editorial, of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning (JUTLP) I have to begin by extending thanks to Gerry LeFoe and her team for making this online journal what it is today. Without her vision and drive JULTP would not have experienced the success it has and so we have much to thank them for. I hope I can do such a good job. I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce the new editorial team • Dr Alisa Percy - Head of Learning Development, University of Wollongong; Executive Member, Association for Academic Language and Learning (AALL) • Dr Dominique Parish – Associate Dean Education (Science, Medicine and Health), University of Wollongong; Executive Member, Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ascilite) • Associate Professor Romy Lawson, Director Learning, Teaching & Curriculum, University of Wollongong; OLT National Teaching Fellow; Executive Member, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia. We are all looking forward to the challenges of editing this journal and excited by the opportunities to engage with authors from around the world who have a passion for university learning and teaching.

The Influence of Assessment on Learning and Teaching

2019 ◽  
pp. 166-185
Author(s):  
Susan Hallam
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Summative Assessment ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Assessment Procedures ◽  
Assessment Research

It is debatable whether it is appropriate to assess performance in the arts. However, formal education institutions and the systems within which they operate continue to require summative assessment to take place in order to award qualifications. This chapter considers the extent to which such summative assessment systems in music determine not only what is taught but also what learners learn. The evidence suggests that any learning outcome in formal education that is not assessed is unlikely to be given priority by either learners or teachers. To optimize learning, the aims and the processes of learning, including formative, self-, and peer assessment procedures, should be aligned with summative assessment. Research addressing the roles, methods, and value of formative, self-, and peer assessment in enhancing learning is considered. A proposal is made that the most appropriate way of enhancing learning is to ensure that summative assessment procedures are authentic and have real-life relevance supporting the teaching and learning process, to ensure that learners are motivated and see the relevance of what they are learning. This might take many forms depending on musical genre, communities of practice, and the wider cultural environment.

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