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ix Introduction The study has the purpose (1) to describe and explore the Mathematics student teachers’ performance inside the classroom during the training course “teaching practice” at the University of Jordan/ Amman, and (2) to include the main factors which influence the development of the professional teaching competence in their mode of action. This study has particularly the aim to investigate the difficulties which face the student teachers’ performance, and the facilities which help them in their performance and decrease the obstacles of the development of student teachers’ performance. The study has the aim to answer the following questions: 1. How does the performance of student teachers develop with respect to time of the training course? 2. What difficulties do the student teachers face during the training course? 3. What are the facilities that help in developing student teachers’ performance during the training course? 4. What are the factors related to performance? Are they personal, social, methodological, or related to mastering the curriculum? 5. What is the relation between student teachers’ performance and supervision? The 1st opening chapter of the study describes some facts about Jordan, the school system there, the system of pre-service teacher education, the background of the study, and the purpose of the study with the questions mentioned above. In the 2nd chapter a review of the existing literature follows with the theoretical concepts which are connected with the questions. Main concepts are: development of teachers’ performance, factors affecting the trainees’ performance, supervision and teacher development, problems of beginning teachers, models in teacher development, facilities that help trainees, standards of teaching competences, methodological basis of teaching Mathema tics. Chapter 3 describes the plan of the empirical research and the four methodological tools which are used: video tapes, interviews, questionnaires, and self reports. It is a case study with the seven Mathematics student teachers of the academic year 1999/2000 at the university of Jordan/Amman. Chapter 4 contains the data collection from the four resources in English. The data material was collected in Arabic and then translated into English by the author. Chapter 5 starts with the data analysis and description of the 7 cases. Chapter 6 continues the data analysis, presents the results, discusses these in an overview. This leads in chapter 7 to a combination of the results which come from the analysis of chapters 5 and 6, and to the answers to the que stions 1—5. The main results are concentrated around the main features of performance, which are in the teacher education plan of Amman five areas: lesson plan, mastering content knowledge, methods of teaching, assessment of teaching, and classroom management. This study is the first one which describes and analyses scientifically the phase of practice teaching at Jordanian universities. It is done exemplary at the University of Jordan/Amman with all Mathematics student teachers of one academic year. It for the first time is possible to win insight in the individual professional development of single student teachers in Jordan, and insight in the influence of specific relating factors. This study has a valuable starting point, looks to be won for a further development of the teacher-training in Jordan. These are attached in a short section as "recommendations".
This work covers the critical problem of high school dropouts and failure in the Ghanaian educational setting. In the first instance, a large proportion of studies have tended to concentrate on the higher classes and end-of –cycle testing. They can be seen as post-mortem analyses, which only indicate the irrevocable catastrophe but do not lead to prevention. Therefore this dissertation sought to identify the variance among the learning pre-requisites that Ghanaian class one children enter the school with against the background of an inflexible syllabus coupled with a predominant use of undifferentiated teaching methodology. From literature review, personal intensive observations and experience the following conclusions were drawn: ·School failure in Ghana is as a result of a complex inter-play of factors such as years of certain uninformed policies of successive governments, the situation of the teacher, curriculum and textbook usage, instructional language policy, length of school year use of instructional time and political instability among others. ·Classroom methodologies are predominantly teacher-dominated, undifferentiated and do not support adequately the learning of weaker pupils. ·Traditional practices and philosophies about the child have an influence on the teaching-learning encounter. ·There are identifiable weaknesses in the competence of delivery and mastery of both subject matter and other pedagogical skills. With a large class size, without the support of diagnostic tools to identify the abilities of children in order to tailor the teaching to cater for individual differences, teaching is unattractive, tedious and an unwieldy task. Learning in such an environment will be demotivational and attainment of institutional goals will be greatly undermined. As a first step in modifying the existing situation a pre-diagnostic instrument put together by the researcher was used to assess 120 and 158 class one pupils in a pilot and main study respectively to show how varied the abilities of the children are and which factors have influence on the variance. In this regard a broad variety of skill areas were assessed with a focus on functional items, drawing, English and number work in a very practical way. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were adopted in the selection of the sample from rural, urban, private and public schools. The results showed the following: ·A wide variance among the pre-requisite skills that the children enter school with. ·Ghanaian children who possess higher English language ability, having pre-school experience, attending an urban school and being in a private school have a higher chance of school success. ·Sex is not strong determinants of performance among the sample. Based on these assessment results intervention with teachers were carried out in three class one classrooms, but one was reported in detail. The feedback from the interventions was very positive and encouraging and showed among others that: ·Teachers are capable of initiating changes in their teaching methodologies. ·Head teachers can supervise school-based in-service education and training. The dissertation concludes with some suggestions for policy, teacher professionalism, educational planners and for future research in order to achieve target objectives.
Introduction This study aims to investigate the changes and developments in mathematics curricula, which approved by the Ministry of Education for teaching mathematics during the period (1964-1999). It also aims at highlighting the feature of every period of development and to review the reasons that lead to such development. The study has the aim to answer the following questions: 1.What are the developments that the learning objectives of mathematics curricula in Jordan have witnessed during the period (1964-1999) ? 2.What are the developments that the mathematical content of mathematics curricula in Jordan have witnessed during the period (1964-1999) ? 3.What are the developments that the instruction methods of mathematics curricula in Jordan have witnessed during the period (1964-1999)? 4.What are the developments that the evaluation methods of mathematics curricula in Jordan have witnessed during the period (1964 –1999)? The first chapter of the study describes some facts about Jordan, the educational system, and instructional plans for teaching mathematics, which was approved by MOE during the period (1964-1999), the need for developing mathematics curricula, and statement and significance of the study with the questions mentioned above, and includes the limitation of the study. The second Chapter includes on a review of literature through display the international development of mathematics curriculum and relative studies, the development of mathematics education in Germany, and the development of mathematics curriculum and relative studies in the Arab World, especially in Jordan. Chapter three describes the methodology and procedures which are used: the analysis method, (analysis procedures of content mathematics curricula, analysis tool), and the interview: (sample, interview procedures, tool, and procedures of interview analysis). Chapter four: contains the findings of the study represented with the analysis results of mathematics curriculum according to the study questions, the results of content analysis of Mathematics curricula according to the “Principles and Standards for School Mathematics” which issued by NCTM, the response and opinion of interview sample to the items of a study tool (questionnaire). Chapter five: Include discussion of the findings and the results of the study according to the study question, and investigate the characteristics and the reasons behind the development witnessed by the curricula of mathematics in Jordan during the period (1964-1999). The main analysis results of mathematics curriculum which approved by MOE in Jordan, and the opinions of the interview sample are concentrated on discussion and investigation the development characteristics of learning objectives of teaching mathematics, mathematical content, instructional and evaluation methods of teaching mathematics, according to the “Principles and Standards for School Mathematics”, and through division the whole period into three sub-periods. The curriculum documents (in English translation), the NCTM standards, and other data with additional information – among other things the results of the interviews – are arranged as appendix 1 to appendix 10. This study is significant as being one of the rare attempts in Jordan to explore the development of mathematics curricula. The study is also unique in the length of the period it has chosen, 1964-1999. As such, it can be referred to as a historical source for the evolution of mathematics curricula in Jordan, so that scholars benefit from its analysis and historical documentation of the period of the development of these curricula. It is also beneficial to the writers of school textbooks since it provides a list of universal standards used to analyze the mathematical content of curricula. These are attached in a short section as “recommendations”.
The main research aim of this Ph-D thesis is to develop students�understanding of the nature of science on the background of Alexander von Humboldt's legacy for Grade 5 and Grade 6 classrooms in Baden-Württemberg schools. The Ph-D research questions are: 1.What conceptions do students of the age group 10-12 regarding the nature of science hold? 2.Does students� understanding of science change as a result of discovery-based science activities taken from Alexander von Humboldt� scientific observations during his expedition to Latin America between 1799-1804? If yes, in what way? This was done by: 1.Gathering background information about students� images of scientists and how they work. 2.Designing the most appropriate learning environment for improving their understanding of science. At the beginning of the intervention study, Humboldt�s life was used as a stimulus of student�s thoughts about science at. Students were put in the same situation of a scientist: posing a question about a theme of their interest, designing and realizing an experiment in order to satisfy their curiosity. By doing so, students� understandings of the construction of scientific knowledge would be improved. After a preliminary study between June and July 2002 at the Bammental Gymnasium, a case study took place from March till July 2003 at the Realschule Linkenheim for students of Grade 5. Students� epistemologies about science and scientists at the Realschule Linkenheim were collected by using the current trends in science education research: pre- and post-questionnaires, classroom observation, pre- and post- interviews, the Draw-A-Scientist-Task and portfolio work. This intervention study was realized in 26 school sessions and all the work sessions were also video taped. Students� views about their actual nature of science aspects were characterized and coded using a framework drawing on the following areas: characteristics of scientists, history of science and the epistemology about science and scientists. Finally, students were asked to write about their learning process by using portfolios. As to the recommendations: This study suggests that in order to develop some aspects of the nature of science, students need a free space at school to realize hands-on inquiry and a trained teacher who can translate to his students besides content knowledge, the nature of knowledge and the historical evolution of scientific knowledge.
Most of the existing predictive malaria risks models use very broad spatial scales. They are usually built for continental or national outlines. These models do not account for the complexity of socio-economic variables intervening in the malaria transmission process. Most of them are driven by weather data. However, it is difficult to make antimalarial interventions at a continental or national level and to act on climate variables alone. Consequently, the suitability of these models for real malaria prevention strategies is not high. Moreover, the existing informational-based prevention strategies are not suitable, since they are usually limited to the occasional usage of large public mass media to transfer bits of information. This study proposes new paths in malaria modelling and prevention. It is dedicated to the building of a thematically extended model integrating both environmental and social variables. The proposed prevention strategy is based on an educational philosophy integrating the actual malaria modelling results. The study starts with the implementation of a methodology dedicated to data creation and data analysis. The protocol of data creation is based on an urban malaria paradigm. It encompasses the epidemiological, environmental, and social components of malaria risk. The epidemiological component is elaborated through retrospective, self-reported, malaria febrile and clinical episodes of individuals at the household level. In addition to climate data, key ecological variables are created from remote sensing sources with a very high spatial resolution. New social indexes and coefficients measuring economic status, crowding conditions and prevention capacity of the population are created. A morphospatial structure of Yaoundé, which assumes the presence of distinct population aggregates, representing similar socio-economic profiles, is established using an object-oriented classification of QuickBird images. A spatial based index of urbanity (IU), quantitatively marking the difference between “urban” and “rural” patterns, is also built. A knowledge-base expressing the social, ecological and malarial significance of both population aggregates and index of urbanity is established and used in a Fuzzy Logic simulation approach to predict urban malaria in Yaoundé. The yearly malaria prevalence based on individuals in households in Yaoundé is 9% while the malaria prevalence based on households as an entity is 27%. Malaria prevalence is higher during the small rainy season. It is much more marked in peri-urban areas during this season, while people in central areas are more exposed during the big rainy season. A statistical multinomial model identified socio-economic and socio-ecologic variables, notably those related to the physical condition of houses, as being highly associated with frequent episodes of malaria in households. Variables related to prevention capacity perform very well in predicting the absence of malaria in households. Among the ecological variables, only elevation and the distance to urban agriculture (UA) areas are associated with malaria. The statistically (from multinomial models), overall-predicted household prevalence of malaria is lower than the observed one. The morphospatial structure of the city shows a clear distinction between very dense, centralized and “urbanized” population aggregates (PA) and very isolated, mostly peri-urban, “rural” population aggregates. The morphological model suggests that the intensity and sustainability of the malaria transmission are both dependant on demographical gradients. The less urbanized population aggregates, although being in proximity of urban agriculture areas, are demographically not suitable for a sustainable malaria transmission. The most urbanized population aggregates are too dense and too far from urban agriculture areas. This does not favour local malaria transmission. This rigid ecological pattern is somewhat biased by the identified social patterns. The densest population aggregates mostly host very poor people. This allows a part of this population to be at a high risk of malaria through localized urban farming activities. The other parts of dense population aggregates are located in centrally situated planned zones. They have better socio-economic and socio-ecologic conditions which significantly reduces their vulnerability to malaria. Population aggregates with suitable demographic conditions (not too dense or too isolated), in addition to a higher environmental and social vulnerability, are the most exposed. Although the Fuzzy Logic simulation procedure produces a predicted prevalence which is lower than that of the overall multinomial model, it also identifies these intermediate population aggregates as being the most exposed. Results of interviews show that, in general, the knowledge and perception of people of basic key factors associated with malaria transmission is bad. Moreover, this knowledge follows a social stratification with the richest people having the best background. An association between knowledge and prevention behaviour is also established. In order to use the model for malaria prevention, three educational game-based tools have been created. The tools are designed for different target audiences with regard to required support and cognitive capacities. A follow-up method based on a pre- and post-test, before- and after-, play sessions is used to measure the information transfer capacity of each game to players who had various social profiles. Until now, official antimalarial campaigns in Cameroon used other media such as posters, television, and paper journals. Games had been not used at all before. From the point of view of players, the proposed games are highly attractive. Among them, the computer-based one, mixing visual and audio cognitive aspects in the information transfer, shows a good information transfer capacity. Furthermore, the degree of progress in the acquisition of malaria relevant information is highly dependent on the frequency of play.
Abstract: Immediate effect study Purpose: The immediate effects of altered auditory feedback (AAF) and a placebo condition on clinical attributes of stuttering during scripted as well as spontaneous speech are investigated herein. The primary purpose is the extension of the evidence-base of the impact of AAF on the clinical characteristics of stuttering. Method: Two commercially available AAF devices were used to create the delayed auditory feedback (DAF) and frequency altered feedback (FAF) effects. The participants consisted of thirty German-speaking people who stutter (PWS), aged 18 to 68 (M = 36.5; SD = 15.2). Each subject produced four sets of oral readings, three sets of monologs and three sets of dialogs. The participants were exposed to different experimental conditions (No device, Placebo, active AAF using Device A, and active AAF using Device B) while producing the speech samples. The recordings were then electronically analyzed to detect changes in select features of stuttering; frequency, duration, speech rate, articulation rate and core behaviors. The occurrence of these variables was examined across all speech samples collected within the four experimental conditions. Results: A statistically significant difference in the frequency of stuttered syllables (%SS) was found while using both devices (p = .000). Although individual reactions varied widely, the most notable reductions in %SS occurred within the reading (M = 2.33, SD = 3.75) and monolog (M = 2.26, SD = 3.32) samples. Thus, active AAF settings had the least impact on speech fluency during conversational speech (M = 1.49, SD = 2.71). During the placebo condition (no active AAF parameters), the subject group also experienced a statistically significant decline in %SS (p = .028). Conclusion: This result indicates that the effects of AAF alone may not be the sole reason for fluency enhancements experienced when using a portable speech aid. Abstract: longitudinal trail Purpose: The effects of a portable altered auditory feedback (AAF) device on the severity of stuttering over a three-month period were investigated. The main goal was to examine the usage behavior and fluency-enhancements displayed during extended device utilization. Method: Qualitative data on implementation environments, utilization patterns and user satisfaction were collected weekly from a group of seven adults (M = 45.3; SD = 11.4) who stutter. For the analysis of quantitative changes in stuttering severity, speech samples were collected in person at the beginning and end of the trial period. Two phone conversations throughout the study provided additional conversational samples. Results: Individual responses were quite diverse within both quantitative and qualitative measures. Group analysis revealed that conversational speech was overall significantly more fluent when a device was used. The percentage of stuttered syllables was significantly lower z = -2.201, p = .028, r = -0.18 upon first using AAF (with device: Mdn = 1.53; without device: Mdn = 3.53) and during the personal conversation at the end of three months (with device: Mdn = 1.89; without device: Mdn = 3.97). However, during the two mid-trial phone conversations during which a device was used (T2 & T3), stuttering frequency remained largely unaltered T2: z = -.943, p = .345 (Mdn = 3.87); T3: z = -1.57, p = .116 (Mdn = 3.00). The analysis of weekly questionnaires and user diaries revealed that the device was most commonly used in familiar environments (63% at home). On average, the speech aid was utilized four to five times a week, with an overall satisfaction rate of 42%. Conclusion: Some meaningful conclusions for clinical work with clients wishing to use AAF can be drawn from these results. While AAF has its limits in reducing stuttering, ability to use a device may be optimized if usage is acquired in a guided clinical process.
ABSTRACT
The problem that prompted this study is the absence of modern approaches and methods of teaching and learning science in Mozambican educational system. Currently, the science curricula in Mozambique can be characterized as: organized in separated disciplines, based on canonical science content, and teaching practices that are based on a teacher-centered approach using traditional methods of teaching.
On the other hand, there is an approach of teaching and learning which focus on the relationship between Science, Technology and Society (STS) that is well established in science education since the late 80s. This approach of teaching is claimed to be one of the best ways to achieve scientific literacy, promote decision-making and active citizenship of students in social issues pertaining the society where they live, and it had been used in many developed and developing countries.
Taking into account this discrepancy, and trying to find a solution for the problem the following research questions were posed:
1. What are Mozambican university students' views about the relationship between science, technology and society?
2. Does an STS approach of teaching involving inquiry type of laboratory work using an open-ended approach contribute to change students' views and beliefs about STS issues?
3. Could an STS approach of teaching be successfully implemented in Mozambican educational system at secondary and tertiary level?
In order to answer these questions and in a quest to find solutions for the problem posed a mixed-method approach was used, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods. There was a survey carried out in all branches of the Pedagogical University of Mozambique, covering all provinces of the country, and there was an intervention process implemented in iterative way in two tiers in two consecutive years.
The main instrument used to gather data, both in the survey and in the intervention process were 19 VOSTS item selected from a pool of 114 multiple choice items developed in Canada in late 80s to assess students' "Views on Science - Technology - Society" (VOSTS). The 19 VOSTS items selected for the study, after translation from English to Portuguese were adapted and adopted as the main research instrument. The questionnaire administered to students both in survey and intervention consisted of 13 VOSTS items, of which only 7 were identical. The 6 VOSTS items used in the survey were focusing on views of science in medias and science class and aspects related to the technology development and implementation, while the 6 other different used in the intervention process were focused on the nature of science (epistemology).
The survey was carried out by administering the 13 VOSTS items questionnaire in all ten provinces of the country with branches of the Pedagogical University, using 832 second year students enrolled in four science or science related courses of: agriculture, biology, chemistry and physics. The aim of the survey was to establish a baseline situation of the country about STS issues, since the study was the first of its kind in the country.
The intervention process was made in two tiers in two consecutive years, involving 59 second year chemistry students of one branch. The intervention process was implemented in 12 weeks and the design consisted of four different stages: (1) pretest, consisted of administering the 13 VOSTS items questionnaire; (2) seminars about STS issues, STS approach, and about inquiry type of practical work using open ended approach; (3) students performing experiments to solve problems posed using the knowledge about STS issues. During this process field notes and some videotapes were made; (4) post-test at the end of the process using the same instrument administered in the pretest, and (5) post-intervention interview with selected students who participated in the study to evaluate the process in which they were involved.
To assess students' responses to the questionnaires administered both in the survey and in the intervention, a panel of 10 experts was assembled as judges, all of them university lecturers with PhD Degree and more than 15 experience teaching biology (1), chemistry (5), physics (1); mathematics (3) and French teacher (1). Their task was to categorize the options of each VOSTS statement and classify as Realistic, and other options could be classified as many times as possible as Has Merit or Naïve. The last three options that were common to all VOSTS items were considered Passive. After analyzing the classifications of every expert, an effort was made to find consensus and come up with one final categorization that could be used a scoring scheme to assess students' responses to the questionnaire. In those VOSTS items where there were discrepancies in selecting the Realistic view it was solved by adopting categorization made in other studies using the same VOSTS items made by people acquitted with STS issues, unlike the experts used in this research (only one was acquitted with the approach). G
The underlying assumption in this study is that the ultimate goal of science teaching is to change students' opinions progressively “from Naïve” to “Has merit”, and from there to a “Realistic” view about the relationship between science, technology and society. Taking this into consideration the following conclusions were inferred:
1. Mozambican students' views and beliefs about the relationship between science, technology and society are positive, they correspond to what is commonly accepted in the scientific community about the STS issues assessed in this study.
2. The results from the baseline study, besides being considered positive showed that students irrespective of the course that they are enrolled (agriculture, biology, chemistry and physics), have no significant difference on the STS issues assessed.
3. An STS approach of teaching implemented through inquiry type of practical work using open ended approach during twelve (12) weeks suggests that students' views are positive and are more in line with what is accepted in the scientific community about the 13 VOSTS items assessed in the intervention process.
4. Based on the results of the intervention process with the experimental group in two different years it can be concluded that the STS approach of teaching proposed and implemented though inquiry type of practical work using open ended approach did not contributed to change students' views and beliefs about STS issues from pretest to post-test, except in two of the 13 VOSTS items assessed.
5. By comparing students' responses to the seven common VOSTS items in the baseline study and in the intervention process, in both years and pretest and post-test, the answer pattern are similar. These findings show, on one hand that all science students share the same views about science, and on the other hand that irrespective of the intervention made students did not change their views.
6. Based on the results of the baseline study, the results of the intervention process and taking into account the evaluation of the blue print documents about Mozambican educational system and the socio-politic context of the country it can be concluded that the STS approach of teaching can be implemented in Mozambique.
Finally, it is worthy to consider that taking into account the study design made, the sample size used, and the rigor in controlling variables, it is believed that the results of this study are valid and can be generalized to other Mozambican students with the same science background. Furthermore, when considering science as universal irrespective of the place where it takes place, some of the findings of this study can be generalized to other places in world.
Individuals differ in their timing of sleep (bed times, rise times) and in their preference for morning or evening hours. Previous work focused on the relationship between academic achievement and these variables in secondary school students. The main aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between chronotype and academic achievement in 10-year-old children (n = 1125, 536 girls, 584 boys and 5 sex unspecified) attending 4th grade of primary school. They filled a cognitive test (Culture Fair Intelligence Test, CFT 20-R) and questions about rise times and bed times, academic achievement, conscientiousness and motivation. We implemented questions about wake times and bed times, academic achievement (measured by grades in Mathematics, German, English and Nature & Culture), ‘‘scales for the assessment of learning and performance motivation’’ (SELLMO; Skalen zur Erfassung der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation for motivation), the short version of the Five-Factor Personality Inventory Children (FFPI-C) to measure conscientiousness, and the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) to assess morningness-eveningness. Mean CSM score was 37.84 ± 6.66, midpoint of sleep was 1:36 ± 00:25 and average sleep duration (time in bed) was 10:15 ± 0:48. Morningness orientation was positively related to intelligence, conscientiousness and learning objectives. Results showed that boys and girls did not differ in chronotype. There were significant differences between girls and boys in academic performance but the direction was subject-specific: Girls did better in languages (German, English) and Nature & Culture, but boys had better scores in Mathematics. Overall, there were no gender differences in grades. There were significant gender differences in midpoint of sleep with girls sleeping later and showed higher social jetlag. Eveningness orientation was related to avoidance performance objectives and work avoidance. Early midpoint of sleep, conscientiousness and intelligence were associated with better grades. The multivariate model showed that intelligence was the strongest predictor of good grades. Conscientiousness, motivation, younger age and an earlier midpoint of sleep were positively related to good grades. This is the first study in primary school pupils, and it shows that the negative relationship between evening orientation and academic achievement is already prevalent at this age even when controlling for important predictors of achievement.
There is scarcity of research on scalable peer-feedback design and student’s peer-feedback perceptions and therewith their use in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). To address this gap, this study explored the use of peer-feedback design with the purpose of getting insight into student perceptions as well as into providing design guidelines. The findings of this pilot study indicate that peer-feedback training with the focus on clarity, transparency and the possibility to practice beforehand increases students willingness to partici- pate in future peer-feedback activities and training, increases their perceived usefulness, preparedness and general attitude regarding peer-feedback. The results of this pilot will be used as a basis for future large-scale experiments to compare different designs.
How to improve science teacher effectiveness? In order to find answers to this question a first step in this study is a close observation and critical reflection on the level of science teacher training courses. During an international science teacher training course, which had been previously developed in a three-year European project (CAT4U), informal conversations of the participants were recorded and analysed allowing genuine insight in the ways that teachers exchange about profession-related content among themselves. This work is a first exploratory step into a fairly new field of professional development research, which hopes to come up with some reasonable hypotheses gained from the combination of current research literature and from deeper analyses of field data, that hopefully serves as an inspiration for teacher trainers in practice as well as for further educational research.