Minority Preservice Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Science: Sources of Science Teaching Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

2013-01-01

This study explores five minority preservice teachers' conceptions of teaching science and identifies the sources of their strategies for helping students learn science. Perspectives from the literature on conceptions of teaching science and on the role constructs used to describe and distinguish minority preservice teachers from their mainstream…

The "Fundamental Pedogagical Principle" in Second Language Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krashen, Stephen D.

1981-01-01

A fundamental principle of second language acquisition is stated and applied to language teaching. The principle states that learners acquire a second language when they receive comprehensible input in situations where their affective filters are sufficiently low. The theoretical background of this principle consists of five hypotheses: the…

Elementary Concepts and Fundamental Laws of the Theory of Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, Mário J.

2018-06-01

The elementary concepts and fundamental laws concerning the science of heat are examined from the point of view of its development with special attention to its theoretical structure. The development is divided into four periods, each one characterized by the concept that was attributed to heat. The transition from one to the next period was marked by the emergence of new concepts and new laws, and by singular events. We point out that thermodynamics, as it emerged, is founded on the elementary concepts of temperature and adiabatic wall, and on the fundamental laws: Mayer-Joule principle, or law of conservation of energy; Carnot principle, which leads to the definition of entropy; and the Clausius principle, or law of increase in entropy.

Elementary Concepts and Fundamental Laws of the Theory of Heat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Oliveira, Mário J.

2018-03-01

The elementary concepts and fundamental laws concerning the science of heat are examined from the point of view of its development with special attention to its theoretical structure. The development is divided into four periods, each one characterized by the concept that was attributed to heat. The transition from one to the next period was marked by the emergence of new concepts and new laws, and by singular events. We point out that thermodynamics, as it emerged, is founded on the elementary concepts of temperature and adiabatic wall, and on the fundamental laws: Mayer-Joule principle, or law of conservation of energy; Carnot principle, which leads to the definition of entropy; and the Clausius principle, or law of increase in entropy.

Teachers' Conceptions of Excellent Teaching and Its Relationships to Self-Reported Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Junjun; Brown, Gavin T. L.; Hattie, John A. C.; Millward, Pam

2012-01-01

This study surveyed Chinese middle school (n = 951) teachers' conceptions of excellent teaching and examined the relationship of those conceptions to their self-reported teaching practices. Responses were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. These teachers identified one examination-oriented dimension and…

Primary School Teacher Perceived Self-Efficacy to Teach Fundamental Motor Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callea, Micarle B.; Spittle, Michael; O'Meara, James; Casey, Meghan

2008-01-01

Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) are a part of the school curricula, yet many Australian primary-age children are not mastering FMS. One reason may be a lack of perceived self-efficacy of primary teachers to teach FMS. This study investigated the level of perceived self-efficacy of primary school teachers to teach FMS in Victoria, Australia. A…

Student Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate prospective biology teachers' conceptions of teaching biology and identify how these conceptions revealed their strategies for helping their future students' learning of biology. The study utilized drawings, narratives and interviews to investigate the nature of the prospective biology…

From Common Sense Concepts to Scientifically Conditioned Concepts of Chemical Bonding: An Historical and Textbook Approach Designed to Address Learning and Teaching Issues at the Secondary School Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croft, Michael; de Berg, Kevin

2014-09-01

This paper selects six key alternative conceptions identified in the literature on student understandings of chemical bonding and illustrates how a historical analysis and a textbook analysis can inform these conceptions and lead to recommendations for improving the teaching and learning of chemical bonding at the secondary school level. The historical analysis and the textbook analysis focus on the concepts of charge, octet, electron pair, ionic, covalent and metallic bonding. Finally, a table of recommendations is made for teacher and student in the light of four fundamental questions and the six alternative conceptions to enhance the quality of the curriculum resources available and the level of student engagement.

Teaching Aerobic Fitness Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sander, Allan N.; Ratliffe, Tom

2002-01-01

Discusses how to teach aerobic fitness concepts to elementary students. Some of the K-2 activities include location, size, and purpose of the heart and lungs; the exercise pulse; respiration rate; and activities to measure aerobic endurance. Some of the 3-6 activities include: definition of aerobic endurance; heart disease risk factors;…

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-02-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers' pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers' conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.

Authentic Teaching of Fitness Concepts to Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sander, Allan N.; Ratliffe, Thomas; Kane, Jennifer

This paper stresses the importance of teaching aerobic and muscle fitness concepts as part of a health-related fitness curriculum in physical education, recommending outcomes for teaching aerobic endurance and muscle/strength endurance in kindergarten through sixth grade. It describes important learning aid materials and presents national…

A Sample WebQuest Applicable in Teaching Topological Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Sevda Goktepe; Korpeoglu, Seda Goktepe

2016-01-01

In recent years, WebQuests have received a great deal of attention and have been used effectively in teaching-learning process in various courses. In this study, a WebQuest that can be applicable in teaching topological concepts for undergraduate level students was prepared. A number of topological concepts, such as countability, infinity, and…

Fundamental movement skills and self-concept of children who are overweight.

PubMed

Poulsen, Anne A; Desha, Laura; Ziviani, Jenny; Griffiths, Lisa; Heaslop, Annabel; Khan, Asad; Leong, Gary M

2011-06-01

Differences in fundamental movement skills and self-perceptions of physical ability and physical appearance of overweight and non-overweight children were investigated. Overweight (n = 89, mean age = 8.75 ± 1.4 years, BMI z-score = 2.22, SD = 0.46, 46% male) and non-overweight (n = 27, mean age = 8.25 ± 1.5 years, BMI z-score = 0.03, SD = 0.73, 62.1% male) participants enrolled in the KOALA (Kinder Overweight Activity Lifestyle Actions) project were included. The overall objective of the KOALA project was to determine in a randomized controlled trial the effect of a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), and a family 'Eat Well Be Active' Scouts Camp program on BMI in overweight children. Baseline between-group differences on measures of fundamental movement skills and self-concept perceptions were analyzed using independent samples t-tests. Relationships between BMI and these variables were investigated with multiple linear regression. Overweight children had lower scores on Bruninks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Performance-2 subtests (Bilateral Coordination, Upper Limb Coordination, Strength, Balance, and Running Speed and Agility), and Physical abilities self-concept than non-overweight children. Children who were overweight had significant fundamental movement skill difficulties, as well as having poorer Physical abilities self-concept perceptions compared to non-overweight children. The association between increasing BMI and poor performance of gross motor tasks has potential implications for physical activity participation. Future research is needed to determine if fundamental movement skill difficulties and low physical ability self-concept are predisposing factors for children who are overweight or associated outcomes.

Interactive NMR: A Simulation Based Teaching Tool for Fundamentals to Applications with Tangible Analogies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griesse-Nascimento, Sarah; Bridger, Joshua; Brown, Keith; Westervelt, Robert

2011-03-01

Interactive computer simulations increase students' understanding of difficult concepts and their ability to explain complex ideas. We created a module of eight interactive programs and accompanying lesson plans for teaching the fundamental concepts of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) that we call interactive NMR (iNMR). We begin with an analogy between nuclear spins and metronomes to start to build intuition about the dynamics of spins in a magnetic field. We continue to explain T1, T2, and pulse sequences with the metronome analogy. The final three programs are used to introduce and explain the Magnetic Resonance Switch, a recent diagnostic technique based on NMR. A modern relevant application is useful to generate interest in the topic and confidence in the students' ability to apply their knowledge. The iNMR module was incorporated into a high school AP physics class. In a preliminary evaluation of implementation, students expressed enthusiasm and demonstrated enhanced understanding of the material relative to the previous year. Funded by NSF PHY-0646094 grant.

Solar-System Bodies as Teaching Tools in Fundamental Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genus, Amelia; Overduin, James

2018-01-01

We show how asteroids can be used as teaching tools in fundamental physics. Current gravitational theory assumes that all bodies fall with the same acceleration in the same gravitational field. But this assumption, known as the Equivalence Principle, is violated to some degree in nearly all theories that attempt to unify gravitation with the other fundamental forces of nature. In such theories, bodies with different compositions can fall at different rates, producing small non-Keplerian distortions in their orbits. We focus on the unique all-metal asteroid 16 Psyche as a test case. Using Kepler’s laws of planetary motion together with recent observational data on the orbital motions of Psyche and its neighbors, students are able to derive new constraints on current theories in fundamental physics. These constraints take on particular interest since NASA has just announced plans to visit Psyche in 2026.

Factors which influence Texas biology teachers' decisions to emphasize fundamental concepts of evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilica, Kimberly Lynn

The teaching of biological evolution in public science classrooms has been mitigated by a lingering and historic climate of controversy (Skoog, 1984; Skoog, 1979). This controversy has successfully stalled attempts to bring authentic science literacy to the American public (Bybee, 1997). The first encouraging signs of the abatement of this controversy occurred during the early 1990s when several prominent science organizations promoted evolution to its appropriate status as a central and unifying concept in biology (National Science Teachers Association, 1992; National Research Council, 1996; American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990, 1993). The organizations acknowledged that not only should biological evolution be taught, evolution should stand as one of a select group of essential concepts upon which biology curricula should be built. Bandura's Social Learning theory (Bandura, 1997; Lumpe, Haney, & Czerniak, 2000) and Helms' Model of Identity (Helms, 1998) provide the theoretical basis for this study. Both Bandura and Helms explain the actions of teachers by examining the beliefs and values that influence their decisions. The models distinguish between two types of belief systems: capacity beliefs and context beliefs (Lumpe, et al, 2000; Helms, 1998). Both belief types influence and are influenced by individual actions. In this study, the action to be described is the decision that teachers make about the degree of emphasis on evolution in the classroom. The capacity beliefs that will be examined are teachers' beliefs about their capability to teach evolution. The contextual beliefs in this study are perceptions about students' capabilities to learn evolution, the status of evolution in science, the place of evolution in the biology classroom, the influence of textbooks, time, and community/school values. This study contributes to and extends the knowledge base established by studies of evolution education by exploring the relative amount of

Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching the Function Concept and Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatisaru, Vesife; Erbas, Ayhan Kursat

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential interrelationships between teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) the function concept and their students' learning outcomes of this concept. Data were collected from two teachers teaching in a vocational high school and their students through a function concept test for teachers…

A pragmatic conception of science: Implications for science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessoms, Deidre Bates

In this dissertation, I examine various philosophical conceptions of the nature of science---its goals, methods and products---and link those views to how science is taught. While the review begins in the 1600s, the focus is primarily on logical positivism. The logical positivist view of science prevailed for much of the twentieth century and has greatly influenced how science is taught. The review section culminates with current conceptions of science from the fields of philosophy, sociology, feminist studies and radical studies of science. These various conceptions of the nature of science are linked to how science is currently taught, at the K--12 level and at the university. In particular, the logical positivist conception has influenced the teaching of science by emphasizing the products of science (factual knowledge and theories) over the processes of science (the social methods of knowledge production). As a result of viewing science as the logical positivists did, teachers primarily focus on science as unchanging factual knowledge, at the expense of examining the social and cultural aspects of scientific practices. I develop a pragmatic conception of the method of science as reflective thinking that we effectively use in our everyday lives. Linking that conception with the aims that John Dewey outlined for schools in a democratic society points the way towards certain goals and methods for teaching science. Therefore, I explore the type of science teaching that might result when viewing science as a pragmatic activity conducted in a democracy. Teaching of this sort would involve students in working together on shared problems that arise in the context of daily life. For science students at the university, this would include participating in and critiquing scientific research in active research laboratories. Implementing this view of science teaching might result in modifications in the practices and goals of science. Lastly, the experiences of a group of

Incorporating Concept Sketching into Teaching Undergraduate Geomorphology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reusser, Lucas J.; Corbett, Lee B.; Bierman, Paul R.

2012-01-01

Constructing concept sketches (diagrams annotated with short captions in which students demonstrate their understanding of form, process, and interactions) provides a new and different way to teach Earth surface processes and assess the depth of student learning. During a semester-long course in Geomorphology, we used concept sketches as an…

Teaching Time Concepts to Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Sharon Pray

1986-01-01

Presents many activity ideas for teaching young children about time using chronological events, clocks, and calendars. Jerome Bruner's enactive-iconic-symbolic sequence of concept development is used as a guide for these learning experiences. (LP)

Active Ways to Teach Health Concepts in the Elementary Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Julie

2015-01-01

This article provides three movement-based activities for teaching health concepts to elementary school students. Two activities focus on nutrition concepts and the other focuses on teaching body systems. Diagrams are provided to show the setup of activities, as well as links for accessing materials to help implement the activities.

Organic Chemistry Educators' Perspectives on Fundamental Concepts and Misconceptions: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duis, Jennifer M.

2011-01-01

An exploratory study was conducted with 23 organic chemistry educators to discover what general chemistry concepts they typically review, the concepts they believe are fundamental to introductory organic chemistry, the topics students find most difficult in the subject, and the misconceptions they observe in undergraduate organic chemistry…

The Progression of Prospective Primary Teachers' Conceptions of the Methodology of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivero, Ana; Azcarate, Pilar; Porlan, Rafael; del Pozo, Rosa Martin; Harres, Joao

2011-01-01

This article describes the evolution of prospective primary teachers' conceptions of the methodology of teaching. Three categories were analyzed: the concept of activity, the organization of activities, and the concept of teaching resources. The study was conducted with five teams of prospective teachers, who were participating in teacher…

Development of Teaching Material Oxidation-Reduction Reactions through Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamsuri, B. S.; Anwar, S.; Sumarna, O.

2017-09-01

This research aims to develop oxidation-reduction reactions (redox) teaching material used the Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD) method consists of four steps: selection, structuring, characterization and didactical reduction. This paper is the first part of the development of teaching material that includes selection and structuring steps. At the selection step, the development of teaching material begins with the development concept of redox based on curriculum demands, then the development of fundamental concepts sourced from the international textbook, and last is the development of values or skills can be integrated with redox concepts. The results of this selection step are the subject matter of the redox concept and values can be integrated with it. In the structuring step was developed concept map that provide on the relationship between redox concepts; Macro structure that guide systematic on the writing of teaching material; And multiple representations which are the development of teaching material that connection between macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic level representations. The result of the two steps in this first part of the study produced a draft of teaching material. Evaluation of the draft of teaching material is done by an expert lecturer in the field of chemical education to assess the feasibility of teaching material.

The (Homo)Morphism Concept: Didactic Transposition, Meta-Discourse and Thematisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hausberger, Thomas

2017-01-01

This article focuses on the didactic transposition of the homomorphism concept and on the elaboration and evaluation of an activity dedicated to the teaching of this fundamental concept in Abstract Algebra. It does not restrict to Group Theory but on the contrary raises the issue of the teaching and learning of algebraic structuralism, thus…

On Teaching Abstraction in Computer Science to Novices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armoni, Michal

2013-01-01

Abstraction is a key concept in CS, one of the most fundamental ideas underlying CS and its practice. However, teaching this soft concept to novices is a very difficult task, as discussed by many CSE experts. This paper discusses this issue, and suggests a general framework for teaching abstraction in CS to novices, a framework that would fit into…

The Concept of Ideology in Analysis of Fundamental Questions in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Säther, Jostein

The use of the concept of `ideology' in interpretation of science education curricula, textbooks and various practises is reviewed, and examples are given by referring to Norwegian curricula and textbooks. The term is proposed to be used in a broad sense about any kind of action-oriented theory based on a system of ideas, or any attempt to approach politics in the light of a system of ideas. Politics in this context is about shaping of education, and is related to forces (i.e., hypothetical impacts of idea systems) which may legitimise, change, or criticise social practices. The focus is (although not in every case) on the hidden, unconscious and critical aspects. The notion ideological aspects is proposed to be related to metaphysical-ontological, epistemological and axiological claims and connotations. Examples of educational issues concerning e.g., aims, compartmentalisation, integration, and fundamentally different ideas about truth, learning and man are mentioned. Searching for a single and unifying concept for the discussing of all of science education's fundamental questions seems however in vain. Therefore a wide range of concepts seems necessary to deepen our understanding of ``the fundamental questions''.

Extending Research on "Conceptions of Teaching": Commonalities and Differences in Recent Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Carlos

2011-01-01

There is a significant body of research on conceptions of teaching. However, newer studies have reported facets of teaching which did not emerge in previous research. This has lead to claims that there may be still much to learn about university teachers' conceptions of teaching. In this line, the present study is aimed at exploring, from a…

Teaching and Learning the Concept of Chemical Bonding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy Nahum, Tami; Mamlok-Naaman, Rachel; Hofstein, Avi; Taber, Keith S.

2010-01-01

Chemical bonding is one of the key and basic concepts in chemistry. The learning of many of the concepts taught in chemistry, in both secondary schools as well as in the colleges, is dependent upon understanding fundamental ideas related to chemical bonding. Nevertheless, the concept is perceived by teachers, as well as by learners, as difficult,…

"Homo Pedagogicus": The Evolutionary Nature of Second Language Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atkinson, Dwight

2017-01-01

Second language (SL) teacher educators tirelessly teach others how to teach. But how often do we actually define teaching? Without explicit definitional activity on this fundamental concept in second language teaching (SLT), it remains implicit and intuitive--the opposite of clear, productive understanding. I therefore explore the question,…

Frameworks for Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trials of Interventions That Target Fundamental Aging Processes

PubMed Central

Justice, Jamie; Miller, Jordan D.; Newman, John C.; Hashmi, Shahrukh K.; Halter, Jeffrey; Austad, Steve N.; Barzilai, Nir

2016-01-01

Therapies targeted at fundamental processes of aging may hold great promise for enhancing the health of a wide population by delaying or preventing a range of age-related diseases and conditions—a concept dubbed the “geroscience hypothesis.” Early, proof-of-concept clinical trials will be a key step in the translation of therapies emerging from model organism and preclinical studies into clinical practice. This article summarizes the outcomes of an international meeting partly funded through the NIH R24 Geroscience Network, whose purpose was to generate concepts and frameworks for early, proof-of-concept clinical trials for therapeutic interventions that target fundamental processes of aging. The goals of proof-of-concept trials include generating preliminary signals of efficacy in an aging-related disease or outcome that will reduce the risk of conducting larger trials, contributing data and biological samples to support larger-scale research by strategic networks, and furthering a dialogue with regulatory agencies on appropriate registration indications. We describe three frameworks for proof-of-concept trials that target age-related chronic diseases, geriatric syndromes, or resilience to stressors. We propose strategic infrastructure and shared resources that could accelerate development of therapies that target fundamental aging processes. PMID:27535966

Evaluation of Computer Simulations for Teaching Apparel Merchandising Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolly, Laura D.; Sisler, Grovalynn

1988-01-01

The study developed and evaluated computer simulations for teaching apparel merchandising concepts. Evaluation results indicated that teaching method (computer simulation versus case study) does not significantly affect cognitive learning. Student attitudes varied, however, according to topic (profitable merchandising analysis versus retailing…

Teaching Concepts of Natural Sciences to Foreigners through Content-Based Instruction: The Adjunct Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satilmis, Yilmaz; Yakup, Doganay; Selim, Guvercin; Aybarsha, Islam

2015-01-01

This study investigates three models of content-based instruction in teaching concepts and terms of natural sciences in order to increase the efficiency of teaching these kinds of concepts in realization and to prove that the content-based instruction is a teaching strategy that helps students understand concepts of natural sciences. Content-based…

Analysis of Student-Evaluation Data on the Teaching of Fundamental Physics in an Introductory Technology Course, Paying Attention to Students‧ Earnestness to Learn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishida, Masahiko

How student evaluations of the teaching of fundamental physics for engineering relate to teaching strategy from academic 2004 to 2006 has been studied, focusing on students‧ earnestness to learn. The teaching emphasized instructing theoretical concepts for 2004 and solving problems for 2005. The instruction during 2006 offered a good balance between the strategy for 2004 and that for 2005. The first and second components produced by principal-component analysis of the evaluation data have indicated the quality of instruction and the scholastic ability of students, respectively, independent of the teaching strategy. While correlation between the second component and the degree of earnestness was positive for 2004 and negative for 2005, the correlation for 2006 has been negligible, as expected. Multiple-regression analysis between the evaluation data and students‧ exam scores has shown little correlation for 2006, in contrast to that for 2004, but similar to that for 2005. Finally, we can say that the teaching strategy for 2006 would lead to educational effects similar to those in 2005 when the exam scores were notably improved.

Teaching Method and Effect on Learning Piagetian Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swiderski, David J.; Amadio, Dean M.

2013-01-01

Instructors of psychology typically use a variety of methods to teach concepts. The present double-blind experiment is intended to determine the effectiveness of popular television clips as exemplars of Piagetian concepts compared to verbal descriptions of the same exemplars among a sample of 86 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory…

Computer Systems for Teaching Complex Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feurzeig, Wallace

Four Programing systems--Mentor, Stringcomp, Simon, and Logo--were designed and implemented as integral parts of research into the various ways computers may be used for teaching problem-solving concepts and skills. Various instructional contexts, among them medicine, mathematics, physics, and basic problem-solving for elementary school children,…

Conceptions of Teaching Science Held by Novice Teachers in an Alternative Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koballa, Thomas R.; Glynn, Shawn M.; Upson, Leslie

2005-01-01

Case studies to investigate the conceptions of teaching science held by three novice teachers participating in an alternative secondary science teacher certification program were conducted, along with the relationships between their conceptions of science teaching and their science teaching practice. Data used to build the cases included the…

"Structural Transformation" as a Threshold Concept in University Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinchin, Ian M.; Miller, Norma L.

2012-01-01

In an attempt to reveal potential threshold concepts in the field of higher education pedagogy, groups of university teachers (in the UK and in Panama) were encouraged to develop personal reflection upon their conceptions of teaching. This was initiated through concept mapping activities. It was hoped that this would help participants to address…

[Selecting methods and awaiting growth: the teaching experience of fundamental nursing practicum instructors].

PubMed

Lin, Hui-Chen; Lin, Chi-Yi; Chien, Tsui-Wei; Liu, Kuei-Fen; Chen, Miao-Yen; Lin, Wen-Chuan

2013-02-01

A constellation of factors accounts for teaching efficacy in the fundamental nursing practicum. Teachers play a critical role in terms of designing and executing an appropriate teaching plan, choosing effective methods, and holding appropriate teaching attitudes. It is thus extremely important that clinical teachers master the core characteristics of basic nursing practice. This study aimed to illuminate the core characteristics of basic nursing practice for students for reference by clinical practicum teachers. Qualitative research was used to identify the fundamentals of nursing practice by clinical teacher. Five focus group meetings were convened during the practice period. The researchers presided over group discussions held during the normal weekly teaching schedule and lasting approximately 2-4 hours each. The content analysis was adopted to analyze the data. Three major themes were proposed, including (1) student status: "novices were stymied by problems and thus improved slowly"; (2) teacher awareness: "teachers need to be aware of student capabilities, mood, and discomfort"; and (3) teaching style: "a good choice of methods should support and encourage students. To cultivate professional nursing knowledge and self-confidence for future professional commitment, clinical teachers must first understand the characteristics and motivations of learning of their students and then select the, skills, and attitudes appropriate to provide step-by-step guidance. Communication with staffs and the preparation of atmosphere prior to nursing practice are also essential for students. Results provide insights into the technical college environment with regard to basic-level clinical nursing practice.

The concept of nature in Islamic science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarman, Wendi

2016-02-01

Science teaching is basically value laden activities. One of the values tells that science is not related to any religion. This secular value is reflected to science teaching in many places, including religious country like Indonesia. However, we argue that in Indonesia science teaching should not be secular as in the Western country since one of the basic aim of National Education according to the Indonesian constitution Undang-Undang Dasar 1945, is to inculcate faith and god-fearing to One God Almighty. As we know, Indonesia is a Moslem country and has many Islamic schools in it too. Thus, it is important to design a science teaching framework base on Islamic teaching to fulfill the basic aim of National Education This paper discusses concept of nature, the key term in science, based on Islamic view that may used as a framework to develop Islamic science teaching. In Islam, science has a strong relation to religion since nature reflects the existence of the Creator. This concept is derived from the analysis of several verses from Qur'an as the main source of Islamic teaching. There are several principle can be derived from this analysis. Firstly, visible world is not the only world, but there is also the unseen world. Secondly, the nature is not merely matter that doesn't have any sacred value, but it is the indication or symbol of God existence and His Nature. Thirdly, The Qur'an and the nature are both Books of Allah that contain messages of Him, so they are complementary to each other

Teaching Abstract Concepts: Keys to the World of Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flatley, Joannis K.; Gittinger, Dennis J.

1990-01-01

Specific teaching strategies to help hearing-impaired secondary students comprehend abstract concepts include (1) pinpointing facts and fallacies, (2) organizing information visually, (3) categorizing ideas, and (4) reinforcing new vocabulary and concepts. Figures provide examples of strategy applications. (DB)

More Metric Measurement Concepts. Fundamentals of Occupational Mathematics. Module 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelbrecht, Nancy; And Others

This module is the 10th in a series of 12 learning modules designed to teach occupational mathematics. Blocks of informative material and rules are followed by examples and practice problems. The solutions to the practice problems are found at the end of the module. Specific topics covered include the metric concepts of mass, weight, and volume…

Physics Teachers' Views on Teaching the Concept of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bezen, Sevim; Bayrak, Celal; Aykutlu, Isil

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: With the advancement of technology, energy as a concept has become part of the every aspects of life, and it becomes more and more important day by day. Since 2013, the concept of energy has become part of the updated physics education program in Turkey. Teaching the concept of energy is a significant undertaking; most students…

The Progression of Prospective Primary Teachers' Conceptions of the Methodology of Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivero, Ana; Azcárate, Pilar; Porlán, Rafael; Martín Del Pozo, Rosa; Harres, Joao

2011-11-01

This article describes the evolution of prospective primary teachers' conceptions of the methodology of teaching. Three categories were analyzed: the concept of activity, the organization of activities, and the concept of teaching resources. The study was conducted with five teams of prospective teachers, who were participating in teacher education courses of a constructivist orientation. The results showed very different itineraries in the processes of change, and the presence of two major obstacles—the belief that teaching is the direct cause of learning, and epistemological absolutism. The study allows us to deduce some implications for initial teacher education.

Conceptions of Effective Teaching and Perceived Use of Computer Technologies in Active Learning Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gebre, Engida; Saroyan, Alenoush; Aulls, Mark W.

2015-01-01

This paper examined professors' conceptions of effective teaching in the context of a course they were teaching in active learning classrooms and how the conceptions related to the perceived role and use of computers in their teaching. We interviewed 13 professors who were teaching in active learning classrooms in winter 2011 in a large research…

Secondary Physical Science Teachers' Conceptions of Science Teaching in a Context of Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Dale L.; Booth, Shirley

2015-05-01

Pre-service teachers enter initial teacher education programmes with conceptions of teaching gleaned from their own schooling. These conceptions, which include teachers' beliefs, may be resistant to change, which is a challenge in contexts where teacher educators hope that teachers will teach in ways different from their own schooling. Conceptions of teaching found in different cultural and disciplinary contexts have contextual differences but have resonances with the results of research into teacher beliefs. Our sample of eight South African secondary physical science teachers was schooled in a system which encouraged knowledge transmission, but they were prepared in their initial teacher education for a learner-centred approach. After they had taught for a few years, we explored their conceptions of science teaching, using phenomenographic interviews. Four conceptions emerged inductively from the analysis: transferring science knowledge from mind to mind; transferring problematic science knowledge from mind to mind; creating space for learning science knowledge and creating space for learning problematic science knowledge. Internally these conceptions are constituted by three dimensions of variation: the nature of the science knowledge to be learnt, the role of the students and the role of the teacher. Media and practical work play different roles in the external horizon of these conceptions. These conceptions reflect the disciplinary context as well as the emphases of the sample's initial teacher education programme. This suggests that initial teacher education can significantly shape teachers' conceptions of teaching.

A Cognitive Approach to Threshold Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Guy

2013-01-01

This paper asks a fundamental question: what is happening inside the mind of the undergraduate during teaching and learning experiences, and how should curricula be designed to support it? A number of concepts lend themselves to providing an answer, principle among which is the relatively recent idea of Threshold Concepts. In this paper we attempt…

Concept Map Structure, Gender and Teaching Methods: An Investigation of Students' Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstner, Sabine; Bogner, Franz X.

2009-01-01

Background: This study deals with the application of concept mapping to the teaching and learning of a science topic with secondary school students in Germany. Purpose: The main research questions were: (1) Do different teaching approaches affect concept map structure or students' learning success? (2) Is the structure of concept maps influenced…

Three Fundamental Concepts in Second Language Acquisition and Their Relevance in Multilingual Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramsch, Claire; Whiteside, Anne

2007-01-01

This article considers how 3 fundamental concepts of second language acquisition (SLA), the native speaker, interlanguage, and the language learner have fared since Firth and Wagner (1997). We review the ascendancy of these concepts and their relationship to the traditional dichotomies of language learning versus language use and individual mind…

The Future of Learning and Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodlad, John I.

Leading the teaching profession toward the best possible instructional programs for children and youth will be difficult because our concepts of teaching must change fundamentally. The intensity of the school must be enormously increased in light of other more potent factors determining what a child learns and becomes. In the current era…

A Teaching Sequence for Learning the Concept of Chemical Equilibrium in Secondary School Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghirardi, Marco; Marchetti, Fabio; Pettinari, Claudio; Regis, Alberto; Roletto, Ezio

2014-01-01

A novel didactic sequence is proposed for the teaching of chemical equilibrium. This teaching sequence takes into account the historical and epistemological evolution of the concept, the alternative conceptions and learning difficulties highlighted by teaching science and research in education, and the need to focus on both the students'…

[Video-based self-control in surgical teaching. A new tool in a new concept].

PubMed

Dahmen, U; Sänger, C; Wurst, C; Arlt, J; Wei, W; Dondorf, F; Richter, B; Settmacher, U; Dirsch, O

2013-10-01

Image and video-based results and process control are essential tools of a new teaching concept for conveying surgical skills. The new teaching concept integrates approved teaching principles and new media. Every performance of exercises is videotaped and the result photographically recorded. The quality of the process and result becomes accessible for an analysis by the teacher and the student/learner. The learner is instructed to perform a criteria-based self-analysis of the video and image material by themselves. The new learning concept has so far been successfully applied in seven rounds within the newly designed modular class "Intensivkurs Chirurgische Techniken" (Intensive training of surgical techniques). Result documentation and analysis via digital picture was completed by almost every student. The quality of the results was high. Interestingly the result quality did not correlate with the time needed for the exercise. The training success had a lasting effect. The new and elaborate concept improves the quality of teaching. In the long run resources for patient care should be saved when training students according to this concept prior to performing tasks in the operating theater. These resources should be allocated for further refining innovative teaching concepts.

Teaching Major Economic Concepts in the High School Business Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, George G.

Several important economic concepts appear in the business curriculum designed for secondary schools in New York State. This manual assists the teacher by providing brief and simple definitions of major economic concepts, noting the implications of those concepts for business, and suggesting strategies that can be used to teach the principles and…

Evaluating learning and teaching using the Force Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitzewitz, Paul

1997-04-01

Teaching methods used in the calculus-based mechanics course for engineers and scientists (P150) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn were markedly changed in September, 1996. Lectures emphasize active learning with Mazur's ConcepTests, Sokoloff's Interactive Demonstrations, and Van Heuvelen's ALPS Kit worksheets. Students solve context-rich problems using Van Heuvelen's multiple representation format in cooperative groups in discussion sections. Labs were changed to use MBL emphasizing concepts and Experiment Problems to learn lab-based problem solving. Pre- and post-testing of 400 students with the Force Concept Inventory has demonstrated considerable success. The average increase in score has been 35-45methods as defined by Hake. The methods and results will be discussed. Detailed analyses of the FCI results will look at success in teaching specific concepts and the effect of student preparation in mathematics and high school physics.

Teaching Language Concepts to Multihandicapped Deaf Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brasch, Marilyn; Boespflug, Pam

This brief paper offers suggestions for parents and teachers working together to develop meaningful communication skills in deaf multihandicapped children. An intervention program developed by Jan VanDijk is described. This program involves the use of environmental engineering to teach language concepts with materials such as a calendar box with…

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-01-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the…

Detecting changes in student teachers' conceptions of teaching science to adolescent English language learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomeroy, Jonathon Richard

2000-10-01

This research study investigated the changes that occurred in six student teachers' conceptions of teaching science to adolescent English language learners over the duration of their participation in a one-year, graduate level, science teacher education program. Cases were created for each of the student teachers based on their concept maps, writing samples, interviews, lesson plans, informal interviews with cooperating teachers, and observation notes collected on biweekly visitations. The cases were divided into three dyads each consisting of two student teachers with similar preprogram and student teaching experiences. Cross case analysis revealed the existence of seven themes related to teaching science to adolescent English language learners. Further analysis suggested that student teachers that worked with experienced cooperating teachers and who had achieved a sense of autonomy over their student teaching demonstrated broad and sophisticated growth across all seven themes. Student teachers who had not achieved a sense of autonomy, demonstrated growth in two to three themes. Student teachers who demonstrated broad and sophisticated growth were able to clearly articulate their conceptions of teaching science to English language learners where as those who demonstrated limited growth were not. This research establishes the use of concept maps as a tool for detecting changes in student teachers' conceptions of teaching science to adolescent English language learners as well as the sensitivity of concept maps to detect the types of changes historically detected by writing samples and interviews. Recommendations based on the implications from are included.

Secondary Physical Science Teachers' Conceptions of Science Teaching in a Context of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Dale L.; Booth, Shirley

2015-01-01

Pre-service teachers enter initial teacher education programmes with conceptions of teaching gleaned from their own schooling. These conceptions, which include teachers' beliefs, may be resistant to change, which is a challenge in contexts where teacher educators hope that teachers will teach in ways different from their own schooling. Conceptions…

Enriching student concept images: Teaching and learning fractions through a multiple-embodiment approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaofen; Clements, M. A. (Ken); Ellerton, Nerida F.

2015-06-01

This study investigated how fifth-grade children's concept images of the unit fractions represented by the symbols , , and changed as a result of their participation in an instructional intervention based on multiple embodiments of fraction concepts. The participants' concept images were examined through pre- and post-teaching written questions and pre- and post-teaching one-to-one verbal interview questions. Results showed that at the pre-teaching stage, the student concept images of unit fractions were very narrow and mainly linked to area models. However, after the instructional intervention, the fifth graders were able to select and apply a variety of models in response to unit fraction tasks, and their concept images of unit fractions were enriched and linked to capacity, perimeter, linear and discrete models, as well as to area models. Their performances on tests had improved, and their conceptual understandings of unit fractions had developed.

Teaching Ecological Concepts with Mud Dauber Nests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Robert W.; Matthews, Janice R.

1999-01-01

Contends that mud dauber nests--which are widely available, safe, inexpensive, and easy to use--offer a novel and highly motivating way to teach ecological concepts to life science students at many grade levels. Presents background information for teachers, details classroom-tested methods for nest dissection, provides keys to nest contents, and…

Teaching Embedded System Concepts for Technological Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winzker, M.; Schwandt, A.

2011-01-01

A basic understanding of technology is recognized as important knowledge even for students not connected with engineering and computer science. This paper shows that embedded system concepts can be taught in a technological literacy course. An embedded system teaching block that has been used in an electronics module for non-engineers is…

Integration of the concepts of sustainability into teaching at post-secondary institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Sara Allison

The purpose of this study was to examine the incorporation of the concepts of sustainability into teaching at two post-secondary public education residential institutions, Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of South Carolina (USC). A total of 17 faculty members, six administrators, and 31 students were interviewed in the study. An individual case record for each participating institution was developed. The two case records were then qualitatively cross-case analyzed to derive crosscutting themes and patterns at the two participating institutions. Based on the findings of this study, several major themes emerged across the two post-secondary public institutions. Sustainability was consistently viewed by faculty members, administrators, and students as a very broad term. While faculty members and administrators differentiated between the ecological, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability, students commonly associated sustainability more narrowly with an ecological meaning. Several common factors that influenced faculty members' and administrators' understanding of sustainability included literature, campus-wide training, personal influences, and professional networking. Common methods used by faculty to incorporate the concepts of sustainability into teaching included assigned readings, class discussions, and class projects. Key benefits of incorporating the concepts of sustainability into teaching included increased student awareness, collaboration, vision development, and social implications, while key challenges included time, support, assessment, student understanding, and more realistic classroom experiences. Key driving forces for faculty members and administrators for incorporating the concepts of sustainability into teaching were the initiatives specifically developed at the institutions. Based on the common themes at the two institutions studied, it is recommended that post-secondary institutions desiring to deploy the concepts

Exploring Middle School Students' and Parents' Conceptions of Excellent Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Junjun

2016-01-01

While there have been many western studies about what excellent teaching means, there are far fewer eastern studies. This study explored how students and parents perceived conceptions of excellent teaching in Chinese middle schools. The 77 students' and 67 parents' responses relating to a personal narrative of a time they had experienced excellent…

An International Study of Prospective Teachers' Initial Teaching Conceptions and Concerns: The Case of Teaching "Combustion."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Jong, Onno; Ahtee, Maija; Goodwin, Alan; Hatzinikita, Vassilia; Koulaidis, Vasilis

1999-01-01

Investigated Dutch, Finnish, English, and Greek preservice science teachers' conceptions of and concerns about how to teach the concept of combustion. Participants prepared lessons for junior secondary students, then completed interviews and questionnaires. Results revealed many important and similar characteristics of prospective teachers' views…

DanceChemistry: Helping Students Visualize Chemistry Concepts through Dance Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tay, Gidget C.; Edwards, Kimberly D.

2015-01-01

A visual aid teaching tool, the DanceChemistry video series, has been developed to teach fundamental chemistry concepts through dance. These educational videos portray chemical interactions at the molecular level using dancers to represent chemical species. Students reported that the DanceChemistry videos helped them visualize chemistry ideas in a…

How Often Do Early Childhood Teachers Teach Science Concepts? Determinants of the Frequency of Science Teaching in Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saçkes, Mesut

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore how often teachers of young children teach science concepts in kindergarten and examine the factors that influence the frequency of science teaching in early years. A theoretical model of the determinants of the frequency of science teaching in kindergarten was developed and tested using a…

The Effects of Utilising the Concept Maps in Teaching History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nair, Subadrah Madhawa; Narayanasamy, Moganasundari

2017-01-01

Teaching History is a tough and challenging task for teachers because most students consider History as a boring subject. Many studies indicate that students are not interested in learning History. This paper is based on a quasi-experimental study conducted to investigate the effects of utilizing the concept map method in the teaching of History…

Towards Student-Centred Conceptions of Teaching: The Case of Four Ethiopian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Degago, Adinew Tadesse; Kaino, Luckson Muganyizi

2015-01-01

This study explored instructors' conceptions of teaching in view of the existing calls for improving the quality of teaching at higher education in Ethiopia. Twenty university instructors were interviewed using a phenomenographic approach, a popular research procedure to explore variation in the ways instructors experience and understand teaching.…

Enhancement of Teaching and Learning of the Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering Using Multimedia Courseware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keyvan, Shahla A.; Pickard, Rodney; Song, Xiaolong

1997-01-01

Computer-aided instruction incorporating interactive multimedia and network technologies can boost teaching effectiveness and student learning. This article describes the development and implementation of network server-based interactive multimedia courseware for a fundamental course in nuclear engineering. A student survey determined that 80% of…

New fundamental evidence of non-classical structure in the combination of natural concepts.

PubMed

Aerts, D; Sozzo, S; Veloz, T

2016-01-13

We recently performed cognitive experiments on conjunctions and negations of two concepts with the aim of investigating the combination problem of concepts. Our experiments confirmed the deviations (conceptual vagueness, underextension, overextension etc.) from the rules of classical (fuzzy) logic and probability theory observed by several scholars in concept theory, while our data were successfully modelled in a quantum-theoretic framework developed by ourselves. In this paper, we isolate a new, very stable and systematic pattern of violation of classicality that occurs in concept combinations. In addition, the strength and regularity of this non-classical effect leads us to believe that it occurs at a more fundamental level than the deviations observed up to now. It is our opinion that we have identified a deep non-classical mechanism determining not only how concepts are combined but, rather, how they are formed. We show that this effect can be faithfully modelled in a two-sector Fock space structure, and that it can be exactly explained by assuming that human thought is the superposition of two processes, a 'logical reasoning', guided by 'logic', and a 'conceptual reasoning', guided by 'emergence', and that the latter generally prevails over the former. All these findings provide new fundamental support to our quantum-theoretic approach to human cognition. © 2015 The Author(s).

How well are you teaching one of the most important biological concepts for humankind? A call to action

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.; Fife, Deanna A.; Bonar, John S.

2016-01-01

We represent several generations of biology educators – with teaching experiences beginning in the 1940s and continuing to the present, from elementary school to graduate-level programs. We find the vast array of subjects that biology teachers can now cover both thrilling and mind-boggling. Depending on the grade level, units exist that focus on neurobiology, forensics, DNA analysis, biotechnology, marine biology, and a host of other topics.Although science teachers cover a potpourri of advanced topics, we must ask ourselves – no matter our biology-teaching responsibilities – how well we are teaching carrying capacity, one of the most fundamental biological concepts for our society, knowledge of which becomes more important every day. As biology teachers, most of you know that carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population an environment can sustain, given the amounts of food, habitat, and other resources available. Every environment – from your goldfish bowl to the local forest to planet Earth – can only sustain a set number (weight) of a particular species, based on available resources and space. Currently, most science classes teach …

Free Mesh Method: fundamental conception, algorithms and accuracy study

PubMed Central

YAGAWA, Genki

2011-01-01

The finite element method (FEM) has been commonly employed in a variety of fields as a computer simulation method to solve such problems as solid, fluid, electro-magnetic phenomena and so on. However, creation of a quality mesh for the problem domain is a prerequisite when using FEM, which becomes a major part of the cost of a simulation. It is natural that the concept of meshless method has evolved. The free mesh method (FMM) is among the typical meshless methods intended for particle-like finite element analysis of problems that are difficult to handle using global mesh generation, especially on parallel processors. FMM is an efficient node-based finite element method that employs a local mesh generation technique and a node-by-node algorithm for the finite element calculations. In this paper, FMM and its variation are reviewed focusing on their fundamental conception, algorithms and accuracy. PMID:21558752

Teaching the Concept of the Sampling Distribution of the Mean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguinis, Herman; Branstetter, Steven A.

2007-01-01

The authors use proven cognitive and learning principles and recent developments in the field of educational psychology to teach the concept of the sampling distribution of the mean, which is arguably one of the most central concepts in inferential statistics. The proposed pedagogical approach relies on cognitive load, contiguity, and experiential…

Mathematical knowledge in teaching of fraction concepts using diagrammatical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veloo, Palanisamy Kathir; Puteh, Marzita

2017-05-01

Teachers need various types of knowledge in order to deliver various fraction concepts at elementary level. In this paper, Balls' framework (2008) or, Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) is used as benchmark guideline. This paper investigates and explores component of MKT knowledge among eight experienced teachers of the primary school. Data was collected using paper pencil test, interview and video recording. This paper, narrowed to teacher's knowledge and their practices while teaching of various fractions concepts using diagrammatical approach in present of MKT. The data gathered from teachers were analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The results indicated that teachers lack various components of MKT knowledge as a proposal by various researchers and assumed that teaching as procedural more than enough due to lack of deep understanding of mathematics and the various types of MKT is not required due to the present of practices in the mathematics classroom.

Semantic Mistakes and Didactic Difficulties in Teaching the "Amount of Substance" Concept: A Useful Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekdag, Bulent; Azizoglu, Nursen

2013-01-01

Textbooks still have the distinction of being the most dominant teaching tool in science teaching. The manner in which a scientific concept is expressed in a textbook is of importance in the in-depth learning process of that concept. With this in mind, problems with expressing the "amount of substance" concept were reviewed in 15…

Using a Three-Dimensional Interactive Model To Teach Environmental Concepts to Visually Impaired Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Budd, Julia M.; LaGrow, Steven J.

2000-01-01

A study investigated the efficacy of using the Buddy Road Kit, an interactive, wooden model, to teach environmental concepts to 4 children with visual impairments ages 7 to 11 years old. Results indicate the model was effective in teaching environmental concepts and traffic safety to the children involved. (Contains references.) (CR)

Using Real-Life Experiences to Teach Computer Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Read, Alexis

2012-01-01

Teaching computer concepts to individuals with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or visually impaired) presents some unique challenges. Students often have difficulty remembering to perform certain steps or have difficulty remembering specific keystrokes when using computers. Many cannot visualize the way in which complex computing…

An Experience of Teaching of Astronomy in the 6th Year if Fundamental Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, L. F.; Damasceno, L. E. F.; Nero, J. D.; Silva, S. J. S. da; Costa, M. B. C.; Aleixo, V. F. P.; Júnior, C. A. B. da S.

2017-12-01

This paper deals the question of astronomy teaching within the science discipline through: 1- analysis of the "Earth and Universe" axis of the National Curricular Parameters (NCPs); 2- profile of the professional who teaching the discipline; 3- analysis of the history and importance of experimentation for the teaching of Astronomy in Brazil. The main objective is to analyze the conception of students and teachers regarding the application of experimentation in the teaching of Astronomy in a hybrid class of 6º year with 14 students in the period recovery (07/2016) in an municipal public school of São Miguel of Guama-Pa. We highlight the teacher mishaps of the public school system and its difficulty in using teaching methodologies that go beyond the traditional, we emphasize, the problems with the training courses concerning the teaching of Astronomy and highlight the experimentation as tool indispensable in the construction of this teaching and learning process.

An Issues- and Concepts-Based Curriculum: Teaching about Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Keith

2014-01-01

I argue that students want to see relevance in their studies. The National Curriculum in England is a list of concepts that we wish them to understand. However, the concepts need to be embedded into a meaningful context, such as climate change, which may become the overarching reason for teaching science. In this article I remember fondly…

Teaching Three-Dimensional Structural Chemistry Using Crystal Structure Databases. 2. Teaching Units that Utilize an Interactive Web-Accessible Subset of the Cambridge Structural Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battle, Gary M.; Allen, Frank H.; Ferrence, Gregory M.

2010-01-01

A series of online interactive teaching units have been developed that illustrate the use of experimentally measured three-dimensional (3D) structures to teach fundamental chemistry concepts. The units integrate a 500-structure subset of the Cambridge Structural Database specially chosen for their pedagogical value. The units span a number of key…

Elucidating Concepts in Drug Design through Taste with Natural and Artificial Sweeteners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipchock, James M.; Lipchock, Sarah V.

2016-01-01

Fundamental concepts in biochemistry important for drug design often lack connection to the macroscopic world and can be difficult for students to grasp, particularly those in introductory science courses at the high school and college level. Educational research has shown that multisensory teaching facilitates learning, but teaching at the high…

Using Online Games to Teach Personal Finance Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chin-Wen; Hsu, Chun-Pin

2011-01-01

This case study explores the use of online games to teach personal finance concepts at the college level. A number of free online games targeting such topics as budgeting and saving, risk and return, consumer credit, financial services, and investments were introduced to the experimental group as homework assignments. Statistical results indicate…

Strategies for Teaching Object-Oriented Concepts with Java

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sicilia, Miguel-Angel

2006-01-01

A considerable amount of experiences in teaching object-oriented concepts using the Java language have been reported to date, some of which describe language pitfalls and concrete learning difficulties. In this paper, a number of additional issues that have been experienced as difficult for students to master, along with approaches intended to…

Teaching Topographic Map Skills and Geomorphology Concepts with Google Earth in a One-Computer Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hsiao-Ping; Tsai, Bor-Wen; Chen, Che-Ming

2018-01-01

Teaching high-school geomorphological concepts and topographic map reading entails many challenges. This research reports the applicability and effectiveness of Google Earth in teaching topographic map skills and geomorphological concepts, by a single teacher, in a one-computer classroom. Compared to learning via a conventional instructional…

The Idea Bank: Teaching Harmonic Concepts at the Elementary Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Music Educators Journal, 1979

1979-01-01

Briefly described are ways of teaching the concept of harmony to young children through the use of keyboard instruments, resonator bells, diatonic and chromatic bells, and Orff melody instruments. (KC)

How to Teach Procedures, Problem Solving, and Concepts in Microbial Genetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bainbridge, Brian W.

1977-01-01

Flow-diagrams, algorithms, decision logic tables, and concept maps are presented in detail as methods for teaching practical procedures, problem solving, and basic concepts in microbial genetics. It is suggested that the flexible use of these methods should lead to an improved understanding of microbial genetics. (Author/MA)

A Teaching Guide to Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregg, Thomas G.; Janssen, Gary R.; Bhattacharjee, J.K.

2003-01-01

Evolution is considered by virtually all biologists to be the central unifying principle of biology, yet its fundamental concepts are not widely understood or widely disseminated. Teaching evolution--defined as descent with modification from a common ancestor as a result of natural selection acting on genetic variation--has traditionally been a…

Unpacking the Meaning of the Mole Concept for Secondary School Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Su-Chi; Hart, Christina; Clarke, David

2014-01-01

The "mole" is a fundamental concept in quantitative chemistry, yet research has shown that the mole is one of the most perplexing concepts in the teaching and learning of chemistry. This paper provides a survey of the relevant literature, identifies the necessary components of a sound understanding of the mole concept, and unpacks and…

Assessment Policy and Practice Effects on New Zealand and Queensland Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gavin T. L.; Lake, Robert; Matters, Gabrielle

2009-01-01

Teachers' thinking about four conceptions of teaching (i.e., apprenticeship-developmental, nurturing, social reform, and transmission) were captured using the "Teaching Perspectives Inventory" (TPI). New Zealand and Queensland have very similar teaching-related policies and practices but differences around assessment policies and…

Representations of Fundamental Chemistry Concepts in Relation to the Particulate Nature of Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirbulut, Zubeyde Demet; Beeth, Michael Edward

2013-01-01

This study investigated high school students' understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts - states of matter, melting, evaporation, condensation, boiling, and vapor pressure, in relation to their understanding of the particulate nature of matter. A sample of six students (four females and two males) enrolled in a second year chemistry course…

Teaching the Concept of Precycling: A Campaign and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillilan, Sheryl; Werner, Carol M.; Olson, Lynne; Adams, Dorothy

1996-01-01

Precycling, or purchasing wisely to reduce waste, is the EPA-preferred way to conserve resources and extend landfill life. A three-month campaign using radio, television, and in-store advertising was effective in teaching this concept in the greater Salt Lake City area. (Author/AIM)

Teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching in student-centred medical curricula: the impact of context and personal characteristics.

PubMed

Jacobs, Johanna C G; van Luijk, Scheltus J; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Kusurkar, Rashmi A; Croiset, Gerda; Scheele, Fedde

2016-09-21

Gibbs and Coffey (2004) have reported that teaching practices are influenced by teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching. In our previous research we found significant differences between teachers' conceptions in two medical schools with student-centred education. Medical school was the most important predictor, next to discipline, gender and teaching experience. Our research questions for the current study are (1) which specific elements of medical school explain the effect of medical school on teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching? How? and (2) which contextual and personal characteristics are related to conceptions of learning and teaching? How? Individual interviews were conducted with 13 teachers of the undergraduate curricula in two medical schools. Previously their conceptions of learning and teaching were assessed with the COLT questionnaire. We investigated the meanings they attached to context and personal characteristics, in relation to their conceptions of learning and teaching. We used a template analysis. Large individual differences existed between teachers. Characteristics mentioned at the medical school and curriculum level were 'curriculum tradition', 'support by educational department' and 'management and finances'. Other contextual characteristics were 'leadership style' at all levels but especially of department chairs, 'affordances and support', 'support and relatedness', and 'students' characteristics'. Personal characteristics were 'agency', 'experience with PBL (as a student or a teacher)','personal development', 'motivation and work engagement'and 'high content expertise'. Several context and personal characteristics associated with teachers' conceptions were identified, enabling a broader view on faculty development with attention for these characteristics, next to teaching skills.

Relationships between Prospective Elementary Teachers' Classroom Practice and Their Conceptions of Biology and of Teaching Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Helen; Tabachnick, B. Robert; Hewson, Peter W.; Lemberger, John; Park, Hyun-Ju

1999-01-01

Discusses three prospective elementary teachers' conceptions of teaching science and selected portions of their knowledge base in life science. Explores how these teachers' conceptions, along with their teaching actions, developed during the course of a teacher-education program. Contains 21 references. (Author/WRM)

Representations of Fundamental Chemistry Concepts in Relation to the Particulate Nature of Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirbulut, Zübeyde Demet; Beeth, Michael Edward

2013-01-01

This study investigated high school students' understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts--states of matter, melting, evaporation, condensation, boiling, and vapor pressure, in relation to their understanding of the particulate nature of matter. A sample of six students (four females and two males) enrolled in a second year chemistry course at…

Emerging Conceptions of ICT-Enhanced Teaching: Australian TAFE Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Shahadat Hossain

2015-01-01

This article presents the results of a study, undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective, which examines technical and further education (TAFE) teachers' conceptions of ICT-enhanced teaching. A cohort of 23 teachers from three TAFE institutions in Australia, participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. These interviews were used to…

Learning Essential Terms and Concepts in Statistics and Accounting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Pam; Smith, Adam; Middledorp, Jenny; Karpin, Anne; Sin, Samantha; Kilgore, Alan

2014-01-01

This paper describes a terminological approach to the teaching and learning of fundamental concepts in foundation tertiary units in Statistics and Accounting, using an online dictionary-style resource (TermFinder) with customised "termbanks" for each discipline. Designed for independent learning, the termbanks support inquiring students…

Evolution of the Students' Conceptual Understanding in the Case of a Teaching Sequence in Mechanics: Concept of Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüközer, Asuman

2006-01-01

This study aims to better understand the construction of the meaning of physics concepts in mechanics during a teaching sequence at the upper secondary school level. In the teaching sessions, students were introduced to the concepts of interaction and force. During this teaching sequence the models called "interactions" and "laws of…

Pre-Service Music Teachers' Metaphorical Perceptions of the Concept of a Music Teaching Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiliç, Deniz Beste Çevik

2017-01-01

This study was intended to reveal pre-service music teachers' perceptions of the concept of a "music teaching program" with the use of metaphors. Its sample included 130 pre-service music teachers in the Music Teaching Program of Fine Arts Teaching Department in Balikesir University's Education Faculty. The study data were collected by…

Using 3D Geometric Models to Teach Spatial Geometry Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertoline, Gary R.

1991-01-01

An explanation of 3-D Computer Aided Design (CAD) usage to teach spatial geometry concepts using nontraditional techniques is presented. The software packages CADKEY and AutoCAD are described as well as their usefulness in solving space geometry problems. (KR)

The Use of Sequence and Synthesis for Teaching Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Linda; Reigeluth, Charles M.

In order to investigate the effects of sequence and synthesis in the teaching of taxonomically-related concepts, a study was conducted in which 27 students from Syracuse University were asked to examine printed instructions dealing with kinds of sailboats and then to respond to a test based on those instructions. The synthesizing structure…

Enriching Student Concept Images: Teaching and Learning Fractions through a Multiple-Embodiment Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Xiaofen; Clements, M. A.; Ellerton, Nerida F.

2015-01-01

This study investigated how fifth-grade children's concept images of the unit fractions represented by the symbols 1/2, 1/3/ and 1/4 changed as a result of their participation in an instructional intervention based on multiple embodiments of fraction concepts. The participants' concept images were examined through pre- and post-teaching written…

A Case for the Need of Using Scaffolding Methods in Teaching Introductory, Fundamental Engineering Mechanics Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan-Ashraf, Peggy C.; Freeman, Steven A.; Shelley, Mack C.

2015-01-01

In the past ten years, engineering classrooms have seen an exponential growth in the use of technology, more than during any other previous decade. Unprecedented advancements, such as the advent of innovative gadgets and fundamental instructional alterations in engineering classrooms, have introduced changes in both teaching and learning. Student…

Sustainability: Teaching an Interdisciplinary Threshold Concept through Traditional Lecture and Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levintova, Ekaterina M.; Mueller, Daniel W.

2015-01-01

One of the difficulties in teaching global sustainability in the introductory political science classes is the different emphases placed on this concept and the absence of the consensus on where the overall balance between environmental protection, economic development, and social justice should reside. Like many fuzzy concepts with which students…

A Teacher's Conception of Definition and Use of Examples When Doing and Teaching Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Heather Lynn; Blume, Glendon W.; Shimizu, Jeanne K.; Graysay, Duane; Konnova, Svetlana

2014-01-01

To contribute to an understanding of the nature of teachers' mathematical knowledge and its role in teaching, the case study reported in this article investigated a teacher's conception of a metamathematical concept, definition, and her use of examples in doing and teaching mathematics. Using an enactivist perspective on mathematical…

Student Misconceptions About Astronomy and the Best Order of Teaching Astronomical Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favia, Andrej; Comins, N. F.; Thorpe, G.

2013-01-01

My (Andrej Favia) Ph.D. thesis involves quantifying the "difficulty" of unlearning common astronomy misconceptions. I do this by applying factor analysis and Item Response Theory (IRT) to a retrospective inventory of when, or if, college students dispelled the misconceptions under consideration. Our inventory covers 235 misconceptions identified over the span of 10 years of teaching the college astronomy lecture course at the Universe of Maine by NFC. The analysis yields logical groupings of topics (e.g., teach one planet at a time rather than use comparative planetology) and the "order of difficulty" of the associated topics. We have results for about one fourth of the inventory, and our results show that there are concepts of different difficulties, which suggest that they should be presented in different orders. We also find that the order of teaching concepts is sometimes different for high school and college level courses.

The Effect of Planetariums on Teaching Specific Astronomy Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türk, Cumhur; Kalkan, Hüseyin

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine students' knowledge levels related to specific astronomy concepts and the effect of a planetarium environment on teaching. The study sample included seventh-grade (12-13 years old) students. For this purpose, 240 students of various socioeconomic and cultural levels from six schools (two in the city center, two…

Visualizing Sound: Demonstrations to Teach Acoustic Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rennoll, Valerie

Interference, a phenomenon in which two sound waves superpose to form a resultant wave of greater or lower amplitude, is a key concept when learning about the physics of sound waves. Typical interference demonstrations involve students listening for changes in sound level as they move throughout a room. Here, new tools are developed to teach this concept that provide a visual component, allowing individuals to see changes in sound level on a light display. This is accomplished using a microcontroller that analyzes sound levels collected by a microphone and displays the sound level in real-time on an LED strip. The light display is placed on a sliding rail between two speakers to show the interference occurring between two sound waves. When a long-exposure photograph is taken of the light display being slid from one end of the rail to the other, a wave of the interference pattern can be captured. By providing a visual component, these tools will help students and the general public to better understand interference, a key concept in acoustics.

Fundamentals in Biostatistics for Research in Pediatric Dentistry: Part I - Basic Concepts.

PubMed

Garrocho-Rangel, J A; Ruiz-Rodríguez, M S; Pozos-Guillén, A J

The purpose of this report was to provide the reader with some basic concepts in order to better understand the significance and reliability of the results of any article on Pediatric Dentistry. Currently, Pediatric Dentists need the best evidence available in the literature on which to base their diagnoses and treatment decisions for the children's oral care. Basic understanding of Biostatistics plays an important role during the entire Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) process. This report describes Biostatistics fundamentals in order to introduce the basic concepts used in statistics, such as summary measures, estimation, hypothesis testing, effect size, level of significance, p value, confidence intervals, etc., which are available to Pediatric Dentists interested in reading or designing original clinical or epidemiological studies.

Trainee Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching and Learning, Classroom Layout and Exam Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betoret, Fernando Domenech; Artiga, Amparo Gomez

2004-01-01

The objective of this study centres on identifying and classifying the conceptions of teaching and learning held by future secondary school teachers, and on analysing the relationship between these conceptions and the way classroom space is organized and exams are designed. The test instruments used were applied to a sample of 138 graduates, who…

The Influence of Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching and Learning on Their Technology Acceptance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teo, Timothy; Zhou, Mingming

2017-01-01

Prior research has attempted to incorporate different personal variables within extant theories of technology acceptance models (TAMs). This study further extends TAM by incorporating teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning (CoTL) in two forms: constructivist and traditional conceptions. The moderating effects of teachers' demographic…

On the Concept of Energy: How Understanding Its History Can Improve Physics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coelho, Ricardo Lopes

2009-01-01

Some physicists have pointed out that we do not know what energy is. Many studies have shown that the concept of energy is a problem for teaching. A study of the history of the concept shows that the discoverers of energy did not find anything which is indestructible and transformable but rather that the concept of energy underwent a change of…

Use of the concept mapping in teaching during a medical rotation of interns: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Kwas, Hamida; Ghédira, Habib

2017-12-01

Concept mapping is an excellent learning toolallowing to stimulate active learning.For this reason, the concept mapping is currently used increasingly in the medical and paramedical field. The aim of our study is to determine the contribution of teaching of medical interns by the concept mapping. Fourteen students enrolled at the same time in a medical rotation in Pulmonology were recruited for this exploratory study. Interns are divided into two groups (A and B).Both groups are taught by the clinical case method, illustrated by a concept mapping for group A interns. The evolution of the knowledge accuracy at post-testing has been greater in the group taught by the method of concept mapping: the number of correct responses increased in all participants of group A versus only 4 of group B. All students taught by concept mapping had at the post-test a note higher than or equal to 10/20 versus only three of the group taught by the method without concept map. The average score was 13 (11-15) in group A versus 10.28 (6-14) in group B. We emphasize the use of concept mapping in teaching especially in the faculty of medicine and we encourage clinicians to use this method in teaching interns in the hospital.

Proposing a New Framework and an Innovative Approach to Teaching Reengineering and ERP Implementation Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellerin, Robert; Hadaya, Pierre

2008-01-01

Recognizing the need to teach ERP implementation and business process reengineering (BPR) concepts simultaneously, as well as the pedagogical limitations of the case teaching method and simulation tools, the objective of this study is to propose a new framework and an innovative teaching approach to improve the ERP training experience for IS…

Teaching Two Basic Nanotechnology Concepts in Secondary School by Using a Variety of Teaching Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blonder, Ron; Sakhnini, Sohair

2012-01-01

A nanotechnology module was developed for ninth grade students in the context of teaching chemistry. Two basic concepts in nanotechnology were chosen: (1) size and scale and (2) surface-area-to-volume ratio (SA/V). A wide spectrum of instructional methods (e.g., game-based learning, learning with multimedia, learning with models, project based…

Pupils' liking for school: ability grouping, self-concept and perceptions of teaching.

PubMed

Ireson, Judith; Hallam, Susan

2005-06-01

Research indicates that affective aspects of development provide a basis for autonomous learning. Pupils' liking for school may be a useful indicator of their relationships with teachers and the school. The aim of the research reported in this paper is to establish the properties of a measure of pupils' liking for school and to examine associations between this measure, pupils' experiences in lessons, their self-concepts and the amount of setting implemented in school. A stratified sample of 45 mixed secondary comprehensive schools was selected for the research. Schools represented a variety of ability-grouping practices in the lower school (Years 7-9), from completely mixed-ability to setting in all academic subjects. All Year 9 pupils were included in the sample. Pupils completed a questionnaire containing items on their self-concept, liking for school, and their perceptions of teaching in English, mathematics, and science. Data on pupils' gender, ethnic origin, social disadvantage and attainment was also collected. The properties and correlates of scales indicating pupils' liking for school and their perceptions of teaching in English, mathematics, and science are established. Liking for school is greater among girls, pupils with higher academic self-concepts, and those with more positive perceptions of teaching. Pupils are more positive about teaching they experience in English than in mathematics or science. When other variables are statistically controlled, there is no significant effect of the extent of ability grouping in the school as a whole. Affective aspects of learning should not be neglected in the drive to raise standards.

The Relationship between Academics' Conceptions of Knowledge, Research and Teaching--A Metaphor Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser-Wijnveen, Gerda J.; Van Driel, Jan H.; Van Der Rijst, Roeland M.; Verloop, Nico; Visser, Anthonya

2009-01-01

Universities are supposed to be institutes where research and teaching are closely related. To understand this relationship fully, it is necessary to learn how academics perceive these key components. Different conceptions among academics may stem from varying conceptions of knowledge. Thirty academics were interviewed by means of metaphors about…

Applied teaching concepts of animated motion slides in otolaryngology.

PubMed

Duberstein, L E; Josephs, J A; Kilgo, J

1978-01-01

Motion is an essential part of otolaryngologic function, and an understanding of concepts of motion is critical in teaching otolaryngology. Standard movie projection devices have intrinsic defects, such as considerable expense to make, complexity of operation, and a lack of flexibility. Slide projection transparencies (2X2) offer instructional flexibility but could not be used to project motion until recently. Using applications of gelatin films of images with polarizing light, we have been able to produce an illusion of motion similar to that used in creating the motion in cartoons. We have produced a series of slides for instructional purposes to show concepts in otolaryngology.

Using Powerpoint Animations to Teach Operations Management Techniques and Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treleven, Mark D.; Penlesky, Richard J.; Callarman, Thomas E.; Watts, Charles A.; Bragg, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

This article examines the value of using complex animated PowerPoint presentations to teach operations management techniques and concepts. To provide context, literature covering the use of PowerPoint animations in business education is briefly reviewed. The specific animations employed in this study are identified and their expected benefits to…

Teaching the Concept of Breakdown Point in Simple Linear Regression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Wai-Sum

2001-01-01

Most introductory textbooks on simple linear regression analysis mention the fact that extreme data points have a great influence on ordinary least-squares regression estimation; however, not many textbooks provide a rigorous mathematical explanation of this phenomenon. Suggests a way to fill this gap by teaching students the concept of breakdown…

Threshold Concepts: Impacts on Teaching and Learning at Tertiary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peter, Mira; Harlow, Ann

2014-01-01

This project explored teaching and learning of hard-to-learn threshold concepts in first-year English, an electrical engineering course, leadership courses, and in doctoral writing. The project was envisioned to produce disciplinary case studies that lecturers could use to reflect on and refine their curriculum and pedagogy, thereby contributing…

Surfacing the Structures of Patriarchy: Teaching and Learning Threshold Concepts in Women's Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassel, Holly; Reddinger, Amy; van Slooten, Jessica

2011-01-01

Patriarchy is a threshold concept in women's studies--a significant, defining concept that transforms students' understanding of the discipline. This article reviews our design, implementation, and findings of a lesson study crafted to teach women's studies students the complex idea of patriarchy as a social system. We analyze the lesson using…

Teaching Qualitative Energy-Eigenfunction Shape with Physlets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belloni, Mario; Christian, Wolfgang; Cox, Anne J.

2007-01-01

More than 35 years ago, French and Taylor outlined an approach to teach students and teachers alike how to understand "qualitative plots of bound-state wave functions." They described five fundamental statements based on the quantum-mechanical concepts of probability and energy (total and potential), which could be used to deduce the shape of…

Teaching Pragmatic Psychodynamic Psychotherapy to Graduate Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan-Daston, Rana; Schneller, Debora

2016-01-01

Evolving developments in psychodynamic theory have strengthened it as an evidence-based approach and have made it concordant with social work's strengths-based, multicultural perspective. An elective focused on teaching fundamental concepts of psychodynamic psychotherapy was developed for graduate social work students based on Kolb's theory of…

Teaching the Concept of Limit by Using Conceptual Conflict Strategy and Desmos Graphing Calculator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Senfeng

2016-01-01

Although the mathematics community has long accepted the concept of limit as the foundation of modern Calculus, the concept of limit itself has been marginalized in undergraduate Calculus education. In this paper, I analyze the strategy of conceptual conflict to teach the concept of limit with the aid of an online tool--Desmos graphing calculator.…

Heat and mass transfer in combustion - Fundamental concepts and analytical techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, C. K.

1984-01-01

Fundamental combustion phenomena and the associated flame structures in laminar gaseous flows are discussed on physical bases within the framework of the three nondimensional parameters of interest to heat and mass transfer in chemically-reacting flows, namely the Damkoehler number, the Lewis number, and the Arrhenius number which is the ratio of the reaction activation energy to the characteristic thermal energy. The model problems selected for illustration are droplet combustion, boundary layer combustion, and the propagation, flammability, and stability of premixed flames. Fundamental concepts discussed include the flame structures for large activation energy reactions, S-curve interpretation of the ignition and extinctin states, reaction-induced local-similarity and non-similarity in boundary layer flows, the origin and removal of the cold boundary difficulty in modeling flame propagation, and effects of flame stretch and preferential diffusion on flame extinction and stability. Analytical techniques introduced include the Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, the local Shvab-Zeldovich formulation, flame-sheet approximation and the associated jump formulation, and large activation energy matched asymptotic analysis. Potentially promising research areas are suggested.

MATLAB-Based Program for Teaching Autocorrelation Function and Noise Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jovanovic Dolecek, G.

2012-01-01

An attractive MATLAB-based tool for teaching the basics of autocorrelation function and noise concepts is presented in this paper. This tool enhances traditional in-classroom lecturing. The demonstrations of the tool described here highlight the description of the autocorrelation function (ACF) in a general case for wide-sense stationary (WSS)…

Impact of a concept map teaching approach on nursing students' critical thinking skills.

PubMed

Kaddoura, Mahmoud; Van-Dyke, Olga; Yang, Qing

2016-09-01

Nurses confront complex problems and decisions that require critical thinking in order to identify patient needs and implement best practices. An active strategy for teaching students the skills to think critically is the concept map. This study explores the development of critical thinking among nursing students in a required pathophysiology and pharmacology course during the first year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in response to concept mapping as an interventional strategy, using the Health Education Systems, Incorporated critical thinking test. A two-group experimental study with a pretest and posttest design was used. Participants were randomly divided into a control group (n = 42) taught by traditional didactic lecturing alone, and an intervention group (n = 41), taught by traditional didactic lecturing with concept mapping. Students in the concept mapping group performed much better on the Health Education Systems, Incorporated than students in the control group. It is recommended that deans, program directors, and nursing faculties evaluate their curricula to integrate concept map teaching strategies in courses in order to develop critical thinking abilities in their students. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The Concept of Nondeterminism: Its Development and Implications for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armoni, Michal; Ben-Ari, Mordechai

2009-01-01

Nondeterminism is a fundamental concept in computer science that appears in various contexts such as automata theory, algorithms and concurrent computation. We present a taxonomy of the different ways that nondeterminism can be defined and used; the categories of the taxonomy are domain, nature, implementation, consistency, execution and…

Using river locks to teach hydrodynamic concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carvalho-Santos, Vagson L.; Mendes, Thales C.; Silva, Enisvaldo C.; Rios, Márcio L.; Silva, Anderson A. P.

2013-11-01

In this work, the use of a river lock as a non-formal setting for teaching hydrodynamical concepts is proposed. In particular, we describe the operation of a river lock situated at the Sobradinho dam, on the São Francisco River (Brazil). A model to represent and to analyse the dynamics of river lock operation is presented and we derive the dynamical equations for the rising of the water column as an example to understand the Euler equation. Furthermore, with this activity, we enable the integration of content initially introduced in the classroom with practical applications, thereby allowing the association of physical themes to content relevant in disciplines such as history and geography. In addition, experiences of this kind enable teachers to talk about the environmental and social impacts caused by the construction of a dam and, consequently, a crossover of concepts has been made possible, leading to more meaningful learning for the students.

Teaching Advanced Concepts in Computer Networks: VNUML-UM Virtualization Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Martinez, A.; Pereniguez-Garcia, F.; Marin-Lopez, R.; Ruiz-Martinez, P. M.; Skarmeta-Gomez, A. F.

2013-01-01

In the teaching of computer networks the main problem that arises is the high price and limited number of network devices the students can work with in the laboratories. Nowadays, with virtualization we can overcome this limitation. In this paper, we present a methodology that allows students to learn advanced computer network concepts through…

Teaching a Concept with GeoGebra: Periodicity of Trigonometric Functions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kepceoglu, Ibrahim; Yavuz, llyas

2016-01-01

Being one of the major subjects in high school mathematics curriculum, trigonometry links algebraic, geometric and graphical reasoning. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of GeoGebra in the teaching of the concept of the periodicity of trigonometric functions. In this study, it is investigated how effective is the dynamic…

VERT, a virtual clinical environment, enhances understanding of radiation therapy planning concepts.

PubMed

Leong, Aidan; Herst, Patries; Kane, Paul

2018-06-01

The ability to understand treatment plan dosimetry and apply this understanding clinically is fundamental to the role of the radiation therapist. This study evaluates whether or not the Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) contributes to teaching treatment planning concepts to a cohort of first-year radiation therapy students. We directly compared a custom-developed VERT teaching module with a standard teaching module with respect to the understanding of treatment planning concepts using a cross-over design. Students self-reported their understanding of specific concepts before and after delivery of the VERT and standard teaching modules and evaluated aspects of VERT as a learning experience. In addition, teaching staff participated in a semi-structured interview discussing the modules from an educational perspective. Both the standard teaching module and VERT teaching module enhanced conceptual understanding and level of confidence in the student cohort after both teaching periods. The proportion of students reporting a perceived increase in knowledge/confidence was similar for the VERT teaching module for all but two scenarios. We propose that an integrated approach, providing a strong theoretical conceptual framework, followed by VERT to situate this framework in the (simulated) clinical environment combines the best of both teaching approaches. This study has established for the first time a clear role for a tailored VERT teaching module in teaching RT planning concepts because of its ability to visualise conceptual information within a simulated clinical environment. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology.

Master Curriculum Guide in Economics. A Framework for Teaching the Basic Concepts. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Phillip; And Others

Intended for curriculum developers, this revised Framework presents a set of basic concepts for teaching K-12 economics. The revision reflects the change and development which the field of economics has undergone and includes improvements suggested by users of the first edition. The purpose of teaching economics is to impart a general…

An analysis of the concept of teaching in elementary school science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seatter, Carol Eunice Scarff

The problem for this thesis arises directly from several years of observation of science classrooms in British Columbia. The troubling phenomenon seen within numerous classrooms, taught by teachers claiming to be constructivist teachers, involved teachers fostering the idea that children can think about science in terms of their own ideas, that is, that children can think about science in common-sense terms. In the many cases I have observed, teachers justify this practice on the grounds of constructivist theory. However, this kind of "constructivist teaching" does not, in my opinion, lead to scientific reasoning. My argument begins with the premise that the development of scientific reasoning in children is necessary for science education. I will argue that the currently popular "constructivist" movement has significant potential to fail in producing scientific reasoning in children, as did its predecessor, the "discovery learning" movement of the 1960s. The incommensurable differences between scientific and common-sense reasoning are presented and discussed. This thesis examines constructivist theory in terms of its potential to hinder the development of scientific reasoning in children. Two features of the constructivist writings are examined: those which pertain to the nature of science, and those relating to the concept of teaching. A chapter on the logic of scientific inquiry is central to the thesis, as it describes and explains the concepts, forms of explanation and truth criteria unique to the discipline of science. The epistemological foundations of science education are discussed in terms of the realist/instrumentalist debate. The thesis argues in favor of a sophisticated realist view of knowledge, such as those offered by Hacking and Matthews who take into account Hanson's "theory-laden" observation without falling prey to a naive realist view. Reasoning in science is compared with children's common-sense reasoning in an attempt to further understand

The longitudinal effect of concept map teaching on critical thinking of nursing students.

PubMed

Lee, Weillie; Chiang, Chi-Hua; Liao, I-Chen; Lee, Mei-Li; Chen, Shiah-Lian; Liang, Tienli

2013-10-01

Concept map is a useful cognitive tool for enhancing a student's critical thinking by encouraging students to process information deeply for understanding. However, there is limited understanding of longitudinal effects of concept map teaching on students' critical thinking. The purpose of the study was to investigate the growth and the other factors influencing the development of critical thinking in response to concept map as an interventional strategy for nursing students in a two-year registered nurse baccalaureate program. The study was a quasi-experimental and longitudinal follow-up design. A convenience sample was drawn from a university in central Taiwan. Data were collected at different time points at the beginning of each semester using structured questionnaires including Critical Thinking Scale and Approaches to Learning and Studying. The intervention of concept map teaching was given at the second semester in the Medical-Surgical Nursing course. The results of the findings revealed student started with a mean critical thinking score of 41.32 and decreased at a rate of 0.42 over time, although not significant. After controlling for individual characteristics, the final model revealed that the experimental group gained a higher critical thinking score across time than the control group. The best predictive variables of initial status in critical thinking were without clinical experience and a higher pre-test score. The growth in critical thinking was predicted best by a lower pre-test score, and lower scores on surface approach and organized study. Our study suggested that concept map is a useful teaching strategy to enhance student critical thinking. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching science for conceptual change: Toward a proposed taxonomy of diagnostic teaching strategies to gauge students' personal science conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shope, Richard Edwin, III

Science instruction aims to ensure that students properly construct scientific knowledge so that each individual may play a role as a science literate citizen or as part of the science workforce (National Research Council, 1996, 2000). Students enter the classroom with a wide range of personal conceptions regarding science phenomena, often at variance with prevailing scientific views (Duschl, Hamilton, & Grandy, 1992; Hewson, 1992). The extensive misconceptions research literature emphasizes the importance of diagnosing students' initial understandings in order to gauge the accuracy and depth of what each student knows prior to instruction and then to use that information to adapt the teaching to address student needs. (Ausubel, 1968; Carey, 2000; Driver et al., 1985; Karplus & Thier, 1967; Mintzes, Wandersee, & Novak, 1998; Osborne & Freyberg, 1985; Project 2061, 1993; Strike & Posner, 1982, 1992; Vygotsky, 1934/1987). To gain such insight, teachers diagnose not only the content of the students' personal conceptions but also the thinking processes that produced them (Strike and Posner, 1992). Indeed, when teachers design opportunities for students to express their understanding, there is strong evidence that such diagnostic assessment also enhances science teaching and learning (Black & William, 1998). The functional knowledge of effective science teaching practice resides in the professional practitioners at the front lines---the science teachers in the classroom. Nevertheless, how teachers actually engage in the practice of diagnosis is not well documented. To help fill this gap, the researcher conducted a study of 16 sixth grade science classrooms in four Los Angeles area middle schools. Diagnostic teaching strategies were observed in action and then followed up by interviews with each teacher. Results showed that teachers use strategies that vary by the complexity of active student involvement, including pretests, strategic questions, interactive discussion

Secondary School Teachers' Conceptions and Their Teaching Practices Using Graphing Calculators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jane A.; McDougall, Douglas E.

2010-01-01

This article investigates secondary school teachers' conceptions of mathematics and their teaching practices in the use of graphing calculators in their mathematics classrooms. Case studies on three teacher participants were developed using quantitative and qualitative data that consisted of self-assessments on beliefs in mathematics,…

Examining Teaching of Professional Concepts in Teacher Training and Investigating Students' Cognitive Structures Regarding Professional Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakus, Memet; Karakus, Fatma

2017-01-01

The study aims to determine education faculty students' cognitive structures regarding professional concepts, and to reveal the views of the students and faculty members about conceptual teaching. The participants of the study, which was designed as a case study, were determined using the criterion sampling method. In the study, which was carried…

Laboratory activity to effectively teach introductory geomicrobiology concepts to non-geology majors.

PubMed

Marvasi, Massimiliano; Davila-Vazquez, Yarely C; Martinez, Lilliam Casillas

2013-01-01

We have designed a three-week experiment that can complement any microbiology course, to teach main geomicrobiology concepts for non-geology majors. One of the most difficult concepts for non-geology majors to comprehend is how bacteria serve as a platform for different mineralization reactions. In our three-week laboratory practice, students learn the main principles and conditions required for an induced bacterial mineralization. Upon completion of the laboratory experience, students will: 1) learn how microbial-induced mineralization (such as calcium carbonate formation) is affected by differential media and growth conditions; 2) understand how bacterial physiology affects any induced in situ or in vitro mineralization; 3) comprehend how growing conditions and bacterial physiologies interrelate, resulting in differential crystal formation. The teaching-learning process was assessed using a pre-/posttest with an increase from 26% to 76% in the number of positive answers from the students. We also measured the students' proficiency while conducting specific technical tasks, revealing no major difficulties while conducting the experiments. A final questionnaire was provided with satisfactory evaluations from the students regarding the organization and content of the practices. 84-86% of the students agreed that the exercises improved their knowledge in geomicrobiology and would like to attend similar laboratories in the future. Such response is the best indicator that the laboratory practice can be implemented in any undergraduate/graduate microbiology course to effectively teach basic geomicrobiology concepts to non-geology majors.

Building a Context of Experience: Communication Audits to Teach Communication Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husband, Robert L.; Helmer, James E.

The research audit is an effective means for providing undergraduate students with relevant organizational experience through which they can integrate theory and practice. A course was designed to teach students to apply basic concepts in the field of organizational communication to "real life" communication problems in organizations.…

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paris, Django, Ed.; Alim, H. Samy, Ed.

2017-01-01

"Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies" raises fundamental questions about the purpose of schooling in changing societies. Bringing together an intergenerational group of prominent educators and researchers, this volume engages and extends the concept of culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP)--teaching that perpetuates and fosters linguistic,…

Using Metaphors to Know the Conceptions about the Teaching Profession in Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez-de-la-Hidalga, Zoe; Villardón-Gallego, Lourdes

2017-01-01

The Conceptions about the teaching profession affect professional performance, and metaphors are a tool to identify them. In this qualitative study metaphors are used to gain insight into conceptions held by pre-service teachers, and their development during Initial Teacher Training in the Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education. A total of 247…

Teaching children in low-income countries to assess claims about treatment effects: prioritization of key concepts.

PubMed

Nsangi, Allen; Semakula, Daniel; Oxman, Andrew D; Sewankambo, Nelson K

2015-11-01

Health-related knowledge and behaviours developed during childhood are increasingly being recognized as foundational, deeply rooted and resistant to change as children mature into adulthood. The aim of this study was to engage stakeholders in prioritizing key concepts that children need to understand when assessing claims about treatment effects. A list of 30 concepts developed prior was categorized into six groups considered important for children to understand in order to assess claims about the effects of "treatments" (any type of healthcare intervention). A teachers' network was established comprising of primary school teachers, who attended a three-day meeting where the concepts were presented, discussed and prioritized using a pre-set criteria thus: (i) relevance of concepts for children, (ii) ease of comprehension of concepts for children, (iii) potential for developing resources to teach the children and (iv) whether the resources once developed would have an impact on children's ability to assess claims. Using a modified Delphi technique, participants ranked each group of concepts using the four criteria on a Likert scale of one to six (1 = lowest, 6 = highest). The rankings were analysed using STATA statistical software. Twenty-two of the 24 participants reported having understood the concepts well; with self-assessments of their own understanding above 75 on a scale of (1 to 100). All six groups of concepts were considered relevant. It is important to teach children how to assess claims about benefits and harms of treatments. Resources will be developed to teach children these concepts. © 2015 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Teaching the Fundamentals of Biological Research with Primary Literature: Learning from the Discovery of the Gastric Proton Pump

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Lixin

2011-01-01

For the purpose of teaching collegians the fundamentals of biological research, literature explaining the discovery of the gastric proton pump was presented in a 50-min lecture. The presentation included detailed information pertaining to the discovery process. This study was chosen because it demonstrates the importance of having a broad range of…

On the Concept of Force: How Understanding Its History Can Improve Physics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coelho, Ricardo Lopes

2010-01-01

Some physicists have pointed out that we do not know what force is. The most common definition of force in textbooks has been criticized for more than two centuries. Many studies have shown that the concept of force is a problem for teaching. How to conceive force on the basis of the concepts and criticism of force in the works of Newton, Euler,…

Setting the Stage for Developing Pre-service Teachers' Conceptions of Good Science Teaching: The role of classroom videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Siu Ling; Yung, Benny Hin Wai; Cheng, Man Wai; Lam, Kwok Leung; Hodson, Derek

2006-01-01

This paper reports findings about a curriculum innovation conducted at The University of Hong Kong. A CD-ROM consisting of videos of two lessons by different teachers demonstrating exemplary science teaching was used to elicit conceptions of good science teaching of student-teachers enrolled for the 1-year Postgraduate Diploma in Education at several stages during the programme. It was found that the videos elicited student-teachers’ conceptions and had impact on those conceptions prior to the commencement of formal instruction. It has extended student-teachers’ awareness of alternative teaching methods and approaches not experienced in their own schooling, broadened their awareness of different classroom situations, provided proof of existence of good practices, and prompted them to reflect on their current preconceptions of good science teaching. In several ways, the videos acted as a catalyst in socializing the transition of student-teachers from the role of student to the role of teacher.

Reflections on Teaching Periodic Table Concepts: A Case Study of Selected Schools in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokiwa, Hamza Omari

2017-01-01

The Periodic Table of Elements is central to the study of modern Physics and Chemistry. It is however, considered by teachers as difficult to teach. This paper reports on a case study exploring reflections on teaching periodic table concepts in five secondary schools from South Africa. Qualitative methodology of interviews and document analysis…

The Effect of Planetariums on Teaching Specific Astronomy Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Türk, Cumhur; Kalkan, Hüseyin

2015-02-01

This study aimed to determine students' knowledge levels related to specific astronomy concepts and the effect of a planetarium environment on teaching. The study sample included seventh-grade (12-13 years old) students. For this purpose, 240 students of various socioeconomic and cultural levels from six schools (two in the city center, two in the districts and two in the villages) were enrolled in the study. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was used in the study. The experimental and control groups were generated by random assignment. The "Solar System and Beyond" unit was selected. In the experimental group, the unit was taught with the use of a planetarium environment, whereas the same unit was taught to the control group students in a classroom environment. A test consisting of 14 multiple-choice questions was used as the pretest and posttest at the beginning and end of the unit. The data obtained were evaluated using the SPSS 20.0 software package program. The study results showed that teaching astronomical concepts in a planetarium environment was more effective than in a classroom environment. The study also revealed that students in the planetarium-assisted group were more successful in comprehending subjects that require 3D thinking, a reference system, changing the time and observation of periodic motion than those in control group.

The Implications of Arendt's Concept of Judgment for Humanistic Teaching in a Postmetaphysical Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwak, Duck-Joo

2015-01-01

In this essay, Duck-Joo Kwak draws on Hannah Arendt's concept of judgment in exploring what it means to teach the humanities as a form of values education in a postmetaphysical age. Arendt's concept of judgment is closely related to Ciceronian humanism, which is concerned with the wisdom to choose one's company while appreciating this pursuit…

Tether fundamentals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, J. A.

1986-01-01

Some fundamental aspects of tethers are presented and briefly discussed. The effects of gravity gradients, dumbbell libration in circular orbits, tether control strategies and impact hazards for tethers are among those fundamentals. Also considered are aerodynamic drag, constraints in momentum transfer applications and constraints with permanently deployed tethers. The theoretical feasibility of these concepts are reviewed.

Some Applications of Linguistic Concepts to the Teaching of Freshman Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maimon, Elaine P.

The problems which freshmen exhibit in using the written language extend beyond difficulties with mechanics to handicaps in using words to formulate and develop concepts. A linguistic approach to teaching freshman composition involves recognizing every linguistic act as creative and a word as having a history as well as a variety of meanings. In…

Minimizing the Free Energy: A Computer Method for Teaching Chemical Equilibrium Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heald, Emerson F.

1978-01-01

Presents a computer method for teaching chemical equilibrium concepts using material balance conditions and the minimization of the free energy. Method for the calculation of chemical equilibrium, the computer program used to solve equilibrium problems and applications of the method are also included. (HM)

Internet discussion forums as part of a student-centred teaching concept of pharmacology.

PubMed

Sucha, Michael; Engelhardt, Stefan; Sarikas, Antonio

2013-01-01

The world wide web opens up new opportunities to interconnect electronic and classroom teaching and to promote active student participation. In this project article we describe the use of internet discussion forums as part of a student-centred teaching concept of pharmacology and discuss its advantages and disadvantages based on evaluation data and current literature. Final year medical students at the Technische Universität München (Munich, Germany) with the elective pharmacology moderated an internet forum that allowed all students to discuss pharmacology-related questions. Evaluation results of forum participants and elective students demonstrated a learning benefit of internet forums in pharmacology teaching. Internet discussion forums offer an easy-to-implement and effective way to actively engage students and increase the learning benefit of electronic and classroom teaching in pharmacology.

Concept-Focused Teaching: Using Big Ideas to Guide Instruction in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Joanne K.

2008-01-01

One of the main problems we face in science teaching is that students are learning isolated facts and missing central concepts. For instance, consider what you know about life cycles. Chances are that you remember something about butterflies and stages, such as egg, larva, pupa, adult. But what's the take-home idea that we should have learned…

Examining the impact of the Guided Constructivist teaching method on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Hyatt Abdelhaleem

The effect of Guided Constructivism (Interactivity-Based Learning Environment) and Traditional Expository instructional methods on students' misconceptions about concepts of Newtonian Physics was investigated. Four groups of 79 of University of Central Florida students enrolled in Physics 2048 participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design of nonrandomized, nonequivalent control and experimental groups was employed. The experimental group was exposed to the Guided Constructivist teaching method, while the control group was taught using the Traditional Expository teaching approach. The data collection instruments included the Force Concept Inventory Test (FCI), the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT), and the Maryland Physics Expectation Survey (MPEX). The Guided Constructivist group had significantly higher means than the Traditional Expository group on the criterion variables of: (1) conceptions of Newtonian Physics, (2) achievement in Newtonian Physics, and (3) beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics, and overall beliefs about learning/teaching/appropriate roles of learners and teachers/nature of Physics. Further, significant relationships were found between (1) achievement, conceptual structures, beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge, and beliefs about the role of Mathematics in learning Physics; (2) changes in misconceptions about the physical phenomena, and changes in beliefs about the content of Physics knowledge. No statistically significant difference was found between the two teaching methods on achievement of males and females. These findings suggest that differences in conceptual learning due to the nature of the teaching method used exist. Furthermore, greater conceptual learning is fostered when teachers use interactivity-based teaching strategies to train students to link everyday experience in the real physical world to formal school concepts. The moderate effect size and

A low-cost computer-controlled Arduino-based educational laboratory system for teaching the fundamentals of photovoltaic cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachariadou, K.; Yiasemides, K.; Trougkakos, N.

2012-11-01

We present a low-cost, fully computer-controlled, Arduino-based, educational laboratory (SolarInsight) to be used in undergraduate university courses concerned with electrical engineering and physics. The major goal of the system is to provide students with the necessary instrumentation, software tools and methodology in order to learn fundamental concepts of semiconductor physics by exploring the process of an experimental physics inquiry. The system runs under the Windows operating system and is composed of a data acquisition/control board, a power supply and processing boards, sensing elements, a graphical user interface and data analysis software. The data acquisition/control board is based on the Arduino open source electronics prototyping platform. The graphical user interface and communication with the Arduino are developed in C# and C++ programming languages respectively, by using IDE Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Professional, which is freely available to students. Finally, the data analysis is performed by using the open source, object-oriented framework ROOT. Currently the system supports five teaching activities, each one corresponding to an independent tab in the user interface. SolarInsight has been partially developed in the context of a diploma thesis conducted within the Technological Educational Institute of Piraeus under the co-supervision of the Physics and Electronic Computer Systems departments’ academic staff.

Laboratory Activity to Effectively Teach Introductory Geomicrobiology Concepts to Non-Geology Majors †

PubMed Central

Marvasi, Massimiliano; Davila-Vazquez, Yarely C.; Martinez, Lilliam Casillas

2013-01-01

We have designed a three-week experiment that can complement any microbiology course, to teach main geomicrobiology concepts for non-geology majors. One of the most difficult concepts for non-geology majors to comprehend is how bacteria serve as a platform for different mineralization reactions. In our three-week laboratory practice, students learn the main principles and conditions required for an induced bacterial mineralization. Upon completion of the laboratory experience, students will: 1) learn how microbial-induced mineralization (such as calcium carbonate formation) is affected by differential media and growth conditions; 2) understand how bacterial physiology affects any induced in situ or in vitro mineralization; 3) comprehend how growing conditions and bacterial physiologies interrelate, resulting in differential crystal formation. The teaching-learning process was assessed using a pre-/posttest with an increase from 26% to 76% in the number of positive answers from the students. We also measured the students’ proficiency while conducting specific technical tasks, revealing no major difficulties while conducting the experiments. A final questionnaire was provided with satisfactory evaluations from the students regarding the organization and content of the practices. 84–86% of the students agreed that the exercises improved their knowledge in geomicrobiology and would like to attend similar laboratories in the future. Such response is the best indicator that the laboratory practice can be implemented in any undergraduate/graduate microbiology course to effectively teach basic geomicrobiology concepts to non-geology majors. PMID:24358384

The core learning objectives education model: an approach to the teaching of core concepts in the clinical clerkship.

PubMed

Rapp, David E; Lyon, Mark B; Orvieto, Marcelo A; Zagaja, Gregory P

2005-10-01

The classical approach to the undergraduate medical clerkship has several limitations, including variability of clinical exposure and method of examination. As a result, the clerkship experience does not ensure exposure to and reinforcement of the fundamental concepts of a given specialty. This article reviews the classic approach to clerkship education within the undergraduate medical education. Specific attention is placed on clinical exposure and clerkship examination. We describe the introduction of the Core Learning Objective (CLO) educational model at the University of Chicago Section of Urology. This model is designed to provide an efficient exposure to and evaluation of core clerkship learning objectives. The CLO model has been successfully initiated, focusing on both technical and clinical skill sets. The proposed model has been introduced with positive initial results and should allow for an efficient approach to the teaching and evaluation of core objectives in clerkship education.

Teaching Cultural Competence to Psychiatry Residents: Seven Core Concepts and Their Implications for Therapeutic Technique.

PubMed

Pena, Jose M; Manguno-Mire, Gina; Kinzie, Erik; Johnson, Janet E

2016-04-01

The authors describe the Tulane Model for teaching cultural competence to psychiatry residents in order to outline an innovative approach to curricula development in academic psychiatry. The authors focus on the didactic experience that takes place during the first and second postgraduate years and present seven core concepts that should inform the emerging clinician's thinking in the formulation of every clinical case. The authors discuss the correspondence between each core concept and the Outline for Cultural Formulation, introduced in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV and updated in DSM-5. The authors illustrate how each of the core concepts is utilized as a guideline for teaching residents a process for eliciting culturally relevant information from their patients and their personal histories and how to apply that knowledge in the assessment and treatment of patients in clinical settings.

Teaching-Learning Conceptions and Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Test Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bas, Gökhan

2016-01-01

The current research aimed at examining the mediating role of test anxiety in the relationship between teaching-learning conceptions and academic achievement. The correlation investigation model was adopted in this research. The participants of the research were volunteering teachers (n = 108) and students (n = 526) from five different high…

Teaching and assessment of mathematical principles for software correctness using a reasoning concept inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drachova-Strang, Svetlana V.

As computing becomes ubiquitous, software correctness has a fundamental role in ensuring the safety and security of the systems we build. To design and develop software correctly according to their formal contracts, CS students, the future software practitioners, need to learn a critical set of skills that are necessary and sufficient for reasoning about software correctness. This dissertation presents a systematic approach to both introducing these reasoning skills into the curriculum, and assessing how well the students have learned them. Specifically, it introduces a comprehensive Reasoning Concept Inventory (RCI) that captures the fine details of basic reasoning skills that are ideally learned across the undergraduate curriculum to reason about software correctness, to develop high quality software, and to understand why software works as specified. The RCI forms the basis for developing learning outcomes that help educators to assess the adequacy of current techniques and pinpoint necessary improvements. This dissertation contains results from experimentation and assessment over the past few years in multiple CS courses. The results show that the finer principles of mathematical reasoning of software correctness can be taught effectively and continuously improved with the help of the RCI using suitable teaching practices, and supporting methods and tools.

A degree of controllability definition - Fundamental concepts and application to modal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viswanathan, C. N.; Longman, R. W.; Likins, P. W.

1984-01-01

Starting from basic physical considerations, this paper develops a concept of the degree of controllability of a control system, and then develops numerical methods to generate approximate values of the degree of controllability for any linear time-invariant system. In many problems, such as the control of future, very large, flexible spacecraft and certain chemical process control problems, the question of how to choose the number and locations of the control system actuators is an important one. The results obtained here offer the control system designer a tool which allows him to rank the effectiveness of alternative actuator distributions, and hence to choose the actuator locations on a rational basis. The degree of controllability is shown to take a particularly simple form when the dynamic equations of a satellite are in second-order modal form. The degree of controllability concept has still other fundamental uses - it allows one to study the system structural relations between the various inputs and outputs of a linear system, which has applications to decoupling and model reduction.

The Effectiveness of Embedded Teaching through the Most-to-Least Prompting Procedure in Concept Teaching to Children with Autism within Orff-Based Music Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eren, Bilgehan; Deniz, Jale; Duzkantar, Ayten

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of embedded teaching through the most-to-least prompting procedure in concept teaching to children with autism in Orff-based music activities. In this research, being one of the single subject research designs, multiple probe design was used. The generalization effect of the research…

Beyond the Clock--Using the Computer to Teach the Abstract Concept of Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drysdale, Julie

1993-01-01

Discusses several projects to help teach and reinforce the concept of time, using the books "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" (by Eric Carle) and "Charlotte's Web (by E. B. White) as well as the computer software program "Timeliner" (by Tom Snyder). (SR)

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTIONS OF TEACHING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GAGE, N.L.

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK WAS PROPOSED FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY COURSE IN THE GENERAL METHODOLOGY OF TEACHING. THIS COURSE WOULD TRANSCEND THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF ANY GIVEN SUBJECT MATTER OR GRADE LEVEL AND SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR DERIVING THE SPECIAL METHODS OF TEACHING THAT WOULD APPLY TO ANY PARTICULAR GRADE LEVEL OR SUBJECT MATTER.…

The effect of concept mapping on preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of science inquiry teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Diann Carol

This study examined the effect of concept mapping as a method of stimulating reflection on preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of science inquiry instruction methods. Three intact classes of science education preservice teachers participated in a non-randomized comparison group with a pretest and posttest design to measure the influence of mapping on participants' knowledge of inquiry science instruction. All groups followed the same course syllabus, in class activities, readings, assignments and assessment tasks. The manner in which they presented their ideas about inquiry science teaching varied. Groups constructed pre-lesson, post-lesson, and homework lists or maps across three inquiry based instruction modules (ecosystems, food chains, and electricity). Equivalent forms of the Teaching Science Inventory (TSI) were used to investigate changes in preservice teachers' propositional knowledge about how to teach using inquiry science instruction methods. Equivalent forms of the Science Lesson Planning (SLP) test were used to investigate changes in preservice teachers' application knowledge about how to teach using inquiry science instruction methods. Data analysis included intrarater reliability, ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, and correlations between lists and maps and examination responses. SLP and TSI scores improved from the pretest to the posttest in each of the three study groups. The results indicate that, in general, there were basically no relationships between the treatment and outcome measures. In addition, there were no significant differences between the three groups in their knowledge about how to teach science. Conclusions drawn from this study include, first, the learners did learn how to teach science using inquiry. Second, in this study there is little evidence to support that concept mapping was more successful than the listing strategy in improving preservice elementary teachers' knowledge of teaching science using inquiry science instruction methods.

Normative Values in Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: A Belief System Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwieler, Elias; Ekecrantz, Stefan

2011-01-01

The effects of teachers' normative values and emotive reactions on teaching in higher education have received relatively little research attention. The focus is often on descriptive beliefs such as conceptions of teaching and their inter-relations with practice. In this study, which is illustrated by a heuristic model, a belief system approach is…

A Concept-Based Approach to Teaching Speech Acts in the EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, Allan

2015-01-01

While concept-based instruction (CBI), grounded in sociocultural theory, has been the subject of increased attention in recent years, it is still a relatively unknown methodology in language teaching contexts. In this approach, the emphasis is on helping learners develop a deep, conceptual understanding of a skill or knowledge area, so that this…

Fundamental Concepts in the Teaching of Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeffler, Paul A.

1989-01-01

Presented is a simple, unified approach to chemical nomenclature which employs the distinction between the terms chemical substance and chemical species. The classification of matter and chemical nomenclature are used as examples to illustrate this scheme. (CW)

Fundamentals of Hybrid Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder, Kathryn E.

2017-01-01

This chapter provides definitions and distinguishing characteristics of the various terms used in the context of hybrid education. The author also offers an overview of the recent literature on hybrid teaching and learning.

Knowledge of the brain-death concept among secondary school teachers.

PubMed

Ríos, A; Febrero, B; López-Navas, A; Martínez-Alarcón, L; Sánchez, J; Guzmán, D; Ramírez, P; Parrilla, P

2012-01-01

The concept of brain death (BD) is not very well known in the population, and its unknown nature is one of the main factors that could lead to an attitude against organ donation. The teaching sector has an important influence on the education of adolescents, and for this reason the teacher's knowledge of these concepts is fundamental to spread the correct meaning of the concept to young people. To analyze the concept of BD among teachers of compulsory secondary education (CSE) in southeast Spain and to determine teachers' influence on attitude toward organ donation. Ten CSE level schools were selected and stratified according to geographical location in southeast spain. A random sample was taken of CSE teachers. The knowledge of the concept of BD and attitude toward donation were analyzed using a validated questionnaire, which was self-administered and completed anonymously. Sixty-four percent (n = 180) of respondents knew the BD concept and they considered it to be the death of an individual. Of the rest, 34% (n = 95) did not know this concept, and the remaining 3% (n = 8) believed it did not mean a person's death. Those who understood the concept of BD were more in favor of deceased donation than those who held the wrong concept (82% versus 75%; P < .01). The knowledge of the concept of BD is associated with variables directly and indirectly related with donation and transplantation (P < .05). A third of the CSE teaching staff did not know or understand the BD concept as the death of an individual. The knowledge of BD positively affects attitude toward organ donation. Given that teachers are a source of information, the basic training of CSE teaching staff in basic concepts such as BD would be important. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching Energy Concepts by Working on Themes of Cultural and Environmental Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besson, Ugo; De Ambrosis, Anna

2014-01-01

Energy is a central topic in physics and a key concept for understanding the physical, biological and technological worlds. It is a complex topic with multiple connections with different areas of science and with social, environmental and philosophical issues. In this paper we discuss some aspects of the teaching and learning of the energy…

An iLab for Teaching Advanced Logic Concepts with Hardware Descriptive Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayodele, Kayode P.; Inyang, Isaac A.; Kehinde, Lawrence O.

2015-01-01

One of the more interesting approaches to teaching advanced logic concepts is the use of online laboratory frameworks to provide student access to remote field-programmable devices. There is as yet, however, no conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of such an approach. This paper presents the Advanced Digital Lab, a remote laboratory based on…

Improving students’ conceptions on fluid dynamics through peer teaching model with PDEODE (PTM-PDEODE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsudin, A.; Fratiwi, N.; Amin, N.; Wiendartun; Supriyatman; Wibowo, F.; Faizin, M.; Costu, B.

2018-05-01

This study based on an importance of improving students’ conceptions and reduces students’ misconceptions on fluid dynamics concepts. Consequently, should be done the study through combining Peer Teaching Model (PTM) and PDEODE (Prediction, Discuss, Explain, Observe, Discuss and Explain) learning strategy (PTM-PDEODE). For the research methods, we used the 4D model (Defining, Designing, Developing, and Disseminating). The samples are 38 students (their ages were an average of 17 years-old) at one of the senior high schools in Bandung. The improvement of students’ conceptions was diagnosed through a four-tier test of fluid dynamics. At the disseminating phase, students’ conceptions of fluid dynamics concepts are increase after the use of PTM-PDEODE. In conclusion, the development of PTM-PDEODE is respectable enough to improve students’ conceptions on dinamics fluid.

Mathematics Undergraduate Student Teachers' Conceptions of Guided Inductive and Deductive Teaching Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndemo, Zakaria; Zindi, Fred; Mtetwa, David

2017-01-01

This contribution aimed at developing an understanding of student teachers' conceptions of guided discovery teaching approaches. A cross-sectional survey design involving eleven secondary mathematics teachers who had enrolled for an in-service mathematics education degree was used to address the research question: What are undergraduate student…

The Teaching of Food Guide Pyramid Concepts by Nebraska Elementary School Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, H. Darlene; Driskell, Judy A.

2001-01-01

In an analysis of food selection education using the Food Guide Pyramid for students in grades 1-4, over two-thirds of teachers (n=464) responded that nutrition should be a high priority in the elementary curriculum. Fewer than half teach pyramid concepts consistently or frequently, younger teachers (20-29) more rarely than older teachers.…

Development of Problem-Based Learning Oriented Teaching Learning Materials to Facilitate Students’ Mastery of Concept and Critical Thinking Skill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reza, M.; Ibrahim, M.; Rahayu, Y. S.

2018-01-01

This research aims to develop problem-based learning oriented teaching materials to improve students’ mastery of concept and critical thinking skill. Its procedure was divided into two phases; developmental phase and experimental phase. This developmental research used Four-D Model. However, within this research, the process of development would not involve the last stages, which is disseminate. The teaching learning materials which were developed consist of lesson plan, student handbook, student worksheet, achievement test and critical thinking skill test. The experimental phase employs a research design called one group pretest-posttest design. Results show that the validity of the teaching materials which were developed was good and revealed the enhancement of students’ activities with positive response to the teaching learning process. Furthermore, the learning materials improve the students’ mastery of concept and critical thinking skill.

Visualization and Interactivity in the Teaching of Chemistry to Science and Non-Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venkataraman, Bhawani

2009-01-01

A series of interactive, instructional units have been developed that integrate computational molecular modelling and visualization to teach fundamental chemistry concepts and the relationship between the molecular and macro-scales. The units span the scale from atoms, small molecules to macromolecular systems, and introduce many of the concepts…

Fundamentals of fluid sealing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuk, J.

1976-01-01

The fundamentals of fluid sealing, including seal operating regimes, are discussed and the general fluid-flow equations for fluid sealing are developed. Seal performance parameters such as leakage and power loss are presented. Included in the discussion are the effects of geometry, surface deformations, rotation, and both laminar and turbulent flows. The concept of pressure balancing is presented, as are differences between liquid and gas sealing. Mechanisms of seal surface separation, fundamental friction and wear concepts applicable to seals, seal materials, and pressure-velocity (PV) criteria are discussed.

How Golden Is Silence? Teaching Undergraduates the Power and Limits of RNA Interference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuldell, Natalie H.

2006-01-01

It is hard and getting harder to strike a satisfying balance in teaching. Time dedicated to student-generated models or ideas is often sacrificed in an effort to "get through the syllabus." I describe a series of RNA interference (RNAi) experiments for undergraduate students that simultaneously explores fundamental concepts in gene regulation,…

The Vital Role of Basic Mathematics in Teaching and Learning the Mole Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehrotra, Alka; Koul, Anjni

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the importance of activity-based teaching in understanding the mole concept and the vital role of basic mathematical operations. It describes needs-based training for teachers in a professional development programme in India. Analysis of test results before and after the training indicates that teachers improved their…

Exploring Students' Visual Conception of Matter: Towards Developing a Teaching Framework Using Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinosa, Allen A.; Marasigan, Arlyne C.; Datukan, Janir T.

2016-01-01

This study explored how students visualise the states and classifications of matter with the use of scientific models. Misconceptions of students in using scientific models were also identified to formulate a teaching framework. To elicit data in the study, a Visual Conception Questionnaire was administered to thirty-four (34), firstyear, general…

Turkish Preservice Elementary Science Teachers' Conceptions of Learning Science and Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs: Is There a Relationship?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahcivan, Eralp; Kapucu, Serkan

2014-01-01

This study has been conducted to investigate conceptions of learning science (COLS) and personal science teaching efficacy belief (PSTE) of Turkish preservice elementary science teachers (PSTs) and to explore the relationship between these variables. Two instruments COLS questionnaire and PSTE subscale of Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs…

Is Case-Based Learning an Effective Teaching Strategy to Challenge Students' Alternative Conceptions regarding Chemical Kinetics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcinkaya, Eylem; Tastan-Kirik, Ozgecan; Boz, Yezdan; Yildiran, Demet

2012-01-01

Background: Case-based learning (CBL) is simply teaching the concept to the students based on the cases. CBL involves a case, which is a scenario based on daily life, and study questions related to the case, which allows students to discuss their ideas. Chemical kinetics is one of the most difficult concepts for students in chemistry. Students…

Like Teacher, Like Student? Conceptions of Children from Traditional and Constructive Teachers Regarding the Teaching and Learning of String Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López-Íñiguez, Guadalupe; Pozo, Juan Ignacio

2014-01-01

While many studies have considered the association between teachers' and students' conceptions of teaching and learning and classroom practices, few studies have researched the influence of teachers' conceptions on students' conceptions. Our objective was to analyze the influence of music teachers' conceptions on student…

Teaching Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Z.; Kostka, I.; Mott-Smith, J. A.

2013-01-01

The authors of "Teaching Writing" draw on their years of teaching and their knowledge of theory and research to present major concepts in teaching L2 writing. These concepts encompass how cultural differences affect the writing class, planning instruction, text-based writing, writing strategies, modeling, and responding to student…

Psychosocial vital signs: using simulation to introduce a new concept.

PubMed

Spade, Charlotte M

2008-01-01

Psychosocial vital signs (PVS) is a tool used for defining and measuring essential psychosocial variables of health. Because nurse-patient interaction is basic to PVS, simulation is the methodology used for introducing this new concept to students. When learning PVS as a fundamental nursing skill, students' thinking is informed and guided toward a holistic view of their patients. The author discusses components of PVS and the curriculum used for teaching students how to use PVS.

Sales Fundamentals Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh. Div. of Vocational Education.

This curriculum guide is designed as a resource for marketing education teachers in planning and teaching a course on sales fundamentals for students in grades 10-12 who are interested in a sales career. Internships, simulations, and co-op experiences may be used to expand practical application of the course. The student course objectives are to…

Facilitating the Concept of Universal Design Among Design Students - Changes in Teaching in the Last Decade.

PubMed

Vavik, Tom

2016-01-01

This short paper describes and reflects on how the teaching of the concept of Universal Design (UD) has developed in the last decade at the Institute of Design at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). Four main changes are described. Firstly, the curriculum has evolved from teaching guidelines and principles to focusing on design processes. Secondly, an increased emphasis is put on cognitive accessibility. Thirdly, non-stigmatizing aesthetics expressions and solutions that communicate through different senses have become more important subjects. Fourthly the teaching of UD has moved from the second to the first year curriculum.

"Everything Flows and Nothing Stays": How Students Make Sense of the Historical Concepts of Change, Continuity and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blow, Frances

2011-01-01

First order knowledge and understanding, relating to the "stuff" of history, is, of course, absolutely fundamental to the development of children's historical knowledge and understanding. However, as Frances Blow shows, in a contribution to a series of articles exploring second order concepts in history published in Teaching History by…

Is case-based learning an effective teaching strategy to challenge students' alternative conceptions regarding chemical kinetics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalçınkaya, Eylem; Taştan-Kırık, Özgecan; Boz, Yezdan; Yıldıran, Demet

2012-07-01

Background: Case-based learning (CBL) is simply teaching the concept to the students based on the cases. CBL involves a case, which is a scenario based on daily life, and study questions related to the case, which allows students to discuss their ideas. Chemical kinetics is one of the most difficult concepts for students in chemistry. Students have generally low levels of conceptual understanding and many alternative conceptions regarding it. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effect of CBL on dealing with students' alternative conceptions about chemical kinetics. Sample: The sample consists of 53 high school students from one public high school in Turkey. Design and methods : Nonequivalent pre-test and post-test control group design was used. Reaction Rate Concept Test and semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Convenience sampling technique was followed. For data analysis, the independent samples t-test and ANOVA was performed. Results : Both concept test and interview results showed that students instructed with cases had better understanding of core concepts of chemical kinetics and had less alternative conceptions related to the subject matter compared to the control group students, despite the fact that it was impossible to challenge all the alternative conceptions in the experimental group. Conclusions: CBL is an effective teaching method for challenging students' alternative conceptions in the context of chemical kinetics. Since using cases in small groups and whole class discussions has been found to be an effective way to cope with the alternative conceptions, it can be applied to other subjects and grade levels in high schools with a higher sample size. Furthermore, the effect of this method on academic achievement, motivation and critical thinking skills are other variables that can be investigated for future studies in the subject area of chemistry.

The Power of Colombian Mathematics Teachers' Conceptions of Social/Institutional Factors of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agudelo-Valderrama, Cecilia

2008-01-01

In this paper I shall discuss data from a study on Colombian mathematics teachers' conceptions of their own teaching practices of beginning algebra, which led to the development of a theoretical model of teachers' thought structures designed as a thinking tool at the initial stage of the study. With a focus on the perspectives of teachers, the…

Activities for Teaching K-6 Math/Science Concepts. Classroom Activities Series - Number 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Walter A.; Farrell, Margaret A.

This book is a revised edition of one of the products of a project, "Teaching Mathematics and Science Concepts, K-6, funded by the New York State Education Department. The project was a collaborative effort by mathematics and science education faculty at the State University of New York at Albany and representatives of eight school districts in…

Development, Validation, and Application of the Microbiology Concept Inventory †

PubMed Central

Paustian, Timothy D.; Briggs, Amy G.; Brennan, Robert E.; Boury, Nancy; Buchner, John; Harris, Shannon; Horak, Rachel E. A.; Hughes, Lee E.; Katz-Amburn, D. Sue; Massimelli, Maria J.; McDonald, Ann H.; Primm, Todd P.; Smith, Ann C.; Stevens, Ann M.; Yung, Sunny B.

2017-01-01

If we are to teach effectively, tools are needed to measure student learning. A widely used method for quickly measuring student understanding of core concepts in a discipline is the concept inventory (CI). Using the American Society for Microbiology Curriculum Guidelines (ASMCG) for microbiology, faculty from 11 academic institutions created and validated a new microbiology concept inventory (MCI). The MCI was developed in three phases. In phase one, learning outcomes and fundamental statements from the ASMCG were used to create T/F questions coupled with open responses. In phase two, the 743 responses to MCI 1.0 were examined to find the most common misconceptions, which were used to create distractors for multiple-choice questions. MCI 2.0 was then administered to 1,043 students. The responses of these students were used to create MCI 3.0, a 23-question CI that measures students’ understanding of all 27 fundamental statements. MCI 3.0 was found to be reliable, with a Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.705 and Ferguson’s delta of 0.97. Test item analysis demonstrated good validity and discriminatory power as judged by item difficulty, item discrimination, and point-biserial correlation coefficient. Comparison of pre- and posttest scores showed that microbiology students at 10 institutions showed an increase in understanding of concepts after instruction, except for questions probing metabolism (average normalized learning gain was 0.15). The MCI will enable quantitative analysis of student learning gains in understanding microbiology, help to identify misconceptions, and point toward areas where efforts should be made to develop teaching approaches to overcome them. PMID:29854042

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Understanding of the Relational Structure of Physics Concepts: Organising Subject Contents for Purposes of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koponen, Ismo; Nousiainen, Maija

2013-01-01

Good conceptual understanding of physics is based on understanding what the key concepts are and how they are related. This kind of understanding is especially important for physics teachers in planning how and in what order to introduce concepts in teaching; connections which tie concepts to each other give direction of progress--there is "flux…

The Impact of Video Case Content on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Decision-Making and Conceptions of Effective Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Joanne K.; Bruxvoort, Crystal N.; Vande Haar, Andrea J.

2016-01-01

Little is known about how the content of a video case influences what preservice teachers learn about science teaching. This study was designed to determine the impact of two different video cases on preservice elementary teachers' conceptions of multiple aspects of effective science teaching, with one video selected to focus attention on the role…

The Hospitalist Huddle: a 1-year experience of teaching Hospital Medicine utilizing the concept of peer teaching in medical education.

PubMed

Elhassan, Mohammed

2017-01-01

The relatively new specialty of Hospital Medicine in the USA is one of the fastest growing fields in internal medicine. Academic hospitalists are largely involved in the medical education of postgraduate residents and medical students. Little is known about the effectiveness of peer-to-peer teaching in internal medicine residency training programs and how the medical residents perceive its educational value in learning Hospital Medicine. The Hospitalist Huddle is a weekly educational activity newly established by our Hospitalist Division to facilitate the concept of peer-to-peer teaching. It requires medical residents to teach and educate their peers about the clinical topics related to Hospital Medicine. Faculty hospitalists serve as facilitators during the teaching sessions. A survey disseminated at the end of the first year of its implementation examined the residents' perception of the educational value of this new teaching activity. Most residents reported that they see the Huddle as a useful educational forum which may improve their skills in teaching, create a better educational and learning environment during their inpatient rotation, and improve their understanding of Hospital Medicine. Most residents also prefer that their peers, rather than faculty hospitalists, run the activity and do the teaching. The survey results support the notion that teaching and learning with flat hierarchies can be an appealing educational method to medical residents to help them understand Hospital Medicine during their medical wards rotation. Some areas need to be improved and others need to be continued and emphasized in order to make this novel educational activity grow and flourish in terms of its educational value and residents' satisfaction.

On Gene Concepts and Teaching Genetics: Episodes from Classical Genetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burian, Richard M.

2013-02-01

This paper addresses the teaching of advanced high school courses or undergraduate courses for non-biology majors about genetics or history of genetics. It will probably be difficult to take the approach described here in a high school science course, although the general approach could help improve such courses. It would be ideal for a college course in history of genetics or a course designed to teach non-science majors how science works or the rudiments of the genetics in a way that will help them as citizens. The approach aims to teach the processes of discovery, correction, and validation by utilizing illustrative episodes from the history of genetics. The episodes are treated in way that should foster understanding of basic questions about genes, the sorts of techniques used to answer questions about the constitution and structure of genes, how they function, and what they determine, and some of the major biological disagreements that arose in dealing with these questions. The material covered here could be connected to social and political issues raised by genetics, but these connections are not surveyed here. As it is, to cover this much territory, the article is limited to four major episodes from Mendel's paper to the beginning of World War II. A sequel will deal with the molecularization of genetics and with molecular gene concepts through the Human Genome Project.

Teaching Wellness Concepts Using Mosston's Spectrum of Teaching Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Carol; Pennington, Todd; Zanandrea, Maria

2011-01-01

Teaching wellness principles in secondary physical education classes has become an important aspect of physical education as teachers work to help their students develop lifelong healthy lifestyle habits. Many schools now have a required wellness/fitness component as part of their state core requirements. Having developed their teaching skills by…

Categorization of alternative astronomical and scientifical conceptions of the teachers from the north coast of São Paulo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzaga, E. P.

2016-05-01

This work deals with the analysis of scientific and alternative astronomical concepts found in the responses of teachers who teach classes Science, Geography and Physic in Basic Education (BE) of the state of the North Coast of São Paulo and how to address the alternative astronomical concepts with students from students Fundamental Education (FE) and Medium Education (ME). Bringing the legal documents regarding the Astronomy in BE, within the national and the São Paulo regions curriculum level, also with rationed researches to the teacher's formation, conceptual errors in books, knowledge non-formal spaces, alternative concepts, Astronomical studies and content analysis for fundamental theoretical. The task executed with the teachers was done via Technical Orientations (TO), promoted by the Director of Education (DE) from Caraguatatuba and region, with the premise to threat the continuous formation giving moments of discussion, practical activities and using the Digital Mobile Planetarium (DMP) with non-formal spaces of knowledge to the Astronomical studies gathering data via questions. Within the analysis of the answers analysis by the teachers, tables were created with the categories that highlight actual situations on the astronomical studies in the North Coast of São Paulo, and demarked the possible paths where the continuous formation will be followed in the future. Aspects checked in the survey were highlighted; such as teachers understand that they need continuing education; teachers have scientific astronomical views on various aspects know to teach concepts of Astronomy at BE; TO is a viable option as continued training and the use of DMP as no formal teaching and learning.

A Framework for Teaching Basic Economic Concepts with Scope and Sequence Guidelines K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Phillip, Ed.; Gilliard, June V., Ed.

This publication is an updated, edited merger of two earlier National Council on Economic Education documents: "A Framework for Teaching the Basic Concepts" and "Economics: What and When." The combined publication is designed to aid those who construct curricula or who provide economics instruction in U.S. schools. The book…

From Common Sense Concepts to Scientifically Conditioned Concepts of Chemical Bonding: An Historical and Textbook Approach Designed to Address Learning and Teaching Issues at the Secondary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Michael; de Berg, Kevin

2014-01-01

This paper selects six key alternative conceptions identified in the literature on student understandings of chemical bonding and illustrates how a historical analysis and a textbook analysis can inform these conceptions and lead to recommendations for improving the teaching and learning of chemical bonding at the secondary school level. The…

Introduction to some fundamental concepts of general relativity and to their required use in some modern timekeeping systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alley, C. O.

1982-01-01

Einstein's theory of gravity as curved space-time is presented. Emphasis is on the physical concepts, using only elementary mathematics. For the slow motions and weak gravitational fields experienced on Earth, the main curvature is that of time, not space. Experiments demonstrating this property are reviewed. The fundamental effects of motion and gravitational potential on clocks in many practical situations are discussed.

The Use of History and Philosophy of Science as a Core for a Socioconstructivist Teaching Approach of the Concept of Energy in Primary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizaki, Aikaterini; Kokkotas, Panagiotis

2013-01-01

The present study should be thought as a socioconstructivist teaching approach (a teaching model) for the concept of energy in primary education. It contains important and crucial aspects of the History and Philosophy of Natural Sciences, introduces the concept of energy using the macroscopic framework of thermodynamics, takes into consideration…

Conceptual Teaching Based on Scientific Storyline Method and Conceptual Change Texts: Latitude-Parallel Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzunöz, Abdulkadir

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to identify the conceptual mistakes frequently encountered in teaching geography such as latitude-parallel concepts, and to prepare conceptual change text based on the Scientific Storyline Method, in order to resolve the identified misconceptions. In this study, the special case method, which is one of the qualitative…

Recognizing and Managing Complexity: Teaching Advanced Programming Concepts and Techniques Using the Zebra Puzzle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crabtree, John; Zhang, Xihui

2015-01-01

Teaching advanced programming can be a challenge, especially when the students are pursuing different majors with diverse analytical and problem-solving capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to explore the efficacy of using a particular problem as a vehicle for imparting a broad set of programming concepts and problem-solving techniques. We…

“Shrink Wrapping” Lectures: Teaching Cell and Molecular Biology within the Context of Human Pathologies

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Students are most motivated and learn best when they are immersed in an environment that causes them to realize why they should learn. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than when teaching the biological sciences to engineers. Transitioning from a traditionally mathematics-based to a traditionally knowledge-based pedagogical style can challenge student learning and engagement. To address this, human pathologies were used as a problem-based context for teaching knowledge-based cell biological mechanisms. Lectures were divided into four modules. First, a disease was presented from clinical, economic, and etiological standpoints. Second, fundamental concepts of cell and molecular biology were taught that were directly relevant to that disease. Finally, we discussed the cellular and molecular basis of the disease based on these fundamental concepts, together with current clinical approaches to the disease. The basic science is thus presented within a “shrink wrap” of disease application. Evaluation of this contextual technique suggests that it is very useful in improving undergraduate student focus and motivation, and offers many advantages to the instructor as well. PMID:15917872

Master Curriculum Guide in Economics for the Nation's Schools. Part I, A Framework for Teaching Economics: Basic Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, W. Lee; And Others

A concise framework of basic concepts and generalizations for teaching economics for K-12 students is presented. The guide summarizes the basic structure and substance of economics and lists and describes economic concepts. Standard guidelines are provided to help school systems integrate economics into their on-going courses of study. Designed to…

Teaching Map Concepts in Social Science Education; an Evaluation with Undergraduate Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugdayci, Ilkay; Zahit Selvi, H.

2017-12-01

One of the most important aim of the geography and social science courses is to gain the ability of reading, analysing and understanding maps. There are a lot of themes related with maps and map concepts in social studies education. Geographical location is one of the most important theme. Geographical location is specified by geographical coordinates called latitude and longitude. The geographical coordinate system is the primary spatial reference system of the earth. It is always used in cartography, in geography, in basic location calculations such as navigation and surveying. It’s important to support teacher candidates, to teach maps and related concepts. Cartographers also have important missions and responsibilities in this context. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge of undergraduate students, about the geographical location. For this purpose, a research has been carried out on questions and activities related to geographical location and related concepts. The details and results of the research conducted by the students in the study are explained.

Development of a Meiosis Concept Inventory

PubMed Central

Kalas, Pamela; O’Neill, Angie; Pollock, Carol; Birol, Gülnur

2013-01-01

We have designed, developed, and validated a 17-question Meiosis Concept Inventory (Meiosis CI) to diagnose student misconceptions on meiosis, which is a fundamental concept in genetics. We targeted large introductory biology and genetics courses and used published methodology for question development, which included the validation of questions by student interviews (n = 28), in-class testing of the questions by students (n = 193), and expert (n = 8) consensus on the correct answers. Our item analysis showed that the questions’ difficulty and discrimination indices were in agreement with published recommended standards and discriminated effectively between high- and low-scoring students. We foresee other institutions using the Meiosis CI as both a diagnostic tool and an instrument to assess teaching effectiveness and student progress, and invite instructors to visit http://q4b.biology.ubc.ca for more information. PMID:24297292

Fundamental dilemmas in contemporary psychotherapy: a transtheoretical concept.

PubMed

Scaturo, Douglas J

2002-01-01

The transtheoretical nature of fundamental dilemmas in contemporary psychotherapy is explored. The basic distinction between technical and ethical dilemmas in clinical practice is discussed, as well as the ramifications for the psychotherapist. Clinical dilemmas identified by survey research studies and interviews with master psychotherapists are reviewed. In addition to dilemmas relevant to circumscribed areas of psychotherapy, such as brief therapy, managed mental health care, sexual questions, feminist therapy, dilemmas fundamental to the psychotherapeutic process as a whole are examined. Finally, clinical examples are provided that include such issues as hospitalization of the suicidal patient, dealing with known contraindications, treating the intractable patient, and self-care of the psychotherapist.

Strategies for teaching object-oriented concepts with Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicilia, Miguel-Ángel

2006-03-01

A considerable amount of experiences in teaching object-oriented concepts using the Java language have been reported to date, some of which describe language pitfalls and concrete learning difficulties. In this paper, a number of additional issues that have been experienced as difficult for students to master, along with approaches intended to overcome them, are addressed. Concretely, practical issues regarding associations, interfaces, genericity and exceptions are described. These issues suggest that more emphasis is required on presenting Java programs as derivations of conceptual models, in order to guarantee that a thorough design of the object structure actually precedes implementation issues. In addition, common student misunderstandings about the uses of interfaces and exceptions point to the necessity of introducing both specific design philosophies and also a clear distinction between design-for-reuse and more specific implementation issues.

Fundamental concepts of integrated and fiber optic sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuma, Margaret L.

1995-01-01

This chapter discusses fiber optic and integrated optic sensor concepts. Unfortunately, there is no standard method to categorize these sensor concepts. Here, fiber optic and integrated optic sensor concepts will be categorized by the primary modulation technique. These modulation techniques have been classified as: intensity, phase, wavelength, polarization, and time/frequency modulation. All modulate the output light with respect to changes in the physical or chemical property to be measured. Each primary modulation technique is then divided into fiber optic and integrated optic sections which are treated independently. For each sensor concept, possible sensor applications are discussed. The sensors and references discussed are not exhaustive, but sufficient to give the reader an overview of sensor concepts developed to date. Sensor multiplexing techniques such as wavelength division, time division, and frequency division will not be discussed as they are beyond the scope of this report.

Analyzing the Effect of Metaconceptual Teaching Practices on Students' Understanding of Force and Motion Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuruk, Nejla; Beeth, Michael E.; Andersen, Christopher

2009-01-01

This study investigated the effect of metaconceptual teaching interventions on students' understanding of force and motion concepts. A multimethod research design including quasi-experimental design and case study designs was employed to compare the effect of the metaconceptual activities and traditional instruction and investigate students'…

Science on Stage: Engaging and teaching scientific content through performance art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posner, Esther

2016-04-01

Engaging teaching material through performance art and music can improve the long-term retention of scientific content. Additionally, the development of effective performance skills are a powerful tool to communicate scientific concepts and information to a broader audience that can have many positive benefits in terms of career development and the delivery of professional presentations. While arts integration has been shown to increase student engagement and achievement, relevant artistic materials are still required for use as supplemental activities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) courses. I will present an original performance poem, "Tectonic Petrameter: A Journey Through Earth History," with instructions for its implementation as a play in pre-university and undergraduate geoscience classrooms. "Tectonic Petrameter" uses a dynamic combination of rhythm and rhyme to teach the geological time scale, fundamental concepts in geology and important events in Earth history. I propose that using performance arts, such as "Tectonic Petrameter" and other creative art forms, may be an avenue for breaking down barriers related to teaching students and the broader non-scientific community about Earth's long and complex history.

Using Blogs as a Means of Enhancing Reflective Teaching Practice in Open Distance Learning Ecologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Wyk, Micheal M.

2013-01-01

Reflection is an important concept or principle that is fundamental in the interpretation of new information, and is also required if learning is to advance from surface to deep learning. The purpose of this article is to explore the use of blogs as an e-learning journal writing tool for reflection and peer-feedback during Teaching Practice…

Fundamental movement skills proficiency in children with developmental coordination disorder: does physical self-concept matter?

PubMed

Yu, Jie; Sit, Cindy H P; Capio, Catherine M; Burnett, Angus; Ha, Amy S C; Huang, Wendy Y J

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to (1) examine differences in fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency, physical self-concept, and physical activity in children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and (2) determine the association of FMS proficiency with physical self-concept while considering key confounding factors. Participants included 43 children with DCD and 87 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. FMS proficiency was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development - second edition. Physical self-concept and physical activity were assessed using self-report questionnaires. A two-way (group by gender) ANCOVA was used to determine whether between-group differences existed in FMS proficiency, physical self-concept, and physical activity after controlling for age and BMI. Partial correlations and hierarchical multiple regression models were used to examine the relationship between FMS proficiency and physical self-concept. Compared with their TD peers, children with DCD displayed less proficiency in various components of FMS and viewed themselves as being less competent in physical coordination, sporting ability, and physical health. Physical coordination was a significant predictor of ability in object control skills. DCD status and gender were significant predictors of FMS proficiency. Future FMS interventions should target children with DCD and girls, and should emphasize improving object control skills proficiency and physical coordination. Children with DCD tend to have not only lower FMS proficiency than age-matched typically developing children but also lower physical self-concept. Self-perceptions of physical coordination by children with DCD are likely to be valuable contributors to development of object control skills. This may then help to develop their confidence in performing motor skills. Children with DCD need supportive programs that facilitate the development of object control skills. Efficacy of training

Using Magic Board as a Teaching Aid in Third Grader Learning of Area Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Wen-Long; Yuan, Yuan; Lee, Chun-Yi; Chen, Min-Hui; Huang, Wen-Guu

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of incorporating Magic Board in the instruction of concepts related to area. We adopted a non-equivalent quasi-experimental design and recruited participants from two classes of third-grade students in an elementary school in Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Magic Board was used as a teaching aid in the…

Third Graders' Understanding of Air Concepts Facilitated by the iPod Inquiry Teaching Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Ching-san

2016-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to determine the learning performance of the air concept unit for third graders in a primary school facilitated by the iPod inquiry teaching method. This study adopts a quasi-experimental method. Participants were third graders in a primary school in New Taipei city. The experimental group consisted of 53…

Teaching the "Diagonalization Concept" in Linear Algebra with Technology: A Case Study at Galatasaray University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz Ulus, Aysegul

2013-01-01

This paper examines experimental and algorithmic contributions of advanced calculators (graphing and computer algebra system, CAS) in teaching the concept of "diagonalization," one of the key topics in Linear Algebra courses taught at the undergraduate level. Specifically, the proposed hypothesis of this study is to assess the effective…

Fundamentals of Physics, 6th Edition Enhanced Problems Version

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halliday, David; Resnick, Robert; Walker, Jearl

2002-04-01

No other text on the market today can match the success of Halliday, Resnick and Walker's Fundamentals of Physics. This text continues to outperform the competition year after year, and the new edition will be no exception. Intended for Calculus-based Physics courses, the 6th edition of this extraordinary text is a major redesign of the best-selling 5th edition, which still maintains many of the elements that led to its enormous success. Jearl Walker adds his unique style to this edition with the addition of new problems designed to capture, and keep, students' attention. Nearly all changes are based on suggestions from instructors and students using the 5th edition, from reviewer comments, and from research done on the process of learning. The primary goal of this text is to provide students with a solid understanding of fundamental physics concepts, and to help them apply this conceptual understanding to quantitative problem solving. The principal goal of Halliday-Resnick-Walker is to provide instructors with a tool by which they can teach students how to effectively read scientific material and successfully reason through scientific questions. To sharpen this tool, the Enhanced Problems Version of the sixth edition of Fundamentals of Physics contains over 1000 new, high-quality problems that require thought and reasoning rather than simplistic plugging of data into formulas.

[Professionalization of surgical education in the daily clinical routine. Training concept of the Surgical Working Group for Teaching of the German Society of Surgery].

PubMed

Adili, F; Kadmon, M; König, S; Walcher, F

2013-10-01

For competency-oriented teaching in surgery a comprehensive medical educational training and professionalization of clinical teachers is essential. The Surgical Working Group for Teaching has therefore set itself the task of developing an appropriate training concept. In the first step the core group took stock of the most relevant educational barriers in the clinical environment. Taking into account these findings a trimodular course was devised that addressed both previous knowledge and different clinical functions of the faculty as well as modern concepts of competency-based academic teaching. The A course is designed for medical teaching of novices with a focus on collation of the medical history, clinical examination and teaching of practical skills. The B course is devised for experienced clinicians and should qualify them for competency-based teaching in complex educational scenarios, such as the operating room or ward rounds, while the C course is directed to a group of persons entrusted with the organization and administration of clinical teaching.

Concept Attainment Teaching Methodology (CATM)--An Effective Approach for Training Workers on Chemicals Health Hazards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suleiman, Abdulqadir Mohamad

2016-01-01

Workers handling chemicals need to understand the risk to health involved in their work, and this requires training. In this study effectivity of concept attainment teaching methodology (CATM) as training strategy for cleaning workers was assessed. CATM was used to train workers on chemicals information and health hazards. Pictures, illustrations,…

The Effectiveness of Programed Instruction Versus the Lecture-Discussion Method of Teaching Basic Metallurgical Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bockman, David Carl

The purpose of this study was to compare the conventional lecture-discussion method and an illustrated programed textbook method when teaching a unit of instruction on the basic concepts of metallurgy. The control group used a portion of a conventional textbook accompanied by lecture, chalkboard illustration, and class discussion. The experimental…

Munazza's story: Understanding science teaching and conceptions of the nature of science in Pakistan through a life history study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halai, Nelofer

In this study I have described and tried to comprehend how a female science teacher understands her practice. Additionally, I have developed some understanding of her understanding of the nature of science. While teaching science, a teacher projects messages about the nature of science that can be captured by observations and interviews. Furthermore, the manner is which a teacher conceptualizes science for teaching, at least in part, depends on personal life experiences. Hence, I have used the life history method to understand Munazza's practice. Munazza is a young female science teacher working in a private, co-educational school for children from middle income families in Karachi, Pakistan. Her stories are central to the study, and I have represented them using a number of narrative devices. I have woven in my own stories too, to illustrate my perspective as a researcher. The data includes 13 life history interviews and many informal conversations with Munazza, observations of science teaching in classes seven and eight, and interviews with other science teachers and administrative staff of the school. Munazza's personal biography and experiences of school and undergraduate courses has influenced the way she teaches. It has also influenced the way she does not teach. She was not inspired by her science teachers, so she has tried not to teach the way she was taught science. Contextual factors, her conception of preparation for teaching as preparation for subject content and the tension that she faces in balancing care and control in her classroom are some factors that influence her teaching. Munazza believes that science is a stable, superior and value-free way of knowing. In trying to understand the natural world, observations come first, which give reliable information about the world leading inductively to a "theory". Hence, she relies a great deal on demonstrations in the class where students "see" for themselves and abstract the scientific concept from the

Fundamentals of Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frohlich, Cliff

Choosing an intermediate-level geophysics text is always problematic: What should we teach students after they have had introductory courses in geology, math, and physics, but little else? Fundamentals of Geophysics is aimed specifically at these intermediate-level students, and the author's stated approach is to construct a text “using abundant diagrams, a simplified mathematical treatment, and equations in which the student can follow each derivation step-by-step.” Moreover, for Lowrie, the Earth is round, not flat—the “fundamentals of geophysics” here are the essential properties of our Earth the planet, rather than useful techniques for finding oil and minerals. Thus this book is comparable in both level and approach to C. M. R. Fowler's The Solid Earth (Cambridge University Press, 1990).

Promoting Scientific Literacy Using a Sociocritical and Problem-Oriented Approach to Chemistry Teaching: Concept, Examples, Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Ralf; Eilks, Ingo

2009-01-01

This paper revisits the discussion about the objectives of scientific literacy-oriented chemistry teaching, its connection to the German concept of "Allgemeinbildung", and the debate of "science through education" vs. "education through science". About 10 years ago the sociocritical and problem-oriented approach to…

Teachers' Conceptions and Their Approaches to Teaching in Virtual Reality and Simulation-Based Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keskitalo, Tuulikki

2011-01-01

This research article focuses on virtual reality (VR) and simulation-based training, with a special focus on the pedagogical use of the Virtual Centre of Wellness Campus known as ENVI (Rovaniemi, Finland). In order to clearly understand how teachers perceive teaching and learning in such environments, this research examines the concepts of…

Conceptions about Teaching and Learning of Expressivity in Music among Higher Education Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonastre, Carolina; Muñoz, Enrique; Timmers, Renee

2017-01-01

This work aimed to analyse factors related to conceptions and beliefs about expressivity in music among students and teachers. A questionnaire with 11 Likert-type items was developed covering the main factors included in the literature of teaching-learning of expressivity and emotion in music. Through exploratory factor analysis three factors were…

Basic statistics (the fundamental concepts).

PubMed

Lim, Eric

2014-12-01

An appreciation and understanding of statistics is import to all practising clinicians, not simply researchers. This is because mathematics is the fundamental basis to which we base clinical decisions, usually with reference to the benefit in relation to risk. Unless a clinician has a basic understanding of statistics, he or she will never be in a position to question healthcare management decisions that have been handed down from generation to generation, will not be able to conduct research effectively nor evaluate the validity of published evidence (usually making an assumption that most published work is either all good or all bad). This article provides a brief introduction to basic statistical methods and illustrates its use in common clinical scenarios. In addition, pitfalls of incorrect usage have been highlighted. However, it is not meant to be a substitute for formal training or consultation with a qualified and experienced medical statistician prior to starting any research project.

Discovery Lab in the Chemistry Lecture Room: Design and Evaluation of Audio-Visual Constructivist Methodology of Teaching Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Barbara N.; Hoffman, Lyubov

Demonstration of chemical reactions is a tool used in the teaching of inorganic descriptive chemistry to enable students to understand the fundamental concepts of chemistry through the use of concrete examples. For maximum benefit, students need to learn through discovery to observe, interpret, hypothesize, and draw conclusions; however, chemical…

Elucidating concepts in drug design through taste with natural and artificial sweeteners.

PubMed

Lipchock, James M; Lipchock, Sarah V

2016-11-12

Fundamental concepts in biochemistry important for drug design often lack connection to the macroscopic world and can be difficult for students to grasp, particularly those in introductory science courses at the high school and college level. Educational research has shown that multisensory teaching facilitates learning, but teaching at the high school and college level is almost exclusively limited to the visual and auditory senses. This approach neglects the lifetime of experience our students bring to the classroom in the form of taste perception and makes our teaching less supportive of those with sensory impairment. In this article, we outline a novel guided-inquiry activity that utilizes taste perception for a series of natural and artificial sweetener solutions to introduce the concepts of substrate affinity and selectivity in the context of drug design. The findings from this study demonstrate clear gains in student knowledge, as well as an increase in enthusiasm for the fields of biochemistry and drug design. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44(6):550-554, 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Teaching Innovations in Marketing: A Brand-Based Student-Led Inquiry of Marketing Concepts and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hostetter, Leonard R., Jr.

2017-01-01

This teaching innovation is a brand-based student-led inquiry of marketing concepts and practices for an introductory marketing course. During the first week of class, teams of students (or individual students) each select a brand of interest to research and analyze throughout the course. The objective is for students to understand the practical…

Fundamentals of the Pedagogy of a Teaching Artist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Elena Stephenson

2017-01-01

This article examines the contemporary role of teaching artists, affirming the arts as methods of investigating complex academic/psychosocial material and engaging in rich cultural and ever evolving explorations.

Integrating teaching into routine outpatient care: The design and evaluation of an ambulatory training concept (HeiSA).

PubMed

Hundertmark, Jan; Apondo, Sandra Karina; Schultz, Jobst-Hendrik

2018-01-01

Background: Direct patient contact is crucial in learning important interactional and examination skills. However, medical students have limited opportunity to self-responsibly practise these skills in authentic clinical settings and typically receive insufficient feedback on their performance. We developed a novel single-session ambulatory teaching concept (Heidelberg Student Ambulatory training, "HeiSA") to prepare students more adequately for clinical-practical responsibilities. Methods: To identify challenges and target group needs, we reviewed current literature and consulted an expert group of faculty lecturers and training researchers. The resulting course concept was put into practice at the University Hospital's general-internistic outpatient department and evaluated in a pilot phase (winter term 2010, ten participants) and a main project phase (summer and winter terms 2011, 14 and 21 participants, respectively). Third and fourth-year students autonomously take a new patient's medical history and conduct a complete physical examination in one hour under supervision, followed by extensive preceptor feedback. To assess learning achievements, participants and a control group self-rated their communication and examination skills before and (participants only) after the session on six-point Likert scales (1=completely able, 6=completely unable). The preceptor also evaluated the participants' performance. Finally, all stakeholders re-evaluated the course concept. Results: HeiSA is a feasible training concept and accepted by staff members and students. It provides opportunities to practise clinical skills in a relevant, authentic learning environment with extensive feedback. Participants report improved anamnesis (0.27±0.51, p =.003) and physical examination (0.25±0.41, p =.008) skills. The preceptor evaluated students' performance to be generally high, with ratings ranging from 1.40±0.55 (item: the student does not interrupt the patient) to 2.51±0.89 (item

Tugboats and tennis games: Preservice conceptions of teaching and learning revealed through metaphors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurney, Bruce F.

Black (1979) writes about the inextricable interrelationships among language, perception, knowledge, experience and metaphor. An extension of this, grounded in Wittgenstein's (1953) notion of the symbolic, experiential basis of first language, is the view that metaphors are windows into this primitive, personal framework. The purpose of this paper is to take an exploratory look at preservice teachers' metaphors of teaching and learning and to examine some components of student teachers' own intuitions in this area. In this study, a questionnaire was administered to one hundred and fifty-one science education students at the beginning of their preservice training on which they were challenged to generate a personal metaphor for teaching and learning. Descriptive elements within the responses were differentiated and applied to the development of a classification scheme. Both the technique and the categorization are seen as useful devices for the identification of common conceptions about the teaching and learning process. The metaphors have been seen to communicate a richness of meaning which convey elements of mood, control, roles, attitudes and beliefs as they apply to teaching and learning and which, it is argued here, are grounded on more deeply rooted symbols than literal language. In the light of constructivist pedagogy, the elicitation of students' preconceptions is seen to be germane to the organization of learning experiences.Received: 27 June 1993; Revised: 2 August 1994;

Fundamental electrode kinetics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elder, J. P.

1968-01-01

Report presents the fundamentals of electrode kinetics and the methods used in evaluating the characteristic parameters of rapid-charge transfer processes at electrode-electrolyte interfaces. The concept of electrode kinetics is outlined, followed by the principles underlying the experimental techniques for the investigation of electrode kinetics.

The Effects of Explicit Teaching of Strategies, Second-Order Concepts, and Epistemological Underpinnings on Students' Ability to Reason Causally in History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoel, Gerhard L.; van Drie, Jannet P.; van Boxtel, Carla A. M.

2017-01-01

This article reports an experimental study on the effects of explicit teaching on 11th grade students' ability to reason causally in history. Underpinned by the model of domain learning, explicit teaching is conceptualized as multidimensional, focusing on strategies and second-order concepts to generate and verbalize causal explanations and…

Comparison of Direct Instruction and Simultaneous Prompting Procedure on Teaching Concepts to Individuals with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celik, Semiha; Vuran, Sezgin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency, effectiveness, maintenance effects and social validity of two instructional methods, Direct Instruction and Simultaneous Prompting Procedure, on teaching concepts (long, old, few and thick) using a parallel treatments design. All sessions were conducted at a private special education center…

Using the Feature Film "American History X" To Teach Principles of Self-Concept in the Introduction to Interpersonal Communication Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siddens, Paul J., III

This paper explores possibilities of using the feature film, "American History X," to illustrate and assist in teaching principles of self-concept in an introduction to interpersonal communication course. The paper: (1) summarizes the plot of the film; (2) outlines and defines principles of self-concept that can be discussed in…

Development of an Electrochemistry Teaching Sequence using a Phenomenographic Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez-Velazquez, Sorangel

-depth discussions of fundamental theories and models that explain the electrochemical process while participant B expertise (general chemistry instruction) emphasized a coherent and explicit presentation of such theories and models to students. Other categories of variation were identified as: recognizing students' conceptions, the use of teaching resources and instructors' expectations for the teaching sequence. For example, while Participant B depended heavily on representations and explanations found in textbooks, participant A recognized misleading representations and oversimplified statements in general chemistry textbooks. Participant A was also more inclined to question the significance of some conceptions such as the correlation between the use of the term circuit and students' conceptions related to the movement of electrons in solution in an electrochemical cell. The electrochemistry teaching sequence in this dissertation fulfils each of the instructors' expectations with regards to the content that incorporated discipline-specific theories and models, explicit connections and flow among concepts, and addressing students' conceptions via the educational activities developed.

DLESE Teaching Boxes and Beyond: A promising prototype for structuring web services to support concept- and inquiry-based STEM learning and interdisciplinary partnerships.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, L.; Weatherley, J.; Bhushan, S.; Khan, H.; de La Chica, S.; Deardorff, R.

2004-12-01

An exciting pilot program took place this summer, pioneering the development of Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) Teaching Boxes with the Univ. of CA. Berkeley Museum of Paleontology, SF State Univ., USGS and 7 middle/high school teachers from the San Francisco area. This session will share the DLESE Teaching Box concept, explain the pilot program, and explore the tremendous opportunities for expanding this notion to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to learning about the Earth in the undergraduate science and pre-service teaching arenas. A Teaching Box is a metaphor for an online assembly of interrelated learning concepts, digital resources, and cohesive narration that bridges the gap between discrete resources and understanding. Within a Teaching Box, an instructor or student can pick a topic and see the concepts that build an understanding of that topic, explore online resources that support learning of those concepts, and benefit from the narration (the glue) that weaves concepts, activities, and background information together into a complete teaching/learning story. In this session, we will demonstrate the emerging Teaching Box prototypes and explore how this platform may promote STEM learning by utilizing DLESE tools and services in ways that begin to blur traditional disciplinary boundaries, overcome limitations of discipline-specific vocabularies, and foster collaboration. We will show ways in which new DLESE Web Services could support learning in this highly contextualized environment. We will see glimpses of how learners and educators will be able to modify or create their own Teaching Boxes specific to a unit of study or course, and perhaps share them with the Earth Science Education community. We will see ways to stay abreast of current Earth events, emerging research, and real-time data and incorporate such dynamic information into one learning environment. Services will be described and demonstrated in the context of Teaching

Sighting Horizons of Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Ronald; Guzmán-Valenzuela, Carolina

2017-01-01

This conceptual paper tackles the matter of teaching in higher education and proposes a concept of "horizons of teaching." It firstly offers an overview of the considerable empirical literature around teaching--especially conceptions of teaching, approaches to teaching and teaching practices--and goes on to pose some philosophical and…

Marketing fundamentals.

PubMed

Redmond, W H

2001-01-01

This chapter outlines current marketing practice from a managerial perspective. The role of marketing within an organization is discussed in relation to efficiency and adaptation to changing environments. Fundamental terms and concepts are presented in an applied context. The implementation of marketing plans is organized around the four P's of marketing: product (or service), promotion (including advertising), place of delivery, and pricing. These are the tools with which marketers seek to better serve their clients and form the basis for competing with other organizations. Basic concepts of strategic relationship management are outlined. Lastly, alternate viewpoints on the role of advertising in healthcare markets are examined.

Teach Concepts, Not Words.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Leon E.

Since concepts are the mental divisions man makes among the concrete and abstract phenomena of his environment so he may generate, maneuver, and control their relationships in a manner ot satisfy his physical, emotional, social, and aesthetic needs, concepts should be the vortex of intelligence. Too often students are taught as if they lack a…

Metacognitive Analysis of Pre-Service Teacher Conception of Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Using Blogs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudley, Dean; Baxter, David

2013-01-01

Previous studies have sought to ascertain Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) conception in pre-service teachers. This exploratory study investigated the problems outlined in the literature surrounding the development of TGfU understanding among pre-service teachers ("n" = 44) of the curriculum instruction model. Blog postings were…

Broadening Horizons and Teaching Basic Biology through Cell-Free Synthesis of Green Fluorescent Protein in a High School Laboratory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albayrak, Cem; Jones, K. C.; Swartz, James R.

2013-01-01

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as a practical method for producing a broad variety of proteins. In addition, the direct accessibility to the reaction environment makes CFPS particularly suitable as a learning vehicle for fundamental biological concepts. Here, we describe its implementation as a teaching tool for a high school…

Diesel Mechanics: Fundamentals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutes, William; And Others

This publication is the first in a series of three texts for a diesel mechanics curriculum. Its purpose is to teach the basic concepts related to employment in a diesel trade. Six sections contain 29 units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of these basic components: unit and specific (performance) objectives, suggested activities for…

Exploring Elementary Science Methods Course Contexts to Improve Preservice Teachers' NOS of Science Conceptions and Understandings of NOS Teaching Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akerson, Valarie L.; Weiland, Ingrid; Rogers, Meredith Park; Pongsanon, Khemmawaddee; Bilican, Kader

2014-01-01

We explored adaptations to an elementary science methods course to determine how varied contexts could improve elementary preservice teachers' conceptions of NOS as well as their ideas for teaching NOS to elementary students. The contexts were (a) NOS Theme in which the course focused on the teaching of science through the consistent teaching…

Effects of Model-Based Teaching on Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Conceptions of the Moon, Moon Phases, and Other Lunar Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogan-Bekiroglu, Feral

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, it was aimed to identify Turkish pre-service physics teachers' knowledge and understanding of the Moon, Moon phases, and other lunar phenomena. Second, the effects of model-based teaching on pre-service teachers' conceptions were examined. Conceptions were proposed as mental models in this study. Four…

Fundamentals of Polarized Light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishchenko, Michael

2003-01-01

The analytical and numerical basis for describing scattering properties of media composed of small discrete particles is formed by the classical electromagnetic theory. Although there are several excellent textbooks outlining the fundamentals of this theory, it is convenient for our purposes to begin with a summary of those concepts and equations that are central to the subject of this book and will be used extensively in the following chapters. We start by formulating Maxwell's equations and constitutive relations for time- harmonic macroscopic electromagnetic fields and derive the simplest plane-wave solution that underlies the basic optical idea of a monochromatic parallel beam of light. This solution naturally leads to the introduction of such fundamental quantities as the refractive index and the Stokes parameters. Finally, we define the concept of a quasi-monochromatic beam of light and discuss its implications.

The Intercultural Dimension in EFL-Teaching: A Study of Conceptions among Finland-Swedish Comprehensive School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larzen-Ostermark, Eva

2008-01-01

The overall aim of this study is to deepen our knowledge about the attitudes of teachers at the upper level of the Finland-Swedish comprehensive school towards the treatment of culture in English foreign language (EFL) teaching. More specifically, the questions are how teachers interpret the concept "culture" in English foreign language…

Is Answering Questions Teaching?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Robert H.

1986-01-01

This article argues that the Macmillan and Garrison concept of teaching called erotetics is not successful because it is not reducible to four recognized types of teaching. These types, which are discussed, include teaching that..., teaching how..., teaching to..., and teaching the.... (MT)

Blended Learning in Vocational Education: Teachers' Conceptions of Blended Learning and Their Approaches to Teaching and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bliuc, Ana-Maria; Casey, Grant; Bachfischer, Agnieszka; Goodyear, Peter; Ellis, Robert A.

2012-01-01

This paper presents research exploring teachers' experiences of using blended learning in vocational education. Teachers involved in designing and teaching using blended learning from a major Australian vocational education provider participated in the study. They received open-ended questionnaires asking to describe their conceptions of blended…

DOE Fundamentals Handbook: Mathematics, Volume 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-06-01

The Mathematics Fundamentals Handbook was developed to assist nuclear facility operating contractors provide operators, maintenance personnel, and the technical staff with the necessary fundamentals training to ensure a basic understanding of mathematics and its application to facility operation. The handbook includes a review of introductory mathematics and the concepts and functional use of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Word problems, equations, calculations, and practical exercises that require the use of each of the mathematical concepts are also presented. This information will provide personnel with a foundation for understanding and performing basic mathematical calculations that are associated with various DOE nuclearmore » facility operations.« less

DOE Fundamentals Handbook: Mathematics, Volume 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-06-01

The Mathematics Fundamentals Handbook was developed to assist nuclear facility operating contractors provide operators, maintenance personnel, and the technical staff with the necessary fundamentals training to ensure a basic understanding of mathematics and its application to facility operation. The handbook includes a review of introductory mathematics and the concepts and functional use of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Word problems, equations, calculations, and practical exercises that require the use of each of the mathematical concepts are also presented. This information will provide personnel with a foundation for understanding and performing basic mathematical calculations that are associated with various DOE nuclearmore » facility operations.« less

Improving College English Teaching Pattern and English Learning Effect among Students in Physical Education Institutes--A Survey on the Implementation of New Concept Teaching Pattern

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Youming

2010-01-01

In order to sharpen English learning capabilities of students in the institutes of physical education, the author makes a tracking investigation of New Concept English teaching model in Grade 08 of the department of sports training and national traditional sports. By analyzing and comparing the students' English levels before and after the…

Trois Conceptions de l'apprentissage (Three Conceptions of Learning).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janitza, Jean

1990-01-01

Three broad conceptions of second-language learning and teaching (behaviorist, cognitive, and a third labeled "voluntarist") are described and compared, and issues in the choice between these different conceptions for classroom use are examined. (MSE)

Teaching surgical exposures to undergraduate medical students: an integration concept for anatomical and surgical education.

PubMed

Hammer, Niels; Hepp, Pierre; Löffler, Sabine; Schleifenbaum, Stefan; Steinke, Hanno; Klima, Stefan

2015-06-01

Decreasing numbers of students are interested in starting a surgical career, posing substantial challenges to patient care in the next years. The anatomy course is one of the key subjects in medical training, especially in surgical disciplines. Innovative teaching concepts that integrate surgically relevant anatomy and manual dexterity might help boost student interest in surgery. A preclinical workshop entitled "Surgical exposures" was developed. A team of anatomists and surgeons introduced the surgical exposures, demonstrating the procedures on Thiel-fixed body donors. Following this introduction, students practiced the exposures in an operating room-like manner. A six-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the workshop and to compare it to the first-year dissection course. The overall evaluation result for the surgical exposures was excellent, proving to be a significantly better result when compared to the first-year dissection course. The students were more satisfied with the teaching time invested by the peers and regarded the workshop as clinically highly relevant. Furthermore, they felt that questions were addressed better and that the overall atmosphere was better than in the gross anatomy course. Subject to criticism was the course size and practicing time in both cases. The surgical exposures workshop provides preclinical students with clinically relevant anatomy and manual dexterity. It may positively influence the decision to follow a surgical career. This course, however, requires extensive teaching resources. The given concept may help implement practical medical skills in the preclinical curriculum, strengthening the professional identity of surgeons and anatomists.

The Effect of Concept Mapping-Guided Discovery Integrated Teaching Approach on Chemistry Students' Achievement and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fatokun, K. V. F.; Eniayeju, P. A.

2014-01-01

This study investigates the effects of Concept Mapping-Guided Discovery Integrated Teaching Approach on the achievement and retention of chemistry students. The sample comprised 162 Senior Secondary two (SS 2) students drawn from two Science Schools in Nasarawa State, Central Nigeria with equivalent mean scores of 9.68 and 9.49 in their pre-test.…

Teaching Basic Programming Concepts to Young Primary School Students Using Tablets: Results of a Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fokides, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

The study presents the results of a project in which tablets and a ready-made application were used for teaching basic programming concepts to young primary school students (ages 7-9). A total of 135 students participated in the study, attending primary schools in Athens, Greece, divided into three groups. The first was taught conventionally. The…

Teaching Energy to a General Audience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baski, Alison; Hunnicutt, Sally

2010-02-01

A new, interdisciplinary course entitled ``Energy!'' has been developed by faculty in the physics and chemistry departments to meet the university's science and technology general education requirement. This course now enrolls over 400 students each semester in a single lecture where faculty from both departments co-teach throughout the term. Topics include the fundamentals of energy, fossil fuels, global climate change, nuclear energy, and renewable energy sources. The students represent an impressive range of majors (science, engineering, business, humanities, etc.) and comprise freshmen to seniors. To effectively teach this diverse audience and increase classroom engagement, in-class ``clickers'' are used with guided questions to teach concepts, which are then explicitly reinforced with online LON-CAPAfootnotetextFree open-source distributed learning content management and assessment system (www.lon-capa.org) homework. This online system enables immediate feedback in a structured manner, where students can practice randomized versions of problems for homework, quizzes, and exams. The course is already in high demand after only two semesters, in part because it is particularly relevant to students given the challenging energy and climate issues facing the nation and world. )

Threshold Concepts and Conceptions: Student Learning in Introductory Management Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, April L.; Gilmore, Anne

2012-01-01

This article explores how insights from the broader education literature on threshold concepts and conceptions can be applied to improve the teaching of undergraduate introductory management courses. The authors propose that these courses are underpinned by the threshold conception, or "underlying game," that management is a practice…

Fundamental Movement Skills: An Important Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Lisa M.; Stodden, David; Cohen, Kristen E.; Smith, Jordan J.; Lubans, David Revalds; Lenoir, Matthieu; Iivonen, Susanna; Miller, Andrew D.; Laukkanen, Arto; Dudley, Dean; Lander, Natalie J.; Brown, Helen; Morgan, Philip J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Recent international conference presentations have critiqued the promotion of fundamental movement skills (FMS) as a primary pedagogical focus. Presenters have called for a debate about the importance of, and rationale for teaching FMS, and this letter is a response to that call. The authors of this letter are academics who actively…

Using Video-Based Modeling to Promote Acquisition of Fundamental Motor Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obrusnikova, Iva; Rattigan, Peter J.

2016-01-01

Video-based modeling is becoming increasingly popular for teaching fundamental motor skills to children in physical education. Two frequently used video-based instructional strategies that incorporate modeling are video prompting (VP) and video modeling (VM). Both strategies have been used across multiple disciplines and populations to teach a…

MATERIALS USED IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING THE CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2-6, PRACTICAL PAPER NO. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STAUSS, NYLES G.

INCLUDED ARE MATERIALS FOR USE IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING 11 SELECTED CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2 TO 6. THE CONCEPTS WERE SELECTED AND THEIR ORDER DETERMINED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTARY TEXTBOOK SERIES, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BIOLOGY TEXTS, CYTOLOGY TEXTS, AND INFORMATION GATHERED THROUGH A PILOT STUDY. THE MATERIALS…

Gambling as a teaching aid in the introductory physics laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horodynski-Matsushigue, L. B.; Pascholati, P. R.; Vanin, V. R.; Dias, J. F.; Yoneama, M.-L.; Siqueira, P. T. D.; Amaku, M.; Duarte, J. L. M.

1998-07-01

Dice throwing is used to illustrate relevant concepts of the statistical theory of uncertainties, in particular the meaning of a limiting distribution, the standard deviation, and the standard deviation of the mean. It is an important part in a sequence of especially programmed laboratory activities, developed for freshmen, at the Institute of Physics of the University of São Paulo. It is shown how this activity is employed within a constructive teaching approach, which aims at a growing understanding of the measuring processes and of the fundamentals of correct statistical handling of experimental data.

UNESCO's Programme of Fundamental Education, 1946-1959

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watras, Joseph

2010-01-01

UNESCO formed the concept of fundamental education in hopes that the programme could end poverty, bring world peace and serve indigenous people. When UNESCO's first pilot project appeared to fail, the organisation developed centres where fundamental education workers learned to use such techniques as libraries, museum displays, films and radio,…

Teaching chemistry concepts using differentiated instruction via tiered labs and activity menus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Betsy C.

Today's high school classrooms are composed of students with different levels of knowing and ways of understanding. Differentiating the type of work that they are asked to do to achieve the same objective is one way to meet each student's special circumstances on a somewhat equal playing field. By doing so, students are being challenged at their level rather than just blindly going through the same motions that they see others around them doing. Offering students choices to better understand a concept places the student in the driver seat of their educational journey. The purpose of this research project was to design and implement choice activities within the chemistry classroom to more appropriately teach and assess chemistry concepts and assess understanding of those concepts. These choice activities included tiered-laboratory investigations and activity menus. This project was implemented over the course of two trimesters in a high school chemistry classroom. Topics covered included calculating and interpreting density and applying significant figures, calculating and interpreting percent composition with the mole concept, and stoichiometry. The effectiveness of the tiered-labs and activity menus were evaluated using pre and post test comparisons, student surveys, and general in-class observations. Gains in conceptual understanding and student motivation were documented. These findings indicated that allowing choice and leveling of skills to achieve the same conceptual understanding promoted student learning and the overall enjoyment and motivation for learning.

A Critical Review of Concept Mapping Research Literature: Informing Teaching and Learning Practices in GED Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Larry G.; Martin, Fatima A.; Southworth, Erica

2015-01-01

Concept maps (Cmaps) are still underutilized in adult literacy programs and classes. The teaching and learning approaches that have been used historically in adult literacy programs to address the learning needs of these students have not kept pace with the literacy skill demands that have sprung from the increased pace of technological…

Teaching English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nemanich, Donald, Ed.

1975-01-01

Articles in this volume of the "Illinois English Bulletin" include "Competencies in Teaching English" by Alan C. Purves, which sets forth a tentative model for planning competency-based instruction and certification based on concepts, teaching acts, skills, and strategies; "Passing the Buck Versus the Teaching of English" by Dennis Q. McInerny,…

Unifying the concept of consciousness across the disciplines: A concept-based, cross-cultural approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Peter N.

The majority of studies concerning consciousness have examined and modeled the concept of consciousness in terms of particular lines of inquiry, a process that has circumscribed the general applicability of any results from such approaches. The purpose of this dissertation was to study consciousness from a concept-based, cross-cultural approach and to attempt to unify the concept across the cultures examined. The 4 cultures are the academic disciplines of philosophy, physics, psychology, and anthropology. Consciousness was examined in terms of how the concept is framed and where the major limitations in each line of inquiry occur. The rationale for examining consciousness as a concept across 4 cultures was to determine whether there was any common component in each line's framing that could be used to unify the concept. The study found that experience itself was the primary unifying factor in each field's framing and that experience was treated as a nonreducible property within each line of inquiry. By taking experience itself (but not subjective experience) as a fundamental property, each culture's concept of consciousness becomes tractable. As such, this dissertation argues that experience should be taken as a fundamental property of the concept. The significance of this analysis is that by taking experience as a fundamental property, it becomes possible to unify the concept across the 4 cultures. This unification is presented as a unity thesis, which is a theory arguing for unification of the concept based on the fundamental of experience. Following this theoretical examination, this paper discusses several key implications of the unity thesis, including implications of the unity thesis for the current status of altered states of consciousness and for the so-called hard and easy problems associated with the concept (at least within Occidental ontology). It is argued that the so-called hard problem does not exist when experience is taken as a fundamental property

[(Inter)national and regional health goals in academic social-medical education conception for teaching medical students at the Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen].

PubMed

Simoes, E; Hildenbrand, S; Rieger, M A

2012-07-01

Social medicine deals with the specific interactions between medicine and society within a constantly changing social environment. The Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, focuses on this relationship within the academic teaching of the Medical Faculty. Many of the issues thus directly affect the national health objectives and especially the health targets of the state of Baden-Württemberg, summarised in the Health Strategy Baden-Wuerttemberg. In addition to the recommendations of the German Society for Social Medicine and Prevention (DGSMP) for the social medicine curriculum and the specific definition of the content by the Tuebingen medical faculty, national and regional health-care goals are also taken into account in the teaching conception. Classes are increasingly offered as training courses in small groups (seminars, group work with practical training), instead of classic lectures. These teaching methods allow the students to take part more actively in social medicine issues and to think and act within a comprehensive understanding of health management based on societal goals and the needs of a good health system. The concept is supported by the curriculum design element "log-book skills" of the Medical Faculty of Tuebingen. Feedback elements for teachers and students shape the further development of the concept. In dealing with real system data, practical experience on site and case vignettes, the students experience the links between societal influences, political objectives and medical action as well as the importance of accessibility of medical services for equity in health chances. The fact that advice and expertise play a crucial role in accessibility is a component to which too little attention is paid and calls for emphasis in the teaching concept. This teaching approach will deepen the understanding of the influence of psychosocial context factors and the conditions of the structural framework on the medical

Jumping on the Train of Personalized Medicine: A Primer for Non-Geneticist Clinicians: Part 2. Fundamental Concepts in Genetic Epidemiology.

PubMed

Li, Aihua; Meyre, David

2014-05-01

With the decrease in sequencing costs, personalized genome sequencing will eventually become common in medical practice. We therefore write this series of three reviews to help non-geneticist clinicians to jump into the fast-moving field of personalized medicine. In the first article of this series, we reviewed the fundamental concepts in molecular genetics. In this second article, we cover the key concepts and methods in genetic epidemiology including the classification of genetic disorders, study designs and their implementation, genetic marker selection, genotyping and sequencing technologies, gene identification strategies, data analyses and data interpretation. This review will help the reader critically appraise a genetic association study. In the next article, we will discuss the clinical applications of genetic epidemiology in the personalized medicine area.

Teaching Floating and Sinking Concepts with Different Methods and Techniques Based on the 5E Instructional Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cepni, Salih; Sahin, Cigdem; Ipek, Hava

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the influences of prepared instructional material based on the 5E instructional model combined with CCT, CC, animations, worksheets and POE on conceptual changes about floating and sinking concepts. The experimental group was taught with teaching material based on the 5E instructional model enriched with…

The Impact of Using Picture Books with Preschool Students in Taiwan on the Teaching of Environmental Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Ching-Yuan; Shih, Pei-Yu

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate preschool teachers' use of picture books for teaching environmental concepts and the conservation of resources. Using an action research approach, twelve children aged 5-6 years old were recruited for this eight-week study. Eight picture books with an environmental education theme were selected for use in…

An Investigation into How Grade 5 Teachers Teach Natural Science Concepts in Three Western Cape Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Set, Beata; Hadman, Joanne; Ashipala, Daniel Opotamutale

2017-01-01

Purpose: The rationale behind this study was to investigate how three Grade 5 Natural Sciences teachers in three Western Cape primary schools teach science concepts so as to enable the researcher to gain a deeper understanding and more insightful perception of the ways in which the pedagogical practices of South African primary school teachers…

Teaching undergraduate biomechanics with Just-in-Time Teaching.

PubMed

Riskowski, Jody L

2015-06-01

Biomechanics education is a vital component of kinesiology, sports medicine, and physical education, as well as for many biomedical engineering and bioengineering undergraduate programmes. Little research exists regarding effective teaching strategies for biomechanics. However, prior work suggests that student learning in undergraduate physics courses has been aided by using the Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT). As physics understanding plays a role in biomechanics understanding, the purpose of study was to evaluate the use of a JiTT framework in an undergraduate biomechanics course. This two-year action-based research study evaluated three JiTT frameworks: (1) no JiTT; (2) mathematics-based JiTT; and (3) concept-based JiTT. A pre- and post-course assessment of student learning used the biomechanics concept inventory and a biomechanics concept map. A general linear model assessed differences between the course assessments by JiTT framework in order to evaluate learning and teaching effectiveness. The results indicated significantly higher learning gains and better conceptual understanding in a concept-based JiTT course, relative to a mathematics-based JiTT or no JiTT course structure. These results suggest that a course structure involving concept-based questions using a JiTT strategy may be an effective method for engaging undergraduate students and promoting learning in biomechanics courses.

Creative Concept Mapping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David S.

2002-01-01

Recommends the use of concept mapping in science teaching and proposes that it be presented as a creative activity. Includes a sample lesson plan of a potato stamp concept mapping activity for astronomy. (DDR)

The ontic conception of scientific explanation.

PubMed

Wright, Cory

2015-12-01

Wesley Salmon's version of the ontic conception of explanation is a main historical root of contemporary work on mechanistic explanation. This paper examines and critiques the philosophical merits of Salmon's version, and argues that his conception's most fundamental construct is either fundamentally obscure, or else reduces to a non-ontic conception of explanation. Either way, the ontic conception is a misconception. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fundamentals of Acoustics. Psychoacoustics and Hearing. Acoustical Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R.; Ahumada, Al (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

These are 3 chapters that will appear in a book titled "Building Acoustical Design", edited by Charles Salter. They are designed to introduce the reader to fundamental concepts of acoustics, particularly as they relate to the built environment. "Fundamentals of Acoustics" reviews basic concepts of sound waveform frequency, pressure, and phase. "Psychoacoustics and Hearing" discusses the human interpretation sound pressure as loudness, particularly as a function of frequency. "Acoustic Measurements" gives a simple overview of the time and frequency weightings for sound pressure measurements that are used in acoustical work.

University Students' Conceptions about the Concept of Gene: Interest of Historical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boujemaa, Agorram; Pierre, Clement; Sabah, Selmaoui; Salaheddine, Khzami; Jamal, Chafik; Abdellatif, Chiadli

2010-01-01

Concepts of genetics are often difficult to teach, specifically the central concept of gene. Even the scientists disagree when defining this concept. This paper investigates university students' understanding about the gene and its functions. The results show the dominance of two conceptions of the gene: the Neoclassical model and the Mendelian…

Classroom Ready Teaching Moments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalen, D. Joel; Coker, Kesha K.

2017-01-01

This article features thumbnail descriptions of 26 "Teaching Moments" presented at the Society for Marketing Advances 2016 Annual Conference. A wide variety of marketing education interventions are presented, from games that teach marketing fundamentals and enhance faculty effectiveness when counseling students, to visualizing data, and…

Lessons that non-scientists can teach us about the concept of energy: a human-centred approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leggett, Monica

2003-03-01

Energy is not only a core concept in physics but also a major issue in our post-Kyoto world. When using a constructivist approach to teaching, we need to be aware of students' preconceptions. A palette of alternative frameworks, which includes those used by adults within the community, can facilitate this. An exploration of energy issues with non-scientists within the community has generated some relevant insights. Participants' concepts of energy were multifaceted. Most had a strong personal component, but also social, technical and cosmic dimensions. Although many participants were uncomfortable with the terms `renewable' and `sustainable', they clearly articulated the social and technical requirements for a shift away from current fossil fuel dependency. However, the law of conservation of energy, a core belief of physicists, appeared to be totally absent from their concept of energy.

The Complexity of Teaching Density in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashweh, Maher Z.

2016-01-01

Background: Density is difficult to learn and teach in middle schools. This study, hypothesizing that the density concept develops as part of a conceptual system, used a conceptual change approach to teaching density. The approach emphasized the use of multiple strategies to teach the density concept and the associated concepts in the conceptual…

Effectiveness of Using Computer-Assisted Supplementary Instruction for Teaching the Mole Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalçinalp, Serpil; Geban, Ömer; Özkan, Ilker

This study examined the effect of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), used as a problem-solving supplement to classroom instruction, on students' understanding of chemical formulas and mole concept, their attitudes toward chemistry subjects, and CAI. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of CAI over recitation hours when both teaching methods were used as a supplement to the traditional chemistry instruction. We randomly selected two classes in a secondary school. Each teaching strategy was randomly assigned to one class. The experimental group received supplementary instruction delivered via CAI, while the control group received similar instruction through recitation hours. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and t-test. It was found that the students who used the CAI accompanied with lectures scored significantly higher than those who attended recitation hours, in terms of school subject achievement in chemistry and attitudes toward chemistry subjects. In addition, there was a significant improvement in the attitudes of students in the experimental group toward the use of computers in a chemistry course. There was no significant difference between the performances of females versus males in each treatment group.Received: 26 April 1994; Revised: 6 April 1995;

Is physics worth teaching?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machold, Dolf K.

1992-09-01

The paper points out that many students and adults are accustomed to solving problems in physics on the basis of everyday concepts; believing that these concepts are very successful, those students are not interested in concepts offered by science teaching. Furthermore, the teaching physics in terms of mathematical descriptions of problems is too early — students don't see the original problem, so they are not interested in solutions. One way to avoid these difficulties is M. Wagenschein's proposal of the ‘Exemplary-genetic Method’. This method and its principles are presented and illustrated with examples taken from history. On the basis of this method educational and pedagogical functions of teaching physics are developed. P.S.: Martin Wagenschein (1896 1989), Professor of physics education at the University of Tübingen, was concerned with finding new methods for successfully teaching science.

An Entertaining Method of Teaching Concepts of Linear Light Propagation, Reflection and Refraction Using a Simple Optical Mechanism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurumezoglu, K.

2009-01-01

An activity has been designed for the purpose of teaching how light is dispersed in a straight line and about the interaction between matter and light as well as the related concepts of shadows, partial shadows, reflection, refraction, primary colours and complementary (secondary) colours, and differentiating the relationship between colours, all…

Teaching Ionic Solvation Structure with a Monte Carlo Liquid Simulation Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano, Agostinho; Santos, Flávia M. T.; Greca, Ileana M.

2004-09-01

It is shown how basic aspects of ionic solvation structure, a fundamental topic for understanding different concepts and levels of representations of chemical structure and transformation, can be taught with the help of a Monte Carlo simulation package for molecular liquids. By performing a pair distribution function analysis of the solvation of Na + , Cl , and Ar in water, it is shown that it is feasible to explain the differences in solvation for these differently charged solutes. Visual representations of the solvated ions can also be employed to help the teaching activity. This may serve as an introduction to the study of solvation structure in chemistry undergraduate courses. The advantages of using tested, up-to-date scientific simulation programs as the fundamental bricks in the construction of virtual laboratories is also discussed.

Are Prompts Provided by Electronic Books as Effective for Teaching Preschoolers a Biological Concept as Those Provided by Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strouse, Gabrielle A.; Ganea, Patricia A.

2016-01-01

Research Findings: Prior research indicates that shared book reading is an effective method for teaching biological concepts to young children. Adult questioning during reading enhances children's comprehension. We investigated whether adult prompting during the reading of an electronic book enhanced children's understanding of a biological…

Astrobiology Learning Progressions: Linking Astrobiology Concepts with the 3D Learning Paradigm of NGSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scalice, D.; Davis, H. B.; Leach, D.; Chambers, N.

2016-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) introduce a Framework for teaching and learning with three interconnected "dimensions:" Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI's), Cross-cutting Concepts (CCC's), and Science and Engineering Practices (SEP's). This "3D" Framework outlines progressions of learning from K-12 based on the DCI's, detailing which parts of a concept should be taught at each grade band. We used these discipline-based progressions to synthesize interdisciplinary progressions for core concepts in astrobiology, such as the origins of life, what makes a world habitable, biosignatures, and searching for life on other worlds. The final product is an organizing tool for lesson plans, learning media, and other educational materials in astrobiology, as well as a fundamental resource in astrobiology education that serves both educators and scientists as they plan and carry out their programs for learners.

Understanding network concepts in modules

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background Network concepts are increasingly used in biology and genetics. For example, the clustering coefficient has been used to understand network architecture; the connectivity (also known as degree) has been used to screen for cancer targets; and the topological overlap matrix has been used to define modules and to annotate genes. Dozens of potentially useful network concepts are known from graph theory. Results Here we study network concepts in special types of networks, which we refer to as approximately factorizable networks. In these networks, the pairwise connection strength (adjacency) between 2 network nodes can be factored into node specific contributions, named node 'conformity'. The node conformity turns out to be highly related to the connectivity. To provide a formalism for relating network concepts to each other, we define three types of network concepts: fundamental-, conformity-based-, and approximate conformity-based concepts. Fundamental concepts include the standard definitions of connectivity, density, centralization, heterogeneity, clustering coefficient, and topological overlap. The approximate conformity-based analogs of fundamental network concepts have several theoretical advantages. First, they allow one to derive simple relationships between seemingly disparate networks concepts. For example, we derive simple relationships between the clustering coefficient, the heterogeneity, the density, the centralization, and the topological overlap. The second advantage of approximate conformity-based network concepts is that they allow one to show that fundamental network concepts can be approximated by simple functions of the connectivity in module networks. Conclusion Using protein-protein interaction, gene co-expression, and simulated data, we show that a) many networks comprised of module nodes are approximately factorizable and b) in these types of networks, simple relationships exist between seemingly disparate network concepts. Our

Teaching clinical reasoning: case-based and coached.

PubMed

Kassirer, Jerome P

2010-07-01

Optimal medical care is critically dependent on clinicians' skills to make the right diagnosis and to recommend the most appropriate therapy, and acquiring such reasoning skills is a key requirement at every level of medical education. Teaching clinical reasoning is grounded in several fundamental principles of educational theory. Adult learning theory posits that learning is best accomplished by repeated, deliberate exposure to real cases, that case examples should be selected for their reflection of multiple aspects of clinical reasoning, and that the participation of a coach augments the value of an educational experience. The theory proposes that memory of clinical medicine and clinical reasoning strategies is enhanced when errors in information, judgment, and reasoning are immediately pointed out and discussed. Rather than using cases artificially constructed from memory, real cases are greatly preferred because they often reflect the false leads, the polymorphisms of actual clinical material, and the misleading test results encountered in everyday practice. These concepts foster the teaching and learning of the diagnostic process, the complex trade-offs between the benefits and risks of diagnostic tests and treatments, and cognitive errors in clinical reasoning. The teaching of clinical reasoning need not and should not be delayed until students gain a full understanding of anatomy and pathophysiology. Concepts such as hypothesis generation, pattern recognition, context formulation, diagnostic test interpretation, differential diagnosis, and diagnostic verification provide both the language and the methods of clinical problem solving. Expertise is attainable even though the precise mechanisms of achieving it are not known.

Teaching English as an International Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selvi, A. F.; Yazan, B.

2013-01-01

English has unquestionably become a global phenomenon, generating a fundamental discussion of EIL pedagogy for English language teaching practitioners around the world. Teaching English as an International Language captures this important moment in the history of English language teaching. Readers will find an accessible introduction to the past,…

Effects of Cooperative Concept Mapping Teaching Approach on Secondary School Students' Motivation in Biology in Gucha District, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keraro, Fred Nyabuti; Wachanga, Samuel W.; Orora, William

2007-01-01

This study investigated the effects of using the cooperative concept mapping (CCM) teaching approach on secondary school students' motivation in biology. A non equivalent control group design under the quasi-experimental research was used in which a random sample of four co-educational secondary schools was used. The four schools were randomly…

Similarities and Differences in Teachers' and Researchers' Conceptions of Communicative Language Teaching: Does the Use of an Educational Model Cast a Better Light?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangubhai, Francis; Marland, Perc; Dashwood, Ann; Son, Jeong-Bae

2005-01-01

This study seeks to document teachers' conceptions of communicative language teaching (CLT) and to compare their conceptions with a composite view of CLT assembled, in part, from researchers' accounts of the distinctive features of CLT. The research was prompted by a review of the relevant research literature showing that, though previous studies…

Predicting Turkish Preservice Elementary Teachers' Orientations to Teaching Science with Epistemological Beliefs, Learning Conceptions, and Learning Approaches in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Elif Adibelli; Deniz, Hasan; Topçu, Mustafa Sami

2016-01-01

The present study investigated to what extent Turkish preservice elementary teachers' orientations to teaching science could be explained by their epistemological beliefs, conceptions of learning, and approaches to learning science. The sample included 157 Turkish preservice elementary teachers. The four instruments used in the study were School…

The development of a digital logic concept inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, Geoffrey Lindsay

Instructors in electrical and computer engineering and in computer science have developed innovative methods to teach digital logic circuits. These methods attempt to increase student learning, satisfaction, and retention. Although there are readily accessible and accepted means for measuring satisfaction and retention, there are no widely accepted means for assessing student learning. Rigorous assessment of learning is elusive because differences in topic coverage, curriculum and course goals, and exam content prevent direct comparison of two teaching methods when using tools such as final exam scores or course grades. Because of these difficulties, computing educators have issued a general call for the adoption of assessment tools to critically evaluate and compare the various teaching methods. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education researchers commonly measure students' conceptual learning to compare how much different pedagogies improve learning. Conceptual knowledge is often preferred because all engineering courses should teach a fundamental set of concepts even if they emphasize design or analysis to different degrees. Increasing conceptual learning is also important, because students who can organize facts and ideas within a consistent conceptual framework are able to learn new information quickly and can apply what they know in new situations. If instructors can accurately assess their students' conceptual knowledge, they can target instructional interventions to remedy common problems. To properly assess conceptual learning, several researchers have developed concept inventories (CIs) for core subjects in engineering sciences. CIs are multiple-choice assessment tools that evaluate how well a student's conceptual framework matches the accepted conceptual framework of a discipline or common faulty conceptual frameworks. We present how we created and evaluated the digital logic concept inventory (DLCI).We used a Delphi process to

Implementation of an active instructional design for teaching the concepts of current, voltage and resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlaineta-Agüero, S.; Del Sol-Fernández, S.; Sánchez-Guzmán, D.; García-Salcedo, R.

2017-01-01

In the present work we show the implementation of a learning sequence based on an active learning methodology for teaching Physics, this proposal tends to promote a better learning in high school students with the use of a comic book and it combines the use of different low-cost experimental activities for teaching the electrical concepts of Current, Resistance and Voltage. We consider that this kind of strategy can be easily extrapolated to higher-education levels like Engineering-college/university level and other disciplines of Science. To evaluate this proposal, we used some conceptual questions from the Electric Circuits Concept Evaluation survey developed by Sokoloff and the results from this survey was analysed with the Normalized Conceptual Gain proposed by Hake and the Concentration Factor that was proposed by Bao and Redish, to identify the effectiveness of the methodology and the models that the students presented after and before the instruction, respectively. We found that this methodology was more effective than only the implementation of traditional lectures, we consider that these results cannot be generalized but gave us the opportunity to view many important approaches in Physics Education; finally, we will continue to apply the same experiment with more students, in the same and upper levels of education, to confirm and validate the effectiveness of this methodology proposal.

The Implementation of Problem-Solving Based Laboratory Activities to Teach the Concept of Simple Harmonic Motion in Senior High School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iradat, R. D.; Alatas, F.

2017-09-01

Simple harmonic motion is considered as a relatively complex concept to be understood by students. This study attempts to implement laboratory activities that focus on solving contextual problems related to the concept. A group of senior high school students participated in this pre-experimental method from a group’s pretest-posttest research design. Laboratory activities have had a positive impact on improving students’ scientific skills, such as, formulating goals, conducting experiments, applying laboratory tools, and collecting data. Therefore this study has added to the theoretical and practical knowledge that needs to be considered to teach better complicated concepts in physics learning.

Students’ conceptions on white light and implications for teaching and learning about colour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haagen-Schützenhöfer, Claudia

2017-07-01

The quality of learning processes is mainly determined by the extent to which students’ conceptions are addressed and thus conceptual change is triggered. Colour phenomena are a topic within initial instruction of optics which is challenging. A physically adequate concept of white light is crucial for being able to grasp the processes underlying colour formation. Our previous research suggests that misconceptions on white light may influence the conceptual understanding of colour phenomena. For the design of a learning environment on light and colours, the literature was reviewed. Then an explorative interview study with participants (N  =  32), with and without instruction in introductory optics, was carried out. In addition, the representations used for white light in Austrian physics schoolbooks were analysed. Based on the results of the literature review, the interview study and the schoolbook analysis, a learning environment was designed and tested in teaching experiments. The results indicate that learners often lack an adequate concept of white light even after instruction in introductory optics. This seems to cause learning difficulties concerning colour phenomena. On the other hand, the evaluation of our learning environment showed that students are able to gain a good conceptual understanding of colour phenomena if instruction takes these content specific learning difficulties into account.

Assessing Student Knowledge of Chemistry and Climate Science Concepts Associated with Climate Change: Resources to Inform Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Versprille, Ashley; Zabih, Adam; Holme, Thomas A.; McKenzie, Lallie; Mahaffy, Peter; Martin, Brian; Towns, Marcy

2017-01-01

Climate change is one of the most critical problems facing citizens today. Chemistry faculty are presented with the problem of making general chemistry content simultaneously relevant and interesting. Using climate science to teach chemistry allows faculty to help students learn chemistry content in a rich context. Concepts related to…

The Effectiveness of Using the Instructional Strategy Diagnostic Profile to Prescribe Improvements in Self-Instructional Materials Teaching Abstract Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkholder, Barry L.

1981-01-01

This study conducted to determine the effectiveness of using the Instructional Strategy Diagnostic Profile to revise self-instructional materials that teach abstract concepts examined three sets of materials: the original set, the set with improved consistency rating, and the set with improved consistency and adequacy ratings. Forty-six references…

From Words to Concepts: Focusing on Word Knowledge When Teaching for Conceptual Understanding within an Inquiry-Based Science Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haug, Berit S.; Ødegaard, Marianne

2014-01-01

This qualitative video study explores how two elementary school teachers taught for conceptual understanding throughout different phases of science inquiry. The teachers implemented teaching materials with a focus on learning science key concepts through the development of word knowledge. A framework for word knowledge was applied to examine the…

Practices and Experiences on Bilingual Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Guang-rong; Ye, Chun-song; Jiang, Hua

2007-01-01

The implementation of bilingual teaching is specialized course in one of the important teaching reforms and it is also the inevitable trend in cultivating talents with high quality. In the paper, several problems of currently restricting the method are pointed out in China and experiences on bilingual teaching of "fundamentals of water…

Inquiry Science Learning and Teaching: a Comparison Between the Conceptions and Attitudes of Pre-service Elementary Teachers in Hong Kong and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yeung Chung; Lee, Carole Kwan-Ping; Lam, Irene Chung-Man; Kwok, Ping Wai; So, Winnie Wing-Mui

2018-01-01

International studies of science education, such as the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), have revealed considerable national disparities in students' achievements in science education. The results have prompted many nations to compare their science education systems and practices to those of others, to gain insights for improvement. Teacher training and professional development are key educational components that have not attracted as much attention as they deserve in international comparative studies. This study compares the conceptions and attitudes of pre-service elementary teachers (PSETs) in Hong Kong and the United States with respect to inquiry science learning and teaching at the beginning of the semester before the start of the science methods course. PSETs' conceptions and attitudes in the two countries were compared by means of a questionnaire with both Likert-type and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through the systematic categorization of PSETs' responses into broad themes and subthemes to reflect patterns in their conceptions of and attitudes toward inquiry science learning and teaching. The results revealed a complex interplay between PSETs' conceptions of and attitudes toward inquiry science learning and teaching. The results shed light on the effects of sociocultural contexts and have important implications for the design of science methods courses.

[Posture and aging. Current fundamental studies and management concepts].

PubMed

Mourey, F; Camus, A; Pfitzenmeyer, P

2000-02-19

FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF POSTURE: In the elderly subject, preservation of posture is fundamental to maintaining functional independence. In recent years, there has been much progress in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying strategies used to control equilibrium in the upright position. Physiological aging, associated with diverse disease states, dangerously alters the postural function, particularly anticipated adjustments which allow an adaptation of posture to movement. CLINICAL ASSESSMENT OF POSTURE: Several tests have been developed to assess posture in the elderly subject, particularly the time it takes to start walking. We selected certain tests which can be used in everyday practice to predict falls: the stance test, the improved Romberg test, the "timed get up and go test", measurement of walking cadence, assessment of balance reactions, sitting-standing and standing-sitting movements and capacity to get up off the floor. PATIENT CARE: Elderly patients with equilibrium disorders can benefit from specific personalized rehabilitation protocols. Different techniques have been developed for multiple afferential stimulation, reprogramming postural strategies, and correcting for deficient motor automatisms.

Teachers' General and Contextualised Research Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schouteden, Wendy; Verburgh, An; Elen, Jan

2016-01-01

The integration of research into teaching is a new and important focus in teaching-intensive institutions in higher education. Given the paucity of empirical insight into the research--teaching relationship in teaching-intensive institutions, teachers' research conceptions are studied as a first step in understanding the research--teaching…

An Investigation of Grade 12 Students' Misconceptions Relating to Fundamental Characteristics of Molecules and Atoms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Alan Keith; Preston, Kirk R.

An understanding of the concepts of atoms and molecules is fundamental to the learning of chemistry. Any misconceptions and alternative conceptions related to these concepts which students harbor will impede much further learning. This paper identifies misconceptions related to the fundamental characteristics of atoms and molecules which Grade 12…

CE-TOF/MS: fundamental concepts, instrumental considerations and applications.

PubMed

Staub, Aline; Schappler, Julie; Rudaz, Serge; Veuthey, Jean-Luc

2009-05-01

This review discusses the fundamental principles of TOF analyzers and covers the great progress that has been made in this area in recent years (i.e. orthogonal acceleration, reflectron). This paper also gives an overview of applications performed by CE coupled to TOF/MS detection. The main domains of interest include the analysis of biomolecules and natural compounds.

Bridge to the future: nontraditional clinical settings, concepts and issues.

PubMed

Faller, H S; Dowell, M A; Jackson, M A

1995-11-01

Healthcare restructuring in the wake of healthcare reform places greater emphasis on primary healthcare. Clinical education in acute care settings and existing community health agencies are not compatible with teaching basic concepts, principles and skills fundamental to nursing. Problems of clients in acute care settings are too complex and clients in the community are often too dispersed for necessary faculty support and supervision of beginning nursing students. Nontraditional learning settings offer the baccalaureate student the opportunity to practice fundamental skills of care and address professional skills of negotiation, assertiveness, organization, collaboration and leadership. An overview of faculty designed clinical learning experiences in nontraditional sites such as McDonald's restaurants, inner city churches, YWCA's, the campus community and homes are presented. The legal, ethical and academic issues associated with nontraditional learning settings are discussed in relation to individual empowerment, decision making and evaluation. Implications for the future address the role of the students and faculty as they interact with the community in which they live and practice.

Using Films in Teaching Intercultural Concepts: An Action Research Project at Two Universities in India and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pandey, Satish; Ardichvili, Alexandre

2015-01-01

Films are used as a tool for teaching cross-cultural and intercultural concepts in higher education and in corporate settings. However, the processes and outcomes of using films in intercultural training and education have not been systematically researched. This paper discusses the results of a collaborative project involving faculty and students…

Enriching the Teaching of Biology with Mathematical Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Janet

2007-01-01

Secondary school educators are told to teach more mathematics and science to their students to help them become more proficient in the two subjects. Coordination of mathematics and science teaching is recognized as another means of improving proficiency. The National Science Foundation has funded the "Mathematics, Science and Technology…

Reverse Teaching: Exploring Student Perceptions of "Flip Teaching"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Bang; Yu, Xiaoyu; Japutra, Arnold; Chen, Cheng-Hao Steve

2016-01-01

The concept of reverse teaching, considered by some as the education model of the future due to increasing technological availability in the classroom, has received great attention in education research lately. However, the focus of these studies has mainly been on the understanding of reverse teaching in terms of its application rather than…

A Constructive Teaching Model in Learning Research Concept for English Language Teaching Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anwar, Khoirul

2015-01-01

This is a study to focus on analyzing the use of constructive teaching method toward the students' motivation in learning content subject of Introduction to Research of English Language Teaching. By using a mix-method of qualitative and quantitative analysis, the data are collected by using questionnaire and classroom observation. The…

Teaching Ventilation/Perfusion Relationships in the Lung

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glenny, Robb W.

2008-01-01

This brief review is meant to serve as a refresher for faculty teaching respiratory physiology to medical students. The concepts of ventilation and perfusion matching are some of the most challenging ideas to learn and teach. Some strategies to consider in teaching these concepts are, first, to build from simple to more complex by starting with a…

Who Will Teach? A Fundamental Challenge to Medical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolliscroft, James O.

1995-01-01

Medical school faculty members' broad understanding of their domains has atrophied as specialization has increased. Medical students need teachers who can integrate the specific areas of a subject with overarching themes. Expanding the values of the university to once again include the scholarship of integration and teaching would provide the best…

Using concept maps in a modified team-based learning exercise.

PubMed

Knollmann-Ritschel, Barbara E C; Durning, Steven J

2015-04-01

Medical school education has traditionally been driven by single discipline teaching and assessment. Newer medical school curricula often implement an organ-based approach that fosters integration of basic science and clinical disciplines. Concept maps are widely used in education. Through diagrammatic depiction of a variety of concepts and their specific connections with other ideas, concept maps provide a unique perspective into learning and performance that can complement other assessment methods commonly used in medical schools. In this innovation, we describe using concepts maps as a vehicle for a modified a classic Team-Based Learning (TBL) exercise. Modifications to traditional TBL in our innovation included replacing an individual assessment using multiple-choice questions with concept maps as well as combining the group assessment and application exercise whereby teams created concept maps. These modifications were made to further assess understanding of content across the Fundamentals module (the introductory module of the preclerkship curriculum). While preliminary, student performance and feedback from faculty and students support the use of concept maps in TBL. Our findings suggest concept maps can provide a unique means of determining assessment of learning and generating feedback to students. Concept maps can also demonstrate knowledge acquisition, organization of prior and new knowledge, and synthesis of that knowledge across disciplines in a unique way providing an additional means of assessment in addition to traditional multiple-choice questions. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

The Fundamental Skills Training Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-08-01

rejecting hypotheses. This ITS teaches ecology concepts in areas including biomes , abiotic factors of plant growth, biotic factors in ecosystems, human...Deserts, Temperate Deciduous Forests, Coniferous Forests, Tropical Rainforests, Polar Regions, Tundra, Fresh Water, Marine . Abiotic Factors...critical points in each workspace. Incorporating motivational features that address individual characteristics such as learning styles and interests

An Approach to the Teaching of Cell Water Relations in Biology at A-Level Using the Water Potential Concept.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchinson, Colin S.; Sutcliffe, James F.

1983-01-01

The existence of several different approaches to teaching water relations is noted, arguing that the concept of water potential is the most useful basis for this approach. The meaning of water potential is discussed, and a means of introducing it and using it to explain cell water relations is outlined. (Author/JN)

The Effect of Concept Mapping and Problem Solving Teaching Strategies on Achievement in Biology among Nigerian Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okoye, Nnamdi S.; Okechukwu, Rose N.

2010-01-01

The study examined the effect of concept-mapping and problem-solving teaching strategies on achievement in biology among Nigerian secondary school students. The method used for the study was a quasi-experimental pre-test treatment design. One hundred and thirteen senior secondary three (S.S. 111) students randomly selected from three mixed…

The Effect of Using a Proposed Teaching Strategy Based on the Selective Thinking on Students' Acquisition Concepts in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qudah, Ahmad Hassan

2016-01-01

This study aimed at identify the effect of using a proposed teaching strategy based on the selective thinking in acquire mathematical concepts by Classroom Teacher Students at Al- al- Bayt University, The sample of the study consisted of (74) students, equally distributed into a control group and an experimental group. The selective thinking…

Drama-Based Science Teaching and Its Effect on Students' Understanding of Scientific Concepts and Their Attitudes towards Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abed, Osama H.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effect of drama-based science teaching on students' understanding of scientific concepts and their attitudes towards science learning. The study also aimed to examine if there is an interaction between students' achievement level in science and drama-based instruction. The sample consisted of (87) of 7th grade students…

Practitioners' Concepts: An Inquiry into the Wisdom of Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchmann, Margaret

This paper makes a case for the existence and study of the wisdom of practice by looking at educational practitioners' concepts as its locus and source. (These concepts may also be described as the accumulated "folk wisdom" of the teaching community). These communal concepts, part of an accumulated lore regarding teaching and education…

A Didactic Proposed for Teaching the Concepts of Electrons and Light in Secondary School Using Feynman's Path Sum Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fanaro, Maria de los Angeles; Arlego, Marcelo; Otero, Maria Rita

2012-01-01

This work comprises an investigation about basic Quantum Mechanics (QM) teaching in the high school. The organization of the concepts does not follow a historical line. The Path Integrals method of Feynman has been adopted as a Reference Conceptual Structure that is an alternative to the canonical formalism. We have designed a didactic sequence…

Validation and structural analysis of the kinematics concept test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenberger, A.; Wagner, C.; Hofer, S. I.; Stern, E.; Vaterlaus, A.

2017-06-01

The kinematics concept test (KCT) is a multiple-choice test designed to evaluate students' conceptual understanding of kinematics at the high school level. The test comprises 49 multiple-choice items about velocity and acceleration, which are based on seven kinematic concepts and which make use of three different representations. In the first part of this article we describe the development and the validation process of the KCT. We applied the KCT to 338 Swiss high school students who attended traditional teaching in kinematics. We analyzed the response data to provide the psychometric properties of the test. In the second part we present the results of a structural analysis of the test. An exploratory factor analysis of 664 student answers finally uncovered the seven kinematics concepts as factors. However, the analysis revealed a hierarchical structure of concepts. At the higher level, mathematical concepts group together, and then split up into physics concepts at the lower level. Furthermore, students who seem to understand a concept in one representation have difficulties transferring the concept to similar problems in another representation. Both results have implications for teaching kinematics. First, teaching mathematical concepts beforehand might be beneficial for learning kinematics. Second, instructions have to be designed to teach students the change between different representations.

Using Concept Mapping to Uncover Students' Knowledge Structures of Chemical Bonding Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrows, Nikita L.; Mooring, Suazette Reid

2015-01-01

General chemistry is the first undergraduate course in which students further develop their understanding of fundamental chemical concepts. Many of these fundamental topics highlight the numerous conceptual interconnections present in chemistry. However, many students possess incoherent knowledge structures regarding these topics. Therefore,…

The Relevance of Multi Media Skills in Teaching and Learning of Scientific Concepts in Secondary Schools in Lagos State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okedeyi, Abiodun S.; Oginni, Aderonke M.; Adegorite, Solomon O.; Saibu, Sakibu O.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the relevance of multi media skills in teaching and learning of scientific concepts in secondary schools. Self constructed questionnaire was administered to 120 students randomly selected in four secondary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos state. Data generated were analyzed using chi-square statistical…

Exploring teacher's perceptions of concept mapping as a teaching strategy in science: An action research approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks Krpan, Catherine Anne

In order to promote science literacy in the classroom, students need opportunities in which they can personalize their understanding of the concepts they are learning. Current literature supports the use of concept maps in enabling students to make personal connections in their learning of science. Because they involve creating explicit connections between concepts, concept maps can assist students in developing metacognitive strategies and assist educators in identifying misconceptions in students' thinking. The literature also notes that concept maps can improve student achievement and recall. Much of the current literature focuses primarily on concept mapping at the secondary and university levels, with limited focus on the elementary panel. The research rarely considers teachers' thoughts and ideas about the concept mapping process. In order to effectively explore concept mapping from the perspective of elementary teachers, I felt that an action research approach would be appropriate. Action research enabled educators to debate issues about concept mapping and test out ideas in their classrooms. It also afforded the participants opportunities to explore their own thinking, reflect on their personal journeys as educators and play an active role in their professional development. In an effort to explore concept mapping from the perspective of elementary educators, an action research group of 5 educators and myself was established and met regularly from September 1999 until June 2000. All of the educators taught in the Toronto area. These teachers were interested in exploring how concept mapping could be used as a learning tool in their science classrooms. In summary, this study explores the journey of five educators and myself as we engaged in collaborative action research. This study sets out to: (1) Explore how educators believe concept mapping can facilitate teaching and student learning in the science classroom. (2) Explore how educators implement concept

Mathematical Literacy--It's Become Fundamental

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrone, Sharon Soucy; Dossey, John A.

2007-01-01

The rising tide of numbers and statistics in daily life signals a need for a fundamental broadening of the concept of literacy: mathematical literacy assuming a coequal role in the curriculum alongside language-based literacy. Mathematical literacy is not about studying higher levels of formal mathematics, but about making math relevant and…

TeachEnG: a Teaching Engine for Genomics.

PubMed

Kim, Minji; Kim, Yeonsung; Qian, Lei; Song, Jun S

2017-10-15

Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field that has emerged from the synergy of computer science, statistics and biology. Given the interdisciplinary nature of bioinformatics, many students from diverse fields struggle with grasping bioinformatic concepts only from classroom lectures. Interactive tools for helping students reinforce their learning would be thus desirable. Here, we present an interactive online educational tool called TeachEnG (acronym for Teaching Engine for Genomics) for reinforcing key concepts in sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Our instructional games allow students to align sequences by hand, fill out the dynamic programming matrix in the Needleman-Wunsch global sequence alignment algorithm, and reconstruct phylogenetic trees via the maximum parsimony, Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and Neighbor-Joining algorithms. With an easily accessible interface and instant visual feedback, TeachEnG will help promote active learning in bioinformatics. TeachEnG is freely available at http://teacheng.illinois.edu. The source code is available from https://github.com/KnowEnG/TeachEnG under the Artistic License 2.0. It is written in JavaScript and compatible with Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. songj@illinois.edu. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Practical Application of Fundamental Concepts in Exercise Physiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsbottom R.; Kinch, R. F. T.; Morris, M. G.; Dennis, A. M.

2007-01-01

The collection of primary data in laboratory classes enhances undergraduate practical and critical thinking skills. The present article describes the use of a lecture program, running in parallel with a series of linked practical classes, that emphasizes classical or standard concepts in exercise physiology. The academic and practical program ran…

Teaching Trajectories and Students' Understanding of Difficult Concepts in Biology in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumuni, Abosede Anthonia Olufemi; Dike, John Worlu; Uzoma-Nwogu, Azibaolanari

2017-01-01

This study investigated the effects of teaching trajectories on students' understanding of difficult concepts in Biology. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study which was carried out in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Two public coeducational schools out of thirteen drawn through purposive sampling…

The Human Nervous System: A Framework for Teaching and the Teaching Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Vanessa

2013-01-01

The teaching brain is a new concept that mirrors the complex, dynamic, and context-dependent nature of the learning brain. In this article, I use the structure of the human nervous system and its sensing, processing, and responding components as a framework for a re-conceptualized teaching system. This teaching system is capable of responses on an…

Language and Its Structure: Some Fundamental Linguistic Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langacker, Ronald W.

Intended for people with little or no training in linguistics, this book initially deals with such basic concepts as the definition of linguistics, the nature of language, and the linguistic variations within a society. The discussion then moves to a more detailed, non-historical analysis of language structure, focusing on lexical items,…

Development of a Solar System Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstein, Seth D.; Duncan, D.; S, C. A. T.

2009-01-01

Concept inventories can provide useful insight into students’ understanding of key physical concepts. Knowing what your students have learned during a course is a valuable tool for improving your own teaching. Unfortunately, current astronomy concept inventories are not suitable for an introductory solar system course because they either cover too broad of a range of topics (e.g. Astronomy Diagnostic Test) or are too narrowly focused (e.g. Greenhouse Effect Concept Inventory, Lunar Phase Concept Inventory). We have developed the Solar System Concept Inventory (SSCI) to cover those topics commonly taught in an introductory solar system course. The topics included on the SSCI were selected by having faculty identify the key concepts they address when teaching about the solar system. SSCI topics include formation mechanisms, planetary interiors, atmospheric effects, and small solar system bodies. Student interviews were conducted to identify common naive ideas and reasoning difficulties relating to these key topics. Preliminary development of the SSCI was completed at the University of Colorado and involved over 400 students. A larger, national, multi-institutional field test is planned for Spring 2009 as a Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) research project. We present here the results from the preliminary development and proposed changes for the next stage of research. We would like to thank the NSF for funding under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

Teaching concept analysis to graduate nursing students.

PubMed

Schiller, Catharine J

2018-04-01

To provide guidance to educators who use the Wilson (1963) concept analysis method, as modified by Walker and Avant (2011), in their graduate nursing curriculum BACKGROUND: While graduate nursing curricula often include a concept analysis assignment, there is a paucity of literature to assist educators in guiding students through this challenging process. This article details one way for educators to assist graduate nursing students in learning how to undertake each step of the Wilson (1963) concept analysis method, as modified by Walker and Avant (2011). Wilson (1963) concept analysis method, as modified by Walker and Avant (2011). Using examples, this article walks the reader through the Walker and Avant (2011) concept analysis process and addresses those issues commonly encountered by educators during this process. This article presented one way of walking students through a Walker and Avant (2011) concept analysis. Having clear information about the steps involved in developing a concept analysis will make it easier for educators to incorporate it into their graduate nursing curriculum and to effectively guide students on their journey through this process. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Intersection between Intercultural Competence and Teaching Behaviors: A Case of International Teaching Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeGros, N.; Faez, F.

2012-01-01

What is considered effective teaching varies across cultures, institutions, and disciplines. Concepts of effective teaching reflect the values and expectations of the educational culture and language in which it occurs. This study examines how participation in a course on intercultural communication affects the observable teaching behaviors of…

Fundamentals of Construction. Instructor Edition. Introduction to Construction Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This instructor's guide contains the materials required to teach a competency-based introductory course in the fundamentals of construction to students who have chosen to explore careers in construction. The following topics are covered in the course's 10 instructional units: industry orientation (exploring the construction industry and starting a…

My Teaching Learning Philosophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Punjani, Neelam Saleem

2014-01-01

The heart of teaching learning philosophy is the concept of nurturing students and teaching them in a way that creates passion and enthusiasm in them for a lifelong learning. According to Duke (1990) education is a practice of artful action where teaching learning process is considered as design and knowledge is considered as colours. Teaching…

Computer-Based Tutoring of Visual Concepts: From Novice to Experts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharples, Mike

1991-01-01

Description of ways in which computers might be used to teach visual concepts discusses hypermedia systems; describes computer-generated tutorials; explains the use of computers to create learning aids such as concept maps, feature spaces, and structural models; and gives examples of visual concept teaching in medical education. (10 references)…

Anthropology from a Kantian point of view: toward a cosmopolitan conception of human nature.

PubMed

Louden, Robert B

2008-12-01

Anthropology was a new field of study when Kant first began lecturing on it in 1772, and Kant himself was the first academic to teach regular courses in this area. As is well known, his own approach to anthropology is self-described as 'pragmatic', and Kant's pragmatic anthropology differs markedly from the anthropologies that other early contributors to the new discipline were advocating. In this essay I focus on a fundamental feature of Kant's anthropology that has been under-appreciated in previous discussions; namely, the particular conception of human nature that he believes anthropology, when pursued properly, leads to. I call this conception a cosmopolitan conception of human nature. In addition to establishing the central importance of this idea for Kant's project in anthropology, I also try in this essay to unravel some of its ambiguities and tensions as well as to highlight its underlying moral motives. The cosmopolitan conception of human nature that is central to Kant's anthropology is a further indication of the significance of his anthropology for ethics.

Understanding Legitimate Teacher Authority in a Cross-Cultural Teaching Context: Pre-Service Chinese Language Teachers Undertaking Teaching Practicum in International Schools in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chun; Gu, Mingyue; Hu, Jingjing

2015-01-01

Legitimate teacher authority is fundamental to effective teaching, but is often a thorny issue that teachers need to grapple with when teaching in cross-cultural teaching contexts. By interviewing 18 pre-service Chinese language teachers on their understanding of legitimate teacher authority throughout teaching practicum at international schools…

Debates in Music Teaching. The Debates in Subject Teaching Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philpott, Chris, Ed.; Spruce, Gary, Ed.

2012-01-01

"Debates in Music Teaching" encourages student and practising teachers to engage with contemporary issues and developments in music education. It aims to introduce a critical approach to the central concepts and practices that have influenced major interventions and initiatives in music teaching, and supports the development of new ways of looking…

Teaching Striking/Fielding Concepts in Cricket

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Adrian P.

2004-01-01

This article presents activities for developing striking/fielding concepts in modified cricket games. Though not as familiar to American children, cricket is emerging as the second (to soccer) most popular game in the world. The novelty of the skills provides an appropriate learning challenge for all students while reinforcing concepts and…

Social Science Concepts and the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fancett, Verna S.; And Others

Intended to introduce teachers to the concept approach in teaching social studies materials, the five chapters of this publication discuss (1) a definition of "concept" and the term's relationship to facts and generalizations, (2) the function of concepts in the social sciences, (3) how concepts develop, (4) how concepts are related to inquiry and…

Experiencing Economic Concepts: Formal and Informal Concept Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armento, Beverly Jeanne

1980-01-01

This article discusses the feasibility of and the skills needed for teaching basic economic concepts such as supply and demand in an informal learning situation, in this case the simulation of an economic system based on barter. (CJ)

Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction and Assessment, Pre-K-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hougen, Martha C., Ed.; Smartt, Susan M., Ed.

2012-01-01

For future literacy teachers just beginning their professional education, nothing's more important than the first core text that builds their foundation for classroom success. That's why every preservice teacher should start with this introductory reading textbook, ideal for teaching fundamental literacy skills to students in pre-K-Grade 6. Based…

Teach English, Teach about the Environment: A Resource for Teachers of Adult English for Speakers of Other Languages

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA has developed the Teach English, Teach about the Environment curriculum to help you teach English to adult students while introducing basic concepts about the environment and individual environmental responsibility.

Professional development strategies for teaching urban biology teachers to use concept maps effectively

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGregor Petgrave, Dahlia M.

Many teachers are not adequately prepared to help urban students who have trouble understanding conceptual ideas in biology because these students have little connection to the natural world. This study explored potential professional development strategies to help urban biology teachers use concept maps effectively with various topics in the biology curriculum. A grounded theory approach was used to develop a substantive professional development model for urban biology teachers. Qualitative data were collected through 16 semi-structured interviews of professional developers experienced in working with concept maps in the urban context. An anonymous online survey was used to collect quantitative data from 56 professional developers and teachers to support the qualitative data. The participants were from New York City, recruited through the NY Biology-Chemistry Professional Development Mentor Network and the NY Biology Teachers' Association. According to the participants, map construction, classroom applications, lesson planning, action research, follow-up workshops, and the creation of learning communities are the most effective professional development strategies. The interviewees also proposed English language learning strategies such as picture maps, native word maps, and content reading materials with underlined words. This study contributes to social change by providing a professional development model to use in planning workshops for urban teachers. Urban teachers improve their own conceptual understanding of biology while learning how to implement concept mapping strategies in the classroom. Students whose teachers are better prepared to teach biology in a conceptual manner have the potential of growing into more scientifically literate citizens.

Improving teaching on the basis of student evaluation: integrative teaching consultation.

PubMed

Wibbecke, Gerald; Kahmann, Janine; Pignotti, Tanja; Altenberger, Leander; Kadmon, Martina

2015-01-01

Due to the development of medical education in the past decade the role of teachers has changed and requires higher didactic competence. Student evaluation of teaching alone does not lead to considerable improvement of teaching quality. We present the concept of "Integrative Teaching Consultation", which comprises both the teacher's reflection and own objectives to improve their teaching as well as data from students ratings. Teachers in collaboration with a teaching consultant reflect on their teaching ability and set themselves improvement goals. Then the consultant himself observes a teaching session and subsequently analyses the respective student evaluation in order to give meaningful feedback to the teacher. The combination of student feedback with professional consultation elements can initiate and maintain improvements in teaching. Teaching consultation complements existing faculty development programs and increases the benefit of student evaluations.

Using Dynamic Tools to Develop an Understanding of the Fundamental Ideas of Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verzosa, Debbie; Guzon, Angela Fatima; De Las Peñas, Ma. Louise Antonette N.

2014-01-01

Although dynamic geometry software has been extensively used for teaching calculus concepts, few studies have documented how these dynamic tools may be used for teaching the rigorous foundations of the calculus. In this paper, we describe lesson sequences utilizing dynamic tools for teaching the epsilon-delta definition of the limit and the…

The Teaching Processes of Prospective Science Teachers with Different Levels of Science-Teaching Self-Efficacy Belief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saka, Mehpare; Bayram, Hale; Kabapinar, Filiz

2016-01-01

The concept of self-efficacy, which is an important variable in the teaching process, and how it reflects on teaching have recently been the focus of attention. Therefore, this study deals with the relationship between the science-teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective science teachers and their teaching practices. It was conducted with…

Elastic Waves: Mental Models and Teaching/Learning Sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarantino, Giovanni

In last years many research studies have pointed out relevant student diff- culties in understanding the physics of mechanical waves. Moreover, it has been reported that these diffculties deal with some fundamental concepts as the role of the medium in wave propagation, the superposition principle and the mathematical description of waves involving the use of functions of two variables. In the context of pre-service courses for teacher preparation a teaching/learning (T/L) sequence based on using simple RTL experiments and interactive simulation environments aimed to show the effect of medium properties on the propagation speed of a wave pulse, has been experimented. Here, preliminary results of investigations carried out with a 120 traineeteacher (TT) group are reported and discussed.

Concept of coherence of learning physical optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombo, Elisa M.; Jaen, Mirta; de Cudmani, Leonor C.

1995-10-01

The aim of the actual paper is to enhance achievements of the text 'Optica Fisica Basica: estructurada alrededor del concepto de coherencia luminosa' (in English 'Basic Physical Optics centered in the concept of coherence'). We consider that this book is a very worth tool when one has to learn or to teach some fundamental concepts of physical optics. It is well known that the topics of physical optics present not easy understanding for students. Even more they also present some difficulties for the teachers when they have to introduce them to the class. First, we think that different phenomena like diffraction and polarization could be well understood if the starting point is a deep comprehension of the concept of interference of light and, associated with this, the fundamental and nothing intuitive concept of coherence of the light. In the reference text the authors propose the use of expression 'stable interference pattern of no uniform intensity' instead of 'pattern of interference' and 'average pattern of uniform untested' instead of 'lack of interference' to make reference that light always interfere but just under restrictive conditions it can be got temporal and spatial stability of the pattern. Another idea we want to stand out is that the ability to observe a 'stable interference pattern of no uniform intensity' is associated not only with the coherence of the source but also with the dimensions of the experimental system and with the temporal and spatial characteristics of the detector used - human eye, photographic film, etc. The proposal is well support by quantitative relations. With an alternate model: a train of waves with a finite length of coherence, it is possible to get range of validity of models, to decide when a source could be considered a 'point' or 'monochromatic' or 'remote', an 'infinite' wave or a train of waves, etc. Using this concept it is possible to achieve a better understanding of phenomena like the polarization of light. Here, it

[What is the Institutional Teaching Career?].

PubMed

Aguilar-Mejía, Estela

2006-01-01

The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social carries out a project of enormous relevance: to train health attention staff, which is its main function. The emergence and progress of a different concept and practice of teaching made possible the creation of the Institutional Teaching Career at the end of 2004. This achievement represents the acknowledgement of teaching practice, making possible the permanence, self-improvement and promotion of those professors truly committed to a teaching practice of greater importance at IMSS. The theoretical perspective that conceptually frames this career as well as the different categories of career professor implies an idea of education, as well as a teaching and improvement practice concept of health assistance that outlines a way in search of the perfection of both occupations (teaching and assistance) at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, with growing repercussions in its influence sphere.

Reconstruing Conceptions of Teaching Excellence: A Reply to Rhodes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchastel, Philippe; Champagne, Marc

1977-01-01

This response to an earlier paper by Dent Rhodes (Higher Education Bulletin, v4 n2) argues that Rhodes' critique of five assumptions underlying teaching excellence is excessively negative in tone and fails to do justice to recent advances in the improvement of teaching. (Author/LBH)

A Symposium on Heuristic Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Richard E., Ed.

In order to explore diverse philosophical, psychological, and pedagogical views on the concept of heuristic teaching and the question whether basic teaching skills can be "content free," a symposium on the subject of heuristic teaching was organized with resource papers being requested from scholars representing several disciplines and…

Triatominae biochemistry goes to school: evaluation of a novel tool for teaching basic biochemical concepts of Chagas disease vectors.

PubMed

Cunha, Leonardo Rodrigues; Cudischevitch, Cecília de Oliveira; Carneiro, Alan Brito; Macedo, Gustavo Bartholomeu; Lannes, Denise; Silva-Neto, Mário Alberto Cardoso da

2014-01-01

We evaluate a new approach to teaching the basic biochemistry mechanisms that regulate the biology of Triatominae, major vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. We have designed and used a comic book, "Carlos Chagas: 100 years after a hero's discovery" containing scientific information obtained by seven distinguished contemporary Brazilian researchers working with Triatominaes. Students (22) in the seventh grade of a public elementary school received the comic book. The study was then followed up by the use of Concept Maps elaborated by the students. Six Concept Maps elaborated by the students before the introduction of the comic book received an average score of 7. Scores rose to an average of 45 after the introduction of the comic book. This result suggests that a more attractive content can greatly improve the knowledge and conceptual understanding among students not previously exposed to insect biochemistry. In conclusion, this study illustrates an alternative to current strategies of teaching about the transmission of neglected diseases. It also promotes the diffusion of the scientific knowledge produced by Brazilian researchers that may stimulate students to choose a scientific career. © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The Feasibility of Teaching Selected Concepts Related to the Particle Nature of Matter to Students in Grades Two Through Six.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Richard Arthur

Reported is a study to determine the feasibility of teaching selected concepts related to the particle nature of matter to students in grades 2-6. The lessons developed for this study did not require a high student reading ability, did not require more than one-half hour of time, included the use of analogous mechanical models whenever possible,…

Promoting fundamental clinical skills: a competency-based college approach at the University of Washington.

PubMed

Goldstein, Erika A; Maclaren, Carol F; Smith, Sherilyn; Mengert, Terry J; Maestas, Ramoncita R; Foy, Hugh M; Wenrich, Marjorie D; Ramsey, Paul G

2005-05-01

The focus on fundamental clinical skills in undergraduate medical education has declined over the last several decades. Dramatic growth in the number of faculty involved in teaching and increasing clinical and research commitments have contributed to depersonalization and declining individual attention to students. In contrast to the close teaching and mentoring relationship between faculty and students 50 years ago, today's medical students may interact with hundreds of faculty members without the benefit of a focused program of teaching and evaluating clinical skills to form the core of their four-year curriculum. Bedside teaching has also declined, which may negatively affect clinical skills development. In response to these and other concerns, the University of Washington School of Medicine has created an integrated developmental curriculum that emphasizes bedside teaching and role modeling, focuses on enhancing fundamental clinical skills and professionalism, and implements these goals via a new administrative structure, the College system, which consists of a core of clinical teachers who spend substantial time teaching and mentoring medical students. Each medical student is assigned a faculty mentor within a College for the duration of his or her medical school career. Mentors continuously teach and reflect with students on clinical skills development and professionalism and, during the second year, work intensively with them at the bedside. They also provide an ongoing personal faculty contact. Competency domains and benchmarks define skill areas in which deepening, progressive attention is focused throughout medical school. This educational model places primary focus on the student.

Teaching, Learning, and Planetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Robert A.

2002-01-01

This is the final report of a program that examined the fundamentals of education associated with space activities, promoted educational policy development in appropriate forums, and developed pathfinder products and services to demonstrate the utility of advanced communication technologies for space-based education. Our focus was on space astrophysics and planetary exploration, with a special emphasis on the themes of the Origins Program, with which the Principal Investigator (PI) had been involved from the outset. Teaching, Learning, and Planetary Exploration was also the core funding of the Space Telescope Science Institute's (ST ScI) Special Studies Office (SSO), and as such had provided basic support for such important NASA studies as the fix for Hubble Space Telescope (HST) spherical aberration, scientific conception of the HST Advanced Camera, specification of the Next-Generation Space Telescope (NGST), and the strategic plan for the second decade of the HST science program.

Operation Valuation: Teaching Pricing Concepts in an Experiential Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Adam J.; Treen, Emily

2016-01-01

Although marketing education has seen a dramatic shift toward hands-on, experiential learning in recent years, the teaching of pricing has fallen behind complementary elements of the marketing mix in pedagogical execution. Although the teaching of pricing has shifted focus from economic-based models to value-based pricing in theory, available…

Unified presentation of four fundamental inequalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lajzerowicz, Joseph; Lehoucq, Roland; Graner, François

2018-03-01

We suggest an unified presentation to teach fundamental constants to graduate students, by introducing four lower limits to observed phenomena. The reduced Planck constant ℏ is the lowest classically definable action. The inverse of invariant speed, s, is the lowest observable slowness. The Planck time, {t}{{P}}, is the lowest observable time scale. The Boltzmann constant, k, determines the lowest coherent degree of freedom; we recall an Einstein criterion on the fluctuations of small thermal systems and show that it has far-reaching implications, such as demonstrating the relations between critical exponents. Each of these four fundamental limits enters in an inequality, which marks a horizon of the Universe we can perceive. This compact presentation can resolve some difficulties encountered when trying to defining the epistemologic status of these constants, and emphasizes their useful role in shaping our intuitive vision of the Universe.

Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice: Examining Preservice Teachers' Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jong, Cindy; Jackson, Christa

2016-01-01

Teaching for social justice is a critical pedagogy used to empower students to be social agents in the world they live. This critical pedagogy has extended to mathematics education. Over the last decade, mathematics education researchers have conceptualized what it means to teach mathematics for social justice, but little is known about preservice…

A Hypertext Tutor for Teaching Principles and Techniques of GIS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, C. Peter; And Others

1996-01-01

Outlines the teaching environment that led to the conception of a digital tutor for teaching the concepts and techniques of geographic information systems (GIS). Explains the design and prototyping, introduces the tutor's capabilities, and shares insights gained from using this teaching aid. Includes teachers' and students' responses. (MJP)

Teaching for Conceptual Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Nam-Hwa; Howren, Carrie

2004-01-01

One of the most difficult jobs of elementary school teachers is teaching science for conceptual understanding. Conceptual understanding requires students to organize facts and ideas into a meaningful concept in science. Facts and concepts form webs that can help students make connections between the concepts of science and their experiences.…

Environmental literacy framework with a focus on climate change (ELF): a framework and resources for teaching climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huffman, L. T.; Blythe, D.; Dahlman, L. E.; Fischbein, S.; Johnson, K.; Kontar, Y.; Rack, F. R.; Kulhanek, D. K.; Pennycook, J.; Reed, J.; Youngman, B.; Reeves, M.; Thomas, R.

2010-12-01

The challenges of communicating climate change science to non-technical audiences present a daunting task, but one that is recognized in the science community as urgent and essential. ANDRILL's (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) international network of scientists, engineers, technicians and educators work together to convey a deeper understanding of current geoscience research as well as the process of science to non-technical audiences. One roadblock for educators who recognize the need to teach climate change has been the lack of a comprehensive, integrated set of resources and activities that are related to the National Science Education Standards. Pieces of the climate change puzzle can be found in the excellent work of the groups of science and education professionals who wrote the Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences, Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science, Earth Science Literacy Principles: The Big Ideas and Supporting Concepts of Earth Science, and Essential Principals and Fundamental Concepts for Atmospheric Science Literacy, but teachers have precious little time to search out the climate change goals and objectives in those frameworks and then find the resources to teach them. Through NOAA funding, ANDRILL has created a new framework, The Environmental Literacy Framework with a Focus on Climate Change (ELF), drawing on the works of the aforementioned groups, and promoting an Earth Systems approach to teaching climate change through five units: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere/Cryosphere, and Energy as the driver of interactions within and between the “spheres.” Each key concept in the framework has a hands-on, inquiry activity and matching NOAA resources for teaching the objectives. In its present form, we present a ‘road map’ for teaching climate change and a set of resources intended to continue to evolve over time.

The Effects of Using Problem-Based Learning in Science and Technology Teaching upon Students' Academic Achievement and Levels of Structuring Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inel, Didem; Balim, Ali Gunay

2010-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the problem-based learning method used in science and technology teaching upon elementary school students' construction levels for the concepts concerning the "Systems in Our Body" unit in the science and technology course and their academic achievement. To this end, during the four-week…

Learning to Teach Where You Are: Preparation for Context-Responsive Teaching in Alaska's Teacher Certification Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinlove, Amy Louise

2012-01-01

Context-responsive teaching is defined in this project as teaching that responds to individual student needs and interests, linguistic backgrounds and family characteristics, the local community and the local natural environment. Context-responsive teaching, as defined in Chapter 1 of this dissertation, consolidates into one concept the…

The Cognitive Science of Learning: Concepts and Strategies for the Educator and Learner.

PubMed

Weidman, Joseph; Baker, Keith

2015-12-01

Education is the fundamental process used to develop and maintain the professional skills of physicians. Medical students, residents, and fellows are expected to learn considerable amounts of information as they progress toward board certification. Established practitioners must continue to learn in an effort to remain up-to-date in their clinical realm. Those responsible for educating these populations endeavor to teach in a manner that is effective, efficient, and durable. The study of learning and performance is a subdivision of the field of cognitive science that focuses on how people interpret and process information and how they eventually develop mastery. A deeper understanding of how individuals learn can empower both educators and learners to be more effective in their endeavors. In this article, we review a number of concepts found in the literature on learning and performance. We address both the theoretical principles and the practical applications of each concept. Cognitive load theory, constructivism, and analogical transfer are concepts particularly beneficial to educators. An understanding of goal orientation, metacognition, retrieval, spaced learning, and deliberate practice will primarily benefit the learner. When these concepts are understood and incorporated into education and study, the effectiveness of learning is significantly improved.

Teaching Plate Tectonic Concepts using GeoMapApp Learning Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2012-12-01

GeoMapApp Learning Activities ( http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp/collection.html ) can help educators to expose undergraduate students to a range of earth science concepts using high-quality data sets in an easy-to-use map-based interface called GeoMapApp. GeoMapApp Learning Activities require students to interact with and analyse research-quality geoscience data as a means to explore and enhance their understanding of underlying content and concepts. Each activity is freely available through the SERC-Carleton web site and offers step-by-step student instructions and answer sheets. Also provided are annotated educator versions of the worksheets that include teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work. The activities can be used "off-the-shelf". Or, since the educator may require flexibility to tailor the activities, the documents are provided in Word format for easy modification. Examples of activities include one on the concept of seafloor spreading that requires students to analyse global seafloor crustal age data to calculate spreading rates in different ocean basins. Another activity has students explore hot spots using radiometric age dating of rocks along the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain. A third focusses upon the interactive use of contours and profiles to help students visualise 3-D topography on 2-D computer screens. A fourth activity provides a study of mass wasting as revealed through geomorphological evidence. The step-by-step instructions and guided inquiry approach reduce the need for teacher intervention whilst boosting the time that students can spend on productive exploration and learning. The activities can be used, for example, in a classroom lab with the educator present and as self-paced assignments in an out-of-class setting. GeoMapApp Learning Activities are funded through the NSF GeoEd program and are aimed at students in the introductory undergraduate, community college and high school levels. The activities are

Exploring Corn-Ethanol As A Complex Problem To Teach Sustainability Concepts Across The Science-Business-Liberal Arts Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oches, E. A.; Szymanski, D. W.; Snyder, B.; Gulati, G. J.; Davis, P. T.

2012-12-01

The highly interdisciplinary nature of sustainability presents pedagogic challenges when sustainability concepts are incorporated into traditional disciplinary courses. At Bentley University, where over 90 percent of students major in business disciplines, we have created a multidisciplinary course module centered on corn ethanol that explores a complex social, environmental, and economic problem and develops basic data analysis and analytical thinking skills in several courses spanning the natural, physical, and social sciences within the business curriculum. Through an NSF-CCLI grant, Bentley faculty from several disciplines participated in a summer workshop to define learning objectives, create course modules, and develop an assessment plan to enhance interdisciplinary sustainability teaching. The core instructional outcome was a data-rich exercise for all participating courses in which students plot and analyze multiple parameters of corn planted and harvested for various purposes including food (human), feed (animal), ethanol production, and commodities exchanged for the years 1960 to present. Students then evaluate patterns and trends in the data and hypothesize relationships among the plotted data and environmental, social, and economic drivers, responses, and unintended consequences. After the central data analysis activity, students explore corn ethanol production as it relates to core disciplinary concepts in their individual classes. For example, students in Environmental Chemistry produce ethanol using corn and sugar as feedstocks and compare the efficiency of each process, while learning about enzymes, fermentation, distillation, and other chemical principles. Principles of Geology students examine the effects of agricultural runoff on surface water quality associated with extracting greater agricultural yield from mid-continent croplands. The American Government course examines the role of political institutions, the political process, and various

THE THEME-CONCEPT UNIT IN LITERATURE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HILLOCKS, GEORGE, JR.

A SUGGESTED UNIT FRAMEWORK WAS DEVELOPED AS A METHOD OF TEACHING SEVENTH-GRADE LITERATURE AT EUCLID CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN EUCLID, OHIO. THE UNIT WAS DIVIDED INTO SIX MAJOR SECTIONS--(1) DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT, (2) APPLICATION OF THE CONCEPT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A TEACHER, (3) REVISION OF THE CONCEPT, (4) APPLICATION OF THE CONCEPT BY…

Threshold Concepts and Information Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Lori; Brunetti, Korey; Hofer, Amy R.

2011-01-01

What do we teach when we teach information literacy in higher education? This paper describes a pedagogical approach to information literacy that helps instructors focus content around transformative learning thresholds. The threshold concept framework holds promise for librarians because it grounds the instructor in the big ideas and underlying…

Fundamentals of Coherent Synchrotron Radiation in Storage Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sannibale, F.; Byrd, J. M.; Loftsdottir, A.; Martin, M. C.; Venturini, M.

2004-05-01

We present the fundamental concepts for producing stable broadband coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) in the terahertz frequency region in an electron storage ring. The analysis includes distortion of bunch shape from the synchrotron radiation (SR), enhancing higher frequency coherent emission and limits to stable emission due to a microbunching instability excited by the SR. We use these concepts to optimize the performance of a source for CSR emission.

Teaching Cockpit Automation in the Classroom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casner, Stephen M.

2003-01-01

This study explores the idea of teaching fundamental cockpit automation concepts and skills to aspiring professional pilots in a classroom setting, without the use of sophisticated aircraft or equipment simulators. Pilot participants from a local professional pilot academy completed eighteen hours of classroom instruction that placed a strong emphasis on understanding the underlying principles of cockpit automation systems and their use in a multi-crew cockpit. The instructional materials consisted solely of a single textbook. Pilots received no hands-on instruction or practice during their training. At the conclusion of the classroom instruction, pilots completed a written examination testing their mastery of what had been taught during the classroom meetings. Following the written exam, each pilot was given a check flight in a full-mission Level D simulator of a Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Pilots were given the opportunity to fly one practice leg, and were then tested on all concepts and skills covered in the class during a second leg. The results of the written exam and simulator checks strongly suggest that instruction delivered in a traditional classroom setting can lead to high levels of preparation without the need for expensive airplane or equipment simulators.

Art Teaching: Elementary through Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szekely, George; Bucknam, Julie Alsip

2011-01-01

"Art Teaching" speaks to a new generation of art teachers in a changing society and fresh art world. Comprehensive and up-to-date, it presents fundamental theories, principles, creative approaches, and resources for art teaching in elementary through middle-school. Key sections focus on how children make art, why they make art, the unique…

Student's perception about innovative teaching learning practices in Forensic Medicine.

PubMed

Gupta, Sanjay; Parekh, Utsav N; Ganjiwale, Jaishree D

2017-11-01

Since decades, Forensic Medicine is mainly taught by didactic methods but in last couple of years some other teachinglearning and assessment methods are also introduced at some places which also lacks uniformity. Feedback from learners is most fundamental aspect to assess effectiveness of applied methods, but is not implemented in practice at most medical schools in India. Unfortunately, medical students are deprived of this practical empowerment and thus may not be efficient enough to contribute potentially to the justice system during their professional life. In order to improve their efficiency in the field, we introduced few innovative teaching-learning methods and documented their perceptions. This pilot study was carried out with students who had completed their second professional year (5th semester) of medical curriculum. Students were exposed to few innovative teaching-learning and assessment approaches in addition to conventional methods during their Forensic Medicine term. These approaches were interactivity in large group lecturing, small group activities, student led objective tutorial, court visit in real scenario, practical records book, surprise tests, structured theory question papers, model answers, objective structured practical examinations and structured oral viva. Their perceptions were documented later through structured questionnaire. Students reported all methods as 'interesting' except 'surprise tests'. Court visits were rated highest for generating interest (98%). Clarity of concept was experienced through all methods (range of 71-95%). Interactive large group lectures reported highest (by 95%students) for clarifying concepts, although this is not a typical characteristic of large group teaching. Enhanced learning experience was reported in 75-92.5% for different methods. Student Led Objective Tutorials seemed to facilitate enhance learning most (92.5%). Innovations in teaching-learning are need of hour especially in subject like Forensic

Threshold Concepts in Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanahan, Martin

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine threshold concepts in the context of teaching and learning first-year university economics. It outlines some of the arguments for using threshold concepts and provides examples using opportunity cost as an exemplar in economics. Design/ Methodology/Approach: The paper provides an overview of the…

Teaching Sustainability Analysis in Electrical Engineering Lab Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braun, D.

2010-01-01

Laboratory courses represent an incompletely tapped opportunity to teach sustainability concepts. This work introduces and evaluates a simple strategy used to teach sustainability concepts in electrical engineering laboratory courses. The technique would readily adapt to other disciplines. The paper presents assessment data and a wiki containing…

Development of an Instrument to Measure Teaching Style in Japan: The Teaching Style Assessment Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshida, Fumiko; Conti, Gary J.; Yamauchi, Toyoaki; Iwasaki, Takaaki

2014-01-01

Teaching style has been a popular concept for many years. Teaching style refers to the distinct qualities displayed by a teacher that are persistent from situation to situation regardless of the content. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) has been used extensively in the West for measuring teaching style in relationship to the adult…

Reviews CD-ROM: Scientific American—The Amateur Scientist 3.0 Book: The New Resourceful Physics Teacher Equipment: DynaKar Book: The Fundamentals of Imaging Book: Teaching Secondary Physics Book: Novel Materials and Smart Applications Equipment: Cryptic disk Web Watch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2012-05-01

WE RECOMMEND Scientific American—The Amateur Scientist 3.0 Article collection spans the decades DynaKar DynaKar drives dynamics experiments The Fundamentals of Imaging Author covers whole imaging spectrum Teaching Secondary Physics Effective teaching is all in the approach Novel Materials and Smart Applications/Novel materials sample pack Resources kit samples smart materials WORTH A LOOK Cryptic disk Metal disk spins life into discussions about energy, surfaces and kinetics HANDLE WITH CARE The New Resourceful Physics Teacher Book brings creativity to physics WEB WATCH Apps for tablets and smartphones can aid physics teaching

Testing fundamental ecological concepts with a Pythium-Prunus pathosystem

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study of plant-pathogen interactions has enabled tests of basic ecological concepts on plant community assembly (Janzen-Connell Hypothesis) and plant invasion (Enemy Release Hypothesis). We used a field experiment to (#1) test whether Pythium effects depended on host (seedling) density and/or d...

Responsive Teaching from the Inside Out: Teaching Base Ten to Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Empson, Susan B.

2014-01-01

Decision making during instruction that is responsive to children's mathematical thinking is examined reflexively by the researcher in the context of teaching second graders. Focus is on exploring how the research base on learning informs teaching decisions that are oriented to building on children's sound conceptions. The development of four…

Deep learning for teaching university physics to computers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Jackson P.; Price, Watt A.

2017-04-01

Attempts to improve physics instruction suggest that there is a fundamental barrier to the human learning of physics. We argue that the new capabilities of artificial intelligence justify a reconsideration not of how we teach physics but to whom we teach physics.

The Combination of Just-in-Time Teaching and Wikispaces in Physics Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohottala, Hashini E.

2013-01-01

The general student population enrolled in today's physics classrooms is diverse. They come from a variety of different educational backgrounds. Some demonstrate a good knowledge of natural laws of physics with a better understanding of mathematical concepts, while others show a fair knowledge in fundamentals of physics with a minimum knowledge in mathematics. There are few who have not been exposed to physics or mathematics in their high schools (or at least they claim it to be the case). In addition, now we have "nontraditional" students: working part-time students, older students, commuting students, and, occasionally, military veterans. Regardless of the background, the majority of the students show little or no interest in physics and exhibit anxiety toward learning the subject. In order to address such a diverse and often unmotivated student population, and excite them about physics in a timely manner, we should deviate from conventional teaching techniques. Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) combined with wikis is an excellent way to accomplish this goal.

What Does Three-Dimensional Teaching and Learning Look Like?: Examining the Potential for Crosscutting Concepts to Support the Development of Science Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fick, Sarah J.

2018-01-01

Science education reforms focus on the integration of three dimensions: disciplinary core ideas (DCIs), scientific and engineering practices (SEPs), and crosscutting concepts (CCCs). While research has examined the role of DCIs and SEPs in teaching and learning, little research has explored how the CCCs might be integrated. This research proposes…

Climate Change Concepts and POGIL: Using climate change to teach general chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, D. B.; Lewis, J. E.; Anderson, K.; Latch, D.; Sutheimer, S.; Webster, G.; Middlecamp, C.; Moog, R.

2013-12-01

Climate change is a topic that can be used to engage students in a variety of courses and disciplines. Through an NSF-funded project, we have written a set of in-class POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) activities that use climate change topics to teach general chemistry concepts. POGIL is a pedagogical approach that uses group activities to teach content and process skills. In these group activities an initial model and a series of critical thinking questions are used to guide students through the introduction to or application of course content. Students complete the activities on their own, with the faculty member as a facilitator of learning, rather than a provider of information. Through assigned group roles and intentionally designed activity structure, process skills, such as teamwork, communication, and information processing, are developed during completion of the activity. While POGIL activities were initially developed for chemistry courses, this approach has now been used to create materials for use in other fields, such as biology, math, engineering and computer science. An additional component of this project is the incorporation of questions that relate to socio-scientific issues, e.g., the economic and social effects of climate change policies. The goal is for students to use evidence-based arguments in situations where opinion-based arguments are common. Key components (i.e., models and the corresponding critical thinking questions) of one activity will be presented. We will also report preliminary feedback based on initial classroom testing of several of the activities.

[Teamwork in teaching mental health in medical training].

PubMed

Perrier de Benedetti, Cristina; Beker, Ester; Cimadoro, Ana; Pausa, Cristina; Quintana, Irene

2007-01-01

In this paper we describe the methodology of teaching learning process that permits integration of theory and practice for the transmission of the three fundamental pillars of Mental Health Programme: learning doctor patient relationship, situational diagnosis and team work. The number and diversity of students in each course is a challenge for the teacher, who sustains the idea that the doctor patient relationship is learned starting from the teacher student relationship. Like patients, each student is unique. We describe the method used: to divide students into groups, that throughout the year become working-teams with the intention of practicing Medicine with an interpersonal relationship concept (with the patient, his or her family, his social circle, with colleagues, nursery, assistants and institutions). Each unit is coordinated by a group teacher. They have periodic meetings with the students (in the Balint Junior groups' method). The students have to create the contents and participate in the dynamics of the classes. This methodology changes the traditional vision and the teacher has the function of an organizer and facilitator of learning. It includes: a. Group division, b. Preparation of a file, c. Workshop, d. Teaching and e. Evaluation Teaching learning is conducive to a facilitating atmosphere through different resources like story telling, diagrams, drawings, movies, literature, use of plastic, role playing, elaborating scenes, characters and the file, evidence of all the activities.

Structured Strategy for Implementation of the Teaching Portfolio Concept in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurita, Kayoko

2013-01-01

This paper describes a strategy for successfully implementing the teaching portfolio in higher education institutions in Japan. The teaching portfolio has gained recognition in Japan in the last few years as an effective instrument for improving and showcasing teaching performance. It is well known that the implementation process is very important…

Use of a problem-based learning discussion format to teach anesthesiology residents research fundamentals.

PubMed

Sakai, Tetsuro; Karausky, Patricia L; Valenti, Shannon L; Sandusky, Susan L; Hirsch, Sandra C; Xu, Yan

2013-09-01

To present a new research problem-based learning discussion (PBLD) conference and to evaluate its effect on residents. Retrospective observational study of resident education before and after implementation of a research PBLD. Large U.S. academic anesthesiology department. 93 anesthesiology residents with research PBLD exposure in the academic year (AY) 2010 and AY 2011, and 85 residents without research PBLD exposure in AY 2008 and AY 2009. Since AY 2010, a PBLD format has been used to teach residents clinical research fundamentals. The annual 90-minute PBLD addressed residents' perceived barriers to research and introduced research resources available via the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). Data recorded were: 1) number of residents who made CTSI consultation solicitations as a new investigator, and 2) number of new research projects proposed by the residents and designed with CTSI consultation. Each outcome was compared between the prePBLD group (AY 2008 [n=43] and AY 2009 [n=42]) and the postPBLD group (AY 2010 [n=43] and AY 2011 [n=50]). The number of residents who consulted the CTSI as new investigators increased from 4 of 85 residents (4.7%) in the prePBLD group to 13 of 93 residents (14.0%) in the postPBLD group (P = 0.042). The number of new research projects for which the residents consulted CTSI increased from 10 to 20 (100% increase). A PBLD format for research education of anesthesiology residents is effective. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Actualizing Concepts in Home Management: Proceedings of a National Conference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Home Economics Association, Washington, DC.

The booklet prints the following papers delivered at a national conference: Actualizing Concepts in Home Management: Decision Making, Dorothy Z. Price; Innovations in Teaching: Ergonomics, Fern E. Hunt; Relevant Concepts of Home Management: Innovations in Teaching, Kay P. Edwards; Standards in a Managerial Context, Florence S. Walker; Organizing:…

On-line Resources for Teaching Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruckner, M. Z.; Larsen, K.; Buhr, S. M.; Kirk, K. B.; Ledley, T. S.; Manduca, C. A.; Mogk, D. W.; Savina, M. E.; Tewksbury, B. J.

2012-12-01

Sustainability encompasses broad interdisciplinary topics such as climate change, agricultural food production, and water resource use that include both scientific and societal components. Today's students will need to learn how to address complex, interdisciplinary, sustainability-related challenges throughout their lives. To support faculty in teaching complex concepts in sustainability to undergraduates, the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) now provides integrated access to all resources on teaching sustainability developed by projects hosted on SERC websites. Drawing extensively from collections developed by On the Cutting Edge: Professional Development for Geoscience Faculty, InTeGrate: Interdisciplinary Teaching of Geoscience for a Sustainable Future, the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), as well as more than 10 smaller projects, these resources include browsable access to (1) over 120 course descriptions submitted by faculty that provide information about course goals, assessments, and syllabi used in teaching courses with a sustainability focus, (2) over 160 faculty-submitted descriptions of activities that can be used to incorporate and address sustainability concepts, and (3) more than 90 interdisciplinary essays that highlight how faculty incorporate sustainability concepts into their teaching. The Sustainability Portal additionally includes several collections of lessons focused on a central theme, such as carbon footprint exercises and materials for teaching about energy that incorporate quantitative skills. The Sustainability Portal provides access to information about incorporating sustainability issues into geoscience courses and examples of how these concepts can be taught for topics such as geology and human health, public policy and Earth science, complex systems, urban students and urban environments, energy, and climate change. A rich collection of innovative pedagogical approaches conducive to teaching about

[AVIATION MEDICINE: THEORETICAL CONCEPTS AND FOCAL FUNDAMENTAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES (for the 80th anniversary of the Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics)].

PubMed

Zhdanko, I M; Pisarev, A A; Vorona, A A; Lapa, V V; Khomenko, M N

2015-01-01

The article discloses postulates of theoretical concepts that make the methodological basis for addressing the real-world aviation medicine challenges of humanizing aviator's environment, labor content and means, and health and performance maintenance. Under consideration are focal fundamental and practical issues arising with the technological progress in aviation and dealt with at the AF CRI Research Test Center of Aerospace Medicine and Military Ergonomics.

Teaching history of medicine in the perspective of "medical humanities".

PubMed

von Engelhardt, D

1999-03-01

The current interest in philosophical questions and ethical aspects of medicine turns attention towards the past and obtains suggestions and perspectives from previous descriptions and interpretations of sickness, therapy, and the relation between the patient and physician. Culture as therapy and therapy as culture are fundamental challenges for the present; physician, patient, and society, i.e., humans and humane medicine, need this dialogue, which should also be constitutive for teaching history of medicine. Through the separation of the natural sciences and the humanities, modern progress of medicine has produced many benefits but has, at the same time, raised many problems. Negative consequences of this development exist not only for the patient, but also for his personal environment and for the physician. In the course of modern history, there have been several reactions aimed at overcoming these one-sided tendencies: in the Renaissance, in the epoch of Romanticism and Idealism, and at the beginning and the end of the 19th century. This article outlines, with historical examples and contemporary reflections, the concept of teaching history of medicine in the perspective of "medical humanities".

The influence of authentic scientific research experiences on teachers' conceptions of the nature of science (NOS) and their NOS teaching practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moriarty, Meghan A.

This study explored the influence of teachers' authentic scientific research experiences (ASREs) on teachers' conceptions of the nature of science (NOS) and teachers' NOS instruction. Twelve high school biology teachers participated in this study. Six of the participants had authentic scientific research experience (ASRE) and six had not participated in authentic scientific research. Data included background surveys, modified Views of the Nature of Science (VNOS) questionnaires, interviews, and teaching observations. Data was coded based on the eight NOS understandings outlined in 2013 in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Evidence from this study indicates participating in authentic scientific research as a member of a scientific community has dual benefits of enabling high school science teachers with informed understandings of the NOS and positioning them to teach with the NOS. However, these benefits do not always result from an ASRE. If the nature of the ASRE is limited, then it may limit teachers' NOS understandings and their NOS teaching practices. The results of this study suggest that participation in ASREs may be one way to improve teachers' NOS understandings and teaching practices if the experiences themselves offer a comprehensive view of the NOS. Because ASREs and other science learning experiences do not always offer such experiences, pre-service teacher education and professional development opportunities may engage science teachers in two ways: (1) becoming part of a scientific community may enable them to teach with NOS and (2) being reflective about what being a scientist means may improve teachers' NOS understandings and better position them to teach about NOS.. Keywords: nature of science, authentic scientific research experiences, Next Generation Science Standards, teaching about NOS, teaching with NOS.

Changing Conceptions of Activation Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pacey, Philip D.

1981-01-01

Provides background material which relates to the concept of activation energy, fundamental in the study of chemical kinetics. Compares the related concepts of the Arrhenius activation energy, the activation energy at absolute zero, the enthalpy of activation, and the threshold energy. (CS)

Building Pre-Service Teaching Efficacy: A Comparison of Instructional Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Rona; Zach, Sima

2013-01-01

Background: Cooperative Learning (CL) is an inclusive name for various models of teaching/learning methods, all of which emphasize the fundamental of meaningful collaboration among learners during their learning activities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the CL teaching model contributed to the teaching efficacy and…

Changing to Concept-Based Curricula: The Process for Nurse Educators.

PubMed

Baron, Kristy A

2017-01-01

The complexity of health care today requires nursing graduates to use effective thinking skills. Many nursing programs are revising curricula to include concept-based learning that encourages problem-solving, effective thinking, and the ability to transfer knowledge to a variety of situations-requiring nurse educators to modify their teaching styles and methods to promote student-centered learning. Changing from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning requires a major shift in thinking and application. The focus of this qualitative study was to understand the process of changing to concept-based curricula for nurse educators who previously taught in traditional curriculum designs. The sample included eight educators from two institutions in one Western state using a grounded theory design. The themes that emerged from participants' experiences consisted of the overarching concept, support for change, and central concept, finding meaning in the change. Finding meaning is supported by three main themes : preparing for the change, teaching in a concept-based curriculum, and understanding the teaching-learning process. Changing to a concept-based curriculum required a major shift in thinking and application. Through support, educators discovered meaning to make the change by constructing authentic learning opportunities that mirrored practice, refining the change process, and reinforcing benefits of teaching.

Changing to Concept-Based Curricula: The Process for Nurse Educators

PubMed Central

Baron, Kristy A.

2017-01-01

Background: The complexity of health care today requires nursing graduates to use effective thinking skills. Many nursing programs are revising curricula to include concept-based learning that encourages problem-solving, effective thinking, and the ability to transfer knowledge to a variety of situations—requiring nurse educators to modify their teaching styles and methods to promote student-centered learning. Changing from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning requires a major shift in thinking and application. Objective: The focus of this qualitative study was to understand the process of changing to concept-based curricula for nurse educators who previously taught in traditional curriculum designs. Methods: The sample included eight educators from two institutions in one Western state using a grounded theory design. Results: The themes that emerged from participants’ experiences consisted of the overarching concept, support for change, and central concept, finding meaning in the change. Finding meaning is supported by three main themes: preparing for the change, teaching in a concept-based curriculum, and understanding the teaching-learning process. Conclusion: Changing to a concept-based curriculum required a major shift in thinking and application. Through support, educators discovered meaning to make the change by constructing authentic learning opportunities that mirrored practice, refining the change process, and reinforcing benefits of teaching. PMID:29399236

A Concept Transformation Learning Model for Architectural Design Learning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yun-Wu; Weng, Kuo-Hua; Young, Li-Ming

2016-01-01

Generally, in the foundation course of architectural design, much emphasis is placed on teaching of the basic design skills without focusing on teaching students to apply the basic design concepts in their architectural designs or promoting students' own creativity. Therefore, this study aims to propose a concept transformation learning model to…

Teaching Emotions in Higher Education: An Emotional Rollercoaster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Thomas Rhys; Steptoe-Warren, Gail

2015-01-01

Emotions are fundamental to understanding many phenomena in psychology; however, there are currently no emotion-specific evidence-based teaching practices. The current study evaluates an innovative new active learning-based teaching activity, designed to provide a structure for discussions around emotion. Small groups of third-year psychology…

Concept maps and nursing theory: a pedagogical approach.

PubMed

Hunter Revell, Susan M

2012-01-01

Faculty seek to teach nursing students how to link clinical and theoretical knowledge with the intent of improving patient outcomes. The author discusses an innovative 9-week concept mapping activity as a pedagogical approach to teach nursing theory in a graduate theory course. Weekly concept map building increased student engagement and fostered theoretical thinking. Unexpectedly, this activity also benefited students through group work and its ability to enhance theory-practice knowledge.

Wallace Creek Virtual Field Trip: Teaching Geoscience Concepts with LiDAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, S. E.; Arrowsmith, R.; Crosby, C. J.

2009-12-01

Recently available data such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) high-resolution topography can assist students to better visualize and understand geosciences concepts. It is important to bring these data into geosciences curricula as teaching aids while ensuring that the visualization tools, virtual environments, etc. do not serve as barriers to student learning. As a Southern California Earthquake Center ACCESS-G intern, I am creating a “virtual field trip” to Wallace Creek along the San Andreas Fault (SAF) using Google Earth as a platform and the B4 project LiDAR data. Wallace Creek is an excellent site for understanding the centennial-to-millennial record of SAF slip because of its dramatic stream offsets. Using the LiDAR data instead of, or alongside, traditional visualizations and teaching methods enhances a student’s ability to understand plate tectonics, the earthquake cycle, strike-slip faults, and geomorphology. Viewing a high-resolution representation of the topography in Google Earth allows students to analyze the landscape and answer questions about the behavior of the San Andreas Fault. The activity guides students along the fault allowing them to measure channel offsets using the Google Earth measuring tool. Knowing the ages of channels, they calculate slip rate. They look for the smallest channel offsets around Wallace Creek in order to determine the slip per event. At both a “LiDAR and Education” workshop and the Cyberinfrastructure Summer Institute for Geoscientists (CSIG), I presented the Wallace Creek activity to high school and college earth science teachers. The teachers were positive in their responses and had numerous important suggestions including the need for a teacher’s manual for instruction and scientific background, and that the student goals and science topics should be specific and well-articulated for the sake of both the teacher and the student. The teachers also noted that the technology in classrooms varies

The impact of mathematical models of teaching materials on square and rectangle concepts to improve students' mathematical connection ability and mathematical disposition in middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afrizal, Irfan Mufti; Dachlan, Jarnawi Afghani

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine design of mathematical models of teaching materials to improve students' mathematical connection ability and mathematical disposition in middle school through experimental studies. The design in this study was quasi-experimental with non-equivalent control group type. This study consisted of two phases, the first phase was identify students' learning obstacle on square and rectangle concepts to obtain the appropriate design of teaching materials, beside that there were internalization of the values or characters expected to appear on students through the teaching materials. Second phase was experiments on the effectiveness and efficiency of mathematical models of teaching materials to improve students' mathematical connection ability and mathematical disposition. The result of this study are 1) Students' learning obstacle that have identified was categorized as an epistemological obstacle. 2) The improvement of students' mathematical connection ability and mathematical disposition who used mathematical teaching materials is better than the students who used conventional learning.

Students' Perceptions of Dynamics Concept Pairs and Correlation with Their Problem-Solving Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Ning

2012-01-01

A concept pair is a pair of concepts that are fundamentally different but closely related. To develop a solid conceptual understanding in dynamics (a foundational engineering science course) and physics, students must understand the fundamental difference and relationship between two concepts that are included in each concept pair. However, all…

Development of the Solar System Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstein, S.; Prather, E.

2009-12-01

Concept inventories can provide useful insight into students’ understanding of key physical concepts. Knowing what your students have learned during a course is a valuable tool for improving your own teaching. Unfortunately, current astronomy concept inventories are not suitable for an introductory solar system course because they either cover too broad of a range of topics (e.g. Astronomy Diagnostic Test) or are too narrowly focused (e.g. Greenhouse Effect Concept Inventory, Lunar Phase Concept Inventory). We have developed the Solar System Concept Inventory (SSCI) to cover those topics commonly taught in an introductory solar system course. The topics included on the SSCI were selected by having faculty identify the key concepts they address when teaching about the solar system. SSCI topics include formation mechanisms, planetary interiors, atmospheric effects, and small solar system bodies. Student interviews were conducted to identify common naive ideas and reasoning difficulties relating to these key topics. The SSCI has been through two semesters of national, multi-institutional field-testing, involving over 1500 students. After the first semester of testing, question statistics were used to flag ineffective questions and flagged questions were revised or eliminated. We will present an overall outline of the SSCI development as well as our question-flagging criteria and question analyses from the latest round of field-testing. We would like to thank the NSF for funding under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

Teaching Absolute Value Meaningfully

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wade, Angela

2012-01-01

What is the meaning of absolute value? And why do teachers teach students how to solve absolute value equations? Absolute value is a concept introduced in first-year algebra and then reinforced in later courses. Various authors have suggested instructional methods for teaching absolute value to high school students (Wei 2005; Stallings-Roberts…

Environmental Games To Teach Concepts and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bromley, Gail

2000-01-01

Describes several games from various sources which can help in teaching about photosynthesis, pollution, pollination, plant parts, Earth history time-scale, biodiversity conservation, values, and communication. Requires little equipment and games are easy to organize and effective with various age groups ranging from primary to adult. (Author/YDS)

[The concept of the organ, as a hierarchal unit of human body, and its place in teaching histology at the medical university and medical college].

PubMed

Miadelets, O D; Miadelets, N Ia; Miadelets, V O

2011-01-01

This paper deals with the methodological aspects of teaching histology at the medical university and medical college. The authors raise the issue of the necessity of teaching of the topic "Introduction to Special Histology" and the inclusion of the appropriate chapter into the textbooks. This is important for the students, as the formation of the general concepts of organ structure and function, components, and classification will aid in the further study of specific organs during the course of Special Histology. The authors describe their own experience in teaching of the section, dedicated to the general regularities of organ structure, present some definitions and classifications that are used by them for a number of years.

Teaching and Learning about Force with a Representational Focus: Pedagogy and Teacher Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubber, Peter; Tytler, Russell; Haslam, Filocha

2010-01-01

A large body of research in the conceptual change tradition has shown the difficulty of learning fundamental science concepts, yet conceptual change schemes have failed to convincingly demonstrate improvements in supporting significant student learning. Recent work in cognitive science has challenged this purely conceptual view of learning, emphasising the role of language, and the importance of personal and contextual aspects of understanding science. The research described in this paper is designed around the notion that learning involves the recognition and development of students’ representational resources. In particular, we argue that conceptual difficulties with the concept of force are fundamentally representational in nature. This paper describes a classroom sequence in force that focuses on representations and their negotiation, and reports on the effectiveness of this perspective in guiding teaching, and in providing insight into student learning. Classroom sequences involving three teachers were videotaped using a combined focus on the teacher and groups of students. Video analysis software was used to capture the variety of representations used, and sequences of representational negotiation. Stimulated recall interviews were conducted with teachers and students. The paper reports on the nature of the pedagogies developed as part of this representational focus, its effectiveness in supporting student learning, and on the pedagogical and epistemological challenges negotiated by teachers in implementing this approach.

Understanding pressure: didactical transpositions and pupils' conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kariotogloy, P.; Psillos, D.; Vallassiades, O.

1990-03-01

Using the concept of pressure two research trends-content analysis and pupils' conceptions of subject matter-are drawn together, in an attempt to understand the issues in teaching and learning specific domains of physics.

A Semiprofessional Conception of Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tom, Alan R.

1987-01-01

Examines the Carnegie report in terms of three themes: (1) distrust of teachers; (2) commitment to teacher autonomy that is conditional on achieved results; and (3) a conception of teacher accountability focusing on student performance rather than professional practice. Concludes that the implicit view of the teacher is one of an assembly-line…

Generative Teaching and Learning of Economic Concepts: A Sample Lesson.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laney, James D.

1990-01-01

Presents a scripted lesson plan for intermediate grades, based on M.C. Wittrock's model of generative teaching derived from brain lateralization research. Uses a shopping mall as the setting for hypothetical dilemmas. Offers a combination of verbal and imagined strategies that improve students' economic reasoning and teaches cost-benefit analysis.…

The Engineering Design Process: Conceptions Along the Learning-to-Teach Continuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iveland, Ashley

In this study, I sought to identify differences in the views and understandings of engineering design among individuals along the learning-to-teach continuum. To do so, I conducted a comprehensive review of literature to determine the various aspects of engineering design described in the fields of professional engineering and engineering education. Additionally, I reviewed literature on the methods used in teaching engineering design at the secondary (grade 7-12) level - to describe the various models used in classrooms, even before the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Last, I defined four groups along the learning-to-teach continuum: prospective, preservice, and practicing teachers, as well as teacher educators. The context of this study centered around a California public university, including an internship program where undergraduates engaged with practicing mentor teachers in science and engineering teaching at local high schools, and a teacher education program where secondary science preservice teachers and the teacher educators who taught them participated. Interviews were conducted with all participants to gain insights into their views and understandings of engineering design. Prospective and preservice teachers were interviewed multiple times throughout the year and completed concept maps of the engineering design process multiple times as well; practicing teachers and teacher educators were interviewed once. Three levels of analyses were conducted. I identified 30 aspects of engineering discussed by participants. Through phenomenographic methods, I also constructed six conceptual categories for engineering design to organize those aspects most commonly discussed. These categories were combined to demonstrate a participant's view of engineering design (e.g., business focused, human centered, creative, etc.) as well as their complexity of understanding of engineering design overall (the more categories

How Effective Is Our Teaching?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyckoff, S.

2002-05-01

More than 90% of U.S. university introductory physics courses are taught using lecture methods in spite of the large amount of research indicating that interactive teaching is considerably more effective. A brief overview of physics education research will be given, together with relevant connections with astronomy education research. Large enrollment classrooms have in the past presented obstacles to converting from lecture to interactive teaching. However, classroom communication systems (CCS) now provide a cost-effective way to convert any science classroom into an interactive learning environment. A pretest-posttest study using control groups of ten large enrollment introductory physics courses will be described. A new instrument, the Physics Concept Survey (PCS), developed to measure student understanding of basic concepts will be described, together with a classroom observation instrument, the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP), for measuring the extent that interactive teaching is used in a science classroom. We find that student conceptual understanding was enhanced by a factor of three in the interactive classrooms compared with the traditional lecture (control) courses. Moreover, a correlation between the PCS normalized gains and the RTOP scores is indicative that the interaction in the classrooms is the cause of the students' improved learning of basic physics concepts. This research was funded by the NSF (DUE 9453610).

Teaching the Mathematics of Radioactive Dating.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, James H.

2001-01-01

Describes a method used to teach the concept of radiometric dating using mathematical equations. Explores the lack of information in textbooks on how to solve radiometric dating problems using mathematical concepts. (SAH)

Using Movies to Teach Family Systems Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudock, Anthony M., Jr.; Warden, Sherry A. Gallagher

2001-01-01

This article reflects a review of research relevant to family systems training and the use of films in the teaching of family systems theory. Advantages and disadvantages of using movies in an introductory-level graduate family therapy course are discussed. An outline of family therapy training objectives, as well as examples of a movie-based…

Teaching basic science to optimize transfer.

PubMed

Norman, Geoff

2009-09-01

Basic science teachers share the concern that much of what they teach is soon forgotten. Although some evidence suggests that relatively little basic science is forgotten, it may not appear so, as students commonly have difficulty using these concepts to solve or explain clinical problems: This phenomenon, using a concept learned in one context to solve a problem in a different context, is known to cognitive psychologists as transfer. The psychology literature shows that transfer is difficult; typically, even though students may know a concept, fewer than 30% will be able to use it to solve new problems. However a number of strategies to improve transfer can be adopted at the time of initial teaching of the concept, in the use of exemplars to illustrate the concept, and in practice with additional problems. In this article, we review the literature in psychology to identify practical strategies to improve transfer. Critical review of psychology literature to identify factors that enhance or impede transfer. There are a number of strategies available to teachers to facilitate transfer. These include active problem-solving at the time of initial learning, imbedding the concept in a problem context, using everyday analogies, and critically, practice with multiple dissimilar problems. Further, mixed practice, where problems illustrating different concepts are mixed together, and distributed practice, spread out over time, can result in significant and large gains. Transfer is difficult, but specific teaching strategies can enhance this skill by factors of two or three.

Enhanced Learning through Design Problems--Teaching a Components-Based Course through Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Bogi Bech; Hogberg, Stig; Jensen, Frida av Flotum; Mijatovic, Nenad

2012-01-01

This paper describes a teaching method used in an electrical machines course, where the students learn about electrical machines by designing them. The aim of the course is not to teach design, albeit this is a side product, but rather to teach the fundamentals and the function of electrical machines through design. The teaching method is…

How Do We Present the Concept of Energy in Physics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pujol, O.; Perez, J. P.

2007-01-01

Scientific and pedagogical comments about the fundamental physical concept of energy are made. In particular, we argue for an historical presentation of this concept because its essential justification is the research, conscious or not, of a characteristic quantity of a system whose fundamental property is to be conservative. Some delicate issues…

Multidisciplinary Wildlife Teaching Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernbrode, William R., Ed.

This guide provides information and activities descriptions designed to allow the teacher to use wildlife concepts in the teaching of various subjects. The author suggests that wildlife and animals are tremendous motivators for children and hold their attention. In the process, concepts of wildlife interaction with man and the environment are…

Teaching Followership in Leadership Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffo, Deana M.

2013-01-01

This paper provides leadership educators with a resource for teaching followership. It presents a lesson for teaching students about followership in contemporary society by including key concepts and follower characteristics followed by class activities and assignments designed to engage students in active learning and self-reflective processes. A…

The Carnot cycle and the teaching of thermodynamics: a historical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laranjeiras, Cássio C.; Portela, Sebastião I. C.

2016-09-01

The Carnot cycle is a topic that is traditionally present in introductory physics courses dedicated to the teaching of thermodynamics, playing an essential role in introducing the concept of Entropy and the consequent formulation of the second Law. Its effective understanding and contribution to the development of thermodynamics is often hindered, however. Among other things, this is the result of a pragmatic approach, which usually limits itself to presenting the isotherms and adiabatic curves in a P-V diagram and is totally disconnected from the historical fundamentals of Heat Theory. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the potential of an approach to the subject that recovers the historical and social dimensions of scientific knowledge, and to promote reflections about the nature of science (NOS).

Name that neurotransmitter: using music to teach psychopharmacology concepts.

PubMed

Hermanns, Melinda; Lilly, Mary LuAnne; Wilson, Kathy; Russell, Nathan Andrew

2012-09-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of music (i.e., two original songs, "Neurotransmitter Twitter" and "Parkinson's Shuffle") to teach aspects of psychopharmacology to students in the course Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing. Songs were incorporated in both the clinical and classroom settings. This innovative teaching method allowed students the opportunity to revisit the information through multiple exposures of the content for reinforcement and enhancement of student learning in a fun, creative approach. Brain-based research will be discussed, along with the process of development. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Teaching the Fundamentals of Energy Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Alan

2010-02-01

A course on energy efficiency is a surprisingly valuable complement to a student's education in physics and many other disciplines. The Univ. of California, Davis, offers a 1-quarter course on ``understanding the other side of the meter.'' Lectures begin by giving students a demand-side perspective on how, where, and why energy is used. Students measure energy use of appliances in their homes and then report results. This gives students a practical sense of the difference between energy and power and learn how appliances transform energy into useful services. Lectures introduce the types of direct conservation measures--reducing demand, reducing fixed consumptions, and increasing efficiency. Practical examples draw upon simple concepts in heat transfer, thermodynamics, and mechanics. Graphical techniques, strengthened through problem sets, explain the interdependence of conservation measures. Lectures then examine indirect energy savings from measures and consider questions like ``where can one achieve the greatest fuel savings in a car by removing one gram of mass?'' Finally, students learn about conservation measures that circumvent physical limits by adopting new processes. By the end of the course, students have a gained a new perspective on energy consumption and the opportunities to reduce it. )

Concepts of Life in the Contexts of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Des Marais, D. J.

2014-01-01

The search for habitable environments and life requires a working concept of life's fundamental attributes. This concept helps to identify the "services" that an environment must provide to sustain life. We must consider the possibility that extraterrestrial life might differ fundamentally from our own, but it is still worthwhile to begin by hypothesizing attributes of life that might be universal versus ones that reflect local solutions to survival on Earth.

The Sources of Science Teaching Self-efficacy among Elementary School Teachers: A mediational model approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ya-Ling; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Wei, Shih-Hsuan

2015-09-01

This study aimed to investigate the factors accounting for science teaching self-efficacy and to examine the relationships among Taiwanese teachers' science teaching self-efficacy, teaching and learning conceptions, technological-pedagogical content knowledge for the Internet (TPACK-I), and attitudes toward Internet-based instruction (Attitudes) using a mediational model approach. A total of 233 science teachers from 41 elementary schools in Taiwan were invited to take part in the study. After ensuring the validity and reliability of each questionnaire, the results indicated that each measure had satisfactory validity and reliability. Furthermore, through mediational models, the results revealed that TPACK-I and Attitudes mediated the relationship between teaching and learning conceptions and science teaching self-efficacy, suggesting that (1) knowledge of and attitudes toward Internet-based instruction (KATII) mediated the positive relationship between constructivist conceptions of teaching and learning and outcome expectancy, and that (2) KATII mediated the negative correlations between traditional conceptions of teaching and learning and teaching efficacy.

The Particle Adventure | What is fundamental? | Fundamental

Science.gov Websites

fundamental The atom Is the atom fundamental? Is the nucleus fundamental? Are protons and neutrons fundamental decay What is the Mechanism giving mass to fundamental particles? What is the Mechanism giving mass to fundamental particles? Part 2 How Does the Higgs Boson get its Mass? Finding the Mass of the Higgs Boson

Reflect and Improve: Instructional Development through a Teaching Journal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Josh; Boyd, Steve

2005-01-01

This article recommends the teaching journal as a method of instructional improvement. Drawing on teacher education literature, the article reviews the concept of reflective teaching and then describes uses of the teaching journal for college instructors in descriptive, comparative, and critical dimensions. Teaching journals can improve the…

Changing concepts of neuroanatomy teaching in medical education.

PubMed

Hazelton, Lara

2011-10-01

Anatomy teaching is often described as foundational in the education of physicians, but in recent years there has been increasing pressure on teachers of neuroanatomy to justify its place in the curriculum. This article examines theoretical assumptions that have traditionally influenced the neuroanatomy curriculum and explains how evolution of thought in the field of medical education has led to a shift in how the pedagogy of neuroanatomy is conceptualized. The widespread adoption of competency-based education, the emphasis on outcome-based objectives, patient- and learner-centered approaches, and a renewed interest in humanistic aspects of medical education have all contributed to a changing educational milieu. These changes have led to a number of curricular innovations. However, questions remain as to what should be taught to medical learners, and how best to teach it.

A Hybrid Teaching and Learning Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhary, Jowati Binti

This paper aims at analysing the needs for a specific teaching and learning model for the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM). The main argument is that whether there are differences between teaching and learning for academic component versus military component at the university. It is further argued that in order to achieve excellence, there should be one teaching and learning culture. Data were collected through interviews with military cadets. It is found that there are variations of teaching and learning strategies for academic courses, in comparison to a dominant teaching and learning style for military courses. Thus, in the interest of delivering quality education and training for students at the university, the paper argues that possibly a hybrid model for teaching and learning is fundamental in order to generate a one culture of academic and military excellence for the NDUM.

Teaching the Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauerheber, Richard D.

2012-01-01

Methods of teaching the Calculus are presented in honour of Sir Isaac Newton, by discussing an extension of his original proofs and discoveries. The methods, requested by Newton to be used that reflect the historical sequence of the discovered Fundamental Theorems, allow first-time students to grasp quickly the basics of the Calculus from its…

Teaching about Kinematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jane Bray; Nelson, Jim

2009-01-01

Written by Jim and Jane Nelson, Teaching About Kinematics is the latest AAPT/PTRA resource book. Based on physics education research, the book provides teachers with the resources needed to introduce students to some of the fundamental building blocks of physics. It is a carefully thought-out, step-by-step laboratory-based introduction to the…

Teaching the Sociological Imagination: Learning from the Biggest Loser

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plymire, Darcy C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to show how to use popular culture as a method of teaching scientific concepts. Specifically, the reality-television program The Biggest Loser is used as an example for teaching the concept of the sociological imagination by illustrating the disconnect between personal solutions for weight loss and the demands of…

Teaching Science Using Stories: The Storyline Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isabelle, Aaron D.

2007-01-01

Storytelling is an age-old and powerful means of communication that can be used as an effective teaching strategy in the science classroom. This article describes the authors' experiences implementing the Storyline Approach, an inquiry-based teaching method first introduced by Kieran Egan (1986), in the context of teaching the concept of air…

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Louise

2012-01-01

"Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age" is for all those interested in considering the impact of emerging digital technologies on teaching and learning. It explores the concept of a digital age and perspectives of knowledge, pedagogy and practice within a digital context. By examining teaching with digital technologies through new learning…

Students' Conceptions of Water Transport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rundgren, Carl-Johan; Rundgren, Shu-Nu Chang; Schonborn, Konrad J.

2010-01-01

Understanding diffusion of water into and out of the cell through osmosis is fundamental to the learning and teaching of biology. Although this process is thought of as occurring directly across the lipid bilayer, the majority of water transport is actually mediated by specialised transmembrane water-channels called aquaporins. This study…

Effectiveness of Concept Maps in Economics: Evidence from Australia and USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marangos, John; Alley, Sean

2007-01-01

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of concept maps as a teaching and learning tool in university level Principles of Microeconomics courses in Australia and USA. Concept mapping was incorporated in the teaching material in both courses at different countries and, at the end of the semester, the students completed a survey regarding the use,…

What My Cadaver Dog Taught Me about Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulnix, Amy B.

2016-01-01

Faculty eager to transform their teaching often have a difficult time understanding the learning literature and then integrating it into their teaching, in part because neuroeducation concepts such as constructivism, transfer, misconceptions, and metacognition are not part of their existing knowledge. Examples of these concepts in the literature…

The Concept of Curriculum Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrow, Robin

This paper approaches the concept of curriculum design from a philosophical perspective, arguing that the concept of "design" in curriculum is fundamentally misleading. The paper begins with a series of comments questioning the assumption that curriculum design involves a set of discrete skills or procedures in which one may attain expertise, like…

Therapeutic communication in nursing students: A Walker & Avant concept analysis

PubMed Central

Abdolrahimi, Mahbobeh; Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad; Zakerimoghadam, Masoumeh; Ebadi, Abbas

2017-01-01

Background and aim Therapeutic communication, the fundamental component of nursing, is a complex concept. Furthermore, the poor encounters between nursing student and patient demonstrate the necessity of instruction regarding therapeutic communication. The aim of this study was to define and clarify this important concept for including this subject in the nursing curriculum with more emphasis. Methods A literature search was conducted using keywords such as “nursing student”, “patient” and “therapeutic communication” and Persian-equivalent words in Persian databases (including Magiran and Medlib) and English databases (including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and ProQuest) without time limitation. After extracting concept definitions and determining characteristic features, therapeutic communication in nursing students was defined. Then, sample cases, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents of concept were determined. Results After assessing 30 articles, therapeutic communication defining attributes were as follows: “an important means in building interpersonal relationships”, “a process of information transmission”, “an important clinical competency”, “a structure with two different sections” and “a significant tool in patient centered care”. Furthermore, theoretical and clinical education and receiving educators’ feedback regarding therapeutic communication were considered as antecedents of the concept. Improving physical and psychological health status of patient as well as professional development of nursing students were identified as consequences of the concept. Conclusion Nursing instructors can use these results in order to teach and evaluate therapeutic communication in nursing students and train qualified nurses. Also, nursing students may apply the results to improve the quality of their interactions with patients, perform their various duties and meet patients’ diverse needs. PMID:28979730

Teaching the New Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2016-01-01

The new social studies curriculum has a vibrant emphasis with in-depth teaching rather than survey procedures. In-depth teaching stresses the importance of pupils understanding concepts and generalizations more thoroughly than was true formerly. Rote learning and memorization are things of the past unless they are truly vital in ongoing lessons…

Teaching science to science teachers: Lessons taught and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, E. M.; Hashimoto-Martell, E. A.; Balicki, S.; Oglavie, D. R.

2009-12-01

The Boston Science Partnership has created a comprehensive set of graduate courses that immerse teachers in the science topics most relevant to their teaching practices. In these courses, teachers become students of science, developing their conceptual understandings through scientific inquiry. All courses are co-taught by a university faculty and teacher leaders from the Boston Public Schools. Each course provides contextual linkages between the science content and the standards-based curriculum of the Boston Public School district. One of the most relevant science topics to teachers and students of all disciplines is climate change. This served as the overarching theme for our course delivered during summer 2008 and 2009. This course focused on weather and the pivotal role that water and solar radiation play in the exchange of energy at the Earth's surface. Basic concepts such as the behavior of gases, energy flow, density changes, phase changes, heat capacities, and thermal convection were applied to examine short-term weather and water dynamics and longer-term impacts on global warming and climate change. The course was designed to embrace the 7E learning cycle and instructional model, as proposed by Eisenkraft in his landmark 2003 Science Teacher article. This inquiry-based instructional model builds upon prior conceptions and engages the learner in activities in which they begin to construct meaning of a concept prior to being given an explanation. Each day focused on an essential topic related to weather and climate change, and experiential learning was our main objective. There were many successes and challenges with our course. Twenty-five participants were enrolled, and all had different background knowledge and skill sets. Additionally, their level of teaching varied greatly, from K-12, so the level of depth with which to learn the content in order to bring it back to their classrooms varied a great deal as well. Therefore differentiating instruction for

An Evaluation of On-Line, Interactive Tutorials Designed to Teach Practice Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seabury, Brett A.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of two on-line-based programs designed to teach practice skills. One program teaches crisis intervention and the other teaches suicide assessment. The evaluation of the use of these programs compares outcomes for two groups of students, one using the interactive program outside a class context and the other using…

Explicating the Concept of Contrapositive Equivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawkins, Paul Christian; Hub, Alec

2017-01-01

This paper sets forth a concept (Simon, 2017) of contrapositive equivalence and explores some related phenomena of learning through a case study of Hugo's learning in a teaching experiment guiding the reinvention of mathematical logic. Our proposed concept of contrapositive equivalence rests upon set-based meanings for mathematical categories and…

The role of hardware in learning engineering fundamentals: An empirical study of engineering design and product analysis activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brereton, Margot Felicity

A series of short engineering exercises and design projects was created to help students learn to apply abstract knowledge to physical experiences with hardware. The exercises involved designing machines from kits of materials and dissecting and analyzing familiar household products. Students worked in teams. During the activities students brought their knowledge of engineering fundamentals to bear. Videotape analysis was used to identify and characterize the ways in which hardware contributed to learning fundamental concepts. Structural and qualitative analyses of videotaped activities were undertaken. Structural analysis involved counting the references to theory and hardware and the extent of interleaving of references in activity. The analysis found that there was much more discussion linking fundamental concepts to hardware in some activities than in others. The analysis showed that the interleaving of references to theory and hardware in activity is observable and quantifiable. Qualitative analysis was used to investigate the dialog linking concepts and hardware. Students were found to advance their designs and their understanding of engineering fundamentals through a negotiation process in which they pitted abstract concepts against hardware behavior. Through this process students sorted out theoretical assumptions and causal relations. In addition they discovered design assumptions, functional connections and physical embodiments of abstract concepts in hardware, developing a repertoire of familiar hardware components and machines. Hardware was found to be integral to learning, affecting the course of inquiry and the dynamics of group interaction. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the processes at work. The research illustrates the importance of working across the boundary between abstractions and experiences with hardware in order to learn engineering and physical sciences. The research findings are: (a) the negotiation process by which

Identity Orientations: Definition, Assessment, and Personal Correlates. A Teaching Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carducci, Bernardo J.

Probably no other concept comes closer to encompassing the core of personality psychology than the concept of the self. This teaching activity provides instructors with a self-contained teaching module--including lecture material, an in-class activity, suggestions for in-class discussion, and supporting references--on the topic of identity…

Ten Essential Concepts for Remediation in Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseman, Louis

1985-01-01

Ten crucial mathematical concepts with which errors are made are listed, with methods used to teach them to high school students. The concepts concern order, place values, inverse operations, multiplication and division, remainders, identity elements, fractions, conversions, decimal points, and percentages. (MNS)

The complexity of teaching density in middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashweh, Maher Z.

2016-01-01

Background: Density is difficult to learn and teach in middle schools. This study, hypothesizing that the density concept develops as part of a conceptual system, used a conceptual change approach to teaching density. The approach emphasized the use of multiple strategies to teach the density concept and the associated concepts in the conceptual system. Purpose: This study assessed post-instructional understanding of different aspects of density in a sample of seventh grade students, examined the effectiveness of the multi-dimensional approach in teaching density, investigated the relations between prior student characteristics and their post-instructional understanding, and investigated if the concept of density develops as part of a conceptual system. Program description: In the first part of the study, student understanding of density was assessed in regular classrooms. In the second part, the investigator and a science teacher co-taught the density unit over a two-week period emphasizing relations between density, mass, volume, part-whole relations, and a scientific particulate conception of matter. A conceptual change approach was used which emphasized multiple representations of knowledge and the use of analogies. Sample: The sample in regular classes consisted of 1645 seventh graders in 51 schools in the West Bank, Palestine. The intervention group consisted of 29 students in one school. Design and methods: The post-instructional understanding of density in 51 regularly taught classrooms was assessed in the first part of the study using a pencil-and paper test. In the second part, a pre-test was used with the intervention group. Students in both parts of the study took the same post-test. Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe student performance. Comparison between pre-test and post-test performance of students in the intervention group was conducted using t-test and ANOVA. Correlations between pre-test sub-scores and post-test scores for

Selecting concepts for a concept-based curriculum: application of a benchmark approach.

PubMed

Giddens, Jean Foret; Wright, Mary; Gray, Irene

2012-09-01