This study examined the similarities and differences in experienced secondary science teachers' planning, teaching, and reflecting on their teaching, when teaching in their science area of certification and when teaching in another science area. The study also focused on the influence of these teachers' content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge on their planning, teaching, and reflecting. Experienced teachers were observed and interviewed while teaching classes in their science area of certification, and in another science area they were teaching for the first or second time. Both similarities and differences in teaching were found in the two areas for all three teachers. For example, their planning and postlesson reflections were similar in both areas. In the interactive phase of teaching more differences were observed. Many aspects of their teaching resembled that of expert teachers in other studies. In the unfamiliar science area, the teachers sometimes acted like novice teachers. However, they were able to draw upon their pedagogical knowledge to provide a framework for their teaching in both science areas. Their wealth of pedagogical knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge for general science topics, seemed to sustain them in whatever content they were teaching. Recommendations for further study and implications for teacher education are discussed.
This study adopted design and development research methodology (Richey & Klein, Design and development research: Methods, strategies, and issues, 2007) to systematically investigate the process of applying instructional design principles, humancomputer interaction, and software engineering to a performance support system (PSS) for behavior management in a classroom. The purpose was to examine how a proposed instructional design framework based on Ausubel's (The psychology of meaningful verbal learning, 1963) advance organizer theoretical approach could be used to address inherent problems of technically driven PSSs. Development data were collected from a six-phase participatory rapid prototyping process using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings indicated that (a) the advance organizer concept combined with a matrix design metaphor provided an effective way to illustrate conceptual connections and relations among PSS modules and their elaborated information, (b) the system served as a reference to support participants for exchanging ideas with other teachers as well as with parents of students, and (c) the rapid prototyping process established parameters that helped the project team maintain a focus on users and collect data useful for advancing to a higher phase of system development. Potential drawbacks pertaining to the proposed design strategies and their possible corrective actions are also reported and discussed.
This study was conducted to test the claim that Logo may enhance student problem solving and thinking skills. Of 171 junior high students who requested a Logo enrichment class, 113 were randomly assigned to Logo classes, fifty-eight remained controls. After nine weeks of daily instruction, the Logo treatment group scored significantly higher than the control group on the New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills. However, a significant interaction between treatment and gender revealed no significant difference by treatment in the performance of female students. The study offers modest support for the efficacy of Logo in developing reasoning skills among seventh and eighth graders, but the benefit appears to accure mostly to males. Results do not differentiate the respective contributions of Logo and maturation.
This study investigated the design and impact of a matrix-aided performance system (MAPS) to support teachers' performance in developing intervention strategies for classroom behavior management. The design concept of MAPS is based on Ausubel's (1963, 2000) advance organizers theoretical framework with the addition of electronic performance support system (EPSS) technology and matrix metaphor interface design principles. The MAPS design framework is described to demonstrate how the advance organizer concept can be exemplified through interactive multimedia and database technology to facilitate the problem-solving process and to offer a design instrument for EPSSs. A formative field evaluation was conducted to better understand the system's applicability in the real world environment. Five inservice special education and resource teachers from two elementary schools and one junior high school participated in the evaluation. Participants used this system for four weeks, as often as they desired. Interviews were held after the four-week trial period to explore possible barriers to use and to identify potential performance improvements to enhance the system. Three EPSS design considerations—performance scaffolding, interface cues, and content comprehension—are offered to create true pedagogy-driven, usable EPSSs. Suggestions for future research conclude the paper.
This article describes the development of a course sequence in assistive technology (AT) that was offered over a four year period for special educators, speech/language therapists, and occupational therapists. The course participants learned how to assess student needs for AT, what AT devices were available, and how to make good decisions within the IEP team process for students with disabilities. The major sections of the course were data-gathering frameworks, legal issues, augmentative communication devices, and computer access adaptations and software. Follow-up consumer satisfaction of the course by the participants is also summarized. One of the most beneficial residuals from the course was a short-term AT equipment loan program.
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