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Sample records for projects teacher background

  1. General Music Teachers' Backgrounds and Multicultural Repertoire Selection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soojin

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how teachers' backgrounds could contribute to their decisions to include music from diverse cultures. Analysis of interviews with three general music teachers indicated that their music training and experiences, ethnic backgrounds, and years of teaching experience may have influenced their…

  2. The SUPERCOMET 2 Project: Teacher Seminar and Teacher Guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engstrom, V.; Ireson, G.; Latal, H.; Mathelitsch, L.; Michelini, M.; Peeters, W.; Rath, G.

    2008-05-01

    The Leonardo da Vinci pilot projects SUPERCOMET (2001-2004) and SUPERCOMET 2 (2004-2007) developed and tested teacher training materials for active, minds-on learning of electromagnetism and superconductivity at the level of upper secondary school. New multimedia materials for the pupils supported the teacher materials, including a teacher seminar in 4 half-day modules detailing the scientific contents, teaching methods, using ICT in physics teaching and learning, online collaboration and further resources for exploring the selected topics. The aim of these projects were to improve the quality of physics teaching on a European level, involving a combined total of 45 partners in 16 countries, and conducting trials at 67 schools with approx. 230 teachers, 280 trainee teachers and 2200 pupils. New follow-up projects develop hands-on materials for carrying out the activities described in the teacher guide and seminars and additional teacher materials involving modelling, simulations and data logging.

  3. German Migrant Teachers in Australia: Insights into the Largest Cohort of Non-English Speaking Background Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bense, Katharina

    2015-01-01

    The research reported in this paper investigates the situation of German migrant teachers in Australia. Although German born teachers represent the largest group of non-English speaking background teachers in Australia, there is no study of the circumstances and experiences of these teachers in Australia. This study aims to fill this gap. It…

  4. Background Characteristics as Predictors of Greek Teachers' Self-Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gkolia, Aikaterini; Dimitrios, Belias A.; Koustelios, Athanasios

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between elementary and secondary teachers' background characteristics and constructs of self-efficacy, using the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale--TSES, during a difficult economic period for Greece and other European countries. Design/methodology/approach Equation modeling…

  5. Tropics in Antarctica? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  6. Evaluation of project based learning sufficiency of teacher candidates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasfi Tugun

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of that research, it is the project based learning process suffuciency of teacher candidates who developedmultimedia by working in online and blended groups. Importance of research Being able to guide to studies that is going tobe done about assessment of multimedia projection for project based educational application to teachers and teachercandidates and It has been thought as an advisor source about being arranged new educational environment for the futureto teacher and teacher candidates for project based educational application and multimedia projection. Research is anexperimental study and has been shaped according to pre-test and last-test research model with the two groups. This groupsare online group and blended group. Discussion of research In the result of the study, in the process of project basedlearning, it is determined that the success level in multimedia development of teacher candidates who work in blendedlearning model is higher than the success level of teacher candidates who work in online learning model.

  7. Volcanoes: Where and Why? Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  8. Enhancing Teacher and Student Engagement and Understanding of Marine Science Through Classroom Citizen Science Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodale, T. A.

    2016-02-01

    Overview This paper presentation shares findings from a granted funded project that sought to expand teacher content knowledge and pedagogy within the fields of marine science and coastal resource management through the implementation of classroom citizen science projects. A secondary goal was to increase middle and high school student interest and participation in marine science and natural resources research. Background A local science & engineering fair has seen a rapid decline in secondary student participants in the past four years. Research has demonstrated that when students are a part of a system of knowledge production (citizen science) they become much more aware, involved and conscious of scientific concepts compared to traditional school laboratory and nature of science activities. This project's primary objectives were to: (a) enhance teacher content expertise in marine science, (b) enrich teacher professional learning, (c) support citizen science classroom projects and inspire student activism and marine science engagement. Methods Project goals were addressed through classroom and meaningful outdoor educational experiences that put content knowledge into field based practices. Teachers learned to apply thier expanded content knowlege through classroom citizen science projects that focus on marine resource conservation issues such as fisheries management, water quality, turtle nesting and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. These projects would eventually become potential topics of citizen science research topics for their students to pursue. Upon completion of their professional development, participants were urged to establish student Marine Science clubs with the goal of mentoring student submissions into the local science fair. Supplemental awards were possible for the students of project participants. Findings Based on project measures participants significantly increased their knowledge and awareness of presented material marine science and

  9. Teacher and Student Intrinsic Motivation in Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Shui-fong; Cheng, Rebecca Wing-yi; Ma, William Y. K.

    2009-01-01

    In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate…

  10. Drifting Continents and Wandering Poles. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  11. Drifting Continents and Magnetic Fields. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  12. Effects of the Teacher's Background on Teaching and Students' Achievement in Botany and Zoology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamir, P.

    1976-01-01

    The relationship of certain teacher background variables to their attitudes priorities, expectations, and instructional practices regarding botany and zoology was investigated. Teachers were grouped into three categories: botanists, zoologists, and neutrals; the academic achievement of the students of the teachers in the three categories was…

  13. Hot Spots in the Earth's Crust. Crustal Evolution Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  14. Implementation of municipal health promoting projects in primary schools: teachers perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordin, Lone Lindegard

    2013-01-01

    . The project is funded by the Danish Ministry of Science, University of Aarhus and Silkeborg municipality, and involves 5 primary schools, 23 teachers and 233 pupils from 7th to 9 class. The project is positioned within the critical approach to school health education and health promotion, developed......Implementation of municipally health promoting projects' in primary schools: teachers perspective Research question This paper discusses the findings from a qualitative research, that aimed to investigate how teachers in primary schools implemented municipal health promoting projects focusing...... that there is a “gap” between policy and practice according to aim, content and methods, and that teachers practice can be explained as coping mechanism. The key findings include: • Teachers practice is closer to traditional health education than critical health education. • Teachers priorities the mandatory teaching...

  15. Background simulation for the GENIUS project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponkratenko, O.A.; Tretyak, V.I.; Zdesenko, Yu.G.

    1999-01-01

    The background simulations for the GENIUS experiment were performed with the help of GEANT 3.21 package and event generator DECAY 4.Contributions from the cosmogenic activity produced in the Ge detectors and from its radioactive impurities as well as from contamination of the liquid nitrogen and other materials were calculated.External gamma and neutron background were taking into consideration also.The results of calculations evidently show feasibility of the GENIUS project,which can substantially promote development of modern astroparticle physics

  16. Preservice Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusion and toward Students with Special Educational Needs from Different Ethnic Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markova, Maria; Pit-Ten Cate, Ineke; Krolak-Schwerdt, Sabine; Glock, Sabine

    2016-01-01

    Drawing on social cognition frameworks, we experimentally examined preservice teachers' implicit attitudes toward students with special educational needs (SEN) from different ethnic backgrounds and preservice teachers' explicit attitudes toward inclusive education. Preservice teachers (N = 46) completed an evaluative priming task and…

  17. Teacher/Intern Partnerships in Isolated Areas: A Project Overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarrow, Allan; Ballantyne, Roy; Hansford, Brian; Herschell, Paul; Millwater, Jan

    1998-01-01

    Describes a collaborative project designed to better prepare Australian preservice teachers for teaching in remote schools through six-week rural mentorship programs and joint preservice and inservice professional development. Discusses how development of partnerships among cooperating institutions and between teachers, student teachers, and the…

  18. Indian Metis Project for Careers in Teacher Education (I.M.P.A.C.T.E.). An Internal Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loughton, A. John

    Individual profiles (age, sex, marital status, number of dependents, type of withdrawal, academic success, center attended, educational background, and date of enrollment) were established for 87% of the 138 students enrolled in the Indian Metis Project for Careers in Teacher Education (IMPACTE) at Brandon University (Canada) between 1970 and…

  19. Influences on teachers' curricular choices in project-based science classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laba, Karen Anne

    This descriptive research will present two case studies of experienced science teachers using project-based curricula in all or part of their secondary life science/biology courses. The purpose of this study is to reveal the underlying relationships between teachers' conceptions of the nature of science, their understanding of their role as science teachers and their expectations for appropriate and worthwhile student learning, and to describe the influence of these factors on their curricular choices within the project-based framework. Using a modification of Hewson, Kerby and Cook's (1995) Conceptions of Teaching Science protocol as a model, teachers' beliefs and intentions are classified and examined to identify organizing themes. Comparisons between teachers' beliefs and the actions they take in their project-based classroom are used to reveal relationships among the choices that result in students' learning experiences. Finally, the curricula presented by these two exemplary teachers are compared with the teaching standards and content goals defined in the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). Recommendations for the application of the case study perspective of the evolution of learning experiences to reform efforts are offered to practitioners, policy makers, curriculum developers and teacher educators.

  20. Student Background and Teacher Effects on Achievement and Attainment in Mathematics: A Longitudinal Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muijs, Daniel; Reynolds, David

    2003-01-01

    In this article, we have studied the effect of student social background, classroom social context, classroom organisation, and teacher behaviours on mathematics achievement and attainment in English and Welsh primary schools. Data were collected over 2 years as part of a programme evaluation, for which we observed 138 teachers and tested and…

  1. The Impact of "Writing Project" Professional Development on Teachers' Self-Efficacy as Writers and Teachers of Writing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locke, Terry; Whitehead, David; Dix, Stephanie

    2013-01-01

    This paper arises from a two-year project: "Teachers as writers: Transforming professional identity and classroom practice'" and draws on self-efficacy questionnaire data collected at the beginning and end of the project and interview data from five participating high-school teachers who were also co-researchers in the project.…

  2. How Does Heat Flow Vary in the Ocean Floor? Crustal Evaluation Education Project. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

    Crustal Evolution Education Project (CEEP) modules were designed to: (1) provide students with the methods and results of continuing investigations into the composition, history, and processes of the earth's crust and the application of this knowledge to man's activities and (2) to be used by teachers with little or no previous background in the…

  3. SEL/Project Language. Level II, Kindergarten, Teacher's Handbook.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valladares, Ann E.; Lynch, Helen C.

    The Teacher's Handbook is part of the publication series of the Southeastern Education Laboratory/Project Language (SEL/PL), an 8-year language-centered program designed to alleviate the language deficiencies of disadvantaged children between the ages of four and eleven. For teachers utilizing SEL/PL, the Handbook provides a research summary and…

  4. In-service teachers' perceptions of project-based learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habók, Anita; Nagy, Judit

    2016-01-01

    The study analyses teachers' perceptions of methods, teacher roles, success and evaluation in PBL and traditional classroom instruction. The analysis is based on empirical data collected in primary schools and vocational secondary schools. An analysis of 109 questionnaires revealed numerous differences based on degree of experience and type of school. In general, project-based methods were preferred among teachers, who mostly perceived themselves as facilitators and considered motivation and transmission of values central to their work. Teachers appeared not to capitalize on the use of ICT tools or emotions. Students actively participated in the evaluation process via oral evaluation.

  5. Cross-National Comparisons of Background and Confidence in Visual Arts and Music Education of Pre-Service Primary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell-Bowie, Deirdre

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports the findings of a study on pre-service teachers' background and confidence in music and visual arts education. The study involved 939 non-specialist pre-service primary teachers from five countries. Initially the paper identifies the students' perceptions of their background and confidence in relation to music and visual arts…

  6. Problem Solution Project: Transforming Curriculum and Empowering Urban Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarrett, Olga S.; Stenhouse, Vera

    2011-01-01

    This article presents findings of 6 years of implementing a Problem Solution Project, an assignment influenced by service learning, problem-based learning, critical theory, and critical pedagogy whereby teachers help children tackle real problems. Projects of 135 teachers in an urban certification/master's program were summarized by cohort year…

  7. Beginning Secondary Teachers in PNG: Family Background, Choice of Subject and the Curriculum Needs of Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, W. P.

    1985-01-01

    Some results from the 1982 New Teachers survey will be related to the teacher training programme at Goroka Teachers college. These will be put in the context of the subject courses run at G.T.C. and the subjects taught in secondary schools. Indications of who chooses to teach and why will be found by examining the sociological background of the…

  8. Are Principal Background and School Processes Related to Teacher Job Satisfaction? A Multilevel Study Using Schools and Staffing Survey 2003-04

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Jianping; Leslie, Jeffrey M.; Spybrook, Jessaca K.; Ma, Xin

    2012-01-01

    Using nationally representative samples for public school teachers and principals, the authors inquired into whether principal background and school processes are related to teacher job satisfaction. Employing hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), the authors were able to control for background characteristics at both the teacher and school levels.…

  9. What I Learned from the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project: A Teacher's Reflections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derman-Sparks, Louise

    2016-01-01

    This article, written by one of the teachers in the Ypsilanti Perry Preschool Project (1962-1967), critically examines the prevailing narrative about the preschool project's relationship to the High/Scope Educational Foundation. It describes what the author and other teachers actually did, the principles that informed their practice, and…

  10. Primary Teachers Conducting Inquiry Projects: Effects on Attitudes towards Teaching Science and Conducting Inquiry

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra I.; Walma van der Molen, Juliette H.; van Hest, Erna G. W. C. M.; Poortman, Cindy

    2017-01-01

    This study used an experimental, pretest-posttest control group design to investigate whether participation in a large-scale inquiry project would improve primary teachers' attitudes towards teaching science and towards conducting inquiry. The inquiry project positively affected several elements of teachers' attitudes. Teachers felt less anxious…

  11. Change Project-Based Learning in Teacher Education in Botswana ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD) pedagogies are intricate, and to enhance learning, teacher education has to be innovative in teaching approach. This article investigates how the change project approach enhances project-based learning in practice. The investigation is ...

  12. The Acadia Learning Project: Lessons Learned from Engaging High School Teachers and Students in Citizen Science Supporting National Parks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, S. J.; Zoellick, B.; Davis, Y.; Lindsey, E.

    2009-12-01

    In 2007 the authors initiated a citizen science research project, supported with funding from the Maine Department of Education, designed to extend research at Acadia National Park to a broader geographic area while also providing high school students and teachers with an opportunity to engage in authentic research in cooperation with working scientists. The scientific focus of the work has been on providing information about the mercury burden of organisms at different trophic levels across different geographic and environmental settings. The pedagogical focus has been on providing students with immersion in a substantial, field-based project, including background research, hypothesis formulation, data collection and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Starting work with 6 teachers in two schools the first year, the project expanded to involve more than 20 teachers and 350 students in a dozen schools in its second year. In coming years, with support from NOAA and cooperation from other National Parks in the region, the project will expand to include work in other states along the coast of the Gulf of Maine. In this paper the authors describe evolution in the use of the Internet over the first two years of the project, a sharpened focus on professional development for teachers, survey results regarding student views of the nature of science, the importance of focusing on rigorous, useful data collection from an educational perspective, success in establishing that samples collected by students are useful in research, the disjuncture between scientific and pedagogical outcomes, an assessment of the value of student poster presentations, and lessons learned about preparation and use of curriculum support materials. The authors also describe future directions, which include an increased focus on professional development and student work with graphs, a narrower focus in sample collection, and increased use of the Internet to provide participating teachers

  13. Language Teachers' Target Language Project: Language for Specific Purposes of Language Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korenev, Alexey; Westbrook, Carolyn; Merry, Yvonne; Ershova, Tatiana

    2016-01-01

    The Language Teachers' Target Language project (LTTL) aims to describe language teachers' target language use domain (Bachman & Palmer 2010) and to develop a language test for future teachers of English. The team comprises four researchers from Moscow State University (MSU) and Southampton Solent University.

  14. Teacher Perceptions of Project Based Learning in the Secondary Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacMath, Sheryl; Sivia, Awneet; Britton, Vandy

    2017-01-01

    This study examines teacher perceptions of their experiences with Project Based Learning (PBL) at a secondary school in Western Canada. This PBL initiative included English language arts, mathematics, science, and digital literacy courses and all the grade nines at this large secondary school. This article reports on two teacher focus group…

  15. Elementary and middle school science improvement project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcguire, Saundra Y.

    1989-01-01

    The Alabama A and M University Elementary and Middle School Science Improvement Project (Project SIP) was instituted to improve the science knowledge of elementary and middle school teachers using the experimental or hands-on approach. Summer workshops were conducted during the summers of 1986, 1987, and 1988 in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and electricity, and magnetism. Additionally, a manual containing 43 lessons which included background information, experiments and activities for classroom and home use was provided to each teacher. During the course of the project activities, the teachers interacted with various university faculty members, scientists, and NASA staff. The administrative aspects of the program, the delivery of the services to participating teachers, and the project outcome are addressed.

  16. What? Me? Teach Dance? Background and Confidence of Primary Preservice Teachers in Dance Education across Five Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell-Bowie, Deirdre E.

    2013-01-01

    In primary schools across many countries, dance is now included within the arts key learning area with its own outcomes and content. But as future teachers of dance and other art forms, how do preservice generalist primary teachers perceive their background and confidence in relation to dance and dance education? This study investigates the…

  17. The projected background for the CUORE experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alduino, C.; Avignone, F.T.; Chott, N.; Creswick, R.J.; Rosenfeld, C.; Wilson, J. [University of South Carolina, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Columbia, SC (United States); Alfonso, K.; Hickerson, K.P.; Huang, H.Z.; Sakai, M.; Schmidt, J.; Trentalange, S.; Zhu, B.X. [University of California, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Artusa, D.R.; Rusconi, C. [University of South Carolina, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Columbia, SC (United States); INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Azzolini, O.; Camacho, A.; Keppel, G.; Palmieri, V.; Pira, C. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Padua (Italy); Banks, T.I.; Drobizhev, A.; Freedman, S.J.; Hennings-Yeomans, R.; Kolomensky, Yu.G.; Wagaarachchi, S.L. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bari, G.; Deninno, M.M. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Beeman, J.W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bellini, F.; Cosmelli, C.; Ferroni, F.; Piperno, G. [Sapienza Universita di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Rome (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Roma, Rome (Italy); Benato, G.; Singh, V. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bersani, A.; Caminata, A. [INFN-Sezione di Genova, Genoa (Italy); Biassoni, M.; Brofferio, C.; Capelli, S.; Carniti, P.; Cassina, L.; Chiesa, D.; Clemenza, M.; Faverzani, M.; Fiorini, E.; Gironi, L.; Gotti, C.; Maino, M.; Nastasi, M.; Nucciotti, A.; Pavan, M.; Pozzi, S.; Sisti, M.; Terranova, F.; Zanotti, L. [Universita di Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica, Milan (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Branca, A.; Taffarello, L. [INFN-Sezione di Padova, Padua (Italy); Bucci, C.; Cappelli, L.; D' Addabbo, A.; Gorla, P.; Pattavina, L.; Pirro, S.; Laubenstein, M. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Canonica, L. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Cao, X.G.; Fang, D.Q.; Ma, Y.G.; Wang, H.W.; Zhang, G.Q. [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China); Carbone, L.; Cremonesi, O.; Ferri, E.; Giachero, A.; Pessina, G.; Previtali, E. [INFN-Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Milan (Italy); Cardani, L.; Casali, N.; Dafinei, I.; Morganti, S.; Mosteiro, P.J.; Pettinacci, V.; Tomei, C.; Vignati, M. [INFN-Sezione di Roma, Rome (Italy); Copello, S.; Di Domizio, S.; Fernandes, G.; Marini, L.; Pallavicini, M. [INFN-Sezione di Genova, Genoa (Italy); Universita di Genova, Dipartimento di Fisica, Genoa (Italy); Cushman, J.S.; Davis, C.J.; Heeger, K.M.; Lim, K.E.; Maruyama, R.H. [Yale University, Department of Physics, New Haven, CT (United States); Dell' Oro, S. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); INFN-Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Di Vacri, M.L.; Santone, D. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Universita dell' Aquila, Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, L' Aquila (Italy); Franceschi, M.A.; Ligi, C.; Napolitano, T. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Rome (Italy); Fujikawa, B.K.; Mei, Y.; Schmidt, B.; Smith, A.R.; Welliver, B. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Giuliani, A.; Novati, V.; Tenconi, M. [Universit Paris-Saclay, CSNSM, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS/IN2P3, Orsay (France); Gladstone, L.; Leder, A.; Ouellet, J.L.; Winslow, L.A. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Gutierrez, T.D. [California Polytechnic State University, Physics Department, San Luis Obispo, CA (United States); Haller, E.E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); Han, K. [Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai (China); Hansen, E. [University of California, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Kadel, R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Physics Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Martinez, M. [Sapienza Universita di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Rome (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Roma, Rome (Italy); Universidad de Zaragoza, Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear y Astroparticulas, Zaragoza (Spain); Moggi, N. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze per la Qualita della Vita, Bologna (Italy); Nones, C. [CEA/Saclay, Service de Physique des Particules, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Norman, E.B.; Wang, B.S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States); University of California, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); O' Donnell, T. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Center for Neutrino Physics, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Pagliarone, C.E. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Meccanica, Cassino (Italy); Sangiorgio, S.; Scielzo, N.D. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States); Wise, T. [Yale University, Department of Physics, New Haven, CT (United States); University of Wisconsin, Department of Physics, Madison, WI (United States); Woodcraft, A. [University of Edinburgh, SUPA, Institute for Astronomy, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Zimmermann, S. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Engineering Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Zucchelli, S. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Bologna (Italy)

    2017-08-15

    The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is designed to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of {sup 130}Te with an array of 988 TeO{sub 2} bolometers operating at temperatures around 10 mK. The experiment is currently being commissioned in Hall A of Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. The goal of CUORE is to reach a 90% C.L. exclusion sensitivity on the {sup 130}Te decay half-life of 9 x 10{sup 25} years after 5 years of data taking. The main issue to be addressed to accomplish this aim is the rate of background events in the region of interest, which must not be higher than 10{sup -2} counts/keV/kg/year. We developed a detailed Monte Carlo simulation, based on results from a campaign of material screening, radioassays, and bolometric measurements, to evaluate the expected background. This was used over the years to guide the construction strategies of the experiment and we use it here to project a background model for CUORE. In this paper we report the results of our study and our expectations for the background rate in the energy region where the peak signature of neutrinoless double beta decay of {sup 130}Te is expected. (orig.)

  18. The projected background for the CUORE experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alduino, C.; Alfonso, K.; Artusa, D. R.; Avignone, F. T.; Azzolini, O.; Banks, T. I.; Bari, G.; Beeman, J. W.; Bellini, F.; Benato, G.; Bersani, A.; Biassoni, M.; Branca, A.; Brofferio, C.; Bucci, C.; Camacho, A.; Caminata, A.; Canonica, L.; Cao, X. G.; Capelli, S.; Cappelli, L.; Carbone, L.; Cardani, L.; Carniti, P.; Casali, N.; Cassina, L.; Chiesa, D.; Chott, N.; Clemenza, M.; Copello, S.; Cosmelli, C.; Cremonesi, O.; Creswick, R. J.; Cushman, J. S.; D'Addabbo, A.; Dafinei, I.; Davis, C. J.; Dell'Oro, S.; Deninno, M. M.; Di Domizio, S.; Di Vacri, M. L.; Drobizhev, A.; Fang, D. Q.; Faverzani, M.; Fernandes, G.; Ferri, E.; Ferroni, F.; Fiorini, E.; Franceschi, M. A.; Freedman, S. J.; Fujikawa, B. K.; Giachero, A.; Gironi, L.; Giuliani, A.; Gladstone, L.; Gorla, P.; Gotti, C.; Gutierrez, T. D.; Haller, E. E.; Han, K.; Hansen, E.; Heeger, K. M.; Hennings-Yeomans, R.; Hickerson, K. P.; Huang, H. Z.; Kadel, R.; Keppel, G.; Kolomensky, Yu. G.; Leder, A.; Ligi, C.; Lim, K. E.; Ma, Y. G.; Maino, M.; Marini, L.; Martinez, M.; Maruyama, R. H.; Mei, Y.; Moggi, N.; Morganti, S.; Mosteiro, P. J.; Napolitano, T.; Nastasi, M.; Nones, C.; Norman, E. B.; Novati, V.; Nucciotti, A.; O'Donnell, T.; Ouellet, J. L.; Pagliarone, C. E.; Pallavicini, M.; Palmieri, V.; Pattavina, L.; Pavan, M.; Pessina, G.; Pettinacci, V.; Piperno, G.; Pira, C.; Pirro, S.; Pozzi, S.; Previtali, E.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rusconi, C.; Sakai, M.; Sangiorgio, S.; Santone, D.; Schmidt, B.; Schmidt, J.; Scielzo, N. D.; Singh, V.; Sisti, M.; Smith, A. R.; Taffarello, L.; Tenconi, M.; Terranova, F.; Tomei, C.; Trentalange, S.; Vignati, M.; Wagaarachchi, S. L.; Wang, B. S.; Wang, H. W.; Welliver, B.; Wilson, J.; Winslow, L. A.; Wise, T.; Woodcraft, A.; Zanotti, L.; Zhang, G. Q.; Zhu, B. X.; Zimmermann, S.; Zucchelli, S.; Laubenstein, M.

    2017-08-01

    The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is designed to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of ^{130}Te with an array of 988 TeO_2 bolometers operating at temperatures around 10 mK. The experiment is currently being commissioned in Hall A of Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. The goal of CUORE is to reach a 90% C.L. exclusion sensitivity on the ^{130}Te decay half-life of 9 × 10^{25} years after 5 years of data taking. The main issue to be addressed to accomplish this aim is the rate of background events in the region of interest, which must not be higher than 10^{-2} counts/keV/kg/year. We developed a detailed Monte Carlo simulation, based on results from a campaign of material screening, radioassays, and bolometric measurements, to evaluate the expected background. This was used over the years to guide the construction strategies of the experiment and we use it here to project a background model for CUORE. In this paper we report the results of our study and our expectations for the background rate in the energy region where the peak signature of neutrinoless double beta decay of ^{130}Te is expected.

  19. The Effects of Teacher and Teacher-librarian High-end Collaboration on Inquiry-based Project Reports and School Monthly Test Scores of Fifth-grade Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hai-Hon Chen

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to establish the high level collaboration of integrated instruction model between social studies teacher and teacher-librarian. The second purpose was to investigate the effects of high-end collaboration on the individual and groups’ inquiry-based project reports, as well as monthly test scores of fifth-grade students. A quasi-experimental method was adopted, two classes of elementary school fifth graders in Tainan Municipal city, Taiwan were used as samples. Students were randomly assigned to experimental conditions by class. Twenty eight students of the experimental group were taught by the collaboration of social studies teacher and teacher-librarian; while 27 students of the controlled group were taught separately by teacher in didactic teaching method. Inquiry-Based Project Record, Inquiry-Based Project Rubrics, and school monthly test scores were used as instruments for collecting data. A t-test and correlation were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that: (1 High-end collaboration model between social studies teacher and teacher-librarian was established and implemented well in the classroom. (2There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the controlled group in individual and groups’ inquiry-based project reports. Students that were taught by the collaborative teachers got both higher inquiry-based project reports’ scores than those that were taught separately by the teachers. Experimental group’s students got higher school monthly test scores than controlled groups. Suggestions for teachers’ high-end collaboration and future researcher are provided in this paper.

  20. Adopting digital skills in an international project in teacher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugo Nordseth

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available  The aim of the CoTech project was to develop a concept of using ICT tools for international cooperation in teacher education, and the output result was to develop and test a pilot project for an online course. Our pilot shows that it is possible to implement an integrated curriculum using a variety of ICT tools for the development and deployment of video-based learning resources, as well as collaboration between international groups of students in teacher education without these students meeting physically or using coeducation. At each location, it is important to provide training in the appropriate ICT tools to be used.

  1. Project plan for the background soils project for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah, Kentucky

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-09-01

    The Background Soils Project for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (BSPP) will determine the background concentration levels of selected naturally occurring metals, other inorganics, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated areas in proximity to the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) in Paducah, Kentucky. The data will be used for comparison with characterization and compliance data for soils, with significant differences being indicative of contamination. All data collected as part of this project will be in addition to other background databases established for the PGDP. The BSPP will address the variability of surface and near-surface concentration levels with respect to (1) soil taxonomical types (series) and (2) soil sampling depths within a specific soil profile. The BSPP will also address the variability of concentration levels in deeper geologic formations by collecting samples of geologic materials. The BSPP will establish a database, with recommendations on how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide data to estimate the potential human and health and ecological risk associated with background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents. BSPP data will be used or applied as follows.

  2. Project plan for the background soils project for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah, Kentucky

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-09-01

    The Background Soils Project for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (BSPP) will determine the background concentration levels of selected naturally occurring metals, other inorganics, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated areas in proximity to the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) in Paducah, Kentucky. The data will be used for comparison with characterization and compliance data for soils, with significant differences being indicative of contamination. All data collected as part of this project will be in addition to other background databases established for the PGDP. The BSPP will address the variability of surface and near-surface concentration levels with respect to (1) soil taxonomical types (series) and (2) soil sampling depths within a specific soil profile. The BSPP will also address the variability of concentration levels in deeper geologic formations by collecting samples of geologic materials. The BSPP will establish a database, with recommendations on how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide data to estimate the potential human and health and ecological risk associated with background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents. BSPP data will be used or applied as follows

  3. A Pedagogical Framework for Developing Innovative Science Teachers with ICT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Laurence; Twidle, John

    2013-01-01

    Background: The authors have conducted a number of research projects into the use of ICT in science teaching and most recently have collaborated with five European partners in teacher education to develop resources to assist teacher trainers in delivering courses for the professional development of science teachers. Purpose: 1. To describe the…

  4. Evaluating Retirement Income Security for Illinois Public School Teachers. Public Pension Project Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Richard W.; Southgate, Benjamin G.

    2014-01-01

    The financial problems afflicting the Illinois teacher pension plan have grabbed headlines. An equally important problem, though underappreciated, is that relatively few teachers benefit much from the plan. This report evaluates the pension benefits provided to Illinois public school teachers. The researchers project annual and lifetime pension…

  5. A Tale of Five Countries: Background and Confidence in Preservice Primary Teachers in Drama Education across Five Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell-Bowie, Deirdre E.

    2013-01-01

    In many public primary schools across different countries, generalist primary teachers are required to teach all subjects, including music, dance, drama and visual arts. This study investigates the background and confidence of preservice primary teachers from five countries in relation to drama and drama education. It also examines if there is a…

  6. The Hemingway Project: A Collaborative School-based Program for Teacher Certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Shannon K.; And Others

    At Weber State University (Utah), teacher educators have collaborated with English faculty to design a pilot program (Hemingway Project) which serves as an initial effort to restructure the teacher education program. The program, funded by the Hemingway Foundation, is intended to provide greater integration of the university experience with actual…

  7. How does an ICT-competent mathematics teacher benefit from an ICT-integrative project?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skott, Charlotte Krog; Østergaard, Camilla Hellsten

    2016-01-01

    . We use a theoretical framework for classroom mathematical practices to conceptualise teachers´ learning from a participatory perspective. On the one hand, the teacher realises a potential for a more dialogical approach to teaching. On the other hand, she appears to maintain her habits in relation......We investigate an ICT-competent mathematics teacher’s potentials for professional development as she participates in a sixth-grade statistics project aimed at developing practices that integrate ICTs. This is a critical case study, partly because the teacher is not challenged by the proposed ICTs...... to ICT-use. These contrary tendencies negatively influence the students’ learning opportunities. We offer explanations for why the teacher seems to sticks with her ICT-habits as well as suggestions for future research- and development projects....

  8. Science teachers' meaning-making when involved in a school-based professional development project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

    2012-01-01

    A group of teachers' meaning-making when they are collaboratively analyzing artifacts from practice in local science classrooms in a school-based professional development (PD) project is examined through repeated interviews and represented as meaning-makig maps. The interpretation of the teachers......' meaning-making includes both their reference to outcomes from the project and their expressed ideas about teaching and learning of science. All four teachers refer to experiences from experimenting in their classrooms and interpret the collected artifacts in relation to students' learning. Furthermore......, they all felt encouraged to continue collaboration around science. During the interviews, the teachers emphasize various elements apparently connected to concrete challenges they each experience in their professional work. Implications in relation to the design of PD are discussed....

  9. Massachusetts Study of Teacher Supply and Demand: Trends and Projections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Jesse; Berg-Jacobson, Alex; Atchison, Drew; Lee, Katelyn; Vontsolos, Emily

    2015-01-01

    In April 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) commissioned American Institutes for Research (AIR) to develop a comprehensive set of 10-year projections of teacher supply and demand in order to inform planning for future workforce needs. This included state-level projections both in the aggregate, as well…

  10. Background of the Degree in Public Accounting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José G. Vargas-Hernández

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to review public accountant education in terms of the interrelated subjects as well as its background. The results of this education development project improve the formation of the accountant public education because of its linkage between teachers and students in the research process and the design of new teaching strategies that contribute to solving real problems and facilitate the social projection. The academic administration is characterized by processes that arise and is generated within the same individuals, focused on the construction and reconstruction of knowledge, proper training and formation of builders of their own processes.

  11. Effects of Demographic Characteristics, Educational Background, and Supporting Factors on ICT Readiness of Technical and Vocational Teachers in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alazzam, Abu-Obaideh; Bakar, Ab Rahim; Hamzah, Ramlah; Asimiran, S.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine ICT readiness and the effects of demographic characteristics, educational background, and support factors on the ICT readiness of technical and vocational teachers in Malaysia. The questionnaire was administered to 329 technical and vocational teachers who are teaching engineering subjects in Malaysian…

  12. A three-year teacher research–to–practice collaborative professional development project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hilton, Annette; Hilton, Geoff; Zeuschner, Michael

    The theme is successful implementation of a research-to-practice collaborative teacher professional development project aimed at enhancing the teaching and learning of proportional reasoning. The objectives are to outline the project goals, provide an overview of the key research findings regardi...

  13. SOAP in practice: learning outcomes of a cross-institutional innovation project conducted by teachers, student teachers, and teacher educators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prof. Dr. Rob F. Poell; Dr. Audrey Seezink; Prof. Dr. Paul A. Kirschner

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on a case study investigating learning outcomes at the individual and organisational level of a cross-institutional innovation project based on the SOAP approach. SOAP integrates Schooling of teachers, Organisational development of schools, Action- and development-oriented

  14. The Development of Man and His Culture: Old World Prehistory. Grade 5. Teacher Guide [And] Pupil Text [And] Pupil Guide [And] Teacher Background Material [And] A Sequential Curriculum in Anthropology. Test Form 5, Composite Form for Pre- and Post-Test. Revised, January 1968. Publications No. 25, 31, 23, 24 and 43.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potterfield, James E.; And Others

    This social studies unit includes a teaching guide, student text, study guide, teacher background material, and composite pretest/posttest covering archaeological methods, evolution, fossils and man, and development of culture during the prehistoric periods in the Old World. It is part of the Anthropology Curriculum Project and is designed for…

  15. Carroll County Competency Based Teacher Certification Project. Librarian's Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coker, Homer; Coker, Joan G.

    Reference materials, slides, cassettes, books, pamphlets, materials from other states, and articles used in the Carroll County, Georgia, Competency Based Teacher Certification Project, 1973-74, are listed. Brief annotations are included for both the reference materials and articles. (MJM)

  16. Final report on the Background Soil Characterization Project at the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, D.R.; Ammons, J.T.; Branson, J.L.

    1993-10-01

    This report presents, evaluates, and documents data and results obtained in the Background Soil Characterization Project (BSCP). It is intended to be a stand-alone document for application and use in structuring and conducting remedial investigation and remedial action projects in the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program. The objectives of the BSCP consist of the following: determine background concentrations of organics, metals, and radionuclides in natural soils that are key to environmental restoration projects; provide remediation projects with 100% validated data on background concentrations, which are technically and legally defensible; and quantify baseline risks from background constituents for comparison of risks associated with contaminated sites

  17. New Zealand Teachers Respond to the "National Writing Project" Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locke, Terry; Whitehead, David; Dix, Stephanie; Cawkwell, Gail

    2011-01-01

    This article draws on early data from a two-year project (2009-11) being undertaken in the New Zealand context by the authors entitled: "Teachers as Writers: Transforming Professional Identity and Classroom Practice". Based on the National Writing Project in the USA (and in New Zealand in the 1980s) its hypothesis is that when teachers…

  18. Project plan for the Background Soil Characterization Project on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-08-01

    The Background Soil characterization Project (BSCP) will provide background concentration levels of selected metals, organic compounds, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated on-site areas at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), and off-site in the western part of Roane County and the eastern part of Anderson County. The BSCP will establish a database, recommend how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide estimates of the potential human health and environmental risks associated with the background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents

  19. Project plan for the Background Soil Characterization Project on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-08-01

    The Background Soil characterization Project (BSCP) will provide background concentration levels of selected metals, organic compounds, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated on-site areas at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), and off-site in the western part of Roane County and the eastern part of Anderson County. The BSCP will establish a database, recommend how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide estimates of the potential human health and environmental risks associated with the background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents.

  20. Model program for the recruitment and preparation of high ability elementary mathematics/science teachers: A collaborative project among scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-12-01

    This teacher education program will provide a model for recruiting, educating and retaining high ability students to become mathematics and science lead teachers in elementary schools. The quality experiences and support provided these students will help them develop the knowledge and attitudes necessary to provide leadership for elementary mathematics and science programs. Students will have research experiences at the Ames Laboratory, high quality field experiences with nationally recognized mathematics and science teachers in local schools and opportunities to meaningfully connect these two experiences. This program, collaboratively designed and implemented by scientists, teacher educators and classroom teachers, should provide a replicatable model for other teacher education institutions. In addition, materials developed for the project should help other laboratories interface more effectively with K-8 schools and help other teacher education programs incorporate real science and mathematics experience into their curriculum.

  1. A Discussion Project on High School Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relationship between Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Ronald J.

    1976-01-01

    Describes a small group discussion project involving students and teachers in two large white suburban high schools. The project's intention was to focus discussion on the social quality of the relationship between students and teachers, and to assess the impact of the discussions on student perceptions. (Author/RK)

  2. Teachers' tendencies to promote student-led science projects: Associations with their views about science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bencze, J. Lawrence; Bowen, G. Michael; Alsop, Steve

    2006-05-01

    School science students can benefit greatly from participation in student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects. For various possible reasons, however, students tend not to be engaged in such inquiries. Among factors that may limit their opportunities to engage in open-ended inquiries of their design are teachers' conceptions about science. To explore possible relationships between teachers' conceptions about science and the types of inquiry activities in which they engage students, instrumental case studies of five secondary science teachers were developed, using field notes, repertory grids, samples of lesson plans and student activities, and semistructured interviews. Based on constructivist grounded theory analysis, participating teachers' tendencies to promote student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects seemed to correspond with positions about the nature of science to which they indicated adherence. A tendency to encourage and enable students to carry out student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry projects appeared to be associated with adherence to social constructivist views about science. Teachers who opposed social constructivist views tended to prefer tight control of student knowledge building procedures and conclusions. We suggest that these results can be explained with reference to human psychological factors, including those associated with teachers' self-esteem and their relationships with knowledge-building processes in the discipline of their teaching.

  3. Perceptions of Teacher Candidates Regarding Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baysura, Ozge Deniz; Altun, Sertel; Yucel-Toy, Banu

    2016-01-01

    Problem Statement: Project-based learning (PBL) is a learning and teaching approach that makes students search for new knowledge and skills, helps them overcome real-life questions, and makes them design their own studies and performances. Research in Turkey reveals that teachers are not well-informed about PBL, can not guide students in this…

  4. Effective teaching in the contexts of Internet science projects: American and Russian teachers' perspectives of best practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mumma, Brian

    Statement of the problem. Science education literature had agreed that an important goal in students' learning is the development of scientific and technological literacy. One effort that teachers have integrated into their practices for addressing this goal has been teaching within the contexts of Internet Science Projects. Greater awareness of teachers' perspectives of their best practices and their beliefs and reasons for these practices in the contexts of Internet Science Projects can improve the quality of science education programs. Methods. A series of pilot interviews was conducted during the 2000--2001 school year to develop the guiding questions for inquiring into teachers' perspectives of their best practices within the contexts of Internet Science Projects. This series of interviews resulted in the understanding of the need to select teachers with experiences with Internet Science Projects and to conduct in-depth phenomenological interviews for learning from their voices. Two teachers were purposefully selected as the participant-informants for this study, one an American elementary teacher from Walker County, Georgia, and one a Russian teacher from St. Petersburg, Russia. The study was conducted from October through December 2001. The data collected for this qualitative study consisted of a series of in-depth phenomenological interviews, classroom observations, and the collection and analysis of various artifacts including teacher journals, student products, and e-mail/bulletin board transcripts. The interview structure was based upon a modification of expanding Seidman's (1998) three interview series into multiple interviews concluded upon the determination of saturation of the topic. The series of interviews were composed of (1) life history focus; (2) the details of the experience of teaching within the contexts of Internet Science Projects; and (3) reflection on the meanings. The data analysis consisted of applying Strauss & Corbin's (1990) open

  5. SOAP in Practice: Learning Outcomes of a Cross-Institutional Innovation Project Conducted by Teachers, Student Teachers, and Teacher Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seezink, Audrey; Poell, Rob; Kirschner, Paul

    2010-01-01

    This paper reports on a case study investigating learning outcomes at the individual and organisational level of a cross-institutional innovation project based on the SOAP approach. SOAP integrates "S"chooling of teachers, "O"rganisational development of schools, "A"ction- and development-oriented research, and…

  6. Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning: An Online Wiki Experience in Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biasutti, Michele; EL-Deghaidy, Heba

    2015-01-01

    In the current research study the use of Wikis as an online didactic tool to apply project-based learning in higher education was reported. The study was conducted in university teacher education programmes. During the online activities, participants developed interdisciplinary projects for the primary school working collaboratively in small…

  7. The PISCES Project: How Teacher-Scientist Partners can Enhance Elementary Science Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reif, C.; Oechel, W.

    2003-12-01

    The PISCES Project (Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools www.sdsa.org/pisces) is an innovative program that brings high quality standards-based elementary science curriculum and hands-on laboratory materials into San Diego County's classrooms. The project is funded by the NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) program. The project was designed and is administered through cooperation among faculty at San Diego State University and the Science Department of the San Diego County Office of Education. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in science programs in San Diego area universities including San Diego State University, California State University San Marcos, and University of California San Diego partner with elementary school teachers. Through this partnership, the scientist brings scientific expertise to the classroom while the teacher delivers the lesson using current pedagogic methods. This is accomplished during a 3 month partnership in which the scientist joins the teacher in the classroom a few days each week to complete professional kit-based curriculum such as that available from FOSS (Full Option Science System) and STC (Science and Technology for Children). The teachers remain in the program for two years during which they have continuous access to the kit-based curriculum as well as two to three partnership cycles. Teachers receive assistance outside of the classroom as well attending professional development institutes three times a year to establish and maintain effective science teaching methods. The San Diego Science Alliance and other community and industry supporters provide the additionalfunding necessary to provide this teacher professional development Currenty, PISCES is present in over 40 schools and is able to provide partnerships to over 100 classrooms each year. In addition to the work done in San Diego, the project has expanded to Barrow, Alaska with plans to expand to La Paz

  8. Teacher Learning within a Multinational Project in an Upper Secondary School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liisa Ilomäki

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this case study, we investigated teachers’ professional learning within a multinational project in an upper secondary school. The aim of the study was to investigate how the participating teachers adopted and applied the trialogical approach (TLA in their pedagogical practices and their challenges in doing that. The mixed method approach was used for data collection and analysis. About one-fourth of the teachers participated in the activities, ten females and three males. Three groups were identified, based on their activity in the project: pilot teachers, active adopters, and adopters. Altogether 79 students (38 males and 41 females answered a questionnaire concerning the pedagogical practices. The pedagogical revisions were well in line with TLA; the revised courses as well as new iterations and new ideas were indicators of the teachers’ creative implementation processes. However, some of the TLA ideas were more difficult to apply in an upper secondary school context; for example, the implementation of ideas involving cross-fertilization with other organizations and cultures was rare. In order to learn new pedagogical practices, teachers need organized time for collaborative planning, for reflecting, and for sharing.

  9. The Teaching Profession against the Background of Educationalisation: An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooge, Edith Helena; Honingh, Marlies Elisabeth; Langelaan, Berber Nadia

    2011-01-01

    This article focuses on the teaching profession against the background of educationalisation in the Netherlands in the sense that Dutch schools are increasingly regarded as focal points at which to address and solve social issues. Our research project concentrated on the extent to which teachers, being key figures in the school organisation,…

  10. Human Genome Teacher Networking Project, Final Report, April 1, 1992 - March 31, 1998

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Collins, Debra

    1999-10-01

    Project to provide education regarding ethical legal and social implications of Human Genome Project to high school science teachers through two consecutive summer workshops, in class activities, and peer teaching workshops.

  11. Critical Issues in Assessing Teacher Compensation. Backgrounder. No. 2638

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richwine, Jason; Biggs, Andrew G.

    2012-01-01

    A November 2011 Heritage Foundation report--"Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers"--presented data on teacher salaries and benefits in order to inform debates about teacher compensation reform. The report concluded that public-school teacher compensation is far ahead of what comparable private-sector workers enjoy, and that…

  12. Information, Vol. 1, Number 4. Teacher Corps Dissemination Project Bulletin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenau, Fred S., Ed.

    Guidelines are provided for disseminating information on teacher corps projects. Information is given on experienced disseminators such as existing networks that are available to help in planning. Suggestions are made on targeting information and marketing. (JD)

  13. EVALUATION OF NEW PRIMARY TEACHERS ORIENTATION COURSE PROJECT LAUNCHED THROUGH ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed Manzoor H. SHAH

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Primary Education is an important stage in the education system of any country. Every developed and developing nation is keen to develop and improve its primary education. In service training of the primary school teachers is a major factor in improving primary education. In Pakistan efforts have been made from the very beginning to improve the primary education especially in the late seventy’s. Different Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs, Donors Agencies and Institutions had been involved in taking different initiatives for the improvement of the quality of primary education. New Primary Teachers Orientation Course (N-PTOC was a similar effort of the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD in joint collaboration of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad (AIOU. The major objective of the project was to improve the teaching of primary school teachers through selected microteaching skills, lesson planning, use of teaching kit and AV aids. This project was started in 1991-92 and completed in the year, 1999. Different studies were conducted which indicated that the project has an impact on the performance of the trained teachers. The present study aimed for evaluation of the N-PTOC project launched through Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. The study is based on the documentary analysis. All the existing record of the project including different reports, documents etc. were consulted for the purpose. It was concluded that the project achieved its trainee teacher’s targets up to 70% and training of tutors and senior tutors up to 100%. Moreover the project produced a model teachers training module for the in-service training of the primary school teachers. There were some problems and challenges in its implementation including; late release of funds, shifting of targets to next semester and its non continuation by the AIOU.

  14. EIA--A Teacher Education Project in Bangladesh: An Analysis from Diversified Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karim, Abdul; Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Rahman, Mohammad Mosiur

    2017-01-01

    English in Action (EIA) is an ongoing teacher education project which places mobile technology at the centre of its action. Most of the studies carried out focused on the changes EIA brought in teachers' classroom actions. Along with this, they also explored the classroom to observe whether the input given during training program is implemented in…

  15. Science teachers' meaning-making when involved in a school-based professional development project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

    2012-01-01

    A group of teachers’ meaning-making when they are collaboratively analyzing artifacts from practice in local science classrooms in a school-based professional development (PD) project is examined through repeated interviews and represented as meaning-making maps. The interpretation of the teachers......’ meaningmaking includes both their reference to outcomes from the project and their expressed ideas about teaching and learning of science. All four teachers refer to experiences from experimenting in their classrooms and interpret the collected artifacts in relation to students’ learning. Furthermore, they all...... felt encouraged to continue collaboration around science. During the interviews, the teachers emphasize various elements apparently connected to concrete challenges they each experience in their professional work. Implications in relation to the design of PD are discussed....

  16. Responding to the Challenge of Providing Stronger Research Base for Teacher Education: Research Discourses in the Norwegian National Research School for Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Østern, Anna-Lena

    2016-01-01

    Background and purpose: The purpose of this article is to shed light on how the research projects of 140 PhD candidates in the National Research School for Teacher Education in Norway (NAFOL) respond to the challenges faced by Norwegian teacher education regarding the demand for higher competence and a stronger research base. The concept of NAFOL…

  17. Implications from the Use of ICT by Language Teachers--Participants of International Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajek, Elzbieta

    2015-01-01

    Telecollaboration in international school projects requires various competences from the participating teachers. A combination of intercultural, linguistic, technical and subject competences builds ground for successful team work with foreign partners. This article presents a survey on the use of ICT by language teachers, their attitudes to ICT…

  18. A Phenomenological Research Study of the Experience of Teachers in the Virgin Islands Teacher Enhancement in Mathematics and Science Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurland, Karen C.

    The purpose of conducting this study was to describe the experience of elementary teachers in a mathematics and science staff development project in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The focus of this study was to describe the meaning teachers attribute to their experience in this three year project, in which many of the national mathematics and science reform efforts were implemented. A phenomenological approach was used in order to develop a complete picture of the teachers' experiences. Data collection consisted of interviews with seven elementary teachers. The data were subjective descriptions of the teachers pertaining to the initial summer institute, the follow-up sessions, and the new innovative methods. The transcendental phenomenological model was used. The textural and structural themes included enhanced learning and changes in teaching practice, and interactions with colleagues. From these themes, individual and composite textual descriptions of the experience of the teacher participants were developed. The synthesis of those descriptions illuminated the meanings and essence of their lived experience. The findings indicate that the essence of the experience was the development of a positive attitude towards the teaching of math and science. The teachers gained confidence in their ability to motivate students with the inquiry method and taught more math and science. The implications for the Virgin Islands Department of Education include establishing a partnership with the local university to offer staff development training in mathematics and science and to conduct evaluations of its training efforts.

  19. Mainstream Teacher Candidates' Perspectives on ESL Writing: The Effects of Writer Identity and Rater Background

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hyun-Sook; Veitch, Hillary

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the extent to which the ethnic identity of a writer and the background (gender and area of teaching) of a rater can influence mainstream teacher candidates' evaluation of English as a second language (ESL) writing, using a matched-guise method. A one-page essay was elicited from an ESL learner enrolled in an intensive English…

  20. The perceptions of pre-service and in-service teachers regarding a project-based STEM approach to teaching science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siew, Nyet Moi; Amir, Nazir; Chong, Chin Lu

    2015-01-01

    Whilst much attention has focused on project-based approaches to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, little has been reported on the views of South-East Asian science teachers on project-based STEM approaches. Such knowledge could provide relevant information for education training institutions on how to influence innovative teaching of STEM subjects in schools. This article reports on a study that investigated the perceptions of 25 pre-service and 21 in-service Malaysian science teachers in adopting an interdisciplinary project-based STEM approach to teaching science. The teachers undertook an eight hour workshop which exposed them to different science-based STEM projects suitable for presenting science content in the Malaysian high school science syllabus. Data on teachers' perceptions were captured through surveys, interviews, open-ended questions and classroom discussion before and at the end of the workshop. Study findings showed that STEM professional development workshops can provide insights into the support required for teachers to adopt innovative, effective, project-based STEM approaches to teaching science in their schools.

  1. The Human Genome Project: Biology, Computers, and Privacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cutter, Mary Ann G.; Drexler, Edward; Gottesman, Kay S.; Goulding, Philip G.; McCullough, Laurence B.; McInerney, Joseph D.; Micikas, Lynda B.; Mural, Richard J.; Murray, Jeffrey C.; Zola, John

    This module, for high school teachers, is the second of two modules about the Human Genome Project (HGP) produced by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS). The first section of this module provides background information for teachers about the structure and objectives of the HGP, aspects of the science and technology that underlie the…

  2. A school and inquiry based project with Nordic student teachers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stougaard, Birgitte

    Álka is a framework involving teacher education institutions in the Nordic counties. This study describes the design of a module aiming at the establishment of a stronger nexus between research (theory) and teaching of science (practice) and to explore an issue relevant for the student teachers...... future professional life. The theme that was used for the research based project was: Nordic Children’s ideas about living things in the sea. Oral presentation at The 10th Nordic Research Symposium on Science Education (NFSUN), Linköbing, Sweden, June 2011....

  3. Teachers' Knowledge and Views on the Use of Learners' Socio-Cultural Background in Teaching Natural Sciences in Grade 9 Township Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mavuru, Lydia; Ramnarain, Umesh

    2017-01-01

    This article explores teachers' knowledge and views on the role of learners' socio-cultural background when teaching Natural Sciences to Grade 9 learners at three South African township schools. Within a socio-cultural framework, the research investigated how teachers accommodate learners' cultural norms and values, religion and beliefs,…

  4. Attitudes and Motivation toward Learning the English Language among Students from Islamic Education System Background: Exploring the Views of Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Sheikh Ahmad

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Research in the field of attitudes and motivation has increasingly investigated the nature and role of motivation in L2 learning process, and many are inspired by Canadian psychologists, Robert Gardner and Wallace Lambert [1]. However, in Malaysia, there has been only a meagre number of research that investigates teachers' perceptions on attitudes and motivation of students from religious school background. It is of great significance to explore the attitudes and motivation of these groups of students because the students appeared to be weak in the English language and they also held negative perceptions toward the language [2, 3]. The present study is needed to attain authentic information about possible connections between teachers' personal experiences, their perspectives and their practices regarding teaching and learning of students from the aforementioned background. This qualitative research study contains in-depth teacher interviews that document their personal perceptions, ways of dealing with students in the specified setting, and their suggestions on improving the attitudes and motivation of learning English for students from religious school background. Findings are presented according to the research questions intended for the study and several conclusions were drawn from the data. 

  5. 'Cascading participation' and the role of teachers in a collaborative HIV and Aids curriculum development project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duncan Scott

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents findings of four Grade 6 teachers' involvement as facilitators of a participatory action research (PAR project conducted in three South African primary schools. Based on the results of Phase One research which indicated that Grade 6s learn about sexuality, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS from multiple sources, the Phase Two project designers developed a toolkit to help Life Orientation (LO teachers consult learners on what they know and how they want to be taught. In each school, a curriculum development group comprising the participating teacher, learners, parents and an HIV and Aids specialist worked to enhance the official HIV and Aids curriculum using the information gathered each week by the teacher. This dialogue between the study participants represents the culmination of what we describe as the project's 'cascading participation' research model, a term denoting the multiple levels of participant involvement in the study. Although theories of participation often depict a binary relationship between those with power and those without it, the implementation of this project shows how the official curriculum, cultural norms and low parent involvement can exert pressure at different levels to diminish teachers' ability to facilitate social and educational change.

  6. General Aviation in Nebraska: Nebraska SATS Project Background Paper No. 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Russell; Wachal, Jocelyn

    2000-01-01

    The Nebraska SATS project is a state-level component of NASA's Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS). During the next several years the project will examine several different factors affecting SATS implementation in Nebraska. These include economic and taxation issues, public policy issues, airport planning processes, information dissemination strategies, and systemic change factors. This background paper profiles the general aviation system in Nebraska. It is written to provide information about the "context" within which SATS will be pursued. The primary focus is thus on describing and providing background information about the current situation. A secondary focus is on drawing general conclusions about the ability of the current system to incorporate the types of changes implied by SATS. First, some brief information on the U.S. aviation system is provided. The next two sections profile the current general aviation aircraft and pilot base. Nebraska's system of general aviation airports is then described. Within this section of the paper, information is provided on the different types of general aviation airports in Nebraska, airport activity levels and current infrastructure. The fourth major section of the background paper looks at Nebraska's local airport authorities. These special purpose local governments oversee the majority of the general aviation airports in the state. Among the items examined are total expenditures, capital expenditures and planning activities. Next, the paper provides background information on the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics (NDA) and recent Federal funding for general aviation in Nebraska. The final section presents summary conclusions.

  7. Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kararo, Alex T.

    There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units

  8. [Subtainable health promotion via organisational development--a model project for teachers in professional training schools].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumacher, L; Nieskens, B; Bräuer, H; Sieland, B

    2005-02-01

    The goal of this project is the development, implementation and evaluation of a concept designed for sustainable health promotion among occupational and trade school teachers. We assume that for sustainable health promotion -- along with a behavioral prevention program -- a change is necessary in the structure, as well as, the working and communication processes within schools. The realization of early teacher participation and self regulated cooperative groups initiates comprehensive and goal-oriented developmental processes in the project schools. The organizational development process was accomplished in the following way: At the beginning we conducted a diagnosis of school-specific and individual health risks and the resources available to the project schools. The results were reported for both the individual and for the teacher group. This was intended to clarify the potential for improvement and, thus, strengthen the teachers' motivation toward processes of change. Following the diagnosis, the teachers chose areas of stress-related strain and then worked in groups to develop and implement behaviour and working condition-oriented intervention strategies for health promotion. The diagnosis results confirm the necessity of school-specific health promotion: the schools demonstrate very different demand and resource profiles. Furthermore, is has become evident that the central success factor for health promotion in schools is the teachers' willingness for change. The individual and group reports of the diagnosis results seem to have made clear how essential individual and organisational changes are.

  9. A Mother and Her Daughters: Jewish Teachers and the Fight against Apartheid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieder, Alan

    2007-01-01

    Background: Before 1999, there was little research on teachers and apartheid aside from some biographical sketches. "A Mother and Her Daughters" is part of an ongoing oral history project of teachers who fought apartheid. It is contextualized through the literature on Jews and apartheid in South Africa and joins the growing literature on…

  10. Brazilian Eratosthenes Project: autonomy of teachers in experimental activities of Astronomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo Langhi

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Research results point to the use of experimental activities in Science Education as one of the most efficient strategies to arouse interest and dedication of the students. One of the important considerations about the experimental activities is that there is no effective contribution to the use of kits with ready scripts, closed procedures and measurement of expected experimental results. This limits the autonomy of the teachers and students in the teaching-learning process. Specifically on Astronomy Education, the researches show the importance of considering the observational component and practice of this science. Then, our research question was structured: which elements subsidize the construction of teacher autonomy in the development and implementation of experimental activities in order to effectively contribute to the teaching of Astronomy? We developed this research in the context of Brazilian Eratosthenes Project, through a discourse analysis of a group of teachers participating in this project since 2010. Our results reveal the predominance of a training model cast in an approach extremely focused on the content and under the technical rationality, with few elements contributing to the construction the autonomy of teaching. On the other hand, a historical analysis of Eratosthenes Project and the activities developed by some of the participants indicate potential regarding the development of elements that can enable these professionals to exercise independently their profession, to develop and implement experimental activities unstructured in the interdisciplinary teaching of Astronomy.

  11. The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Attitudes and Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Curby; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Bull, Glen

    2014-01-01

    Researchers in this study looked at the effect of content-specific, technology-rich project-based learning activities on EC-8 pre-service teachers' competencies and skills, as well as pre-service teacher's attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Researchers employed a quantitative design involving participants in…

  12. Student-Teacher Collaboration: A Skateboard Project that Really Rocks!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Tim

    2005-01-01

    As a teacher, the author gets his biggest charge from seeing students' eyes light up when he asks them a question related to a topic on which they are the experts and he is the novice. Skateboarding provides a prime example. Since most of his students have a personal interest and involvement in skateboarding, he introduced a skateboard project to…

  13. Teacher and student reflections on ICT-rich science inquiry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Williams, John; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin

    2017-01-01

    and different ways for students to engage with, explore and communicate science ideas within inquiry. Sample: This project developed case studies with 6 science teachers of year 9 and 10 students, with an average age of 13 and 14 years in three New Zealand high schools. Teacher participants in the project had...... varying levels of understanding and experience with inquiry learning in science. Teacher knowledge and experience with ICT were equally diverse. Design and Methods: Teachers and researchers developed initially in a joint workshop a shared understanding of inquiry, and how this could be enacted. During......Background: Inquiry learning in science provides authentic and relevant contexts in which students can create knowledge to solve problems, make decisions and find solutions to issues in today’s world. The use of electronic networks can facilitate this interaction, dialogue and sharing, and adds...

  14. A novel background field removal method for MRI using projection onto dipole fields (PDF).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Tian; Khalidov, Ildar; de Rochefort, Ludovic; Spincemaille, Pascal; Liu, Jing; Tsiouris, A John; Wang, Yi

    2011-11-01

    For optimal image quality in susceptibility-weighted imaging and accurate quantification of susceptibility, it is necessary to isolate the local field generated by local magnetic sources (such as iron) from the background field that arises from imperfect shimming and variations in magnetic susceptibility of surrounding tissues (including air). Previous background removal techniques have limited effectiveness depending on the accuracy of model assumptions or information input. In this article, we report an observation that the magnetic field for a dipole outside a given region of interest (ROI) is approximately orthogonal to the magnetic field of a dipole inside the ROI. Accordingly, we propose a nonparametric background field removal technique based on projection onto dipole fields (PDF). In this PDF technique, the background field inside an ROI is decomposed into a field originating from dipoles outside the ROI using the projection theorem in Hilbert space. This novel PDF background removal technique was validated on a numerical simulation and a phantom experiment and was applied in human brain imaging, demonstrating substantial improvement in background field removal compared with the commonly used high-pass filtering method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Students' and teachers' perceptions: initial achievements of a Project-Based Engineering School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terrón-López, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma-Julia; García-García, María-José; Ocampo, Jared R.

    2017-11-01

    A unified academic model based on the project-based learning (PBL) methodology was implemented, in the 2012-2013 period, in the School of Engineering at Universidad Europea de Madrid. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether teachers and students participating in the capstone projects feel that the objectives for which this methodology was designed for are being achieved. The data were collected through interviews to participants at the end of the PBL experience. The results are encouraging, as students seem to be more motivated, and they say that they are experiencing deeper learning, and have developed key competitive skills required for their professional lives. Findings also suggest that teachers face positively the PBL as a learning approach since they perceive that students obtain a deeper learning, develop transversal skills with the projects and are more engaged with their studies. Implications and recommendations for the future of the model are also discussed.

  16. Adoption of ICT in Science Education: A Case Study of Communication Channels in a Teachers' Professional Development Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari; Aksela, Maija; Meisalo, Veijo

    2009-01-01

    This paper analyses the use of various communication channels in science teachers' professional development project aiming to develop versatile uses for ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in science teaching. A teacher network was created specifically for this project, and the researchers facilitated three forms of communication…

  17. The creation of science projects in the physics teachers preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horváthová, Daniela; Rakovská, Mária; Zelenický, Ľubomír

    2017-01-01

    Terms - project, projecting and the method of projecting - are nowadays frequently used in different relations. Those terms, especially as methods (of a cognitive process), are also transferred to the educational process. Before a new educational method comes to practice, the teacher should be familiar with it and preferably when it is done so during his university studies. An optional subject called Physics in a system of science subjects has been included into physics curricula for students of the fourth year of their studies at the Faculty of Science of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Its task is to make students aware of ways how to coordinate knowledge and instructions presented in these subjects through analysis of curricula and textbooks. As a part of their seminars students are asked to create integrated tasks and experiments which can be assessed from the point of view of either physics or chemistry or biology and which can motivate pupils and form their complex view on various phenomena in the nature. Therefore the article discusses theoretical and also practical questions related to experience that originates from placing the mentioned method and the subject Physics in a system of science subjects into the preparation of a natural sciences teacher in our workplace.

  18. Project ALERT: Forging New Partnerships to Improve Earth System Science Education for Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzger, E. P.; Ambos, E. L.; Ng, E. W.; Skiles, J.; Simila, G.; Garfield, N.

    2002-05-01

    Project ALERT (Augmented Learning Environment and Renewable Teaching) was founded in 1998, with funding from NASA and the California State University (CSU), to improve earth system science education for pre-service teachers. Project ALERT has formed linkages between ten campuses of the CSU, which prepares about 60 percent of California's teachers, and two NASA centers, Ames Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. ALERT has also fostered alliances between earth science and science education faculty. The combined expertise of Project ALERT's diverse partners has led to a wide array of activities and products, including: 1) incorporation in university classrooms of NASA-developed imagery, data, and educational resources; 2) creation and/or enhancement of several courses that bring earth systems science to pre-service teachers; 3) fellowships for CSU faculty to participate in collaborative research and education projects at the NASA Centers; 4) development of teaching modules on such varied topics as volcanoes, landslides, and paleoclimate; and 5) a central web site that highlights resources for teaching introductory Earth system science. An outgrowth of Project ALERT is the increased interest on the part of CSU earth scientists in education issues. This has catalyzed their participation in other projects, including NASA's Project NOVA, Earth System Science Education Alliance, and Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum, the Digital Library for Earth System Science Education, and the California Science Project. Project ALERT has also expanded to provide professional development opportunities for in-service teachers, as exemplified by its support of the Bay Area Earth Science Institute (BAESI) at San Jose State University. Each year, BAESI offers 10-15 full-day workshops that supply teachers and teachers-to-be with a blend of science concepts and classroom activities, free instructional materials, and the opportunity to earn inexpensive university credit. These

  19. Re-Searching Secondary Teacher Trainees in Distance Education and Face-to-Face Mode: Study of Their Background Variables, Personal Characteristics and Academic Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garg, Mamta; Gakhar, Sudesh

    2011-01-01

    The present investigation was conducted to describe and compare the background variables, personal characteristics and academic performance of secondary teacher trainees in distance education and face-to-face mode. The results indicated that teacher trainees in distance education differed from their counterparts in age, marital status, sex and…

  20. Teaching as Improvisational Experience: Student Music Teachers' Reflections on Learning during an Intercultural Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westerlund, Heidi; Partti, Heidi; Karlsen, Sidsel

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative instrumental case study explores Finnish student music teachers' experiences of teaching and learning as participants in an intercultural project in Cambodia. The Multicultural Music University project aimed at increasing master's level music education students' intercultural competencies by providing experiences of teaching and…

  1. Merging Regular and Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs: The Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Darcy E.

    1991-01-01

    Describes the Integrated Special Education-English Project (ISEP) which facilitated the gradual integration of special education and English teacher preparation programs. A description of the ISEP model and a case study are included. The case study indicated student teachers who participated in the ISEP improved special education and English…

  2. Final report on the Background Soil Characterization Project at the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-10-01

    The Background Soil Characterization Project (BSCP) will provide background concentration levels of selected metals organic compounds, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated on-site areas at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), and off-site in the western part of Roane County and the eastern part of Anderson County. The BSCP will establish a database, recommend how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide estimates of the potential human health and environmental risks associated with the background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents. This volume contains the data from the Background Soil Characterization Project. When available, the following validation qualifiers are used in the appendixes. When validation qualifiers are not available, the corresponding contract laboratory data qualifiers appearing on the next page are used

  3. Family Background of Beginning Education Students: Implications for Teacher Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Roger A.; Coll, Kenneth M.; Osguthorpe, Richard

    2013-01-01

    Teacher education has not historically focused on the social and emotional development of teachers even though there is evidence that such variables influence student success (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). We believe such a focus is important and we explored variables in teacher education students' families of origin that underpin social and…

  4. The Teacher-Scholar Project: how to help faculty groups develop scholarly skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinrich, Kathleen T; Hurst, Helen; Leigh, Gwen; Oberleitner, Melinda Granger; Poirrier, Gail P

    2009-01-01

    Nursing education's challenge in the new millennium is to prepare all nurses as scholars. With many nurse educators feeling like impostors when it comes to scholarship, this is no small task. Turning the millenial challenge into an opportunity, this article describes how a collaborative faculty development initiative is turning a National League for Nursing Center of Excellence school's "scholar-impostors" into teacher-scholars. This Teacher-Scholar Project will interest those in teaching intensive schools of nursing or in teaching tracks in research-intensive institutions.

  5. Perspectives on Teaching from Alternative Certification Teachers from Diverse Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Brian R.

    2014-01-01

    This article presents an interview with five teachers in an alternative certification program at a university in New York. All of the teachers were from the New York City Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) program, which is an alternative certification program in New York designed to quickly place teachers in high need schools throughout the city. The…

  6. Teacher Pay for Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching. [Executive Summary

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springer, Matthew G.; Hamilton, Laura; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Ballou, Dale; Le, Vi-Nhuan; Pepper, Matthew; Lockwood, J. R.; Stecher, Brian M.

    2013-01-01

    The Project on Incentives in Teaching (POINT) was a three-year study conducted in the Metropolitan Nashville School System from 2006-07 through 2008-09, in which middle school mathematics teachers voluntarily participated in a controlled experiment to assess the effect of financial rewards for teachers whose students showed unusually large gains…

  7. Determining Teachers' Educational Needs Regarding School Education Projects within the Scope of Erasmus+ Programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakus, Fatma; Uyar, Melis Yesilpinar; Balbag, Nur Leman

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine teachers' educational needs regarding school education projects within the scope of Erasmus+ programme. In the study, the case study method, one of qualitative research designs, was used. The participants were determined using the snowball sampling method, and eight secondary school teachers took part in…

  8. Solar Car, Solar Boat: Model Classroom Projects. Seattle Tech Prep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seattle Community Coll. District, Washington.

    This booklet shows how teachers at Ingraham High School and Madison Middle School in Seattle (Washington) challenged their students to tackle demanding technical projects. It also shows how well the students responded to that challenge. The booklet begins with the background of the project, the framework for which would be a university-sponsored…

  9. Working with Teachers to Develop Fair and Reliable Measures of Effective Teaching. MET Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2010

    2010-01-01

    In fall 2009, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project to develop and test multiple measures of teacher effectiveness. The goal of the MET project is to improve the quality of information about teaching effectiveness available to education professionals within states and districts--information…

  10. Teacher's Guide to Animal Camouflage: The MATCH Box Project; Prototype Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Standring, Gillian; Bernath, Robert

    The Materials and Activities for Teachers and Children (MATCH Box) project was developed in 1965 to provide for the relatively intensive treatment of a subject over a short period through materials geared to the elementary school level. Each MATCH Box contains materials, equipment, and activities that work together to foster the teaching/learning…

  11. New Perspectives on Teacher Education in Kuwait

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Sharaf, Adel

    2006-01-01

    This brief paper is part of a larger research project which examined the historical background of teaching in the Kuwaiti educational system before and after the Gulf War in 1990 in order to propose a new perspective on teacher education in Kuwait, particularly with regard to religious education. The author is interested in whether others have a…

  12. Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences and Views on Project-Based Learning Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dag, Funda; Durdu, Levent

    2017-01-01

    Project-based learning (PjBL) has been promoted as an effective and frequently used student-centered learning approach for various learning environments. To have various learning experiences with PjBL is an important requirement for pre-service teachers (PSTs). The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences PSTs had with group work…

  13. Instrumental and Vocal Teacher Education: Competences, Roles and Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lennon, Mary; Reed, Geoffrey

    2012-01-01

    This article focuses on selected outcomes of the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC) "Polifonia" Working Group for Instrumental and Vocal Teacher Training in Europe (2007-2010). The introduction provides the background to the project, explains the rationale and objectives, describes the research process and gives an overview of…

  14. Promoting Mentalizing in Pupils by Acting on Teachers: Preliminary Italian Evidence of the "Thought in Mind" Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valle, Annalisa; Massaro, Davide; Castelli, Ilaria; Sangiuliano Intra, Francesca; Lombardi, Elisabetta; Bracaglia, Edoardo; Marchetti, Antonella

    2016-01-01

    Mentalization research focuses on different aspects of this topic, highlighting individual differences in mentalizing and proposing programs of intervention for children and adults to increase this ability. The "Thought in Mind Project" (TiM Project) provides training targeted to adults-teachers or parents-to increase their mentalization and, consequently, to obtain mentalization improvement in children. The present research aimed to explore for the first time ever the potential of training for teachers based on the TiM Project, regarding the enhancement of mentalizing of an adult who would have interacted as a teacher with children. For this reason, two teachers - similar for meta-cognitive and meta-emotional skills - and their classes (N = 46) were randomly assigned to the training or control condition. In the first case, the teacher participated in training on the implementation of promotion of mentalizing in everyday school teaching strategies; in the second case the teacher participated in a control activity, similar to training for scheduling and methods, but without promoting the implementation of mentalization (in both conditions two meetings lasting about 3 h at the beginning of the school year and two supervisions during the school year were conducted). The children were tested by tasks assessing several aspects of mentalization (second and third-order false belief understanding, Strange Stories, Reading the mind in the Eyes, Mentalizing Task) both before and after the teacher participate in the TiM or control training (i.e., at the beginning and at the end of the school year). The results showed that, although some measured components of mentalization progressed over time, only the TiM Project training group significantly improved in third order false belief understanding and changed - in a greater way compared to the control group - in two of the three components of the Mentalizing Task. These evidences are promising about the idea that the creation of

  15. National Writing Project's Multimodal Literacies and Teacher Collaboration: Enhanced Student Learning on Global Social Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyengar, Kalpana; Hood, Caleb

    2016-01-01

    Iyengar and Hood, both teacher consultants with the San Antonio Writing Project (SAWP), and instructors of an undergraduate society and social issues class, collaborated to enhance their undergraduate students' writing experiences using the National Writing Project model (Lieberman & Wood, 2003). Iyengar and Hood used strategies such as…

  16. Final Evaluation Report of Teacher Training Projects Sponsored by Law in a Changing Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denton, Jon J.; Kracht, James B.

    The report is an assessment of law-focused education projects located in selected cities in Texas during the 1975-76 academic year. The projects were undertaken to positively affect the attitudes and understanding of students toward the role of law in today's society and the influences of law on crime and corruption. Teacher training programs and…

  17. Boundary Crossing in R&D Projects in Schools: Learning through Cross-Professional Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schenke, Wouter; van Driel, Jan; Geijsel, Femke P.; Volman, Monique L. L.

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: School leaders, teachers, and researchers are increasingly involved in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects in schools, which encourage crossing boundaries between the fields of school and research. It is not clear, however, what and how professionals in these projects learn through cross-professional…

  18. Designing Summer Research Experiences for Teachers and Students That Promote Classroom Science Inquiry Projects and Produce Research Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, L. A.; Parra, J.; Rao, M.; Offerman, L.

    2007-12-01

    Research experiences for science teachers are an important mechanism for increasing classroom teachers' science content knowledge and facility with "real world" research processes. We have developed and implemented a summer scientific research and education workshop model for high school teachers and students which promotes classroom science inquiry projects and produces important research results supporting our overarching scientific agenda. The summer training includes development of a scientific research framework, design and implementation of preliminary studies, extensive field research and training in and access to instruments, measurement techniques and statistical tools. The development and writing of scientific papers is used to reinforce the scientific research process. Using these skills, participants collaborate with scientists to produce research quality data and analysis. Following the summer experience, teachers report increased incorporation of research inquiry in their classrooms and student participation in science fair projects. This workshop format was developed for an NSF Biocomplexity Research program focused on the interaction of urban climates, air quality and human response and can be easily adapted for other scientific research projects.

  19. Effects of projection and background correction method upon calculation of right ventricular ejection fraction using first-pass radionuclide angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caplin, J.L.; Flatman, W.D.; Dymond, D.S.

    1985-01-01

    There is no consensus as to the best projection or correction method for first-pass radionuclide studies of the right ventricle. We assessed the effects of two commonly used projections, 30 degrees right anterior oblique and anterior-posterior, on the calculation of right ventricular ejection fraction. In addition two background correction methods, planar background correction to account for scatter, and right atrial correction to account for right atrio-ventricular overlap were assessed. Two first-pass radionuclide angiograms were performed in 19 subjects, one in each projection, using gold-195m (half-life 30.5 seconds), and each study was analysed using the two methods of correction. Right ventricular ejection fraction was highest using the right anterior oblique projection with right atrial correction 35.6 +/- 12.5% (mean +/- SD), and lowest when using the anterior posterior projection with planar background correction 26.2 +/- 11% (p less than 0.001). The study design allowed assessment of the effects of correction method and projection independently. Correction method appeared to have relatively little effect on right ventricular ejection fraction. Using right atrial correction correlation coefficient (r) between projections was 0.92, and for planar background correction r = 0.76, both p less than 0.001. However, right ventricular ejection fraction was far more dependent upon projection. When the anterior-posterior projection was used calculated right ventricular ejection fraction was much more dependent on correction method (r = 0.65, p = not significant), than using the right anterior oblique projection (r = 0.85, p less than 0.001)

  20. Holistic Approach to Secondary Earth Science Teacher Professional Development: the Triad of Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubino-Hare, L.; Sample, J. C.; Fredrickson, K.; Claesgens, J.; Bloom, N.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Manone, M.

    2011-12-01

    We have provided two years of professional development for secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using GIS. The EYE-POD project (funded by NSF-ITEST) involved pairs of teachers from Arizona and the surrounding region in two-week institutes during Summer, 2010, and an advanced institute in Summer, 2011. The NAz-POD project (funded by Arizona Department of Education and administered by Science Foundation Arizona) provided similar PD experiences, but the institutes occurred during weekends in the academic year. The institutes were led by a team with expertise in Earth science content, professional development and pedagogy, and GIS. The teachers developed learning modules using the project based learning instructional model. Pedagogy, content, and GIS skills were combined throughout the professional development activities. Academic year follow up by NAU personnel included classroom observations and technical support. For assessing student work we provided a rubric, but learned that teachers were not prepared to assess GIS products in order to determine the level of student understanding. In year two of the project we incorporated strategies for assessment of student products into the professional development. Teacher-participants and their students completed several pre- and post- assessments. Teacher assessments included a geospatial performance assessment, classroom observations, and content tests. Student data collection included attitude and efficacy questionnaires, content tests, and authentic assessments including products using GIS. Content tests were the same for teachers and students and included spatial reasoning, data analysis, and Earth science content. Data was also collected on teacher perception of professional development delivery and self-reported confidence in teaching with PBI and geospatial technology. Student assessments show that improvement occurred in all areas on the content test. Possible factors

  1. Self regulated learning trough project base learning on the prospective math teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laelasari

    2018-03-01

    Development of planning, strategy, and learning activities is strongly influenced by metacognition ability, knowledge of learning strategy, and understanding of context is the most important thing to be mastered by a prospective teacher. Self-regulation owned by the individual can control behavior, and manipulate a behavior by using the ability of his mind so that individuals can react to their environment. Self-regulation is the basis of the socialization process as it relates to the entire domain of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. This research is a qualitative research with research subject of the fourth-semester student of class A, at one of a university in Cirebon City, West Java. In this research, the lecture material discussed is The Development of Teaching Materials, which is the subject matter that must be mastered by prospective teachers, especially teachers of mathematics education. The instrument used is the questionnaire. The results showed that through project based learning, can grow student’s self-regulated learning especially the prospective math teacher, and can be used as an alternative to the delivery of lecture materials.

  2. Investigation of the Effect of Training on the Development of High School Teachers' Attitudes towards Scientific Research and Project Competitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akçöltekin, Alptürk

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to develop positive attitudes in high school teachers towards scientific research and project competitions by training them in scientific research and project preparation subjects. The study group consists of 90 high school teachers. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found in favor of…

  3. Salt Repository Project site study plan for background environmental radioactivity: Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-12-01

    The Site Study Plan for Background Environmental Radioactivity describes a field program consisting of an initial radiological survey and a radiological sampling program. The field program includes measurement of direct radiation and collection and analysis of background radioactivity samples of air, precipitation, soil, water, milk, pasture grass, food crops, meat, poultry, game, and eggs. The plan describes for each study the need for the study, the study design, data management, and use, schedule of proposed activities, and quality assurance requirements. These studies will provide data needed to satisfy requirements contained in, or derived from, the Salt Repository Project Requirements Document. 43 refs., 10 figs., 7 tabs

  4. Combining Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology in Teacher Professional Development: Is this Holistic Approach Sustainable?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubino-Hare, L.; Bloom, N.; Claesgens, J.; Fredrickson, K.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Sample, J. C.

    2012-12-01

    From 2009-2011, with support from the National Science Foundation (ITEST, DRL-0929846) and Science Foundation Arizona (MSAG-0412-09), educators, geologists and geographers at Northern Arizona University (NAU) partnered to offer professional development for interdisciplinary teams of secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using geospatial technologies (GST). While participating in professional development teachers received support and were held accountable to NAU staff. They implemented activities and pedagogical strategies presented, increased knowledge, skills, and confidence teaching with project-based instruction integrating GST, and their students demonstrated learning gains. Changes in student understanding are only observed when teachers continue to implement change, so the question remained: did these changes in practice sustain after official project support ended? In order to determine what, if anything, teachers sustained from the professional development and the factors that promoted or hindered sustained use of teaching with GST and PBI, data were collected one to two years following the professional development. Research questions included a) what pedagogical practices did teachers sustain following the professional learning experiences? and b) what contexts were present in schools that supported or limited the use of geospatial technologies as a teaching and learning tool? Findings from this study indicate that teachers fall into three categories of sustaining implementation - reformed implementers, mechanical implementers and non-implementers. School context was less of a factor in level of implementation than teachers' beliefs and philosophy of teaching and teachers' understanding of technology integration (teaching with technology vs. teaching technology). Case studies of teacher experiences will be presented along with implications for future professional development.

  5. Primary teachers conducting inquiry projects : the effect on attitude towards science and inquiry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra; Walma van der Molen, Julie Henriëtte

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the results of a theoretically informed professionalisation project that was set up to improve primary teachers’ attitudes towards science and attitude towards inquiry. A positive attitude towards science is of fundamental importance for teachers when stimulating interest in

  6. Health Activities Project (HAP), Trial Edition III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buller, Dave; And Others

    Contained within this Health Activities Project (HAP) trial edition (set III) are a teacher information folio and numerous student activity folios which center around the idea that students in grades 5-8 can control their own health and safety. Each student folio is organized into an Overview, Health Background, Materials, Setting Up, and…

  7. Cultivating Preservice Secondary Teachers for Project-Based Learning: A Four-Step Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Gaoming; Ridgway, Angelia J.; Sachs, Deb

    2015-01-01

    This article describes four different mechanisms for preparing teacher candidates from a liberal arts institution to teach in project based learning (PBL) classrooms: Observe it, Experience it, Create it, and Become it. For each of the four mechanisms, the authors also provide concrete examples of candidates' PBL experiences and candidates'…

  8. The NEED (National Energy Education Development) Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, D.; Spruill, M.

    2012-04-01

    The NEED (National Energy Education Development) Project is a non-profit organization which provides a wide range of K-12 curriculum on energy education topics. The curriculum is specific for primary, elementary, intermediate and secondary levels with age appropriate activities and reading levels. The NEED Project covers a wide range of topics from wind energy, nuclear energy, solar energy, hydropower, hydrogen, fossil fuels, energy conservation, energy efficiency and much more. One of the major strengths of this organization is its Teacher Advisory Board. The curriculum is routinely revised and updated by master classroom teachers who use the lessons and serve on the advisory board. This ensures it is of the highest quality and a useful resource. The NEED Project through a variety of sponsors including businesses, utility companies and government agencies conducts hundreds of teacher professional development workshops each year throughout the United States and have even done some workshops internationally. These workshops are run by trained NEED facilitators. At the workshops, teachers gain background understanding of the energy topics and have time to complete the hands on activities which make up the curriculum. The teachers are then sent a kit of equipment after successfully completing the workshop. This allows them to teach the curriculum and have their students perform the hands on labs and activities in the classroom. The NEED Project is the largest provider of energy education related curriculum in the United States. Their efforts are educating teachers about energy topics and in turn educating students in the hope of developing citizens who are energy literate. Many of the hands on activities used to teach about various energy sources will be described and demonstrated.

  9. Energy: options for the future. Curriculum development project for high school teachers. Final report. [Packet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carroll, T.O.

    1978-04-01

    Recent state and regional energy crises demonstrate the delicate balance between energy systems, the environment, and the economy. Indeed, the interaction between these three elements of society is very complex. This project develops curriculum materials that would better provide students with an understanding and awareness of fundamental principles of energy supply, conversion processes, and utilization now and in the future. The project had two specific objectives: to transfer knowledge of energy systems, analysis techniques, and advanced technologies from the energy analyst community to the teacher participants; and to involve teachers in the preparation of modular case studies on energy issues for use within the classroom. These curriculum modules are intended to enhance the teacher's ability to provide energy-related education to students within his or her own academic setting. The project is organized as a three-week summer program, as noted in the flyer (Appendix A). Mornings are spent in seminars with energy and environmental specialists (their handout lecture notes are included as Appendix B); afternoons are devoted to high school curriculum development based on the seminar discussions. The curriculum development is limited to five areas: conservation, electricity demand scheduling, energy in the food system, new technologies (solar, wind, biomass), and environment. Appendix C consists of one-day lession plans in these areas.

  10. Health Activities Project (HAP), Trial Edition II.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buller, Dave; And Others

    Contained within this Health Activities Project (HAP) trial edition (set II) are a teacher information folio and numerous student activity folios which center around the idea that students in grades 5-8 can control their own health and safety. Each student folio is organized into a Synopsis, Health Background, Materials, Setting Up, and Activities…

  11. Individualized Inservice Teacher Education (Project In-Step). Evaluation Report. Phase III.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurber, John C.

    This is a report on the third phase of Project IN-STEP, which was intended to develop a viable model for individualized, multi-media in-service teacher education programs. (Phase I and II are reported in ED 033 905, and ED 042 709). The rationale for Phase III was to see if the model could be successfully transferred to an area other than teaching…

  12. A framework for high-school teacher support in Geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bookhagen, B.; Mair, A.; Schaller, G.; Koeberl, C.

    2012-04-01

    To attract future geoscientists in the classroom and share the passion for science, successful geoscience education needs to combine modern educational tools with applied science. Previous outreach efforts suggest that classroom-geoscience teaching tremendously benefits from structured, prepared lesson plans in combination with hands-on material. Building on our past experience, we have developed a classroom-teaching kit that implements interdisciplinary exercises and modern geoscientific application to attract high-school students. This "Mobile Phone Teaching Kit" analyzes the components of mobile phones, emphasizing the mineral compositions and geologic background of raw materials. Also, as geoscience is not an obligatory classroom topic in Austria, and university training for upcoming science teachers barely covers geoscience, teacher training is necessary to enhance understanding of the interdisciplinary geosciences in the classroom. During the past year, we have held teacher workshops to help implementing the topic in the classroom, and to provide professional training for non-geoscientists and demonstrate proper usage of the teaching kit. The material kit is designed for classroom teaching and comes with a lesson plan that covers background knowledge and provides worksheets and can easily be adapted to school curricula. The project was funded by kulturkontakt Austria; expenses covered 540 material kits, and we reached out to approximately 90 schools throughout Austria and held a workshop in each of the nine federal states in Austria. Teachers received the training, a set of the material kit, and the lesson plan free of charge. Feedback from teachers was highly appreciative. The request for further material kits is high and we plan to expand the project. Ultimately, we hope to enlighten teachers and students for the highly interdisciplinary variety of geosciences and a link to everyday life.

  13. Conditions for monograph projectsʼ by preservice teachers: lessons from the long and winding route

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melba Libia Cárdenas

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper is based on the analysis of the nature of monograph projects undertaken by pre-service teachers at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. It will examine the main factors that, according to the participants of a case-study, favour or limit the development of those projects. On the basis of our findings, we highlight the conditions associated with the successful fulfilment of what students are required to do in monograph projects.

  14. The Pedagogy of Science Teachers from Non-Natural Science Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Shaneka

    2017-01-01

    This is a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative, collective case study that explores the pedagogical practices of science teachers who do not hold natural science degrees. The intent of this study is to support the creation of alternative pathways for recruiting and retaining high-quality secondary science teachers in K-12 education. The…

  15. Analysis of changes in teachers concerning constructivist perceptions, philosophies, and practices resulting from the year-long Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd Hamid, Nor Hashidah

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which teachers were able to make changes needed to move toward the use of more constructivist behaviors after being involved in the year long Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program (ICPDP). Constructivist behaviors were investigated from four perspectives; namely, actual classroom performances as viewed from videotapes, teachers and student perceptions of teacher use of constructivist teaching practices, teacher philosophy as revealed from the open-ended Philosophy of Teaching and Learning Instrument (PTL), and teacher reflections about their inquiry classrooms and uses of questioning strategies. Twenty-seven teacher participants and 321 of their students volunteered to participant in this study. Four types of data were collected to answer the research questions, namely (a) Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), (b) Philosophies of Teaching and Learning (PTL), (c) Videotapes evaluated with the Expert Science Teaching Evaluation Model (ESTEEM), and (d) Teacher Reflections regarding teaching strategies and questioning. Major findings include the following: (1) Teachers in the project showed significant growth concerning constructivist perceptions over time and for all six sub-scales of TCLES, namely personal relevance, scientific uncertainty, critical voice, shared control, student negotiation, and attitude toward science. (2) Teachers in the project indicated significant growth concerning philosophy of teaching and learning as measured by the PTL. (3) Teachers in the project indicated significant growth concerning constructivist teaching practices as evaluated by videotapes (using the ESTEEM instrument); significant differences were found for all four sub-scales of the ESTEEM. (4) Students in the project indicated significant growth concerning their constructivist perceptions over time for the total SCLES score and on the sub-scales of scientific uncertainty, shared control, and student

  16. Individualized In-Service Teacher Education. (Project IN-STEP). Evaluation Report, Phase II.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurber, John C.

    Phase 2 of Project IN-STEP was conducted to revise, refine, and conduct further field testing of a new inservice teacher education model. The method developed (in Phase 1--see ED 003 905 for report) is an individualized, multi-media approach. Revision activities, based on feedback provided for Phase 1, include the remaking of six videotape…

  17. User-Centered Digital Library Project Phase 2: User Testing with Teachers and Students with Disabilities. Evaluation Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moeller, Babette

    2010-01-01

    The goal of the User-Centered Digital Library Project, conducted by the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) at WGBH, was to adapt the Teachers' Domain online digital library to enable teachers and students with disabilities to more readily use the resources in science classrooms. NCAM added accessibility features such as captions and audio…

  18. Collaborative Action Research as a Tool for Generating Formative Feedback on Teachers' Classroom Assessment Practice: The KREST Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Christine

    2013-01-01

    This paper sets out to explore science teachers' classroom assessment practices and outlines some of the tensions and synergies in changing assessment practices. It describes episodes from a collaborative action research project with science teachers designed to support the strengthening of classroom assessment practices--the King's Researching…

  19. A Project-Based Learning Approach to Teaching Physics for Pre-Service Elementary School Teacher Education Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Olzan

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the impact of the project-based learning (PBL) approach on learning and teaching physics from the perspective of pre-service elementary school teacher education students and an instructor. This approach promoted meaningful learning (mainly in the scope of projects), higher motivation, and active involvement of students in…

  20. The meaning-making of science teachers participating in a school-based PD project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

    The meaning-making of four science teachers involved in collaboratively analyzing video and other artifacts from practice in local science classrooms in a school-based professional development project is examined through repeated interviews and represented as meaning-making maps. The research aim...... is to examine how these collaborative inquiries make sense to the teachers: what they identify as outcomes, how they make use of inputs and support in their classrooms and in collegial interactions and how their ideas about teaching and learning of science might play a role. An adapted version...... learning of science in concrete situations. They refer to outcomes from sharing experiments with new tools and materials and refer to being encouraged to continue collaboration around science at the school. Beside this the teachers emphasize various outcomes apparently for each of them in areas where...

  1. The meaning-making of science teachers participating in as school based PD project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

    The meaning-making of four science teachers involved in collaboratively analyzing video and other artifacts from practice in local science classrooms in a school-based professional development project is examined through repeated interviews and represented as meaning-making maps. The research aim...... is to examine how these collaborative inquiries make sense to the teachers: what they identify as outcomes, how they make use of inputs and support in their classrooms and in collegial interactions and how their ideas about teaching and learning of science might play a role. An adapted version...... learning of science in concrete situations. They refer to outcomes from sharing experiments with new tools and materials and refer to being encouraged to continue collaboration around science at the school. Beside this the teachers emphasize various outcomes apparently for each of them in areas where...

  2. Patterns in professional growth of science teachers involved in a team-based PD project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

    and learning and subsequent discussion of this material. Repeated interviews were analyzed using an adapted version of the interconnected model of teachers’ professional growth. The results show various ways of experimenting with new approaches to be important for three of the teachers while a novice teacher...... the participants refer to. Conclusion is that there are professional growth patterns, especially a pattern involving experimenting, which have a forward-pointing potential to be used to inform school based PD. The results implicate that the same PD project can frame experimenting into practice in various tempi...... and with differentiated facilitation aligned to the individual teacher’s current needs and that external support of science resource teachers can be an integrated part of school based PD....

  3. Promoting Mentalizing in Pupils by Acting on Teachers: Preliminary Italian Evidence of the "Thought in Mind" Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annalisa Valle

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Mentalization research focuses on different aspects of this topic, highlighting individual differences in mentalizing and proposing programs of intervention for children and adults to increase this ability. The Thought in Mind Project (TiM Project provides training targeted to adults―teachers or parents―to increase their mentalization and, consequently, to obtain mentalization improvement in children. The present research aimed to explore for the first time ever the potential of training for teachers based on the TiM Project, regarding the enhancement of mentalizing of an adult who would have interacted as a teacher with children. For this reason, two teachers – similar for meta-cognitive and meta-emotional skills - and their classes (N=46 were randomly assigned to the training or control condition. In the first case, the teacher participated in training on the implementation of promotion of mentalizing in everyday school teaching strategies; in the second case the teacher participated in a control activity, similar to training for scheduling and methods, but without promoting the implementation of mentalization (in both conditions two meetings lasting about three hours at the beginning of the school year and two supervisions during the school year were conducted. The children were tested by tasks assessing several aspects of mentalization (2nd and 3rd order false belief understanding, Strange Stories, Reading the mind in the Eyes, Mentalizing Task both before and after the teacher participate in the TiM or control training (i.e. at the beginning and at the end of the school year. The results showed that, although some measured components of mentalization progressed over time, only the TiM training group significantly improved in 3rd order false belief understanding and changed - in a greater way compared to the control group - in two of the three components of the Mentalizing Task. These evidences are promising about the idea that the

  4. Scientific background of the project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Christofidis, I.

    1997-01-01

    The main objective of the proposed project is the development of radioimmunometric assay(s) for the determination of free and total PSA in serum samples from normal and pathological individuals (BPH, PCa). This will be achieved by: A. Selection of appropriate antibody pairs (capture and labelled antibody) for determination of total PSA (free and complex) and for determination of free PSA. From bibliography we have already spotted some antibody pairs. B. Radiolabelling of antibodies. Several labelling and purification procedures will be followed in order to obtain the required analytical sensitivity and dynamic range of the assays. Special attention will be given to the affinity constant as well as to the stability of the radiolabelled molecules. C. Development of protocols for immobilisation of capture antibodies. We will use several solid support formats (plastic tubes, beads and magnetizable particles). Direct adsorption or covalent binding will be used. Immunoadsorption through immobilised second antibody will be also tested in order to decrease the preparation cost of the solid phase reagents. D. Preparation of standards of suitable purity levels. We will test different PSA-free matrices (Bovine serum, buffer solutions etc.) in order to select the most appropriate among them in terms of low background determination and low reagents cost. E. Optimisation of the immunoassays conditions for the free PSA and total PSA (e.g. assay buffers, incubation time, temperature, one or two step procedure, washings). F. Optimisation and standardisation of assay protocols for kit production. G. Production of kits for distribution in clinical laboratories in Greece for comparison with commercial kits. H. Evaluation of the developed assays in real clinical conditions using well characterised human serum samples. This will be performed in co-operation with the Hellenic Society for Tumor Markers, and other anticancer institutions and hospital clinicians of long standing relation

  5. The Effects of Problem-Based Learning on Metacognitive Awareness and Attitudes toward Chemistry of Prospective Teachers with Different Academic Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosun, Cemal; Senocak, Erdal

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to reveal the effects of Problem-based Learning (PBL) on the metacognitive awareness and attitudes toward chemistry of teacher candidates with different academic backgrounds. The study was carried out on one group using both pre-and post-test experimental studies. The findings of the study were obtained through…

  6. Music Teachers' Personal Concepts: Qualitative Classroom Research in Music Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Niessen

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available How do music teachers reflect on planning and performing school lessons? How do their experiences influence their teaching arrangements? In a qualitative research project the author uses the "Individualkonzept" (personal concept to explore what music teachers think while planning music lessons. In addition, the relationship between personal concepts and biographical experiences is investigated. In accordance with grounded theory methodology, interviews with teachers were analyzed first at the level of the single interviews; followed by developing a grounded theory about the music teachers' personal concepts and their embedding in biography. In doing so an integrative pattern emerged unfolding in time as a learning process. Results of the research suggest finding forms of in-service-training for teachers that will allow them to foster a self-conscious acquaintance with their own biographical background. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080178

  7. Enhancing Scientific Inquiry Literacy of Prospective Biology Teachers through Inquiry Lab Project in Microbiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusnadi, K.; Rustaman, N. Y.; Redjeki, S.; Aryantha, I. N. P.

    2017-09-01

    The implementation of the inquiry laboratory based project to enhance scientific inquiry literacy of prospective biology teachers in Microbiology course has been done. The inquiry lab based project was designed by three stages were debriefing of basic microbiology lab skills, guided inquiry and free inquiry respectively. The Study was quasi experimental with control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were prospective biology teachers consists of 80 students. The scientific inquiry literacy instrument refers to ScInqLiT by Wenning. The results showed that there was significant difference of scientific inquiry literacy posttest scores between experiment and control (α 0,05) and was obtained N-gain score was 0.49 (medium) to experiment and 0.24 (low) to control. Based on formative assessment showed that development of student’s scientific attitude, research and microbiology lab skills during conducting project were increased. Student’s research skills especially in identification of variables, constructing a hypothesis, communicating and concluding were increased. During implementation of inquiry project also showed that they carried out mind and hands-on and so collaborative group investigation lab activities. Our findings may aid in reforming higher-education, particularly in microbiology laboratory activities to better promote scientific inquiry literacy, scientific attitude, research and laboratory skills.

  8. Challenges in Mentoring Software Development Projects in the High School: Analysis According to Shulman's Teacher Knowledge Base Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meerbaum-Salant, Orni; Hazzan, Orit

    2009-01-01

    This paper focuses on challenges in mentoring software development projects in the high school and analyzes difficulties encountered by Computer Science teachers in the mentoring process according to Shulman's Teacher Knowledge Base Model. The main difficulties that emerged from the data analysis belong to the following knowledge sources of…

  9. Predictors of Teachers' Use of ICT in School--The Relevance of School Characteristics, Teachers' Attitudes and Teacher Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drossel, Kerstin; Eickelmann, Birgit; Gerick, Julia

    2017-01-01

    This paper is based on the research question of what predictors (school characteristics, teachers' attitudes, teacher collaboration and background characteristics) determine secondary school teachers' frequency of computer use in class. The use of new technologies by secondary school teachers for educational purposes is an important factor…

  10. Final report on the Background Soil Characterization Project at the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1: Results of Field Sampling Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watkins, D.R.; Ammons, J.T.; Branson, J.L. [and others

    1993-10-01

    This report presents, evaluates, and documents data and results obtained in the Background Soil Characterization Project (BSCP). It is intended to be a stand-alone document for application and use in structuring and conducting remedial investigation and remedial action projects in the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program. The objectives of the BSCP consist of the following: determine background concentrations of organics, metals, and radionuclides in natural soils that are key to environmental restoration projects; provide remediation projects with 100% validated data on background concentrations, which are technically and legally defensible; and quantify baseline risks from background constituents for comparison of risks associated with contaminated sites.

  11. A Practice-Centered Approach to Professional Development: Teacher-Librarian Collaboration in Capstone Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harada, Violet H.

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on a professional development initiative that targeted teams of teachers and librarians working with high school students on strengthening an inquiry approach to capstone projects. While much has been written about student-focused models for information search and use, little has been reported on how training for the…

  12. Chinese Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of Effects of Teacher Self-Disclosure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shaoan; Shi, Qingmin; Luo, Xiao; Ma, Xueyu

    2008-01-01

    Background: As an instructional tool, teacher self-disclosure is used widely by teachers. While researchers abroad have conducted a number of studies, scarce literature on teacher self-disclosure has been found. Aims: This study aims to explore the Chinese pre-service teachers' perceived effects of teacher self-disclosure on student learning,…

  13. Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards

    OpenAIRE

    David J. Shernoff; David J. Shernoff; Suparna Sinha; Denise M. Bressler; Dawna Schultz

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants’ development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout t...

  14. The Effects of Teacher and Teacher-librarian High-end Collaboration on Inquiry-based Project Reports and School Monthly Test Scores of Fifth-grade Students

    OpenAIRE

    Hai-Hon Chen

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was twofold. The first purpose was to establish the high level collaboration of integrated instruction model between social studies teacher and teacher-librarian. The second purpose was to investigate the effects of high-end collaboration on the individual and groups’ inquiry-based project reports, as well as monthly test scores of fifth-grade students. A quasi-experimental method was adopted, two classes of elementary school fifth graders in Tainan Municipal city, T...

  15. Child-to-Teacher Ratio and Day-Care Teacher Sickness Absenteeism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, Elvira; Gørtz, Mette

    2013-01-01

    -to-teacher ratio, i.e. the number of children per teacher in an institution, affects teacher sickness absenteeism. We control for individual teacher characteristics, workplace characteristics, and family background characteristics of the children in the day-care institutions. Our estimation results indicate...... that the child-to-teacher ratio is positively related to sickness absence for 2005-2006, but not for 2002-2004....

  16. The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project: Results of a Summer High-School Student, Teacher, University Scientist Partnership Using a Capstone Research Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shell, Duane F.; Snow, Gregory R.; Claes, Daniel R.

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports results from evaluation of the Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP), a student, teacher, scientist partnership to engage high-school students and teachers in school based cosmic ray research. Specifically, this study examined whether an intensive summer workshop experience could effectively prepare teacher-student teams to…

  17. Exploring teachers' beliefs and knowledge about scientific inquiry and the nature of science: A collaborative action research project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazio, Xavier Eric

    Science curriculum reform goals espouse the need to foster and support the development of scientific literacy in students. Two critical goals of scientific literacy are students' engagement in, and developing more realistic conceptions about scientific inquiry (SI) and the nature of science (NOS). In order to promote the learning of these curriculum emphases, teachers themselves must possess beliefs and knowledge supportive of them. Collaborative action research is a viable form of curriculum and teacher development that can be used to support teachers in developing the requisite beliefs and knowledge that can promote these scientific literacy goals. This research study used a collective case study methodology to describe and interpret the views and actions of four teachers participating in a collaborative action research project. I explored the teachers' SI and NOS views throughout the project as they investigated ideas and theories, critically examined their current curricular practice, and implemented and reflected on these modified curricular practices. By the end of the research study, all participants had uniquely augmented their understanding of SI and NOS. The participants were better able to provide explanatory depth to some SI and NOS ideas; however, specific belief revision with respect to SI and NOS ideas was nominal. Furthermore, their idealized action research plans were not implemented to the extent that they were planned. Explanations for these findings include: impact of significant past educational experiences, prior understanding of SI and NOS, depth of content and pedagogical content knowledge of the discipline, and institutional and instructional constraints. Nonetheless, through participation in the collaborative action research process, the teachers developed professionally, personally, and socially. They identified many positive outcomes from participating in a collaborative action research project; however, they espoused constraints to

  18. Background Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zandersen, Marianne; Hyytiäinen, Kari; Saraiva, Sofia

    This document serves as a background material to the BONUS Pilot Scenario Workshop, which aims to develop harmonised regional storylines of socio-ecological futures in the Baltic Sea region in a collaborative effort together with other BONUS projects and stakeholders.......This document serves as a background material to the BONUS Pilot Scenario Workshop, which aims to develop harmonised regional storylines of socio-ecological futures in the Baltic Sea region in a collaborative effort together with other BONUS projects and stakeholders....

  19. Project and desire of being teacher of physical education in public schools: an study about teaching and pedagogical investment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Artur Gomes de Souza

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper had as study object the pedagogical investment of the teacher. We investigated the trajectory and the practices of one female teacher that works for 13 years in basic education. We used the biographic and ethnographic approach, as resource to semi-structured interview and observations of 24 classes taught by that teacher. The Sartrean categories of project and desire of being and, also, the concept of mobiles that, according to the Soviet School, give sense to the subject activity, were used in the data analyses refered to the trajectory and pedagogical investment. We identified that the fundamental mediations in her project achievement and the reasons that incites to act in an permanent basis of adversity and accomplishments.

  20. Mathematics Teachers' Support and Retention: Using Maslow's Hierarchy to Understand Teachers' Needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Molly H.; Royster, David

    2016-01-01

    As part of a larger study, four mathematics teachers from diverse backgrounds and teaching situations report their ideas on teacher stress, mathematics teacher retention, and their feelings about the needs of mathematics teachers, as well as other information crucial to retaining quality teachers. The responses from the participants were used to…

  1. Teachers' Views about the Use of Tablet Computers Distributed in Schools as Part of the Fatih Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gökmen, Ömer Faruk; Duman, Ibrahim; Akgün, Özcan Erkan

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' views about the use of tablet computers distributed as a part of the FATIH (Movement for Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology) Project. In this study, the case study method, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. The participants were 20 teachers from various fields…

  2. Geography teachers' interpretation of a curriculum reform initiative: the case of the Lesotho Environmental Education Support Project (LEESP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaeka Raselimo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses how teachers in a specific developing world context interpreted a curriculum reform initiative. It is located within a broader interpretive study that investigated the integration of Environmental Education into the formal education system of Lesotho with particular reference to secondary school geography. More specifically the focus was on a Danish donor-fundedproject, known as the Lesotho Environmental Education Support Project (LEESP. Driven by a sustainable development imperative, the project was intended to assist Lesotho with the implementation of local action for Agenda 21 by introducing environmental education into the formal education system. It is widely accepted that teachers play an important role in implementing curriculum change. Using a previous framework, we generate insights for understanding how teachers' epistemologies interact with contextual factors to impede the process ofcurriculum sense-making. Furthermore, guided by the notion ofcurriculum as a contextualised social process, we present the findings on the contextual/structural factors enabling or constraining implementation ofthe LEESP curriculum policy intentions as perceived by the teachers.

  3. Developing Mathematical Literacy through project work: A teacher/teaching perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renuka Vithal

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available The implementation of the new Mathematical Literacy curriculum in South Africa is assuming several different conceptions of mathematics and therefore also being realised through a range of different pedagogies. In this paper I begin from a particular privileging of a critical perspective in mathematics education, which I argue is one (among others of the forces shaping the new South African curriculum reforms, particularly the Mathematical Literacy curriculum. If so, then the case for a specific pedagogy, that of project work, can be shown to support the development of a mathematical literacy from a critical perspective. In this paper a particular set of conceptual tools, principles and practices associated with project work, as developed in the Scandanavian context but researched in South Africa, are elaborated from the perspective of teachers/teaching of mathematical literacy.

  4. Phase unwrapping algorithm based on multi-frequency fringe projection and fringe background for fringe projection profilometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Chunwei; Zhao, Hong; Gu, Feifei; Ma, Yueyang

    2015-01-01

    A phase unwrapping algorithm specially designed for the phase-shifting fringe projection profilometry (FPP) is proposed. It combines a revised dual-frequency fringe projectionalgorithm and a proposed fringe background based quality guided phase unwrapping algorithm (FB-QGPUA). Phase demodulated from the high-frequency fringe patterns is partially unwrapped by that demodulated from the low-frequency ones. Then FB-QGPUA is adopted to further unwrap the partially unwrapped phase. Influences of the phase error on the measurement are researched. Strategy to select the fringe pitch is given. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is very robust and efficient. (paper)

  5. Examining of the Predictors of Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Quality of the Science Fair Projects in Turkey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tortop, Hasan Said

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed at examining the predictors of quality of science fair (SF) projects in the light of pre-service teachers' evaluation of SF rubric' domains. These projects were selected by judges in A city for the A Regional Exhibition of Science and Mathematics Project Study for Primary School Students: The SF projects were evaluated by thirty…

  6. Teachers' response to the Punjab ICT education project: a case study

    OpenAIRE

    Kaur, Ramandeep

    2017-01-01

    Acknowledging the importance of digital technologies in education, the Government of India introduced the ICT in Schools Scheme in 2004 to improve the ICT skills of school students. Under this scheme, the government of Punjab state launched the ICT Education Project for computer education in 2005. This research study aims to explore the perceptions and practices of a small number of teachers in one government, rural girls’ senior secondary school in Punjab in relation to integration of IC...

  7. Pre operational background radiation monitoring around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project site - a decade long experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayakumar, B.; George, Thomas; Sundara Rajan, P.; Selvi, B.S.; Balamurugan, M.; Pandit, G.G.; Ravi, P.M.; Tripathi, R.M.

    2014-01-01

    Pre-operational environmental background radiation monitoring around nuclear power plants is very important to understand baseline values existing in the site and also to identify any hot spots of naturally occurring high background radiation areas and their sources. These baseline measurements will act as a benchmark for future comparison after the reactors go into operation. The radiation measurements are continued during the operational phase of the plant and the results are compared to see whether there is any impact of the operation of the plant on the environment. A comprehensive background radiation monitoring plan has been in vogue at site from 2004 to meet this objective. This paper describes the different monitoring strategies adopted around Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project site and throws light on the pre operational background radiation levels in the environment

  8. Outcomes evaluation of the school staff health promotion project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Woynarowska-Sołdan

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: This article presents selected outcomes of a 3-year project “Health promotion of school staff in health-promoting schools,” as well as the achievements and difficulties in its implementation. Material and Methods: The research was conducted on 644 teachers and 226 members of non-teaching staff in 21 schools. The method involved opinion poll and authored questionnaires. A 2-part model of outcome evaluation was developed. Results: Most participants appreciated the changes that took place within the 3 years of the project implementation. These included the improved level of their knowledge about health, health-conducive behaviors (62–93% and the physical and social environment of the school (50–92%. Changes were more frequently acknowledged by teachers. About 80% of the participants had a positive attitude to the project, but only 20% assessed their involvement as considerable. About 90% believed that health promotion activities should be continued. According to the project leaders, insufficient support and financial resources, and difficulties in motivating school employees, particularly the nonteaching staff, to undertake health-promotion activities were the major handicaps in the project implementation. Conclusions: The project outcomes can be assessed as satisfying. They revealed that it is posssible to initiate health promotion among school staff. This can be effective on condition that participants are motivated, actively engaged in the project and supported by the head teacher and the local community. Necessarily, school leaders should be prepared to promote health among adults and to gain support from school policy decision makers, school administration, trade unions and universities involved in teacher training. Med Pr 2016;67(2:187–200

  9. E-Competent Teacher and Principal as the Foundation of E-Competent School E-Education, the Largest School Informatization Project in Slovenia 2008-2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šverc, Magdalena; Flogie, Andrej; Krabonja, Maja Vicic; Percic, Kristjan

    2013-01-01

    During the years 2008-2013 Ministry of Education in the Republic of Slovenia prepared largest project of informatization of educational institutions. One of the main goals of the project E-Education is the development of the standard E-Competent Teacher, School Principal and IT Expert. The standard E-Competent Teacher, Principal and IT Expert…

  10. Annual report on the Background Soil Characterization Project on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Results of Phase 1 investigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, D.R.; Goddard, P.L.; Hatmaker, T.L.; Hook, L.A.; Jackson, B.L.; Kimbrough, C.W.; Lee, S.Y.; Lietzke, D.A.; McGin, C.W.; Nourse, B.D.; Schmoyer, R.L.; Shaw, R.A.; Stinnette, S.E.; Switek, J.; Wright, J.C.; Ammons, J.T.; Branson, J.L.; Burgoa, B.B.

    1993-05-01

    Many constituents of potential concern for human health occur naturally at low concentrations in undisturbed soils. The Background soil Characterization Project (BSCP) was undertaken to provide background concentration data on potential contaminants in natural soils on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). The objectives of the BSCP are to provide baseline data for contaminated site assessment and estimates of potential human health risk associated with background concentrations of hazardous and other constituents in native soils. This report presents, evaluates, and documents data and results obtained in Phase I of the project. It is intended to be a stand-alone document for application and use in structuring and conducting remedial investigation and remedial action projects in the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program

  11. Annual report on the Background Soil Characterization Project on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Results of Phase 1 investigation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watkins, D.R.; Goddard, P.L.; Hatmaker, T.L.; Hook, L.A.; Jackson, B.L.; Kimbrough, C.W.; Lee, S.Y.; Lietzke, D.A.; McGin, C.W.; Nourse, B.D.; Schmoyer, R.L.; Shaw, R.A.; Stinnette, S.E.; Switek, J.; Wright, J.C. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Ammons, J.T.; Branson, J.L.; Burgoa, B.B. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Plant and Soil Science; Lietzke, D.A. [Lietzke (David A.), Rutledge, TN (United States)

    1993-05-01

    Many constituents of potential concern for human health occur naturally at low concentrations in undisturbed soils. The Background soil Characterization Project (BSCP) was undertaken to provide background concentration data on potential contaminants in natural soils on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). The objectives of the BSCP are to provide baseline data for contaminated site assessment and estimates of potential human health risk associated with background concentrations of hazardous and other constituents in native soils. This report presents, evaluates, and documents data and results obtained in Phase I of the project. It is intended to be a stand-alone document for application and use in structuring and conducting remedial investigation and remedial action projects in the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program.

  12. World Class Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Rosalita

    1998-01-01

    School communities are challenged to find ways to identify good teachers and give other teachers a chance to learn from them. The New Mexico World Class Teacher Project is encouraging teachers to pursue certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This process sharpens teachers' student assessment skills and encourages…

  13. Teaching in Multicultural Background in the States

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    潘若芸

    2010-01-01

    The diversity present in every aspect of American life is an inevitable consequence of its multicultural society.Schools across the country are a reflection of what is,and always has been,an ever changing demographic constitution.Classroom teachers,especially teachers who have no teaching experience in the country,face a stiff challenge of teaching all students,regardless of their backgrounds.As a Chinese guest teacher in the States,I learned that the"growing-up"of a teacher requires positive changes in three areas:knowledge,attitudes and skills.Support from administrators is also vital in the"growing-up"process.

  14. A questionnaire for teachers to improve training activity and students on environmental science in the frame of ENVRIPLUS project

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Addezio, Giuliana; Marsili, Antonella; Beranzoli, Laura

    2017-04-01

    ENVRIplus is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures, projects and networks together with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research. One of the aims of this project is to disseminate knowledge on environmental topics, focusing attention on European secondary schools. We elaborated actions to design an e-Training Platform for multimedia education of secondary school level teachers and students. The purpose is to favor teacher training and consequently students training on selected scientific themes faced within the ENVRIPLUS Research Infrastructures. In particular we address major thematic research areas and challenges on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Greenhouse effect and Earth Warming, Ocean acidifications and Environmental sustainability. To realize the training platform we start detailed study and analysis of teaching and multimedia information materials already available. We plan the realization of an appealing and usable portal/digital repository, to stimulate learning of STEM topics and which also includes opportunities to develop original content. To better project the actions and to catch teacher needs, we prepare a questionnaire that will be administered to a large sample of international school audience to collect input directly from the potential users. The first part focused on objective information about the formal, quantitative and qualitative position of science class in schools and the content and methods of teaching in different countries. The second part investigates subjective teacher experiences, views and proposals on what can improve training offer for environmental science lessons and courses.

  15. Teachers Teaching Students from a Multicultural Background: The Case of Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajendran, Nagappan

    2005-01-01

    Teacher educators like talking about the pre-service--in-service continuum as a way of expressing their views, that inevitably, they are expected to play a multifaceted role in and outside of the classroom. In this respect, what is of greater concern is that many teachers are inadequately prepared to teach ethnically diverse students. Malaysia is…

  16. Possible Challenges of Teacher Research for Teacher Professional Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Utami Widiati

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Teacher research (i.e. action research has gained acceptance as a tool for teacher professional development. In spite of its increasing popularity in language classrooms, concerns have been raised in the implementation of teacher research, such as issues of quality, sustainability, the development of standards, and accessibility. In the Indonesian context, the unprofessional working conditions and the education background of most teachers have made it difficult for teachers to sustain and access research. Since changing the former appears beyond the aim of this article, it is suggested that teacher education institutions focus on the latter, revisiting the curriculum of teacher education to provide more research components

  17. Qualifying in-service education of Science Teachers (QUEST)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Keld; Nielsen, Birgitte Lund; Pontoppidan, Birgitte

    The Danish QUEST-project is a large-scale (450 teachers), long-term (4 years) professional development project for science teachers. The project aims at closing the gap between the present inconsequential practice in in-service education and recent research results documenting conditions for effe......The Danish QUEST-project is a large-scale (450 teachers), long-term (4 years) professional development project for science teachers. The project aims at closing the gap between the present inconsequential practice in in-service education and recent research results documenting conditions...... and peer involvement in collaborative practices in the school science teacher group is specifically addressed and targeted throughout the project. A special way of working (the QUEST-Rhythm) has been developed to increase the degree of teacher collaboration and networking over the 4 years. The accompanying...

  18. Reform-based science teaching: A mixed-methods approach to explaining variation in secondary science teacher practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jetty, Lauren E.

    The purpose of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was to understand and explain the variation seen in secondary science teachers' enactment of reform-based instructional practices. Utilizing teacher socialization theory, this mixed-methods analysis was conducted to determine the relative influence of secondary science teachers' characteristics, backgrounds and experiences across their teacher development to explain the range of teaching practices exhibited by graduates from three reform-oriented teacher preparation programs. Data for this study were obtained from the Investigating the Meaningfulness of Preservice Programs Across the Continuum of Teaching (IMPPACT) Project, a multi-university, longitudinal study funded by NSF. In the first quantitative phase of the study, data for the sample (N=120) were collected from three surveys from the IMPPACT Project database. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the separate as well as the combined influence of factors such as teachers' personal and professional background characteristics, beliefs about reform-based science teaching, feelings of preparedness to teach science, school context, school culture and climate of professional learning, and influences of the policy environment on the teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices. Findings indicate three blocks of variables, professional background, beliefs/efficacy, and local school context added significant contribution to explaining nearly 38% of the variation in secondary science teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices. The five variables that significantly contributed to explaining variation in teachers' use of reform-based instructional practices in the full model were, university of teacher preparation, sense of preparation for teaching science, the quality of professional development, science content focused professional, and the perceived level of professional autonomy. Using the results

  19. Background studies for NaI(Tl) detectors in the ANAIS dark matter project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amaré, J.; Borjabad, S.; Cebrián, S.; Cuesta, C.; Fortuño, D.; García, E.; Ginestra, C.; Gómez, H.; Martínez, M.; Oliván, M. A.; Ortigoza, Y.; Solórzano, A. Ortiz de; Pobes, C.; Puimedón, J.; Sarsa, M. L.; Villar, J. A.; Villar, P.

    2013-01-01

    Several large NaI(Tl) detectors, produced by different companies, have been operated in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) in the frame of the ANAIS (Annual modulation with NaI Scintillators) project devoted to the direct detection of dark matter. A complete background model has been developed for a 9.6 kg detector (referred as ANAIS-0 prototype) after a long data taking at LSC. Activities from the natural chains of 238 U and 232 Th, and 40 K in the NaI(Tl) crystal were evaluated applying different methods: discrimination of alpha particles vs beta/gamma background by Pulse Shape Analysis for quantifying the content of the natural chains and coincidence techniques for 40 K. Radioactive contaminations in the detector and shielding components were also determined by HPGe spectrometry. Monte Carlo simulations using Geant4 package were carried out to evaluate their contribution. At high energies, most of the measured background is nicely reproduced; at low energy some non-explained components are still present, although some plausible background sources have been analyzed. The 40 K content of the NaI(Tl) crystal has been confirmed to be the dominant contributor to the measured background with this detector. In addition, preliminary results of the background characterization, presently underway at the LSC, of two recently produced NaI(Tl) detectors, with 12.5 kg mass each, will be presented: cosmogenic induced activity has been clearly observed and is being quantified, and 40 K activity at a level ten times lower than in ANAIS-0 has been determined

  20. Mobile Learning, Teacher Education, and the Sociomaterial Perspective: Analysis of the SMS Story Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koole, Marguerite

    2018-01-01

    This article is primarily a theoretical piece that uses a model of mobile learning, the FRAME model (Koole 2009), to explore a mobile teacher-training project that took place in Papua New Guinea: the SMS Story. The author takes a sociomaterial perspective, drawing upon Barad's agential realism and Sørensen's multiplicity perspective. As the author…

  1. Teacher Improvement Projects in Guinea: Lessons Learned from Taking a Program to National Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwille, John; Dembele, Martial; Diallo, Alpha Mahmoudou

    2001-01-01

    Highlights lessons learned from a small, grant-funded teacher improvement project in Guinea that went nationwide, including: it is possible to make such a system work on a national scale in a resource-scarce country; effective initial and continued training is critical for all participants; it is difficult to provide close-to-school assistance…

  2. The droso4schools project: Long-term scientist-teacher collaborations to promote science communication and education in schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sanjai; DeMaine, Sophie; Heafield, Joshua; Bianchi, Lynne; Prokop, Andreas

    2017-10-01

    Science communication is becoming an increasingly important part of a scientist's remit, and engaging with primary and secondary schools is one frequently chosen strategy. Here we argue that science communication in schools will be more effective if based on good understanding of the realities of school life, which can be achieved through structured participation and/or collaboration with teachers. For example, the Manchester Fly Facility advocates the use of the fruit fly Drosophila as an important research strategy for the discovery processes in the biomedical sciences. To communicate this concept also in schools, we developed the 'droso4schools' project as a refined form of scientist-teacher collaboration that embraces the expertise and interests of teachers. Within this project, we place university students as teaching assistants in university partner schools to collaborate with teachers and develop biology lessons with adjunct support materials. These lessons teach curriculum-relevant biology topics by making use of the profound conceptual understanding existing in Drosophila combined with parallel examples taken from human biology. By performing easy to implement experiments with flies, we bring living organisms into these lessons, thus endeavouring to further enhance the pupil's learning experience. In this way, we do not talk about flies but rather work with flies as powerful teaching tools to convey mainstream curriculum biology content, whilst also bringing across the relevance of Drosophila research. Through making these lessons freely available online, they have the potential to reach out to teachers and scientists worldwide. In this paper, we share our experiences and strategies to provide ideas for scientists engaging with schools, including the application of the droso4schools project as a paradigm for long-term school engagement which can be adapted also to other areas of science. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All

  3. Preparing Teachers to Train the Next Generation of Scientists with the AMS DataStreme Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abshire, W. E.; Geer, I. W.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.; Stimach, A. E.

    2016-12-01

    K-12 teacher professional development rich in content and pedagogical methods and materials for implementation of STEM concepts in the classroom will enhance teacher preparation and practice, and ultimately student learning is the purpose of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) DataStreme Project. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System (ECS) are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams across the country in coordination with AMS Education Program scientists and educators. Participants may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each course and construction of a Plan of Action for peer-training. Peer training is a key focus of DataStreme. Based on survey results, a DataStreme participant impacts an average of up to 10 other teachers and over 350 students within two years of training. Therefore, the 220 teachers who completed a DataStreme course in fall 2015 will likely reach over 2000 teachers and close to 77,000 students within two years. Further, DataStreme improves teachers' pedagogical abilities. According to the fall 2015 pre-survey of DataStreme ECS participants, approximately 15% of participants rated their pedagogical abilities in the Superior or Exemplary levels (highest rankings). On the post-survey, 59% of participants fell in these categories, clearly highlighting the positive shift. This survey also revealed teachers' ability to use climate-science content to stimulate student interests. The AMS looks to further this success with redevelopment of a previously offered K-12 teacher professional development course focused on water. From 2001-2008, AMS offered DataStreme Water in the Earth System, training 3145 teachers on the global water cycle. AMS is eager to continue helping teachers and students improve their understanding of water processes and overall environmental science literacy.

  4. Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shernoff, David J; Sinha, Suparna; Bressler, Denise M; Schultz, Dawna

    2017-01-01

    In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD) on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs), and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants' development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL) in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the year providing numerous opportunities for teachers to develop and implement lesson plans, share results of lesson writing and implementation (successes and challenges), provide mutual feedback, and refine curricula and assessments. Following the summer academy, six female teachers were interviewed about their current conceptualizations of NGSS, the extent of curricular shifts made that are required by NGSS, their self-perceptions regarding their level of accomplishment in curriculum writing, and the benefits of the PD in reaching their goals related to NGSS. Interviews were supplemented with an analysis of lesson plans written while participating in the PD program. The interviewed teachers suggested that they had made important conceptual and pedagogical shifts required by NGSS as they participated in the PD, and also noted a variety of challenges as they made this shift. While all teachers were relative novices at NGSS curriculum writing before the PD, most of the teachers interviewed felt that they had achieved the status of an "accomplished novice" following the summer academy. An analysis of their written lessons suggested a great range in the extent to which teachers effectively applied their understanding of NGSS to write lessons aligned to NGSS. Interviewed teachers believed that the PD model was helpful to their development as science teachers, and all reported that there were no aspects of the PD that were not helpful. Even though most teachers obtained a basic

  5. Effective Teaching of Able Pupils in the Primary School: The Findings of the Oxfordshire Effective Teachers of Able Pupils Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eyre, Deborah; Coates, David; Fitzpatrick, Mary; Higgins, Chris; McClure, Lynne; Wilson, Helen; Chamberlin, Rosemary

    2002-01-01

    A review of British research on effective teaching of able students leads to a report on the Oxfordshire Effective Teachers of Able Pupils Project. This study found effective teachers shared similar beliefs about learning, had empathy with the needs of able children, created a secure classroom environment, held high expectations, used…

  6. Does Teacher Preparation Matter? Evidence about Teacher Certification, Teach for America, and Teacher Effectiveness.

    OpenAIRE

    Linda Darling-Hammond; Deborah J. Holtzman; Su Jin Gatlin; Julian Vasquez Heilig

    2005-01-01

    Recent debates about the utility of teacher education have raised questions about whether certified teachers are, in general, more effective than those who have not met the testing and training requirements for certification, and whether some candidates with strong liberal arts backgrounds might be at least as effective as teacher education graduates. This study examines these questions with a large student-level data set from Houston, Texas that links student characteristics and achievement ...

  7. Teacher Burnout: Causes and Projected Preventative and Curative Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warrad, Mohammad I.

    2012-01-01

    This mixed methods study examined how teachers at Valley High School internalize the phenomenon of teacher burnout. Teachers at Valley High School are suffering from teacher burnout on a daily basis with little to no support. The teachers at Valley High School were asked to participate in a survey, semi-structured interviews, and class…

  8. Project-Based Learning and Design-Focused Projects to Motivate Secondary Mathematics Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remijan, Kelly W.

    2017-01-01

    This article illustrates how mathematics teachers can develop design-focused projects, related to project-based learning, to motivate secondary mathematics students. With first-hand experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, I provide a series of steps related to the engineering design process, which are helpful to teachers in developing…

  9. Final report on the Background Soil Characterization Project at the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hatmaker, T.L.; Hook, L.A.; Jackson, B.L.

    1993-10-01

    The Background Soil Characterization Project (BSCP) will provide background concentration levels of selected metals, organic compounds, and radionuclides in soils from uncontaminated on-site areas at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), and off-site in the western part of Roane County and the eastern part of Anderson County. The BSCP will establish a database, recommend how to use the data for contaminated site assessment, and provide estimates of the potential human health and environmental risks associated with the background level concentrations of potentially hazardous constituents. ORR background soil characterization data will be used for two purposes. The first application will be in differentiating between naturally occurring constituents and site-related contamination. This is a very important step in a risk assessment because if sufficient background data are not available, no constituent known to be a contaminant can be eliminated from the assessment even if the sampled concentration is measured at a minimum level. The second use of the background data will be in calculating baseline risks against which site-specific contamination risks can be compared

  10. Investigating and Stimulating Primary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Science: Summary of a Large-Scale Research Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walma van der Molen, Juliette; van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra

    2013-01-01

    Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers towards science is of fundamental importance to research on primary science education. The current article describes a large-scale research project that aims to overcome three main shortcomings in attitude research, i.e. lack of a strong theoretical concept of attitude, methodological flaws in…

  11. English Language Teacher Education Research Colloquium Who Should Be Teachers of English?

    OpenAIRE

    Yıldıran, Güzver

    2015-01-01

    The problems related to native versus non-native teachers of English are discussed. The possible lack of knowledge of the cultural background of the language to be taught by non-native teachers is juxtaposed against the transmission of values related to cultural superiority by native English speaking teachers.

  12. Who Are the Future Teachers in Turkey? Characteristics of Entering Student Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aksu, Meral; Demir, Cennet Engin; Daloglu, Aysegul; Yildirim, Soner; Kiraz, Ercan

    2010-01-01

    This exploratory study examines the background characteristics, socio-cultural values and pedagogical beliefs that entering student teachers bring with them into the faculties of education and explores their possible implications for teacher education in the Turkish context. The study comprised 18,226 first-year student teachers from 51 faculties…

  13. Teacher Educators' and Student Teachers' Beliefs about Preparation for Working with Families Including Those from Diverse Socioeconomic and Cultural Backgrounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Haem, Jeanne; Griswold, Peter

    2017-01-01

    This mixed-methods study examined teacher preparation for developing family partnerships. The attitudes and practices of teacher educators and the attitudes and experiences of student teachers were explored in focus groups, documents, and a survey instrument. Results indicated that although partnerships were considered important by faculty and…

  14. Using Information and Communication Technology in Italian Language Learning and Teaching: from Teacher Education to Classroom Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matteo Viale

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the in-service teacher education activities carried out by the research unit from the University of Bologna involved in the European project E-LENGUA. This project focuses on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs in teaching Italian in the multilingual classroom. The paper opens with a description of the Italian educational context, characterised by an increasing presence of non-native speakers of Italian. Taking into consideration the linguistic needs of students with different sociolinguistic backgrounds is a significant challenge for teachers. ICTs may be helpful for teachers facing such challenges, even though there are contrasting opinions about their usage in the classroom. The paper presents some case studies on the use of ICTs in the classroom, developed within in-service teacher education activities and implemented in the classroom. These studies aim to examine the use of ICTs as a teaching resource in order to elaborate generalizable guidelines for best practices in the Italian school system.

  15. Why Teach? A Project-Ive Life-World Approach to Understanding What Teaching Means for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landrum, Brittany; Guilbeau, Catherine; Garza, Gilbert

    2017-01-01

    Previous literature has examined teachers' motivations to teach in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic motives, personality dimensions, and teacher burnout. These findings have been cast in the rubric of differences between teachers and non-teachers and the linear relations between these measures among teachers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach…

  16. Looking at Life. Teacher's Guide. Unit A2. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosking, Bunty

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

  17. [Nebraska 4-H Wheat Science School Enrichment Project, Teacher/Leader Guides 213-222 and 227.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nebraska Univ., Lincoln. Inst. of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    Through the 4-H Wheat Science project, students learn the importance of wheat from the complete process of growing wheat to the final product of bread. The curriculum is designed to include hands-on experiences in science, consumer education, nutrition, production economics, vocabulary, and applied mathematics. Teachers can select those units out…

  18. "It Reminded Me of What Really Matters": Teacher Responses to the Lessons from Auschwitz Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maitles, Henry; Cowan, Paula

    2012-01-01

    Since 2007, the Lessons from Auschwitz Project organised by the Holocaust Education Trust, has taken groups of Scottish senior school students (between 16 and 18 years) and where possible an accompanying teacher from their school, to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum as part of a process of increasing young people's knowledge and…

  19. Teachers Know Best: Making Data Work for Teachers and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015

    2015-01-01

    As part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's broader efforts to improve educational opportunities for all students, the "Teachers Know Best" research project seeks to encourage innovation in K-12 education by helping product developers and those who procure resources for teachers better understand teachers' views. The original…

  20. Teacher Perceptions of Their Curricular and Pedagogical Shifts: Outcomes of a Project-Based Model of Teacher Professional Development in the Next Generation Science Standards

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Shernoff

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we conducted a model of teacher professional development (PD on the alignment of middle and high school curricula and instruction to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs, and evaluated the impact of the PD on teacher participants’ development. The PD model included a 4-day summer academy emphasizing project-based learning (PBL in the designing of NGSS-aligned curricula and instruction, as well as monthly follow-up Professional Learning Community meetings throughout the year providing numerous opportunities for teachers to develop and implement lesson plans, share results of lesson writing and implementation (successes and challenges, provide mutual feedback, and refine curricula and assessments. Following the summer academy, six female teachers were interviewed about their current conceptualizations of NGSS, the extent of curricular shifts made that are required by NGSS, their self-perceptions regarding their level of accomplishment in curriculum writing, and the benefits of the PD in reaching their goals related to NGSS. Interviews were supplemented with an analysis of lesson plans written while participating in the PD program. The interviewed teachers suggested that they had made important conceptual and pedagogical shifts required by NGSS as they participated in the PD, and also noted a variety of challenges as they made this shift. While all teachers were relative novices at NGSS curriculum writing before the PD, most of the teachers interviewed felt that they had achieved the status of an “accomplished novice” following the summer academy. An analysis of their written lessons suggested a great range in the extent to which teachers effectively applied their understanding of NGSS to write lessons aligned to NGSS. Interviewed teachers believed that the PD model was helpful to their development as science teachers, and all reported that there were no aspects of the PD that were not helpful. Even though most teachers

  1. The GalileoMobile Project: sharing astronomy with students and teachers around the world

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benitez Herrera, Sandra; Del Sordo, Fabio; Spinelli, Patricia; Ntormousi, Eva

    2015-08-01

    Astronomy is an inspiring tool that can be used to motivate children to learn more about the world, to encourage critical thinking, and engage them in different scientific disciplines. Although many outreach programs bring astronomy to the classroom, most of them act in developed countries and rely heavily on internet connection. This leaves pupils and teachers in remote areas with little access to the latest space missions and the modern astronomical advances. GalileoMobile is an itinerant astronomy education initiative aiming to bridge this gap by donating educational material and organizing activities, experiments and teacher workshops at schools in rural areas. The initiative is run on a voluntary basis by an international team of astronomers, educators, and science communicators, working together to stimulate curiosity and interest in learning, to exchange different visions of the cosmos and to inspire a feeling of unity "under the same sky" between people from different cultures. Since the creation of the project in 2008, we have travelled to Chile, Bolivia, Peru, India, Uganda, Brazil and Colombia, and worked with about 70 schools. From our experiences, we learnt that 1) bringing experts from other countries is very stimulating for children and encourages a collaboration beyond borders; 2) inquiry-based methods are important for making the learning process more effective; 3) involving local educators in our activities helps the longstanding continuation of the project. We are incorporating these lessons learned into a new concept of the project. Constellation 2015, aims to establish a South American network of schools committed to the long-term organisation of astronomical outreach activities amongst their pupils and local communities. Constellation was declared Cosmic Light Project by the International Year of Light 2015 and awarded funding by the OAD. At this Focus Meeting, we will present the outcomes from our latest expeditions in Brazil and Colombia in

  2. Developing Intercultural Teachers: The Mumbai Global Experience Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Richard

    2009-01-01

    Interculturalism is a major theme that needs to inform the teaching and learning of all subjects in teacher education courses. Moreover, the practicum is an area where there needs to be more attention given to developing the attributes of an intercultural teacher. In 2008 I took a group of thirteen teacher education students on a three-week…

  3. Research Experiences in Teacher Preparation: Effectiveness of the Green Bank preservice teacher enhancement program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemler, Debra A.

    1997-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the preservice teacher component of the Research Experiences in Teacher Preparation (RETP) project aimed at enhancing teacher perceptions of the nature of science, science research, and science teaching. Data was collected for three preservice teacher groups during the three phases of the program: (I) a one week institute held at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia where teachers performed astronomy research using a 40 foot diameter radio telescope; (II) a secondary science methods course; and (III) student teaching placements. Four Likert-type instruments were developed and administered pre and post-institute to assess changes in perceptions of science, attitudes toward research, concerns about implementing research in the classroom, and evaluation of the institute. Instruments were re-administered following the methods course and student teaching. Observations of classroom students conducting research were completed for seven preservice teacher participants in their student teaching placements. Analysis, using t-tests, showed a significant increase in preservice teachers perceptions of their ability to do research. Preservice teachers were not concerned about implementing research in their placements. No significant change was measured in their understanding of the nature of science and science teaching. Concept maps demonstrated a significant increase in radio astronomy content knowledge. Participants responded that the value of institute components, quality of the research elements, and preparation for implementing research in the classroom were "good" to "excellent". Following the methods course (Phase II) no significant change in their understanding of the nature of science or concerns about implementing projects in the classroom were measured. Of the 7 preservice teachers who were observed implementing research projects, 5 projects were consistent with the Green

  4. The Ripple Effect: Exploring How a Joint Science Specialist/TOSA Can Change Classroom Teachers' Instructional Practices through Project-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gradias, Jean

    In 2013, California became one of the first states to adopt the rigorous Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, the current state of science instruction does not support the conceptual shifts of the NGSS, which call for consistent science instruction K-12, increased inquiry, subject integration, as well as science instruction that connects students to their communities and their world. Therefore, teachers are in need of instructional support for science teaching that can enable them to achieve these higher expectations. This dissertation explored whether implementing a Project-Based Learning (PBL)-centered science specialist changed classroom teachers' frequency of science instruction and use of instructional strategies that support NGSS science delivery. In addition, this study examined how providing a PBL science specialist supported teachers in their comfort with using these more rigorous instructional strategies. Five elementary teachers participated in an action research project conducted over the course of a school year. The frequency with which teachers used the following instructional strategies was analyzed: connecting science to real world phenomena, accessing community resources, integrating science into other subject areas, and using inquiry in science instruction. Quantitative and qualitative data revealed that a PBL science specialist does support classroom teachers in implementing teaching practices aligned to the conceptual shifts implicated by the NGSS; however, individual growth rates varied by instructional strategy. The results of this study provide a foundation for the legitimacy of utilizing a PBL-focused science specialist to support teachers in shifting their instructional practices in order to achieve the Next Generation Science Standards.

  5. Complexity of Choice: Teachers' and Students' Experiences Implementing a Choice-Based Comprehensive School Health Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulz, Lauren; Gibbons, Sandra; Naylor, Patti-Jean; Wharf Higgins, Joan

    2016-01-01

    Background: Comprehensive School Health models offer a promising strategy to elicit changes in student health behaviours. To maximise the effect of such models, the active involvement of teachers and students in the change process is recommended. Objective: The goal of this project was to gain insight into the experiences and motivations of…

  6. The Africa Yoga Project: A Participant-Driven Concept Map of Kenyan Teachers' Reported Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Jessalyn E; Cook-Cottone, Catherine; Giambrone, Carla

    2015-01-01

    The Africa Yoga Project (AYP) trains and funds Kenyans to teach community yoga classes. Preliminary research with a small sample of AYP teachers suggested the program had a positive impact. This study used concept mapping to explore the experiences of a larger sample. Participants brainstormed statements about how practicing and/or teaching yoga changed them. They sorted statements into self-defined piles and rated them in terms of perceived importance. Multidimensional scaling (MDS) of sort data calculated statement coordinates wherein each statement is placed in proximity to other statements as a function of how frequently statements are sorted together by participants. These results are then and mapped in a two-dimensional space. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of these data identified clusters (i.e., concepts) among statements. Cluster average importance ratings gave the concept map depth and indicated concept importance. Bridging analysis and researchers' conceptual understanding of yoga literature facilitated HCA interpretive decisions. Of 72 AYP teachers, 52 and 48 teachers participated in brainstorming and sorting/rating activities, respectively. Teachers brainstormed 93 statements about how they had changed. The resultant MDS statement map had adequate validity (stress value = .29). HCA created a 12-cluster solution with the following concepts of perceived change: Identity as a Yoga Teacher; Prosocial Development; Existential Possibility; Genuine Positive Regard; Value and Respect for Others (highest importance); Presence, Acceptance, and Competence; Service and Trust; Non-judgment and Emotion Regulation (lowest importance); Engagement and Connection; Interpersonal Effectiveness; Psychosocial Functioning; and Physical Competence and Security. Teachers perceived the AYP as facilitating change across physical, mental, and spiritual domains. Additional research is needed to quantify and compare this change to other health promotion program outcomes.

  7. Collaborative School Innovation Project as a Pivot for Teachers' Professional Development: The Case of Acharnes' Second Chance School in Greece

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsarou, Eleni; Tsafos, Vassilis

    2008-01-01

    A collaborative school innovation project is explored as a pivot for the professional development of the teachers involved. The Second Chance School (SCS) of Acharnes in Greece constitutes such a collaborative innovative project, regarding the underlying theory of multiliteracies, its decentralised character, respect for student individuality, and…

  8. Night-rest urinary catecholamine excretion in relation to aspects of free time, work and background data in a teacher group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinnunen, U; Vihko, V

    1991-01-01

    Free time, work and background data were related to night-rest catecholamine excretion rates in a teacher group (n = 137) during an autumn term. The explained interindividual variance increased slightly towards the end of the term. Adrenaline excretion was predicted better than noradrenaline, notedly by coffee consumption, amount of physical activity, and subjective stress feelings which explained 16% of the variance in adrenaline excretion during night rest. However, the results indicated that the differences in catecholamine excretion during night rest remained mostly unpredictable.

  9. Becoming a teacher educator: experiences with a specific induction period for beginning teacher educators.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    dr Rita Schildwacht; MEd Marly Gootzen; dr.ir. Quinta Kools; MEd Marije Veraa

    2012-01-01

    Introduction and theoretical background In the past few years, there has been a growing interest in the specific position of beginning teacher educators. In the book 'Becoming a teacher Educator' (Swennen & Van der Klink, 2009) several chapters deal with this subject. In conclusion, teacher

  10. The Invisible Universe Online for Teachers - A SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauthier, A.; Bennett, M.; Buxner, S.; Devore, E.; Keller, J.; Slater, T.; Thaller, M.; Conceptual Astronomy; Physics Education Research CAPER Team

    2003-12-01

    The SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Programs have partnered with the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team in designing, evaluating, and facilitating an online program for K-12 teachers to experience multiwavelength astronomy. An aggressive approach to online course design and delivery has resulted in a highly successful learning experience for teacher-participants. Important aspects of the Invisible Universe Online will eventually be used as a part of SOFIA's Airborne Ambassadors Program for pre-flight training of educators. The Invisible Universe Online is delivered via WebCT through the Montana State University National Teacher Enhancement Network (http://btc.montana.edu/). Currently in its fourth semester, the course has served 115 K-12 teachers. This distance learning online class presents our search for astronomical origins and provides an enhanced understanding of how astronomers use all energies of light to unfold the secrets of the universe. We cover the long chain of events from the birth of the universe through the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets by focusing on the scientific questions, technological challenges, and space missions pursuing this search for origins. Through textbook and internet readings, inquiry exploration with interactive java applets, and asynchronous discussions, we help our students achieve the following course goals: develop scientific background knowledge of astronomical objects and phenomena at multiple wavelengths; understand contemporary scientific research questions related to how galaxies formed in the early universe and how stars and planetary systems form and evolve; describe strategies and technologies for using non-visible wavelengths of EM radiation to study various phenomena; and integrate related issues of astronomical science and technology into K-12 classrooms. This course is being developed, evaluated, and offered through the support of SOFIA and SIRTF EPO Programs, two NASA infrared missions

  11. National Chemistry Teacher Safety Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plohocki, Barbra A.

    This study evaluated the status of secondary school instructional chemistry laboratory safety using a survey instrument which focused on Teacher background Information, Laboratory Safety Equipment, Facility Safety, General Safety, and a Safety Content Knowledge Survey. A fifty question survey instrument based on recent research and questions developed by the researcher was mailed to 500 secondary school chemistry teachers who participated in the 1993 one-week Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Chemistry Institute conducted at Princeton University, New Jersey. The data received from 303 respondents was analyzed by t tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The level of significance for the study was set at ~\\ performance on the Safety Content Knowledge Survey and secondary school chemistry teachers who have had undergraduate and/or graduate safety training and those who have not had undergraduate and/or graduate safety training. Secondary school chemistry teachers who attended school district sponsored safety inservices did not score higher on the Safety Content Knowledge Survey than teachers who did not attend school district sponsored safety inservice sessions. The type of school district (urban, suburban, or rural) had no significant correlation to the type of laboratory safety equipment found in the instructional chemistry laboratory. The certification area (chemistry or other type of certificate which may or may not include chemistry) of the secondary school teacher had no significant correlation to the type of laboratory equipment found in the instructional chemistry laboratory. Overall, this study indicated a majority of secondary school chemistry teachers were interested in attending safety workshops applicable to chemistry safety. Throughout this research project, many teachers indicated they were not adequately instructed on the collegiate level in science safety and had to rely on common sense and self-study in their future teaching careers.

  12. Effects of 3D Printing Project-based Learning on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Science Attitudes, Science Content Knowledge, and Anxiety About Teaching Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, Elena; Wisdom, Sonya

    2018-05-01

    3D printing technology is a powerful educational tool that can promote integrative STEM education by connecting engineering, technology, and applications of science concepts. Yet, research on the integration of 3D printing technology in formal educational contexts is extremely limited. This study engaged preservice elementary teachers (N = 42) in a 3D Printing Science Project that modeled a science experiment in the elementary classroom on why things float or sink using 3D printed boats. The goal was to explore how collaborative 3D printing inquiry-based learning experiences affected preservice teachers' science teaching self-efficacy beliefs, anxiety toward teaching science, interest in science, perceived competence in K-3 technology and engineering science standards, and science content knowledge. The 3D printing project intervention significantly decreased participants' science teaching anxiety and improved their science teaching efficacy, science interest, and perceived competence in K-3 technological and engineering design science standards. Moreover, an analysis of students' project reflections and boat designs provided an insight into their collaborative 3D modeling design experiences. The study makes a contribution to the scarce body of knowledge on how teacher preparation programs can utilize 3D printing technology as a means of preparing prospective teachers to implement the recently adopted engineering and technology standards in K-12 science education.

  13. How pre-service teachers' personality traits, self-efficacy, and discipline strategies contribute to the teacher-student relationship

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Jong, Romi; Mainhard, Tim|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/30483517X; van Tartwijk, Jan|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/112629385; Veldman, Ietje; Verloop, Nico; Wubbels, Theo|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/070651361

    2014-01-01

    Background: Although the teacher-student relationship is a well-documented phenomenon, few attempts have been made to identify its predictors. Research has mainly focused on in-service teachers, less is known about characteristics of pre-service teachers in relation to the teacher-student

  14. History and background of the project

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Jauhari, P.; Nair, R.R.

    The history of oceanography, the discovery of manganese nodules and the background of the developments in nodule research and mining is given The first nodules were collected in 1981 on board the research vessel R V Gaveshani Following the success...

  15. Cultivating Environmental Citizenship in Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Carie; Medina-Jerez, William; Bryant, Carol

    2016-01-01

    Research on environmental action projects in teacher education is limited. Furthermore, projects that emphasize the role of citizens and governments in environmental problem-solving are scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore how participating in a political environmental action project influenced pre-service teachers' environmental…

  16. Observing Some Life Cycles. Teacher's Guide. Unit E3. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chitepo, Thoko; And Others

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide contains instructional…

  17. How Will Teachers Fare in Rhode Island's New Hybrid Pension Plan? Public Pension Project Brief 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Richard W.; Butrica, Barbara A.; Haaga, Owen; Southgate, Benjamin G.

    2014-01-01

    Hybrid retirement plans that combine defined benefit pensions with 401(k) type, defined contribution accounts can play important roles in the reform of public-sector pensions. Summarizing results from our longer report ["How Will Rhode Island's New Hybrid Pension Plan Affect Teachers? A Report of the Public Pension Project" (2014)], this…

  18. Qualities of an effective teacher: what do medical teachers think?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Simerjit; Pai, Dinker R; Sinha, Nirmal K; Kaur, Avneet; Soe, Htoo Htoo Kyaw; Barua, Ankur

    2013-09-17

    Effective teaching in medicine is essential to produce good quality doctors. A number of studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of an effective teacher. However, most of literature regarding an effective medical teacher includes student ratings or expert opinions. Furthermore, interdisciplinary studies for the same are even fewer. We did a cross-sectional study of the characteristics of effective teachers from their own perspective across medicine and dentistry disciplines. A questionnaire comprising of 24 statements relating to perceived qualities of effective teachers was prepared and used. The study population included the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the institution. Respondents were asked to mark their response to each statement based on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These statements were grouped these into four main subgroups, viz. Class room behaviour/instructional delivery, interaction with students, personal qualities and professional development, and analysed with respect to discipline, cultural background, gender and teaching experience using SPSS v 13.0. For bivariate analysis, t-test and one way ANOVA were used. Multiple linear regression for multivariate analysis was used to control confounding variables. The top three desirable qualities of an effective teacher in our study were knowledge of subject, enthusiasm and communication skills. Faculty with longer teaching experienced ranked classroom behaviour/instructional delivery higher than their less experienced counterparts. There was no difference of perspectives based on cultural background, gender or discipline (medicine and dentistry). This study found that the faculty perspectives were similar, regardless of the discipline, gender and cultural background. Furthermore, on review of literature similar findings are seen in studies done in allied medical and non-medical fields. These findings support common teacher training programs

  19. A Better Way to Pay: Five Rules for Reforming Teacher Compensation. Backgrounder. No, 2681

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richwine, Jason

    2012-01-01

    Despite ongoing debates over the adequacy of teacher compensation, the design of merit pay systems, and the structure of pension benefits, there is broad agreement that teacher pay should be designed to recruit--and retain--the highest-quality teachers in a cost-effective manner. Policymakers should avoid across-the-board pay increases, and focus…

  20. Teacher Transformation: An Exploration of Science Teachers' Changing Professional Identities, Knowledge, and Classroom Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitacre, Michelle Phillips

    This qualitative, multiple case study examines five teachers' experiences with a National Science Foundation-funded professional development (PD) program focused on science literacy. Using a three dimensional conceptual framework combining transformative learning theory, communities of practice, and sociocultural conceptions of identity it explores: the ways the "Science Literacy through Science Journalism" (SciJourn) project built professional community and influenced teacher learning; the influence of the project on participating science teachers' professional identities, knowledge, and classroom practices; and the ways teachers were or were not transformed by participation in the project. To this end, data from surveys and phenomenological interviews were analyzed through qualitative textual analysis and narrative analysis. Four of the teachers experienced a change in their stories to live by, aka, an identity shift. Three predominant themes emerged across these cases. These included a changed conceptualization of science literacy, the importance of student engagement and authenticity, and the value of SciJourn's professional development and community. The changed conceptualization of science literacy was particularly salient as it challenged these teachers' assumptions, led them to rethink how they teach science literacy, and also influenced them to re-evaluate their teaching priorities beyond the PD. Consequently, this study concludes that PD efforts should focus as much, or more, on influencing teachers' ideas regarding what and how they teach and less on teaching strategies. A close comparison between two teachers' diverging experiences with the program showed that student engagement played a significant role in teachers' perceptions of the value of project, suggesting that whether or not teachers sustain a new practice is closely tied to their students' feedback. Additionally, this analysis showed that a teacher's individualized needs and sense of efficacy

  1. Perceptions of Asian-American and Hispanic-American teachers and their students on teacher interpersonal communication style

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brok, den P.J.; Levy, J.; Rodriguez, R.; Wubbels, Th.

    2002-01-01

    The study investigated the relationship of teacher and student ethnic background to their perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviour. It is theoretically linked to research on multicultural education and teacher interpersonal communication styles. Perceptions of 27 Asian-American and

  2. Gaps between Beliefs, Perceptions, and Practices: The Every Teacher Project on LGBTQ-Inclusive Education in Canadian Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Catherine G.; Meyer, Elizabeth J.; Peter, Tracey; Ristock, Janice; Short, Donn; Campbell, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    The Every Teacher Project involved large-scale survey research conducted to identify the beliefs, perspectives, and practices of Kindergarten to Grade 12 educators in Canadian public schools regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-inclusive education. Comparisons are made between LGBTQ and cisgender heterosexual…

  3. Forces. 'O' Level Teacher's Guide. Unit 1. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project. Year 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udwin, Martin

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the third year of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be read in…

  4. Zambia Country Background Report

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hampwaye, Godfrey; Jeppesen, Søren; Kragelund, Peter

    This paper provides background data and general information for the Zambia studies focusing on local food processing sub­‐sector; and the local suppliers to the mines as part of the SAFIC project (Successful African Firms and Institutional Change).......This paper provides background data and general information for the Zambia studies focusing on local food processing sub­‐sector; and the local suppliers to the mines as part of the SAFIC project (Successful African Firms and Institutional Change)....

  5. The Professional Project among Danish Kindergarten Teachers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøje, Jakob Ditlev

    2016-01-01

    This article describes ways in which the professionalization strategy among Danish kindergarten teachers is realised in practice by newly educated members of the occupation. It focusses on relations between gender and professionalisation and concludes that the professionalisation strategy is real...... educated kindergarten teachers employed in three different pedagogic institutions: day-care (0-6 years), after-school institutions (6-10 years) and club facilities (10-18 years)....

  6. Scientist-teacher collaboration: Integration of real data from a coastal wetland into a high school life science ecology-based research project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagan, Wendy L.

    Project G.R.O.W. is an ecology-based research project developed for high school biology students. The curriculum was designed based on how students learn and awareness of the nature of science and scientific practices so that students would design and carry out scientific investigations using real data from a local coastal wetland. This was a scientist-teacher collaboration between a CSULB biologist and high school biology teacher. Prior to implementing the three-week research project, students had multiple opportunities to practice building requisite skills via 55 lessons focusing on the nature of science, scientific practices, technology, Common Core State Standards of reading, writing, listening and speaking, and Next Generation Science Standards. Project G.R.O.W. culminated with student generated research papers and oral presentations. Outcomes reveal students struggle with constructing explanations and the use of Excel to create meaningful graphs. They showed gains in data organization, analysis, teamwork and aspects of the nature of science.

  7. Teacher perspectives about using formative assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Evans, Robert Harry; Clesham, Rose; Dolin, Jens

    2018-01-01

    This chapter examines three different classroom teacher perspectives when using ASSIST-ME project formative assessment methods as described in the introductory chapter. The first ‘teacher perspective’ is about changes in teacher self-efficacies while using formative assessment methods as monitored...... by a pre- and post-teacher questionnaire. Teachers who tried the unfamiliar formative methods of assessment (see introductory book chapter for these methods) as well as their colleagues who did not were surveyed. The second ‘teacher perspective’ examines changes in teachers’ subjective theories while...... trying project-specific formative assessment methods in Czech Republic. Analyses are done through case studies and interviews. The final part of the chapter looks at teacher perspectives while using an Internet-based application to facilitate formative assessment. The teacher use of the application...

  8. Relational Agency and Teacher Development: A CHAT Analysis of a Collaborative Professional Inquiry Project with Biology Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNicholl, Jane

    2013-01-01

    Teacher quality largely determines student outcomes and many argue for high quality teacher training and professional development (PD). Much PD has been heavily critiqued and what constitutes effective provision for teachers remains contested. Disenfranchisement of teachers, through neglect of prior expertise and failure to acknowledge teachers'…

  9. Possibilities and Limits of Integrating Science and Diversity Education in Preservice Elementary Teacher Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, Marco A.; Mosqueda, Eduardo; Solís, Jorge L.; Stoddart, Trish

    2014-08-01

    In this paper we present findings from a project that documented the development of preservice teachers' beliefs and practices in delivering science instruction that considers issues of language and culture. Teacher candidates in the intervention group ( n = 65) received a science methods course and teaching practicum experience that provided guidance in teaching science in culturally and linguistically responsive ways. Comparisons between a control group of preservice teachers ( n = 45) and those involved in the intervention yielded stronger beliefs about the efficacy in promoting collaboration in science teaching than the intervention group. Observations of these preservice teachers during their teaching practicum revealed differences in favor of the intervention group in: (a) implementing science instruction that addressed the language and literacy involved in science; (b) using questions that elicited higher order thinking and; (c) providing scaffolds (e.g., purposeful feedback, probing student background knowledge) when confronting abstract scientific concepts. Implications for preservice teacher education are addressed.

  10. Mongolian Teachers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Ulla Ambrosius

    2002-01-01

    The article comprises the result of a research project conducted among Mongolian teachers in a period of transition. The study is based on quantitative as well as on qualitative data. The study is carried out as part of research activities in an educational development programme.......The article comprises the result of a research project conducted among Mongolian teachers in a period of transition. The study is based on quantitative as well as on qualitative data. The study is carried out as part of research activities in an educational development programme....

  11. Enhancing Teacher Efficacy and Pedagogical Practices amongst General and Special Education Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this action research project was to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to acquire information in teacher efficacy from the viewpoint of teachers themselves so that pedagogical practices could be enhanced to better serve the special needs student population. In this study, the relationship between teachers' perception of…

  12. Mathematics teachers' support and retention: using Maslow's hierarchy to understand teachers' needs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Molly H.; Royster, David

    2016-10-01

    As part of a larger study, four mathematics teachers from diverse backgrounds and teaching situations report their ideas on teacher stress, mathematics teacher retention, and their feelings about the needs of mathematics teachers, as well as other information crucial to retaining quality teachers. The responses from the participants were used to develop a hierarchy of teachers' needs that resembles Maslow's hierarchy, which can be used to better support teachers in various stages of their careers. The interviews revealed both non content-specific and content-specific needs within the hierarchy. The responses show that teachers found different schools foster different stress levels and that as teachers they used a number of resources for reducing stress. Other mathematics-specific ideas are also discussed such as the amount of content and pedagogy courses required for certification.

  13. Teachers and student teachers co-creating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Birgitte Lund; Nielsen, Ove; Weissschädel, Sine

    inquiring for their BA-Ed in the frames of the project. The second case is a 1-year project with staff from a school and four STs (4th year BA-Ed) searching for and trying out local solutions to support inclusion of socially vulnerable children. A research design with repeated interviews and open......-ended reflections in a questionnaire was applied. Data-analysis as thematic analysis. Findings across cases show the positive experience for both teachers and STs of developing personal-professional competence and agency, i.e. to support social inclusion. A major theme is the experience of relatedness across groups......, with respect and appreciation of each other. STs refer to meaningful learning focused on mastering, but also to challenges in relation to performing making a well-graded BA-project. Some autonomy in choosing an inquiry-focus for the BA seems important. The teachers refer in particular to the importance...

  14. RE-SEARCHING SECONDARY TEACHER TRAINEES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AND FACE-TO-FACE MODE: Study of Their Background Variables, Personal Characteristics and Academic Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mamta GARG

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The present investigation was conducted to describe and compare the background variables, personal characteristics and academic performance of secondary teacher trainees in distance education and face-to-face mode. The results indicated that teacher trainees in distance education differed from their counterparts in age, marital status, sex and socio-economic status. Distance trainees outperformed the on-campus trainees on their preference for left-hemispheric styles of learning and thinking, budgeting time, learning motivation, overall study habits, academic motivation, attitude towards education, work methods, interpersonal relations, and on their perception about relevance of course content of theory papers in B.Ed., but on-campus trainees outperformed distance trainees on preference for right-hemispheric learning styles, need for achievement, motivation for sports, attitude towards teaching profession, child-centered practices, teachers, overall attitude towards teaching along with their perception for development of teaching skills and attitude, personality development during B.Ed. course. In academic performance distance trainees lag behind the on-campus trainee in their marks in theory papers, skills in teaching and in aggregate.

  15. Which Way Is Better for Teacher Evaluation? The Discourse on Teacher Evaluation in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Juei-Hsin; Chen, Yen-Ting

    2016-01-01

    There are no summative evaluations for compulsory and basic education in Taiwan. This research discusses and analyzes present teacher evaluation implementation. The implementation of policy nowadays means "Teacher evaluation for professional development". Teacher evaluation for professional development is a voluntary growing project of…

  16. Validation procedures used in the Background Soil Characterization Project on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-12-01

    The purpose of this report is (1) to document the data validation process developed for the Background Soil Characterization Project (BSCP); (2) to offer members of other project teams and potential data users the benefit of the experience gained in the BSCP in the area of developing project-specific data validation criteria and procedures based on best available guidance and technical information; and (3) to provide input and guidance to the efforts under way within Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., to develop standard operating procedures to streamline and optimize the analytical laboratory data validation process for general use by making it more technically rigorous, consistent, and cost effective. Lessons learned from the BSCP are also provided to meet this end (Sect. 1.3)

  17. Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: The NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebull, L. M.; Gorjian, V.; Squires, G.; Nitarp Team

    2012-08-01

    How many times have you gotten a question from the general public, or read a news story, and concluded that "they just don't understand how real science works?" One really good way to get the word out about how science works is to have more people experience the process of scientific research. Since 2004, the way we have chosen to do this is to provide authentic research experiences for teachers using real data (the program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, which in 2009 was rechristened the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, or NITARP). We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, they do research as a team, write up a poster, and present it at an American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting. The teachers incorporate this experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program differs from other similar programs in several important ways. First, each team works on an original, unique project. There are no canned labs here! Second, each team presents their results in posters at the AAS, in science sessions (not outreach sessions). The posters are distributed throughout the meeting, in amongst other researchers' work; the participants are not "given a free pass" because they are teachers. Finally, the "product" of this project is the scientific result, not any sort of curriculum packet. The teachers adapt their project to their classroom environment, and we change the way they think about science and scientists.

  18. Teachers' perceptions on primary science teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kijkuakul, Sirinapa

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative research aimed to review what primary teachers think about how to teach science in rural school contexts. Three primary schools in Thailand were purposively chosen for this study. Eleven primary science teachers of these schools were the research participants. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations were implemented to reveal the primary school teachers' educational backgrounds, science teaching context, and need for self-driven professional development. Content and discourse analysis indicated that the non-science educational background and the science teaching context implied a need for self-driven professional development. The non-science educational background teachers were generally unfamiliar with the current national science curriculum, and that they would not be comfortable when the researcher observed their science teaching practice. They also believed that experimentation was the only one strategy for teaching science, and that the priority for their teaching support was teaching media rather than their understanding of scientific concepts or teaching strategies. As implication of this research, subsequent developments on science teacher profession in rural context, therefore, need to promote teachers' understandings of nature of science and technological and pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, they should be challenged to practice on critically participatory action research for academic growth and professional learning community.

  19. Management of Teacher Scientific-Methodical Work in Vocational Educational Institutions on the Basis of Project-Target Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakuto, Elena A.; Dorozhkin, Evgenij M.; Kozlova, Anastasia A.

    2016-01-01

    The relevance of the subject under analysis is determined by the lack of theoretical development of the problem of management of teacher scientific-methodical work in vocational educational institutions based upon innovative approaches in the framework of project paradigm. The purpose of the article is to develop and test a science-based…

  20. The Effect of ICT Assisted Project Based Learning Approach on Prospective ICT Integration Skills of Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilten, Pusat; Pilten, Gulhiz; Sahinkaya, Nihan

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the present research is studying the effects of information and communication technologies (ICT) assisted project based learning practices on ICT integration skills of pre-service classroom teachers. The research adopted a mixed method. The quantitative dimension of the research was designed with pre-test-post-test control groups.…

  1. Teachers' Views on Performance-Based Assessments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Bruce

    1991-01-01

    Provides personal perspectives from teachers about the prospects and problems illuminated by Stanford University's Teacher Assessment Project. Teacher remarks address the portfolio development process, assessment centers, implications for national board certification for teachers, personal thoughts and perspectives on teaching, and the future of…

  2. Adult teachers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Lea Lund

    2011-01-01

    In this paper I examine the research into the process of adult teachers’ practice-based learning as a part of an on-going project titled “Competence development through practice-based learning – a study of adult teacher’s learning processes”. The project relies on the notion of the adult teacher...... as a 'reflective practitioner’, who develops 'the language of practice’, through experience and learns when she is exposed to 'disjuncture’. Research done on continuing professional development and the inquiries done in the field of teacher thinking and within this the research on novices becoming expert...

  3. The influence of student ethnicity on teacher expectations and teacher perceptions of warmth and competence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raisa Akifyeva

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background. Previous research shows that incorrect teacher expectations about students can affect students’ academic success. Moreover, students’ ethnicity was found to be one of the most influential characteristics affecting teacher expectations, which can be based on ethnic stereotypes. Most studies test this relationship by comparing teacher expectations of multiple ethnic groups; however, we propose here another perspective, assuming that the connection between ethnic stereotypes and expectations may be determined by the content of the stereotypes. Objective. This study examines the influence of students’ ethnicity on teacher expectations and stereotypes, as well as the relationship of teacher expectations and stereotypes toward ethnic minority students, by including the stereotype content model in the analysis. Design. Thirty-four primary school teachers participated in the experiment in which they analyzed six fictional profiles of students, two of which were experimental. The experimental profiles contained identical information (annual school grade, a teacher testimonial, gender, but differed in names of the students and their parents, and in their migration background. Thus, we manipulated only the information related to ethnicity and migration history of two students. Results. Teacher expectations about the performance of minority students were always unfavorable compared with expectations about the performance of the majority students, but their expectations about the abilities of minority and majority students, which include teachers’ beliefs about students’ educational skills, attitudes and motivation, and capacity for school work, were mixed. We also discovered that the teacher expectations were positively related to perceptions of competence and not to perceptions of warmth. However, the minority student was evaluated by teachers as just as warm and competent as the majority. Conclusion. This study shows the relevance of

  4. The Relationship between Teacher Burnout and Student Motivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Bo; McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey; Garn, Alex; Kulik, Noel; Fahlman, Mariane

    2015-01-01

    Background: Teacher burnout is regarded as a serious problem in school settings. To date, studies on teachers' stress and burnout have largely centred on teachers' own characteristics, socialization, and behaviours, but few have explored the connection between teachers' burnout and students' motivation via their own perceptions of teachers'…

  5. The Arithmetic Project Course for Teachers - 8. Topic: Lower Brackets and Upper Brackets. Supplement: Arithmetic With Frames.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, MA.

    This is one of a series of 20 booklets designed for participants in an in-service course for teachers of elementary mathematics. The course, developed by the University of Illinois Arithmetic Project, is designed to be conducted by local school personnel. In addition to these booklets, a course package includes films showing mathematics being…

  6. Field Studies in Science Teacher Preparation Programs: Examples of Research-Oriented Earth and Environmental Science Field Projects for Pre-service and In-service Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neal, M. L.

    2005-12-01

    Science teaching reforms of the past 10 to 20 years have focused on a pedagogical shift from verification-style laboratory exercises, toward hands-on and inquiry-based constructivist teaching methods. Such methods, however, require teachers to be proficient in more than just basic content and teaching strategies. To be effective teachers, these professionals must also be skilled in the design and implementation of research-style investigations. At Loyola College in Maryland, topics in the earth and environmental sciences are used as the basis for field research projects that teach our students science content, along with how to design age-appropriate investigative activities and how to implement them in a stimulating, inquiry-based learning environment. Presented here are examples of three projects, demonstrating how these themes are woven throughout our pre- and in-service teacher preparation programs, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. 1. Watershed Studies - In our undergraduate, pre-service, elementary education teacher preparation program, students design and implement a water quality study in a local watershed. In the classroom, students use topographic maps and aerial photographs to delineate the watersheds' boundaries, to identify current land use patterns, and to select appropriate locations on the trunk stream for testing. Water testing at these sites is conducted during field trips, with data analysis and interpretation performed on-site. On-site work allows students to make connections between stream water quality and adjacent land use practices. Students then relate the content and research results to science teaching standards, in order to develop a unit-plan for use in their future classrooms. 2. Land Use Assessment - In our graduate, in-service, elementary and middle school science program, a local stream valley is used as the basis for an analysis of potential land use changes. Students first construct a topographic base map of the area, and

  7. Who Should Be Teachers of English?

    OpenAIRE

    Yıldıran, Güzver

    2018-01-01

    The problems related to native versus non-native teachers of English are discussed. The possible lack of knowledge of the cultural background of the language to be taught by non-native teachers is juxtaposed against the transmission of values related to cultural superiority by native English speaking teachers.

  8. The Pulsar Search Collaboratory: A Comprehensive Project for Students and Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Rachel; Heatherly, S.; McLauglin, M.; Lorimer, D.

    2009-01-01

    The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and West Virginia University (WVU) have partnered to improve the quality of science education in West Virginia high schools through the Pulsar Search Collaboratory (PSC). One of the primary goals of the PSC is to engage students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and related fields by using information technology to conduct current scientific research, specifically searching for new pulsars. To this end, we also are improving rural teachers' knowledge of the nature of science, the importance of information technology to scientific discovery, and methodologies for incorporating inquiry-based education into the classroom. The PSC hopes to make school science more like the practice of science and to make science fun and interesting for high school students. In 2007, an international team of astronomers received 900 hours of time on the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) during the summer shutdown to search for new pulsars. In conjunction with this group, we applied for and received 300 hours of observing time on the GBT for the PSC students. Around the same time, we were awarded an NSF iTEST grant to fund the Pulsar Search Collaboratory (PSC) project. Over the past year, we have been working with colleagues in the WVU Department of Computer Science to develop a graphical interface through which the students will analyze pulsar search plots (see psrsearch.wvu.edu). We also initiated a robust processing pipeline on a cluster in the WVU Computer Science Department. The PSC started in earnest this summer with a three week workshop in Green Bank where the teachers attended an intensive astronomy mini-course and techniques on introducing astronomy into the classroom. The students joined their teachers for the third week and participated in various activities to teach them about radio astronomy, radio frequency interference, and pulsars.

  9. Identity Change during Vocational Teacher Education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duch, Henriette

    where the teacher is employed. Regardless of the teacher’s educational background, he has to attend the same course when he is employed at a vocational school. During that education, the teacher is in transition to become a vocational teacher. It is mandatory to complete the Diploma of Education in four...

  10. Authentic Astronomy Research Experiences for Teachers: the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebull, L.; NITARP Team

    2011-12-01

    Since 2004, we have provided authentic astronomy research experiences for teachers using professional astronomical data. (The program used to be called the Spitzer Teacher Program for Teachers and Students, and in 2009 was renamed NITARP--NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program.) We partner small groups of teachers with a mentor astronomer, the team does research, writes up a poster, and presents it at the major annual meeting for professional US astronomers, the American Astronomical Society (winter meeting). The teachers incorporate this research experience into their classroom, and their experiences color their teaching for years to come, influencing hundreds of students per teacher. This program, to the best of our knowledge, is completely unique in the following three ways: (1) Each team does original research using real astronomical data, not canned labs or reproductions of previously done research. (2) Each team writes up the results of their research and presents it at an AAS meeting. Each team also presents the educational results of their experience. (3) The 'products' of the program are primarily the scientific results, as opposed to curriculum packets. The teachers in the program involve students at their school and incorporate the experience into their teaching in a way that works for them, their environment, and their local/state standards. The educators in the program are selected from a nationwide annual application process, and they get three trips, all reasonable expenses paid. First, they attend a winter AAS meeting to get their bearings as attendees of the largest professional astronomy meetings in the world. We sponsor a kickoff workshop specifically for the NITARP educators on the day before the AAS meeting starts. After the meeting, they work remotely with their team to write a proposal, as well as read background literature. In the summer (at a time convenient to all team members), the educators plus up to two students per teacher come

  11. South Africa calls Italy: effective exchange activity through costless (Skype like) connections in the framework of the EU UNAWE project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanazzi, A.; Albanese, L.; Naidoo, T.

    2014-10-01

    In summer 2012 the Italian EU-UNAWE team joined with the South African team in Cape Town, working with the township schools organizing activities at school and also a teachers' training event at the SAAO Observatory. In order to involve in the exchange not only the project's experts but also to the teachers and the children, we organized Skype connections between the Cape town teachers participating in the project and the teachers in Sicily (South Italy) that also participated in one of the Italian training sessions and later between the children of the Italian school and those in Zanemfundo School (Cape Town). Thanks to this chance of seeing each other and talking directly, children have - with huge interest and participation - shared and learned methods, experiences, curiosities. They shared their prepared actual science researches, in order to understand why an equal gnomon cast different shadows at the same time in the two countries. The teachers confronted on curricula, didactic methodologies such as working with a background story during the whole school year, interdisciplinary uses of astronomy, languages etc. The EU-UNAWE project and International or Regional conferences such as LARIM are perfect chances to create exchanges between countries all around the World, and this simple communication model between children and teachers appears like an enormous resource yet to be fully exploited.

  12. DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER COMP ETENCES IN CREATING POWERFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN VOCATIONAL SECONDARY EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inge PLACKLÉ

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: At the end of Vocational Secondary Education students should be able to solve authentic problems individually and in group. Powerful learning environments could enforce these learning processes. Research question: “Which critical desirable design principles can we define to create a powerful learning environment in Secondary Vocational Education ? Method: We combine different perspectives of teachers, students and researchers to build a shared model of learning environments, which will be perceived as more powerful by all stakeholders. Based on literature we selected design principles followed by organizing focus groups with teacher educators and teachers to further adapt these principles. Preliminary results: We determined eight design pr inciples: Authenticity learning environment, differentiation, adapted evaluation, self-directed learning, problem solving, teamwork, shared responsibility design learning environment and (labour identity develop ment. Each principle has been further clarified in indicators. This study is part of a larger research project in developing teacher competences in creating powe rful learning enviro nments in Vocational Secondary Education.

  13. Teacher Research as Professional Development for P-12 Music Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conway, Colleen; Edgar, Scott; Hansen, Erin; Palmer, C. Michael

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of seven music educators who conducted teacher research in their classrooms and to document whether the teachers and the local school district considered the project as professional development. Research questions included: (1) How do these music educators describe the experience of planning…

  14. The Importance of Background Culture Knowledge in Reading

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    王蓁

    2012-01-01

    As achieving cross-culture communication is the final aim of learning English,it turns out to be inefficient to attach more importance on the ability of listening,speaking,reading,writing and knowledge system.Background culture knowledge is supposed to be an important way to reach the aim of language teaching,and help readers understand articles.Considering the effects of background culture knowledge and its importance,this article will do a research on it and try to help both readers and teachers aware of the importance of background culture knowledge and take note of it.

  15. Evaluation of a Web-Based Professional Development Program (Project ACE) for Teachers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakap, Salih; Jones, Hazel A.; Emery, Alice Kaye

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the development, implementation, and second-year evaluation of Project Autism Competencies for Endorsement (ACE), a web-based professional development (PD) program that is designed to train teachers currently working in the field to meet the unique and diverse needs of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A…

  16. Revolutionizing Climate Science: Using Teachers as Communicators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warburton, J.; Crowley, S.; Wood, J.

    2012-12-01

    PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program in which K-12 teachers participate in hands-on field research experiences in the Polar Regions. Teachers are the dynamic conduits for communicating climate science. In the PolarTREC final report, researchers found that teachers were vital in refining the language of their science and have shaped the goals of the scientific project. Program data demonstrates that science in classrooms is better understood when teachers have a full-spectrum grasp of project intricacies from defining the project, to field data collection, encountering situations for creativity and critical thinking, as well as participating in data and project analysis. Teachers' translating the authentic scientific process is integral in communicating climate science to the broader public. Teachers playing a major role in polar science revolutionize the old paradigm of "in-school learning". Through daily online journaling and forums, social media communication, live webinars with public, and professional development events, these teachers are moving beyond classrooms to communicate with society. Through teachers, climate policy can be shaped for the future by having scientifically literate students as well as assessable science. New paradigms come as teachers attain proficient levels of scientific understanding paired with the expert abilities for communication with years of experience. PolarTREC teachers are a model for new interactions peer-to-peer learning and mentorship for young scientists. Our programmatic goal is to expand the opportunities for PolarTREC teachers to share their involvement in science with additional formal and informal educators. 'Teaching the teachers' will reach exponential audiences in media, policy, and classrooms. Modeling this program, we designed and conducted a teacher training on climate science in Denali National Park. Utilizing expert university

  17. Teachers, Arts Practice and Pedagogy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franks, Anton; Thomson, Pat; Hall, Chris; Jones, Ken

    2014-01-01

    What are possible overlaps between arts practice and school pedagogy? How is teacher subjectivity and pedagogy affected when teachers engage with arts practice, in particular, theatre practices? We draw on research conducted into the Learning Performance Network (LPN), a project that involved school teachers working with the Royal Shakespeare…

  18. Using Action Research Projects to Examine Teacher Technology Integration Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawson, Kara

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the technology integration practices of teachers involved in a statewide initiative via one cycle of action research. It differs from other studies of teacher technology integration practices because it simultaneously involved and provided direct benefits to teachers and researchers. The study used thematic analysis to provide…

  19. The readiness of teachers to integrate information and communication technology for learning in a selected school in the GautengOnline project.

    OpenAIRE

    2008-01-01

    This study is aimed at providing the reader with a detailed description of the readiness of teachers to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for learning in a selected school in the GautengOnline (GoL) Project, through qualitative research design that used various data collecting methods: Questionnaire, observations and interview. A large number of teachers showed some interest in using ICT learning but had difficulties on how to get started due to the lack of suitable ICT...

  20. Teacher learning as workplace learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Imants, J.; Van Veen, K.

    2010-01-01

    Against the background of increasing attention in teacher professional development programs for situating teacher learning in the workplace, an overview is given of what is known in general and in educational workplace learning literature on the characteristics and conditions of the workplace.

  1. Does Teacher Preparation Matter? Evidence about Teacher Certification, Teach for America, and Teacher Effectiveness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Darling-Hammond

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Recent debates about the utility of teacher education have raised questions about whether certified teachers are, in general, more effective than those who have not met the testing and training requirements for certification, and whether some candidates with strong liberal arts backgrounds might be at least as effective as teacher education graduates. This study examines these questions with a large student-level data set from Houston, Texas that links student characteristics and achievement with data about their teachers' certification status, experience, and degree levels from 1995-2002. The data set also allows an examination of whether Teach for America (TFA candidates-recruits from selective universities who receive a few weeks of training before they begin teaching-are as effective as similarly experienced certified teachers. In a series of regression analyses looking at 4th and 5th grade student achievement gains on six different reading and mathematics tests over a six-year period, we find that certified teachers consistently produce stronger student achievement gains than do uncertified teachers. These findings hold for TFA recruits as well as others. Controlling for teacher experience, degrees, and student characteristics, uncertified TFA recruits are less effective than certified teachers, and perform about as well as other uncertified teachers. TFA recruits who become certified after 2 or 3 years do about as well as other certified teachers in supporting student achievement gains; however, nearly all of them leave within three years. Teachers' effectiveness appears strongly related to the preparation they have received for teaching.

  2. Predictors of Teacher Educators' Research Productivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasser-Abu Alhija, Fadia M.; Majdob, Arin

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between teacher educators' research productivity (RP) and their background and professional characteristics, attitudes, motives, obstacles and time devoted to research. The sample included 161 teacher educators from four teacher education colleges in Israel. The findings indicate the significance of five…

  3. Developing an International Survey of Teachers' Assessment Capabilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Renken, Maggie; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin; Cowie, Bronwen

    teacher education into the first years as teachers across six countries. We target the nature of programmes and changes in understanding assessment purposes, practices, principles and policy. This project builds on the ACT survey of student-teacher understandings of assessment conducted over three years......Professional standards require teachers to be assessment literate - to construct, administer, and score reliable, valid assessments, communicate interpretations and use evidence to adjust teaching to support students. This project investigates student-teachers’ assessment literacy throughout...

  4. Applied aspects of content projecting of lexicology and phraseology teaching of future primary school teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Марія Михайлівна Греб

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In the article it is considered the applied aspects of content projecting of lexicology and phraseology teaching of future primary school teachers basing on the principles of developing education. These principles are realized gradually (theoretical, practical, research stages and stage of independent work. Also these principles are guaranteed by the system of exercises and tasks of three levels of complexity which promotes increasing of motivation, self-development, self-realization of subjects of educational process

  5. Atoms and Molecules. 'O' Level. Teacher's Guide. Unit 2. ZIM-SCI, Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project. Year 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandizha, George

    The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the third year of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This teaching guide, designed to be used in…

  6. Where Have All the Teachers Gone?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Fetler

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available A rising need for teachers is projected for California and the nation during the next decade. Sound policy for teacher preparation should not only foster a capable workforce, it should also assure that the supply of qualified teachers balances with employment demand. A conceptual model is proposed to describe the flow of individuals through teacher preparation programs and the workplace. In California the workforce is projected to grow by thirty percent over the next ten years, stimulating the demand for teachers. At present the number of newly credentialed teachers exceeds the number hired. However, the apparent abundance masks an oversupply of teachers in some curricular and geographic areas and shortages elsewhere. Evidence for a lack of balance between supply and demand is found in an upward trend of emergency hiring of teachers who do not meet all requirements for a credential and low employment rates for first-time college and university prepared teachers. The asymmetry between supply and demand could be redressed partly through better retention of working teachers and closer coordination of preparation programs with the needs of schools in their service areas.

  7. Teacher professionalisation and dropout rates in adult education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wahlgren, Bjarne; Mariager-Anderson, Kristina

    2015-01-01

    in by the teachers, interviews with the teachers, and by the teachers’ written logbooks. The preliminary conclusion is that it is the general attitude in the teacher groups towards the importance of improving retention that is of significance for the documented effects on the drop-out rates.......This article reports findings from a research project titled New roles for the teacher - Increased completion through social responsibility. This research, designed as an intervention project, has an overall aim of reducing absence and drop-out rates in the Danish vocational and general adult...... educational system by developing and improving the teachers’ competences. This has been pursued in the research project through engaging teachers in training aimed at improving their socio-pedagogical competences. The effect of this training has been measured by electronic questionnaires filled...

  8. Enhancing Science Teacher Training Using Water Resources and GLOBE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falco, James W.

    2002-01-01

    Heritage College, located on the Yakama Indian Reservation in south central Washington state, serves a multicultural, underserved, rural population and trains teachers to staff the disadvantaged school districts on and surrounding the reservation. In-service teachers and pre-service teachers in the area show strength in biology but have weak backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics. We are addressing this problem by providing a 2-year core of courses for 3 groups of 25 students (15 pre-service and 10 in-service teachers) using GLOBE to teach integrated physical science and mathematics. At the conclusion of the program, the students will qualify for science certification by Washington State. Water resources are the focal point of the curriculum because it is central to life in our desert area. The lack or excess of water, its uses, quality and distribution is being studied by using GIS, remote sensing and historical records. Students are learning the methodology to incorporate scientific protocols and data into all aspects of their future teaching curriculum. In addition, in each of the three years of the project, pre-service teachers attended a seminar series during the fall semester with presentations by collaborators from industry, agriculture, education and government agencies. Students used NASA educational materials in the presentations that they gave at the conclusion of the seminar series. All pre- and in-service teachers continue to have support via a local web site for Heritage College GLOBE participants.

  9. Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy; Lapp, Diane

    2012-01-01

    Students enter the middle grades with varying amounts of background knowledge. Teachers must assess student background knowledge for gaps or misconceptions and then provide instruction to build on that base. This article discusses effective strategies for assessing and developing students' background knowledge so they can become independent…

  10. Documentation Panels Enhance Teacher Education Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warash, Bobbie Gibson

    2005-01-01

    Documentation of children's projects is advantageous to their learning process and is also a good method for student teachers to observe the process of learning. Documentation panels are a unique way to help student teachers understand how children learn. Completing a panel requires a student teacher to think through a process. Teachers must learn…

  11. Building an Understanding: What Motivates Teachers to use Science in Motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spuck, Karen M.

    Science education reform documents call for instructional practices that include scientific equipment and materials. Often, these types of resources are inaccessible for schools, especially those which are rural and socio-economically challenged, due largely to budgetary considerations. Science outreach partnerships are able to bridge the gap between what is called for in science education reform documents and the realities of many schools. Science in Motion is a science outreach partnership project located in rural Northwestern Pennsylvania, supported by state funds, that provides equipment, curricular materials, and professional development free of charge for area science educators. Teacher participation in this project is completely voluntary. Not a grassroots initiative, nor a top down mandated project, why do teachers decide to use this project? This study examined the volitional use of the Science in Motion project at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Qualitative research methods were used to answer the following research question: what are the reasons for project use reported by teachers who use the project on a regular basis? Sub research questions were: what is it about the teacher that encouraged her/him to initiate Science in Motion services, and what is it about the teacher that encourages her/him to continue using Science in Motion services? Two focus group interviews as well as a paper/pencil questionnaire were used to collect data from teacher participants who use the project on a regular basis. A phenomenological lens was used to examine data. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data. Research findings reveal teachers initiated use because: the project provided opportunities for teaching and learning that otherwise were inaccessible, the project was perceived as user friendly and easy to access, the project embedded professional development provided the support needed to encourage initial use, and the project resources were perceived as

  12. English Language Teacher Education: Rewriting S-1 National Curriculum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Soenardi Djiwandono

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available As part of an overall attempt to improve secondary school teacher education, a program has been launched to review and develop the national curriculum (KURNAS of English language teacher education in Indonesia as a means to improve the quality of teachers of English. The new curriculum is at the same time intended to be a revision of the 1995 national curriculum supposedly in use now. For the purpose a team of three members was appointed by the Secondary School Teacher Development Project (nationally known as Proyek PGSM, comprising English teaching professionalls from Universitas Negeri Malang, GAJAHMADA UNIVERSITY, and a senior high school teacher of English. Following a study of the existing documents related to ELT in Indonesia, an initial draft was written and gradually developed following a series of discussions and exchanges of ideas with teachers and profesionalls in the field of ELT. By the 3 rd year of the appointment of the team, the draft for the new KURNAS comprising Books I, II, and III, has been completed and ready for a try-out. The try-out was intended to put into practise the Intensive Course (IC Program as one of the most important components of the new KURNAS for the development of fluency in English as an essential basis for the preparation of competent high school teachers of English. This article describes the background and the underlying principles of the curriculum revision, along with the classification and identification of courses, descriptions of courses their and syllabus outlines.

  13. EIA- A Teacher Education Project in Bangladesh: An Analysis from Diversified Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Karim

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available English in Action (EIA is an ongoing teacher education project which places mobile technology at the centre of its action. Most of the studies carried out focused on the changes EIA brought in teachers’ classroom actions. Along with this, they also explored the classroom to observe whether the input given during training program is implemented in real life. No study has been conducted that compares and contrasts the components of mobile learning in general and the components EIA is using. This study, particularly, drew a comparative analysis between the mobile learning and EIA initiated mobile learning to reveal the extent it matched or mismatched to the components of mobile learning. It also scrutinized teachers’ behavior in the classroom after participating in EIA. It also penetrated to find the contents to be reviewed. Qualitative method was used to conduct this study. The result revealed that the components of EIA match to the mobile learning ones to the extent that EIA entails those suiting the context. Few elements were seemed absent as they are less suitable in such context. Besides, teachers were found bringing changes in their classrooms. The introduction of action research and reflective teaching were suggested to add to EIA’s program.

  14. Social Sciences, Art and Physical Activity in Leisure Environments. An Inter-Disciplinary Project for Teacher Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Belén San Pedro Veledo

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Factors such as social change and increasing urbanization processes in the early years of the 21st century have caused a reduction in the amount of time that children devote to leisure activities in the open-air, resulting in more sedentary lifestyles than children in previous decades. An education in healthy habits from early ages to increase children’s physical and mental well-being together with their level of cultural knowledge contributes to the acquisition of a Leisure Culture that allows children to perceive the close environment as a scene for learning and enjoyment. It is thus be necessary for schools to foster pedagogical experiences, taking the physical and cultural environment as teaching resources. An innovation project is proposed which will be implemented with 25 university students from the School of Teacher Training and Education at the University of Oviedo (Oviedo, Spain. The project will consist of the proposal of educational itineraries through the city of Oviedo and Mount Naranco. As teachers-to-be, students must combine knowledge of the related areas and generate inter-disciplinary activities throughout the routes that will foster respect for the environment and leisure based on culture and physical activity, attitudes that they will transmit to their own students in the future.

  15. Environmental Education & Ecology in a Life Science Course for Preservice K-8 Teachers Using Project Wildlife in Learning Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Allan

    2010-01-01

    During laboratory sessions devoted to ecology, 182 preservice K-8 teachers participated in a Project Wildlife in Learning Design (WILD) workshop. Participants rated the workshop highly, indicated they would use more inquiry-based activities, and were more interested in teaching ecology following the workshop. Post-test scores indicated an…

  16. Empowering Middle School Teachers with Portable Computers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weast, Jerry D.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A Sioux Falls (South Dakota) project that supplied middle school teachers with Macintosh computers and training to use them showed gratifying results. Easy access to portable notebook computers made teachers more active computer users, increased teacher interaction and collaboration, enhanced teacher productivity regarding management tasks and…

  17. Implementing Measures of Teacher Effectiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stecher, Brian; Garet, Mike; Holtzman, Deborah; Hamilton, Laura

    2012-01-01

    An initial look at work being done in a reform project sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation finds that evaluations of teacher performance aren't as unpopular with teachers who have experienced the new system as some would have us believe. Leaders acknowledge that the new approach to teacher evaluation takes more time than…

  18. Science initial teacher education and superdiversity: educating science teachers for a multi-religious and globalised science classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Carvalho, Roussel

    2016-06-01

    Steven Vertovec (2006, 2007) has recently offered a re-interpretation of population diversity in large urban centres due to a considerable increase in immigration patterns in the UK. This complex scenario called superdiversity has been conceptualised to help illuminate significant interactions of variables such as religion, language, gender, age, nationality, labour market and population distribution on a larger scale. The interrelationships of these themes have fundamental implications in a variety of community environments, but especially within our schools. Today, London schools have over 300 languages being spoken by students, all of whom have diverse backgrounds, bringing with them a wealth of experience and, most critically, their own set of religious beliefs. At the same time, Science is a compulsory subject in England's national curriculum, where it requires teachers to deal with important scientific frameworks about the world; teaching about the origins of the universe, life on Earth, human evolution and other topics, which are often in conflict with students' religious views. In order to cope with this dynamic and thought-provoking environment, science initial teacher education (SITE)—especially those catering large urban centres—must evolve to equip science teachers with a meaningful understanding of how to handle a superdiverse science classroom, taking the discourse of inclusion beyond its formal boundaries. Thus, this original position paper addresses how the role of SITE may be re-conceptualised and re-framed in light of the immense challenges of superdiversity as well as how science teachers, as enactors of the science curriculum, must adapt to cater to these changes. This is also the first in a series of papers emerging from an empirical research project trying to capture science teacher educators' own views on religio-scientific issues and their positions on the place of these issues within science teacher education and the science classroom.

  19. Using Blackboard and Skype for Mentoring Beginning Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suk Hwang, Young; Vrongistinos, Konstantinos

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the nature of the Blackboard and Skype-based electronic mentoring system for beginning teachers. The Quality Teachers for Quality Students project developed an electronic mentoring system between beginning teachers and experienced teachers to support beginning teachers' instructional and classroom…

  20. Berkeley Low Background Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, K. J.; Norman, E. B.; Smith, A. R.; Poon, A. W. P.; Chan, Y. D.; Lesko, K. T.

    2015-01-01

    The Berkeley Low Background Facility (BLBF) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, California provides low background gamma spectroscopy services to a wide array of experiments and projects. The analysis of samples takes place within two unique facilities; locally within a carefully-constructed, low background laboratory on the surface at LBNL and at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. These facilities provide a variety of gamma spectroscopy services to low background experiments primarily in the form of passive material screening for primordial radioisotopes (U, Th, K) or common cosmogenic/anthropogenic products; active screening via neutron activation analysis for U,Th, and K as well as a variety of stable isotopes; and neutron flux/beam characterization measurements through the use of monitors. A general overview of the facilities, services, and sensitivities will be presented. Recent activities and upgrades will also be described including an overview of the recently installed counting system at SURF (recently relocated from Oroville, CA in 2014), the installation of a second underground counting station at SURF in 2015, and future plans. The BLBF is open to any users for counting services or collaboration on a wide variety of experiments and projects

  1. Twelve Middle-School Teachers' Planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Deborah Sardo

    1988-01-01

    Case studies described 12 middle-school teachers' instructional yearly, unit, weekly, and daily planning on the basis of a background questionnaire, interview protocols, an analysis of written plans, think-aloud typescripts, and a questionnaire. A process model best characterized teachers long-term planning, while an agenda-formulation model fit…

  2. Characteristics of Independent Music Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upitis, Rena; Abrami, Philip C.; Brook, Julia; Boese, Karen; King, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to learn about the characteristics of independent music teachers, their beliefs about music teaching, and their studio practices. A self-report survey included questions about the teachers' (a) background experiences, (b) pedagogical approaches, (c) use of digital technologies, and (d) professional development…

  3. What Research Says about Effective Teaching for Promoting Achievement and Positive Attitudes in Students. An Instructional Module Prepared for Undergraduate Teacher Education in the RAFT Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handley, Herbert M., Ed.

    This module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, was written to introduce the preservice teacher to the research base for effective teaching. Particular attention was given to the characteristics of teachers and teaching found in research literature to be associated with achievement and the development of positive…

  4. Basic School Teachers' Knowledge and Attitude about Tooth Decay ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Basic School Teachers' Knowledge and Attitude about Tooth Decay and Practice ... Background: The important role of teachers in oral health education cannot be ... 60.3% of the teachers claimed spending time promoting for oral health.

  5. Evaluating clinical teachers with the Maastricht clinical teaching questionnaire : How much 'teacher' is in student ratings?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boerboom, Tobias B. B.; Mainhard, Tim; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M.; Scherpbier, Albert J. J. A.; Van Beukelen, Peter; Jaarsma, A. D. (Debbie) C.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Students are a popular source of data to evaluate the performance of clinical teachers. Instruments to obtain student evaluations must have proven validity. One aspect of validity that often remains underexposed is the possibility of effects of between-student differences and teacher and

  6. A museum-based urban teacher residency program's approach to strengthening the STEM pipeline: Channeling highly qualified Earth Science teachers into high needs schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ustunisik, G. K.; Zirakparvar, N. A.

    2015-12-01

    Channeling better prepared Earth Science teachers into secondary schools with low achievement rates in STEM subjects is essential to ensuring that the students attending these schools are ultimately afforded the opportunity to take advantage of projected growth in the global geoscience workforce. Here, a museum-based urban teacher residency (UTR) program's approach to building subject specific content knowledge and research experience in Earth Science teacher candidates is described. In the museum-based program, graduate-level science courses and research experiences are designed and implemented specifically for the UTR by active Earth and Space research scientists that account for almost half of the program's faculty. Because these courses and research experiences are designed specifically for the teacher candidates, they are different than many science courses and research experiences available to pre-service teachers in a university setting. At the same time, the museum-based program is the only UTR to incorporate such a rigorous science curriculum, and some possible advantages and disadvantages of the program's approach are also considered here. While the impact of the program's approach on student achievement rates has yet to be evaluated, there is promise in the well documented links between a teacher's own experience with the practice of science and that teacher's ability to leverage effective pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of science. Because the museum-based program's science curriculum is balanced against the educational coursework and teaching residencies that necessarily form the program's backbone, the museum's approach to strengthening the teacher candidate's science background may also inform the faculty and administration of other UTRs in cases where one of their program goals is to further expand their teacher candidate's content knowledge and practical subject matter experience.

  7. Agriculture & the Environment. Teacher's Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMurry, Linda Maston

    This teacher's guide offers background information that teachers can use to incorporate topics related to agriculture and the environment into the curriculum. Classroom activities to bring these topics alive for students in grades 6-9 are suggested. Chapters include: (1) Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management; (2) Food Safety; (3) Water…

  8. Mathematics Teachers' Ideas about Mathematical Models: A Diverse Landscape

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista, Alfredo; Wilkerson-Jerde, Michelle H.; Tobin, Roger G.; Brizuela, Bárbara M.

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes the ideas that mathematics teachers (grades 5-9) have regarding mathematical models of real-world phenomena, and explores how teachers' ideas differ depending on their educational background. Participants were 56 United States in-service mathematics teachers. We analyzed teachers' written responses to three open-ended…

  9. E-mail Writing: Providing Background Information in the Core of Computer Assisted Instruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Behzad NAZARI

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study highly supported the effective role of providing background information via e-mail by the teacher to write e-mail by the students in learners’ writing ability. A total number of 50 EFL advanced male students aged between 25 and 40 at different branches of Iran Language Institute in Tehran, Tehran. Through the placement test of Oxford English Language Placement Test (OELPT the students' proficiency level seems to be nearly the same. Participants were randomly assign into two groups of experimental and control, each consisting of 25 students. After the administration of the proficiency test, all groups were assigned to write topic 1 as the pre-test. Next, the teacher involved the learners in the new instruction (treatment. During writing topics 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 experimental group’s background knowledge was activated through e-mail before writing and e-mailing topics while the control group received no background knowledge activation through e-mail. After the treatment was given to the experimental group, the students in both groups were required to write another composition about the last topic, topic 8. Again, in this phase, none of the groups received any background information. The results indicated that providing background information via e-mail by the teacher to write e-mail by the students significantly improved learners’ writing ability.

  10. Culinary Arts Teachers Manual. Project HIRE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, David C.; And Others

    Designed as supplemental material to on-going instruction in the vocational program, this teacher's manual to the Culinary Arts series is intended to accompany three dictionary booklets (available as CE 024 415-417) for use by handicapped students to help them master the core vocabulary taught in the trade. Information presented in the manual…

  11. IMPROVING THE LANGUAGE SKILLS OF "DEPRIVED" TEACHERS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AMIDON, EDMUND; HUNTER, ELIZABETH

    STUDIES OF THE CLASSROOM VERBAL BEHAVIOR OF TEACHERS SHOW THAT MANY TEACHERS USE THE SAME RATHER NARROW VERBAL INTERACTION PATTERNS BECAUSE (1) THEIR OWN SCHOOL BACKGROUNDS DID NOT INCLUDE EXPOSURE TO TEACHERS WHO USED VARIED VERBAL PATTERNS, (2) THEY DO NOT NOW HEAR VARIED TEACHING PATTERNS, AND (3) THEY ARE NOT PROVIDED WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO…

  12. Teachers' Legitimacy: Effects of Justice Perception and Social Comparison Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouveia-Pereira, Maria; Vala, Jorge; Correia, Isabel

    2017-01-01

    Background: Teachers' legitimacy is central to school functioning. Teachers' justice, whether distributive or procedural, predicts teachers' legitimacy. Aims: What is still do be found, and constitutes the goal of this paper, is whether unjust treatment by a teacher affects the legitimacy of the teacher differently when the student knows that the…

  13. Constructivism as a Framework for Literacy Teacher Education Courses: The Cases of Six Literacy Teacher Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosnik, Clare; Menna, Lydia; Dharamshi, Pooja; Beck, Clive

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents findings from the large-scale study "Literacy Teacher Educators: Their Backgrounds, Visions, and Practices" that includes 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) from four countries. The participants were interviewed three times and shared their course outlines. Six pre-service LTEs who use a constructivist…

  14. The School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCMHE) Project: Design and First Results

    OpenAIRE

    Kovess, Viviane; Carta, Mauro Giovanni; Pez, Ondine; Bitfoi, Adina; Ko?, Ceren; Goelitz, Dietmar; Kuijpers, Rowella; Lesinskiene, Sigita; Mihova, Zlatka; Otten, Roy

    2015-01-01

    Background : The School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCMHE) project aims to build up a set of indicators to collect and monitor children's mental health in an efficient and comparable methodology across the EU countries. It concerns primary schools children aged 6 to 11 years a range where few data are available whereas school interventions are promising. Methods : Three informants were used: parents, teachers and children. In selecting instruments language, instruments were selected acc...

  15. Professional development of teacher educators through informal learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    MEd Marly Gootzen; drs Maurice Schols; dr Rita Schildwacht; dr.ir. Quinta Kools; drs Marina Bouckaert-den Draak

    2012-01-01

    Introduction and theoretical background Professional development of teacher educators is an important issue because in order to be able to teach the teachers of the future, teacher educators have to keep their own knowledge and skills 'future proof' (Kools, 2011a). A lot of professional development

  16. Tomographic image via background subtraction using an x-ray projection image and a priori computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jin; Yi Byongyong; Lasio, Giovanni; Suntharalingam, Mohan; Yu, Cedric

    2009-01-01

    Kilovoltage x-ray projection images (kV images for brevity) are increasingly available in image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for patient positioning. These images are two-dimensional (2D) projections of a three-dimensional (3D) object along the x-ray beam direction. Projecting a 3D object onto a plane may lead to ambiguities in the identification of anatomical structures and to poor contrast in kV images. Therefore, the use of kV images in IGRT is mainly limited to bony landmark alignments. This work proposes a novel subtraction technique that isolates a slice of interest (SOI) from a kV image with the assistance of a priori information from a previous CT scan. The method separates structural information within a preselected SOI by suppressing contributions to the unprocessed projection from out-of-SOI-plane structures. Up to a five-fold increase in the contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) was observed in selected regions of the isolated SOI, when compared to the original unprocessed kV image. The tomographic image via background subtraction (TIBS) technique aims to provide a quick snapshot of the slice of interest with greatly enhanced image contrast over conventional kV x-ray projections for fast and accurate image guidance of radiation therapy. With further refinements, TIBS could, in principle, provide real-time tumor localization using gantry-mounted x-ray imaging systems without the need for implanted markers.

  17. Reducing Teacher Turnover by Utilizing a National List of Reasons for Teacher Dissatisfaction or How to Keep Teachers from Declaring "Dear Folks, I Quit"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, Angela J.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Teacher turnover is a national problem and has been investigated on the national level since the 1920's. This study compares the reasons teachers give for leaving teaching positions from data collected nationwide with local data. Purpose: To examine whether the same problems that arise on the local level have been identified in the…

  18. Innovation in Teacher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turney, C., Ed.

    This document presents a study of directions, processes, and problems of innovation in teacher preparation with special reference to the Australian context and to the role of cooperating schools in the Australian teacher preparation program. The study emerged from two national research projects sponsored by the Australian Government--one seeking…

  19. Teacher's experiences in PBL: implications for practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves, Anabela C.; Sousa, Rui M.; Fernandes, Sandra; Cardoso, Elisabete; Carvalho, Maria Alice; Figueiredo, Jorge; Pereira, Rui M. S.

    2016-03-01

    Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been implemented in the first year of the Industrial Engineering and Management programme at the University of Minho, Portugal, since 2004/2005. The purpose of this paper is to analyse and discuss teachers' experiences in PBL in this programme and to explore its implications for student learning and for teaching practices in higher education. For data collection, the research method used was written narratives to these teachers, at the end of the PBL semester. Findings suggest that teachers express a positive view of PBL as a learning approach. They identify student motivation and engagement, along with a better understanding of the application of concepts in real-life situations, as important outcomes of the project for students. Besides this, teachers also highlight the importance of the development of transversal skills by students throughout the project. Recommendations for future work and implications for practice will also be discussed.

  20. NASE Training Courses in Astronomy for Teachers throughout the World

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ros, Rosa M.

    2012-01-01

    Network for Astronomy School Education, NASE, is a project that is organizing courses for teachers throughout the entire world. The main objective of the project is to prepare secondary and primary school teachers in astronomy. Students love to know more about astronomy and teachers have the opportunity to observe the sky that every school has…

  1. Preparing teachers to create a mainstream science classroom conducive to the needs of English-language learners: A feminist action research project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buck, Gayle; Mast, Colette; Ehlers, Nancy; Franklin, Elizabeth

    2005-11-01

    A feminist action research team, which consisted of a science educator, an English-language learner (ELL) educator, a first-year science teacher, and a graduate assistant, set a goal to work together to explore the process a beginning teacher goes through to establish a classroom conducive to the needs of middle-level ELL learners. The guiding questions of the study were answered by gathering a wealth of data over the course of 5 months and taken from the classroom, planning sessions, and researchers and students. These data were collected by observations, semistructured interviews, and written document reviews. The progressive analysis ultimately revealed that: (a) successful strategies a beginning teacher must utilize for teaching middle-level ELL children in a mainstream classroom involve complex structural considerations that are not part of the teacher's preparation; (b) learning increases for all children, but there are differences in learning achievement between ELL and non-ELL children; and (c) student and peer feedback proved to be an effective means of enhancing the growth of a beginning teacher seeking to increase her skills in teaching ELL learners. The experiences and findings from this project have implications for teacher preparation programs committed to preparing educators to teach science to all children.

  2. Sustaining Physics Teacher Education Coalition programs in physics teacher education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel E. Scherr

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the mechanisms of increasing the number of physics teachers educated per year at institutions with thriving physics teacher preparation programs may inspire and support other institutions in building thriving programs of their own. The Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC, led by the American Physical Society (APS and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT, has supported transformation of physics teacher preparation programs at a number of institutions around the country for over a decade. In 2012–2013, PhysTEC supported an independent study on the sustainability of its sites after project funding ends. The study sought to measure the extent to which programs have been sustained and to identify what features should be prioritized for building sustainable physics teacher preparation programs. Most of the studied sites have sustained increases in the number of physics teachers educated per year as well as funding for physics teacher preparation. About half of the programs are thriving, in that in the post-award period, they have further increased both the number of physics teachers educated per year and funding for physics teacher preparation. All studied sites that sustained increases in the number of physics teachers educated per year have two features in common: a champion of physics teacher education and institutional commitment. The thriving physics teacher preparation programs in this study implemented different elements of physics teacher preparation according to diverse local priorities and opportunities, including the unique expertise of local personnel.

  3. FOSTERING AUTONOMY IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING THROUGH PROJECT WORK / FAVORISER L'AUTONOMIE DES FUTURS ENSEIGNANTS PAR L'INTERMÈDE DES PROJETS / ÎNCURAJAREA AUTONOMIEI IN PREGATIREA VIITORILOR PROFESORI PRIN INTERMEDIUL ACTIVITĂŢILOR DIN PROIECTE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Lazăr

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Developing learner autonomy during teacher training in Romania is a key matter when we talk about the student-centered approach to learning embraced by the new curricula at all levels of study. The present paper focuses on how to raise teacher trainees’ awareness of their teaching techniques during the micro-teaching sessions, through project work. We will describe an activity developed during the English as a Foreign Language Methodology Course where foreign language pre-service teachers had to prepare small-scale project work on teaching English at pre-university level. The presentation of the project work was part of their final evaluation and involved microteaching sessions: one lesson was prepared and taught by all project partners, each partner teaching a 10-15 minutes session. The Group Project could be described as follows: students got together in groups of 4 and then decided on what aspects of teaching/learning they were going to teach; they planned the lesson together and then each partner prepared his/her micro-teaching session that he/she then performed during the seminar. At the end of each teaching session, teacher trainees were asked to give self-evaluations and peer-observations on the lesson sequence which allowed them to reflect upon the teaching process. We believe that reflection resulting from self or peer observation is the key element of a good professional teacher development and makes teacher exploration possible in a plan-perform-reflect cycle. The evaluation of the Group Project was done assessing the written assignment and the overall presence and contribution of each trainee in the Group Project.

  4. First Meeting with Teachers and Principals of Unesco Associated Schools Project Held on Monday, 6 September 1982 at the Training Division, Prime Minister's Office, Castries, Saint Lucia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    International Understanding at School, 1982

    1982-01-01

    In September 1982, K-12 teachers and principals participating in Unesco's Associated Schools Project met to make preparations for the implementation of the project that was to commence when schools opened later that month. The project is intended to promote international understanding and peace. What happened at the meeting is described. (RM)

  5. An Assessment of Project Teacher Exchange for ASEAN Teachers (TEACH) Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agustin, Ma. Lourdes S.; Montebon, Darryl Roy T.

    2018-01-01

    Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) integration aims to unite the South East Asian countries to promote better opportunities for the member countries in different areas such as economics and education. As a response, Philippine Normal University spearheaded the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Teacher Education Network to…

  6. LETs and NETs: Exploring How Teachers from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds Impact Student Motivation and Preferences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ruth

    2014-01-01

    This paper, an exploratory case study, examines how students' preferences and motivation to learn English are influenced by their perceptions of teaching practices--both of native English teachers and local English teachers. To better understand the context of this research question, this study adopts a method of triangulation in collecting data:…

  7. Challenges to Teacher Resilience: Conditions Count

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Qing; Day, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    Drawing upon findings of a four-year national research project on variations in the work and lives of teachers in England, this paper provides empirical evidence which contributes to understandings about the importance of resilience in teachers' work. The experience of resilience as perceived by teachers in this research was that it was neither…

  8. Increasing Secondary Teachers' Capacity to Integrate the Arts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richard, Byron; Treichel, Christa J.

    2013-01-01

    Examples from a team of collaborating secondary teachers--one visual arts teacher and one science teacher--highlight key aspects of this professional development project in arts integration. The article traces a regional network designed to build teacher capacity with implications for the design, effectiveness, and sustainability of professional…

  9. Triangulation of written assessments from patients, teachers and students: useful for students and teachers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gran, Sarah Frandsen; Braend, Anja Maria; Lindbaek, Morten

    2010-01-01

    Many medical students in general practice clerkships experience lack of observation-based feedback. The StudentPEP project combined written feedback from patients, observing teachers and students. This study analyzes the perceived usefulness of triangulated written feedback. A total of 71 general practitioners and 79 medical students at the University of Oslo completed project evaluation forms after a 6-week clerkship. A principal component analysis was performed to find structures within the questionnaire. Regression analysis was performed regarding students' answers to whether StudentPEP was worthwhile. Free-text answers were analyzed qualitatively. Student and teacher responses were mixed within six subscales, with highest agreement on 'Teachers oral and written feedback' and 'Attitude to patient evaluation'. Fifty-four per cent of the students agreed that the triangulation gave concrete feedback on their weaknesses, and 59% valued the teachers' feedback provided. Two statements regarding the teacher's attitudes towards StudentPEP were significantly associated with the student's perception of worthwhileness. Qualitative analysis showed that patient evaluations were encouraging or distrusted. Some students thought that StudentPEP ensured observation and feedback. The patient evaluations increased the students' awareness of the patient perspective. A majority of the students considered the triangulated written feedback beneficial, although time-consuming. The teacher's attitudes strongly influenced how the students perceived the usefulness of StudentPEP.

  10. Technological Literacy for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasse, Cathrine

    2017-01-01

    Ongoing developments in educational technologies place increasing demands on teachers who have to make decisions on a daily basis concerning how, when, and where to make use of technologies in classrooms. Building on results from the Danish project Technucation, this paper argues that there is a marked need for a teacher-specific version of the…

  11. Teachers of adults as learners

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund Larsen, Lea

    This poster is a part of an on-going qualitative empirical research project: “Teachers of adults as learners. A study on teachers’ experiences in practice”. Adult learners have particular needs and characteristics that their teachers must be able to address. Some of the competencies that teachers...... need can be taught in formal settings, but in most teaching settings, the teachers act alone and develop their pedagogical approaches/-teaching strategies with no synchronous sparring from a colleague. Adult learners have particular needs and characteristics that their teachers must be able to address...... (cf. Knowles, Brookfield, Illeris, Lawler, King, Wahlgreen). If we study adult teachers as learners in practice, we may be able to identify what the teachers’ practice requires, and thereby qualify the efforts of teacher educators....

  12. Pre- and in-Service Teachers Reading and Discussing Informational Texts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theresa A. Deeney

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates U.S. elementary (kindergarten-Grade 6, ages 5-12 pre- and in-service teachers’ discussions of informational texts to understand current practices and identify needs with respect to how teachers support students in building knowledge from complex informational text as specified in the grade-level expectations of the Common Core State Standards adopted in many U.S. states. Transcripts and reflections from 17 in-service and 31 pre-service teachers’ informational text discussions were analyzed for teachers’ focus on the text, background knowledge, and text/background knowledge. In addition, transcripts were analyzed for the types of text ideas teachers targeted (details/main ideas, the comprehension demands placed on students, how teachers used follow-up moves to encourage higher level thinking, and how teachers use transcripts of their discussions to analyze and critique their own practice. Findings suggest that both pre- and in-service teachers draw heavily on students’ background knowledge and text details in their questioning; but differences exist in how pre- and in-service teachers use follow-up responses to promote knowledge building. Findings also suggest that both pre- and in-service teachers can use their transcripts to recognize areas of need, and offer themselves suggestions to better support students’ understanding. Implications are offered for teacher education and professional development.

  13. Advertising Citizen Science: A Trailer for the Citizen Sky Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wyatt, Ryan; Price, A.

    2012-01-01

    Citizen Sky is a multi-year, NSF funded citizen science project involving the bright and mysterious variable star epsilon Aurigae. The project was conceived by the IYA 2009 working group on Research Experiences for Students, Teachers, and Citizen-Scientists. Citizen Sky goes beyond simple observing to include a major data analysis component, introducing participants to the full scientific process from background research to paper writing for a peer-reviewed journal. As a means of generating interest in the project, the California Academy of Sciences produced a six-minute "trailer” formatted for both traditional and fulldome planetariums as well as HD and web applications. This talk will review the production process for the trailer as well as the methods of distribution via planetariums, social media, and other venues_along with an update on the Citizen Sky Project as a whole. We will show how to use a small, professionally-produced planetarium trailer to help spread word on a citizen science project. We will also show preliminary results on a study about how participation level/type in the project affects science learning.

  14. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Voice Problems Among Primary School Teachers in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devadas, Usha; Bellur, Rajashekhar; Maruthy, Santosh

    2017-01-01

    Teachers are more prone to develop voice problems (VPs) when compared with other professional voice users. The aim of present study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of VPs among primary school teachers in India. Epidemiological cross-sectional survey. Self-reporting questionnaire data were collected from 1082 teachers. Out of 1082 teachers who participated in the present study, 188 teachers reported VPs that account for a prevalence rate of 17.4%. Tired voice after long hours of talking was the most frequently reported symptom, followed by sore/dry throat, strain in voice, neck muscle tension, and difficulty in projecting voice. The adjusted odds ratio values showed number of years of teaching, high background noise levels in the classroom, experiencing psychological stress while teaching classes, improper breath management (holding breath while speaking), poor focus of the tone (clenching jaw/teeth while speaking), upper respiratory tract infection, thyroid problems, and acid reflux as significant risk factors for the development of VPs in the current cohort of teachers. Current results suggest that teachers develop VPs due to multiple risk factors. These factors may be either biological, psychomotor, or environment-related factors. A holistic approach (which could include educating teachers about voice care during their training, and if they develop VP during their career, then managing the VP by taking into consideration different risk factors) addressing all these factors needs to be adopted to prevent VPs in primary school teachers. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Teachers as Human Capital or Human Beings? USAID's Perspective on Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Mark

    2017-01-01

    This article analyzes three USAID education strategy documents (1998, 2005, and 2011) as well as USAID's requests for proposals for three projects to assess how teachers are represented. The main findings indicate that USAID education strategy documents a) treat teachers as human capital, a human resource input, rather than as human beings and b)…

  16. Teachers Implementing Entrepreneurship Education: Classroom Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruskovaara, Elena; Pihkala, Timo

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to highlight the entrepreneurship education practices teachers use in their work. Another target is to analyze how these practices differ based on a number of background factors. Design/methodology/approach: This article presents a quantitative analysis of 521 teachers and other entrepreneurship education actors. The paper…

  17. Readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đević Rajka

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the research with the basic goal to study the readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled students. Research participants were 205 teachers from primary schools at the territory of Serbia. The goal was accomplished through: (a studying attitudes towards joint education of disabled students and their peers; (b studying teachers' experiences in working with disabled students; and (c studying teachers' readiness to accept disabled students, depending on their involvement/non-involvement in projects of inclusive education. Teachers express supportive attitudes towards joint schooling, but more than one half of them think that a selective approach is necessary in that process, according to the kind and degree of developmental disability. They support joint schooling from the humanistic point of view, but express concerns about the academic achievement of classes that include disabled students. The majority of teachers had experience in working with disabled students and based on that provided interesting suggestions for improving joint schooling. Higher readiness for accepting disabled students was demonstrated by teachers whose schools were involved in the projects of inclusive education. That implies the need for involving schools in similar projects and enabling teachers' immediate contact with students with developmental disabilities.

  18. Teachers of high ability pupils

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cándido Genovard

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available In this article we analyze the characteristics of gifted and talented students’ expert teachers. The subject background and the specific proprieties of the instructional process to meet gifted students’ educational needs are analyzed. The value of teacher-student interactions and of teaching and learning styles are highlighted. Also, we include different action guidelines and instructional resources to use in the classroom to teach these students. There is not an ideal teacher for high ability students. However, teachers must know what the teaching-learning processes are and how these work, and the diverse psychological, content and contextual variables involved in such processes.

  19. Career Stories of Israeli Teachers Who Left Teaching: A Salutogenic View of Teacher Attrition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yinon, Hayuta; Orland-Barak, Lily

    2017-01-01

    Many countries experience a high percentage of teachers who leave the profession before retirement. Most of the explanations, such as teacher burnout, adopt a pathogenic point of view which perceives attrition as a negative work outcome. In contrast, the qualitative project that this article is based on, which characterizes the career…

  20. Neuromyths in Education: Prevalence and Predictors of Misconceptions among Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekker, Sanne; Lee, Nikki C; Howard-Jones, Paul; Jolles, Jelle

    2012-01-01

    The OECD's Brain and Learning project (2002) emphasized that many misconceptions about the brain exist among professionals in the field of education. Though these so-called "neuromyths" are loosely based on scientific facts, they may have adverse effects on educational practice. The present study investigated the prevalence and predictors of neuromyths among teachers in selected regions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. A large observational survey design was used to assess general knowledge of the brain and neuromyths. The sample comprised 242 primary and secondary school teachers who were interested in the neuroscience of learning. It would be of concern if neuromyths were found in this sample, as these teachers may want to use these incorrect interpretations of neuroscience findings in their teaching practice. Participants completed an online survey containing 32 statements about the brain and its influence on learning, of which 15 were neuromyths. Additional data was collected regarding background variables (e.g., age, sex, school type). Results showed that on average, teachers believed 49% of the neuromyths, particularly myths related to commercialized educational programs. Around 70% of the general knowledge statements were answered correctly. Teachers who read popular science magazines achieved higher scores on general knowledge questions. More general knowledge also predicted an increased belief in neuromyths. These findings suggest that teachers who are enthusiastic about the possible application of neuroscience findings in the classroom find it difficult to distinguish pseudoscience from scientific facts. Possessing greater general knowledge about the brain does not appear to protect teachers from believing in neuromyths. This demonstrates the need for enhanced interdisciplinary communication to reduce such misunderstandings in the future and establish a successful collaboration between neuroscience and education.

  1. Relationships Between Selected Teacher Behaviors and Pupil Academic Achievement: Preliminary Observations (Sample Project A). The Effect of Teacher Input on Student Performance (Sample Project B). Technical Report #35.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Au, Kathryn H.

    This Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) report describes two studies on the effects of student-teacher interaction on student performance. Study I explored the relationship between three kinds of teacher behaviors (modeling, teacher attention to individual students, and praise-giving to individual students) and the pupil's academic…

  2. Academic Expectations of Australian Students from Aboriginal, Asian and Anglo Backgrounds: Perspectives of Teachers, Trainee-Teachers and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dandy, Justine; Durkin, Kevin; Barber, Bonnie L.; Houghton, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    There are ethnic group differences in academic achievement among Australian students, with Aboriginal students performing substantially below and Asian students above their peers. One factor that may contribute to these effects is societal stereotypes of Australian Asian and Aboriginal students, which may bias teachers' evaluations and influence…

  3. Comprehensive Teacher Education: A Handbook of Knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Washington, DC.

    Since 1992, AACTE and the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund have worked in partnership to advance the knowledge base of comprehensive teacher education. The AACTE/DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund's Comprehensive Teacher Education National Demonstration Project is grounded in the mutual belief that preparation of classroom teachers must…

  4. Teachers as Agents of Social Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourn, Douglas

    2016-01-01

    Teachers are seen as key actors of change within programmes and projects on global learning. But all too often they are regarded in an instrumental way or as promoters of some form of ideal global teacher. Evidence from the UK and elsewhere suggests that if a pedagogical approach is taken to the role of teachers within the process of learning,…

  5. Teachers' Learning in School-Based Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Postholm, May Britt; Waege, Kjersti

    2016-01-01

    Background and purpose: Many researchers agree that teachers' learning processes are social and that teachers need to be brought together to learn from each other. Researchers have also stated that intellectual and pedagogical change requires professional development activities that take place over a period of time in school. The purpose of the…

  6. Re-Conceptualizing Teacher Authority: When to Exact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzuo, Pei-Wen; Chen, Der-Thanq

    2011-01-01

    Background: This paper re-conceptualizes issues related to teacher authority by integrating the constructivist (including social constructivist) and critical perspectives. The traditional perspectives perceive that teacher authority inhibits children's autonomy of learning. This perspective has been largely challenged by two groups of studies--the…

  7. Mutually Beneficial Service Learning: Language Teacher Candidates in a Local Community Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildebrandt, Susan A.

    2014-01-01

    This article reports on a project designed to provide mutually beneficial solutions to challenges faced by world language teacher candidates, their preparation program, and a local community center. The project provided opportunities for teacher candidates enrolled in a world language (WL) teacher education course to complete clinical experiences…

  8. Science and Mathematics Teachers' Experiences, Needs, and Expectations regarding Professional Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chval, Kathryn; Abell, Sandra; Pareja, Enrique; Musikul, Kusalin; Ritzka, Gerard

    2008-01-01

    High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience, knowledge,…

  9. Teacher Professional Development to Foster Authentic Student Research Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conn, K.; Iyengar, E.

    2004-12-01

    This presentation reports on a new teacher workshop design that encourages teachers to initiate and support long-term student-directed research projects in the classroom setting. Teachers were recruited and engaged in an intensive marine ecology learning experience at Shoals Marine Laboratory, Appledore Island, Maine. Part of the weeklong summer workshop was spent in field work, part in laboratory work, and part in learning experimental design and basic statistical analysis of experimental results. Teachers were presented with strategies to adapt their workshop learnings to formulate plans for initiating and managing authentic student research projects in their classrooms. The authors will report on the different considerations and constraints facing the teachers in their home school settings and teachers' progress in implementing their plans. Suggestions for replicating the workshop will be offered.

  10. Evaluating Student-Teacher Linkage Data in Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Sites: Acquisition, Verification, and System Development. The Harvesting Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Jeffery; Witham, Peter; St. Louis, Timothy

    2010-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Education Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) seeks to transform education compensation systems so that principal and teacher performance (measured through classroom productivity measures) connects to compensation. Classroom-level productivity measures require robust student-teacher linkage data. Organizations such as the…

  11. Field-Based Teacher Research: How Teachers and Scientists Working Together Answers Questions about Turtle Nesting Ecology while Enhancing Teachers' Inquiry Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winters, J. M.; Jungblut, D.; Catena, A. N.; Rubenstein, D. I.

    2013-12-01

    Providing rigorous academic supplement to a professional development program for teachers, QUEST is a fusion of Drexel University's environmental science research department with Princeton University's Program in Teacher Preparation. Completed in the summers of 2012 (in partnership with Earthwatch) and 2013 in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, QUEST's terrapin field research program enhances K-12 teachers' ecological knowledge, develops inquiry-based thinking in the classroom, and builds citizen science engagement. With a focus on quality question development and data analysis to answer questions, teachers are coached in developing, implementing, and presenting independent research projects on diamondback terrapin nesting ecology. As a result, teachers participating in QUEST's week long program bring a realistic example of science in action into their classrooms, helping to develop their own students' critical thinking skills. For teachers, this program provides training towards educating students on how to do real and imaginative science - subsequently sending students to university better prepared to engage in their own independent research. An essential component of the collaboration through QUEST, in addition to the teacher's experience during and after the summer institute, is the research data collected which supplements that of the Principal Investigator. In 2012, by documenting terrapin nest site predators, teachers gained valuable scientific experience, while Drexel acquired important ecological data which would have not been able to be collected otherwise. In 2013, teachers helped answer important questions about terrapin nesting success post Superstorm Sandy. In fact, the 2013 QUEST teachers are the first to visualize the frighteningly increased erosion of a primary terrapin nesting site due to Sandy; showing how most terrapin nests now lie in the bay, instead of safe on shore. Teachers comment that interacting with scientists in the field, and contributing to

  12. Pedagogical innovation in teacher teams

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weitze, Charlotte Lærke

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a longitudinal design-based research project examining how to enable reflection and pedagogical innovation in teacher teams. The article identifies and analyses the teachers’ learning trajectories and innovative strategies when working together in the IT...... learning designs, the research aims to clarify what kind of knowledge is being developed and shared in the teacher teams, and how this contributes to the organisational learning process. The context is Global Classroom, an innovative synchronous hybrid videoconference concept, where adult students can......-pedagogical Think Tank for Teacher Teams (after this: ITP4T) (Weitze, 2014a), a competence development model, which was developed in an earlier phase of the research project. By using theoretical lenses from innovative knowledge development frameworks to examine the teachers’ utterances, interactions and new...

  13. Songs of the Universe - The AstroCappella Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, P. T.; Smale, K. M.; Smale, A. P.

    2004-12-01

    The AstroCappella Project is a classroom-ready collection of upbeat pop songs, lesson plans, and background information, all rich in science content. It was developed as a collaboration between working research astronomers, educators, and a contemporary vocal band. A multimedia music CD ("AstroCappella 2.0") has been produced containing 13 astronomically correct songs with original lyrics and music. Song topics range from the Sun, Moon, planets and small bodies of the Solar System, through the Doppler shift, the nearest stars, and extra-solar planets, to radio astronomy, X-ray astronomy, and the Hubble Space Telescope and Swift astronomy satellites. The CD also contains extensive CD-ROM materials including science background information, curriculum notes, lesson plans and activities for each song, images, movies, and slide shows. The songs and accompanying information have been extensively field-tested, and align to the K-12 National Science Education Standards. The AstroCappella materials are in widespread use in classrooms and homes across the US, and are supplemented with frequent live performances and teacher workshops. We describe here the history, content, and educational strategy behind the AstroCappella Project, and the plans for its future development.

  14. Study of Background Rejection Systems for the IXO Mission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurent, Philippe; Limousin, O.; Tatischeff, V.

    2009-01-01

    The scientific performances of the IXO mission will necessitate a very low detector background level. This will imply thorough background simulations, and efficient background rejection systems. It necessitates also a very good knowledge of the detectors to be shielded. In APC, Paris, and CEA, Saclay, we got experience on these activities by conceiving and optimising in parallel the high energy detector and the active and passive background rejection system of the Simbol-X mission. Considering that this work may be naturally extended to other X-ray missions, we have initiated with CNES a R&D project on the study of background rejection systems mainly in view the IXO project. We will detail this activity in the poster.

  15. Preparing the EFL Teacher: A Projection for the '70's.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugton, Robert C., Ed.

    Following a Foreword and Introduction by the editor, papers in this compilation of studies in the training of teachers for English as a second language are: (1) "Linguistics and the EFL Teacher," by Bruce Fraser; (2) "From Linguistics to Pedagogy: Some Tentative Applications," by William E. Rutherford; (3) "Notes Toward an Applied Rhetoric," by…

  16. The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project: A Purposeful Professional Development Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jao, Limin; McDougall, Douglas

    2015-01-01

    The transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 is particularly difficult for students who were not very successful in mathematics in Grade 8. Research into ways to improve this transition as well as improve the teaching practices at the Applied level will be helpful for teachers, administrators, and policy makers. The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project…

  17. Robert Frost: Democracy, Teaching, and Teacher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Jeffery M.

    2010-01-01

    The goal of this dissertation is to develop a connection between poetry and teacher education. I am motivated to undertake this project because poetry is an underappreciated resource, one that has a good deal to teach teachers. Specifically, I believe that poetry can teach teachers about how to creatively and democratically respond to problems of…

  18. Teacher professionalisation in relation to retention strategies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mariager-Anderson, Kristina; Wahlgren, Bjarne

    pedagogical strategies have any impact on retention? The project started in 2010 and includes annual interventions and measurements of the output of these inventions. The intervention includes various teacher training programs e.g. about training in cooperative learning, classroom management, conflict......Teacher professionalization in relation to retention strategies Bjarne Wahlgren, professor, director National Centre of Competence Development, University of Aarhus, Denmark The research project ‘New roles for the teacher’ was initiated due to a concern about the increasing number of dropouts...... within Danish VET. The main research questions are: Is it possible to train teachers to be able to focus on the students’ completion of the program and not only on the subject matter? Do teachers change their attitudes and actual performance in the classroom after training programs? And do new...

  19. The Llama Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganzel, Candy; Stuglik, Jan

    2003-01-01

    At a suburban Indiana elementary school, the Project Approach serves as the basis of the curriculum in all Kindergarten classrooms. The four classes of 5- and 6-year-old children at this school chose to study llamas. This article discusses how the project evolved, describes the three phases of the project, and provides teachers' reflections on the…

  20. Earth System Science Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rutherford, Sandra; Coffman, Margaret

    2004-01-01

    For several decades, science teachers have used bottles for classroom projects designed to teach students about biology. Bottle projects do not have to just focus on biology, however. These projects can also be used to engage students in Earth science topics. This article describes the Earth System Science Project, which was adapted and developed…

  1. BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION OF STUDENT TEACHERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCIENCE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hyllested, Trine

    The students attending teacher training at University College Capital in Copenhagen, Denmark fall into two groups with different subject profiles: One group prefers to teach at the primary level, the other prefers to teach at the secondary level. The students of primary level science combine...... with other subjects such as History, Danish or Physical Education. The students of secondary level science combine with subjects such as Mathematics and related science subjects: Biology, Geography, Physics and Chemistry....

  2. Challenges for investment in renewable electricity in the European Union. Background report in the ADMIRE REBUS project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uyterlinde, M.A.; Skytte, K.; Meibom, P.; Lescot, D.; Hoffmann, T.; Del Rio, P.

    2003-11-01

    This report serves as a background report of the final main report of the ADMIRE REBUS project. The report focuses on challenges that arise from changes in political support systems, lead time and risk with respect to investment in RES-E technologies. It discusses which tools and strategies that can be used in order to overcome these challenges. The objective of this report is to elaborate further on the above-mentioned discussions compared to the main report. This is mainly done based on illustrative case studies with data taken from questionnaire analyses and data surveys

  3. Teachers' Perceptions of Language Teaching for English Language Learners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Yoshiko

    2017-01-01

    Under the No Child Left Behind's educational accountability requirements, the U.S.'s mainstream classroom teachers were responsible for all students' academic language and content knowledge development regardless of students' academic or linguistic backgrounds. A lack of teachers' language awareness appeared to be responsible for teachers'…

  4. The Impact of a Professional Development Model on ABE Teachers' Instructional Practice: Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bingman, Mary Beth; Schmitt, Mary Jane

    2008-01-01

    The authors present the National Science Foundation project, Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy (TIAN), a collaborative project of the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee and the Technical Education Research Centers, Inc. (TERC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The project has developed and tested a model for inservice…

  5. Project Based Learning in Literature: The Teacher's New Role and the Development of Student's Social Skills in Upper Secondary Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Styla, Despoina; Michalopoulou, Aikaterini

    2016-01-01

    The present research examines the project method, as it is met at the new curriculum of literature in the first Grade of Greek high schools and the effectiveness of it and of the teacher's role at the development of social skills, of students with low level. At first it is made an effort to measure that level at the beginning of the literature…

  6. Urban Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Wu-Ying; Hsieh, Chang-Ming

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between urban early childhood teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and personal characteristics, professional background, and programme context. Questionnaires were completed by teachers (n = 130) who taught preschool children in primarily low-income, urban neighbourhoods. Attitude ratings were…

  7. Energy futures project : backgrounder for consultation sessions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhargava, A.

    2006-05-01

    The National Energy Board periodically publishes a long-term energy and demand report as part of an ongoing monitoring program. The next report is planned for release in 2007. This background document provided background information to ensure that consultation participants have a common understanding of key issues to be addressed during the cross-country consultations that have been planned before the release of the final version of the report. An outline of the proposed analytical approach was presented, as well as details of major assumptions and scenario storylines. Scenario themes included: economic, energy and environmental sustainability; a security-focused world shaped by war and civil strife; and strong global economic growth fueled by the rapid growth of the Chinese and Indian economies. A methodology overview was provided as well as a reference case. Issues related to energy supply included oil; natural gas liquids; natural gas; and electricity. Issues related to energy demand included the residential sector; the commercial sector; the industrial sector; and the transportation sector. Historical trends and forecasts were outlined using the macroeconomic variable of interest. Supply, demand, and supporting infrastructure across all energy forms within a North American and global context were considered. The impact of environmental management strategies were reviewed, as well as the role of the government in shaping policies. It was concluded that the purpose of the final report is to serve as a standard of references for parties interested in Canadian energy issues and trends as well as to inform decision makers of key risks and uncertainties facing the energy future.9 tabs., 1 fig

  8. Challenges of Critical Colleagueship: Examining and Reflecting on Mathematics Teacher Study Group Interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Males, Lorraine M.; Otten, Samuel; Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth A.

    2010-01-01

    This article examines mathematics teacher collegiality by focusing on both the ways in which teachers interacted as critical colleagues in a long-term professional development project and the evolving role of the teacher-educator-researcher as the facilitator of this project. The professional development collaboration comprised two phases: one…

  9. Moving beyond the Barriers: Supporting Meaningful Teacher Collaboration to Improve Secondary School Mathematics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jao, Limin; McDougall, Doug

    2016-01-01

    The Collaborative Teacher Inquiry Project was a professional development initiative that sought to improve the teaching and learning of Grade 9 Applied mathematics by encouraging teachers to work collaboratively. The project brought together Grade 9 Applied mathematics teachers from 11 schools across four neighboring public school boards in the…

  10. Steps Forward and Back in Adult Numeracy Teacher Professional Development: A Reflection on a Teacher Workshop Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saliga, Linda Marie; Daviso, Al; Stuart, Denise; Pachnowski, Lynne

    2015-01-01

    In this project, a university team of teacher education and mathematics professors conducted eight professional development sessions for General Educational Development (GED) teachers in the area of mathematics teaching. Topics included concretely modeling mathematics concepts in algebra, number sense, geometry, and differentiating instruction in…

  11. The effects of ability tracking of future primary school teachers on student performance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coenen, J.; van Klaveren, C.; Groot, W.; Maassen van den Brink, H.

    2014-01-01

    Because of the Dutch tracking system, primary school teachers in the Netherlands can have a vocational or a higher secondary background. Policymakers and school principles worry that teachers with vocational backgrounds are less capable to teach math and reading. This study therefore examines the

  12. The Colibri Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lopez, Jose Manuel Guterrez Lopez; Frick, Jan; Kirikova, Marite

    2015-01-01

    Colibri (Collaboration and Innovation for Better, Personalized and IT-Supported Teaching) is a three year project co-funded by the Erasmus + Strategic Partnership, starting in 2014. The project is being carried out by seven academic, two industrial, and one governmental organisation partners from...... eight different countries [1]. The main objective of the project is enhancing the quality and relevance of the learning offer in education by developing and systematically testing new and innovative approaches, and by supporting the dissemination and spreading of best practices. This is in the focus...... course on Future Internet Opportunities is part of the Living Lab, followed by 28 students and given by more than 10 different teachers. Both the teachers and the students represent different fields within computer science, electrical engineering, telecommunications, business informatics, management...

  13. WebQuests: A Tool for All Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rader, Laura

    2009-01-01

    Classroom teachers are assuming more and more responsibility for meeting the needs of students from a larger number of diverse backgrounds and with increasingly diverse special needs. Many practicing teachers identify students with special needs as their greatest concern and challenge, but often one of their greatest rewards. One way of…

  14. Relational competence in teacher education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grams Davy, Sarah

    This paper presents an ongoing research project aiming to develop both a research-based terminology as well as a practical approach to develop the concept of relational competence in Danish teacher education. The current practical part of Danish teacher education operates with three framing...... learning goals for students: Didactics, classroom leadership and relational work. Especially the latter, relational work, lacks in-depth description and definition in order to become a tangible concept based on which teacher students’ professional qualifications can be developed....

  15. Neuromyths in education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanne eDekker

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The OECD’s Brain and Learning project (2002 emphasized that many misconceptions about the brain exist among professionals in the field of education. Though these so-called ‘neuromyths’ are loosely based on scientific facts, they may have adverse effects on educational practice. The present study investigated the prevalence and predictors of neuromyths among teachers in selected regions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. A large observational survey design was used to assess general knowledge of the brain and neuromyths. The sample comprised 242 primary and secondary school teachers who were interested in the neuroscience of learning. It would be of concern if neuromyths were found in this sample, as these teachers may want to use these incorrect interpretations of neuroscience findings in their teaching practice. Participants completed an online survey containing 32 statements about the brain and its influence on learning, of which 15 were neuromyths. Additional data was collected regarding background variables (e.g., age, sex, school type. Results showed that on average, teachers believed 49% of the neuromyths, particularly myths related to commercialized educational programmes. Around 70% of the general knowledge statements were answered correctly. Teachers who read popular science magazines achieved higher scores on general knowledge questions. More general knowledge also predicted an increased belief in neuromyths. These findings suggest that teachers who are enthusiastic about the possible application of neuroscience findings in the classroom find it difficult to distinguish pseudoscience from scientific facts. Possessing greater general knowledge about the brain does not appear to protect teachers from believing in neuromyths. This demonstrates the need for enhanced interdisciplinary communication to reduce such misunderstandings in the future and establish a successful collaboration between neuroscience and education.

  16. Primary Education Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Teaching Geography Lessons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bent, Gert Jan; Bakx, Anouke; den Brok, Perry

    2017-01-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the primary education teachers' self-efficacy regarding geography education, their beliefs regarding the classroom learning environment, and how these beliefs were related to each other and to teachers' background characteristics. Questionnaire data were collected from 489 Dutch primary school teachers.…

  17. Finding Freedom in Dialectic Inquiry: New Teachers' Responses to Silencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bieler, Deborah; Thomas, Anne Burns

    2009-01-01

    Background: The need to support new teachers in urban public schools is well established, given current shortages and research that highlights serious issues with teacher retention. Debate continues about approaches to support for new teachers, including questions about the importance of developing an inquiry stance toward teaching. As more…

  18. Teacher interaction in psychosocial learning environments: cultural differences and their implications in science instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khine, Myint Swe; Fisher, Darrell L.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine interpersonal behaviour in psychosocial learning environments and to determine the associations between science students' perceptions of their interactions with their teachers, the cultural background of teachers and their attitudinal outcomes. A sample of 1188 students completed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction instrument. The responses to two subscales of Test of Science-related Attitudes were used as attitudinal measures. Significant associations between students' perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviour and the cultural background of teachers were detected. The results showed that students perceived a more favourable interpersonal relationship with Western teachers in the secondary science classrooms. The students in the classes of Western teachers indicated that they enjoyed science lessons more than those in the classes of Asian teachers. Some implications for science instruction in this context are discussed.

  19. Factor Analysis of Teacher Professional Development in Chinese Military Medical Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Juan-Juan; Chen, Gang; Wang, Zhen-Wei; Liu, Wei-Dong

    2017-01-01

    Background and purpose: Teacher professional development potentially enhances teachers' professional morale, knowledge, skills and autonomy, which helps improve the quality of education. The military medical university is an important medical education institution in China; however, studies of teacher professional development within military…

  20. 'Cascading participation' and the role of teachers in a collaborative ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    'Cascading participation' and the role of teachers in a collaborative HIV and Aids curriculum development project. D Scott, A Cooper, S Swartz. Abstract. This paper presents findings of four Grade 6 teachers' involvement as facilitators of a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in three South African primary ...

  1. Science and mathematics teachers of the future

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Michelsen, Claus; Nielsen, Jan Alexis; Petersen, Morten Rask

    2008-01-01

    This paper presents the project Science and Mathematics Teachers of the Future. The aim of the project is to develop and implement a graduate level equivalent degree program in mathematics and science instruction for in-service teachers of lower secondary education. This aim is achieved...... in the programme through involving the teachers in design, implementation and evaluation of innovative instructional sequences, which deals with a wide range of aspects of mathematics and science, e.g. modern science and the importance of science in society. In the program contemporary science and mathematics...... education research serves as a basis for the design and development of warranted practices with which the teachers may experiment in their classroom. We will focus on the outcomes of offering a program which is intimately tied to (i) contemporary science and mathematics education research, (ii) modern...

  2. Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faber, Courtney; Hardin, Emily; Klein-Gardner, Stacy; Benson, Lisa

    2014-11-01

    This study examined the teachers' development as scientists for participants in three National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers. Participants included secondary science and math teachers with varying levels of education and experience who were immersed in research environments related to engineering and science topics. Teachers' functionality as scientists was assessed in terms of independence, focus, relationships with mentors, structure, and ability to create new concepts. Hierarchies developed within these constructs allowed tracking of changes in functionality throughout the 6-week programs. Themes were further identified in teachers' weekly journal entries and exit interviews through inductive coding. Increases in functionality as scientists were observed for all teachers who completed both the program and exit interview ( n = 27). Seven of the 27 teachers reached high science functionality; however, three of the teachers did not reach high functionality in any of the constructs during the program. No differences were observed in demographics or teaching experience between those who did and did not reach high functionality levels. Inductive coding revealed themes such as teachers' interactions with mentors and connections made between research and teaching, which allowed for descriptions of experiences for teachers at high and low levels of functionality. Teachers at high functionality levels adjusted to open-ended environments, transitioned from a guided experience to freedom, felt useful in the laboratory, and were self-motivated. In contrast, teachers at low functionality levels did not have a true research project, primarily focused on teaching aspects of the program, and did not display a transition of responsibilities.

  3. Project "Nueva Generacion" and Grow Your Own Teachers: Transforming Schools and Teacher Education from the Inside Out

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Elizabeth A.

    2010-01-01

    The on-going quest to more effectively connect teacher candidates with urban communities and schools drives the examination of the role of colleges of education within the school/community context. Given that most community-based teacher education programs originate on campus and then move into communities, it is not surprising that a disconnect…

  4. Exploring the effects of developing collaboration in a primary science teacher community

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sillasen, Martin Krabbe

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a qualitative study to explore factors that may facilitate sustainable changes of collaboration in a primary science teacher community in one school. The context for this study is a development project aimed at improving science teaching by changing teacher......’s collective work in schools and developing network between schools. The objective is to improve the collaboration within primary science teacher communities on sharing best practice and developing new ways of teaching. This study represents an in-depth approach to explore possibilities and constraints for how...... a development project can facilitate sustainable change in primary science teachers’ collaboration. The purpose of the research project introduced here is to examine closer, why many development projects fail to produce sustainable results. The framework of McLaughlin and Talbert (2006) on building teacher...

  5. Moderation and Consistency of Teacher Judgement: Teachers' Views

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, Stephen; Klenowski, Valentina; Wyatt-Smith, Claire Maree

    2012-01-01

    Major curriculum and assessment reforms in Australia have generated research interest in issues related to standards, teacher judgement and moderation. This article is based on one related inquiry of a large-scale Australian Research Council Linkage project conducted in Queensland. This qualitative study analysed interview data to identify…

  6. Science projects in renewable energy and energy efficiency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1991-07-01

    First, the book is written for teachers and other adults who educate children in grades K-12. This allows us to include projects with a variety of levels of difficulty, leaving it to the teacher to adapt them to the appropriate skill level. Second, the book generally focuses on experimental projects that demonstrate the scientific method. We believe that learning the experimental process is most beneficial for students and prepares them for further endeavors in science and for life itself by developing skills in making decisions and solving problems. Although this may appear to limit the book's application to more advanced students and more experienced science teachers, we hope that some of the ideas can be applied to beginning science classes. In addition, we recognize that there are numerous sources of nonexperimental science activities in the field and we hope this book will fill a gap in the available material. Third, we've tried to address the difficulties many teachers face in helping their students get started on science projects. By explaining the process and including extensive suggestions of resources -- both nationally and locally -- we hope to make the science projects more approachable and enjoyable. We hope the book will provide direction for teachers who are new to experimental projects. And finally, in each section of ideas, we've tried to include a broad sampling of projects that cover most of the important concepts related to each technology. Additional topics are listed as one-liners'' following each group of projects.

  7. Maths4Stats: Educating teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renette J. Blignaut

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The inadequate nature of the education infrastructure in South Africa has led to poor academic performance at public schools. Problems within schools such as under-qualified teachers and poor teacher performance arise due to the poorly constructed education system in our country. The implementation in 2012 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS at public schools in South Africa saw the further crippling of some teachers, as they were unfamiliar with parts of the CAPS subject content. The Statistics and Population Studies department at the University of the Western Cape was asked to join the Maths4Stats project in 2012. This project was launched by Statistics South Africa in an effort to assist in training the teachers in statistical content within the CAPS Mathematics curricula. The University of the Western Cape’s team would like to share their experience of being part of the Maths4Stats training in the Western Cape. This article focuses on how the training sessions were planned and what the outcomes were. With the knowledge gained from our first Maths4Stats experience, it is recommended that future interventions are still needed to ensure that mathematics teachers become well-informed and confident to teach topics such as data handling, probability and regression analysis.

  8. Pre-Service Teacher Vision and Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roselle, Rene; Liner, Kevin

    2012-01-01

    As preservice teachers enter their first teaching experience, they often have perceptions about what teaching will be like based on a vision that is typically linked to their own background and experiences. This study explores the changes in visions of 15 preservice teachers throughout student teaching in an urban environment. The research will…

  9. Advancing teacher knowledge of effective argumentation pedagogy

    OpenAIRE

    Simon,Shirley; Davies,Paul; Trevethan,Jillian

    2012-01-01

    This paper provides a discussion of the methodological approach to a research project that builds on previous studies of effective argumentation pedagogy undertaken by one of the authors. In this study, teachers from six schools in a city location are taking part in a one-year project to use new web-based professional development materials to advance their practice in using group discussion and argumentation in science. The teachers attend workshops on planning and organising effective group-...

  10. Contextualization processes and the initial education of physics teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Cândida de Macedo

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Contextualization of school contents has been seen as a possibility of facilitating students’ learning, since it makes the educative process more significant to them. However, there is no agreement as to the meaning and the forms of applying such processes. Particularly in the area of Science teaching, the creation of thematic projects has been seen as a way of contextualizing school contents. It is noteworthy that the experience with the education of Physics teachers shows that the creation and execution of such projects brings many difficulties to teachers, the main obstacle being the understanding of what contextualized educative processes are. Having this in mind, a project has been elaborated with the objective of analyzing the comprehension Physics teachers that are going through teacher education courses have of the processes of contextualization. The data for this investigation has been obtained from students who attended a course of the Physics Teacher Education module at the Federal University of Itajubá. It is significant to mention that in this course students are asked to create three versions of a thematic project. In order to analyze the data, the procedure of Thematic Content and Category Analysis was adopted. This research shows that Physics teachers to be incorporate the discourses of the educative ideas throughout the course. However, there is a series of obstacles they face as they attempt to understand and carry out contextualized educative processes. Those difficulties are connected to their experience with this kind of educative process throughout the years they spend at school and in the teacher education course. We conclude thus that it is essential that contextualized educative activities be part of the reality of teacher education programs.

  11. Novel Techniques for Background / Foreground Rejection in Particle Instruments

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Novel Techniques for Background / Foreground Rejection in Particle Instruments project addresses the need for signal contamination and background signal...

  12. Preparing Teachers to Teach Digital Citizenship

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Searson, Michael; Voogt, Joke; Whittier, David; Plants, Robert; Gibson, David; Sutton, Bonnie; Ochoa, Marilyn; Sutton, Vic; McBride, Ron; Searson, Michael

    2013-01-01

    A team of SITE leaders was awarded a highly competitive “Digital Citizenship Award” from Facebook to explore the role of digital citizenship in teacher education. The focus of the SITE “Preparing Teachers to Teach Digital Citizenship” project is the development of a college based course, available

  13. Perspectives on projects, project success and team work

    OpenAIRE

    Thompson, Karen

    2015-01-01

    This paper brings together perspectives on projects, project success and team work as a background to two graphical tools for considering project success and individual capabilities for working in a project team.

  14. Examining Teachers' Concerns and Attitudes to Inclusive Education in Ghana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agbenyega, Joseph

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports on a study that examined teachers' concerns and attitude toward inclusive education of students with disabilities in Ghana. A 20 item Attitudes Toward Inclusion in Africa Scale (ATIAS) was completed by 100 teachers from five "Inclusive Project" schools and five Non-Project coeducational basic schools in three different…

  15. "Cheesy Pizza": The Pizza Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallick, Barbara; Lee, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    A class of 3- to 5-year-old children in a midwestern child care center chose to study pizza restaurants as a group project. This article discusses how the project evolved, describes the three phases of the project, and provides the teachers' reflections on the project. Photos taken during the project and children's sketches are included. (Contains…

  16. Supporting Teachers' Understandings of Function through Online Professional Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silverman, Jason

    2017-01-01

    This article explores one segment of an extended research and development project that was conducted to better understand the ways online teacher professional development can support teachers' development of deep and connected mathematical understandings. In particular, this article discusses teachers' understandings of the concept of…

  17. Swedish Technology Teachers' Attitudes to Their Subject and Its Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordlöf, Charlotta; Höst, Gunnar E.; Hallström, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    Background: From previous research among science teachers it is known that teachers' attitudes to their subjects affect important aspects of their teaching, including their confidence and the amount of time they spend teaching the subject. In contrast, less is known about technology teachers' attitudes. Purpose: Therefore, the aim of this study is…

  18. Teacher Feedback during Active Learning: Current Practices in Primary Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Bergh, Linda; Ros, Anje; Beijaard, Douwe

    2013-01-01

    Background: Feedback is one of the most powerful tools, which teachers can use to enhance student learning. It appears dif?cult for teachers to give qualitatively good feedback, especially during active learning. In this context, teachers should provide facilitative feedback that is focused on the development of meta-cognition and social learning.…

  19. Qualitative study about the ways teachers react to feedback from resident evaluations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roermund, T. van; Schreurs, M.L.; Mokkink, H.; Bottema, B.; Scherpbier, A.; Weel, C. van

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Currently, one of the main interventions that are widely expected to contribute to teachers' professional development is confronting teachers with feedback from resident evaluations of their teaching performance. Receiving feedback, however, is a double edged sword. Teachers see

  20. Search for the Cosmic Infrared Background Radiation using COBE Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hauser, Michael

    2001-01-01

    This project was initiated to allow completion of the primary investigation of the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) on NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (CORE) mission, and to study the implications of those findings. The Principal Investigator (PI) on this grant was also the Principal Investigator on the DIRBE team. The project had two specific goals: Goal 1: Seek improved limits upon, or detections of, the cosmic infrared background radiation using data from the COBE Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE). Goal 2: Explore the implications of the limits and measured values of the cosmic infrared background for energy releases in the Universe since the formation of the first luminous sources. Both of these goals have been successfully accomplished.

  1. Australian Primary In-Service Teachers' Conceptions of Geography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preston, Lou

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports on the second part of a two pronged qualitative investigation that examines the ways in which Australian primary teachers conceptualise geography and geography teaching. In the first part of the project, 47 pre-service primary teachers were surveyed. In this paper, I draw on interviews with six in-service primary teachers to…

  2. Teachers' participation in school policy: Nature, extent and orientation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jongmans, C.T.; Sleegers, P.J.C.; Biemans, H.J.A.; Jong, F.P.C.M. de

    2004-01-01

    Against the background of several large-scale innovations in secondary agricultural education, this study explores the relation between teachers' professionality and their participation in school policy. For the research into this, 1,030 teachers of 98 schools for preparatory and secondary

  3. Teachers' and Students' Work-Culture Variables Associated with Positive School Outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldwater, Orna D.; Nutt, Roberta L.

    1999-01-01

    Investigates whether goodness of fit between teachers' and students' backgrounds is associated with subjective grading and objective achievement at school. One hundred one seventh graders and twenty of their teachers completed the Self-Report Family Inventory. Similarity between teachers' and students' work-culture variables was associated with…

  4. American Association of Physics Teachers - AAPT.org

    Science.gov (United States)

    AAPT.org - American Association of Physics Teachers Skip to content Skip to navigation Skip to local navigation AAPT - American Association of Physics Teachers Go Sign In / Online Services Join ; Competitions Collaborative Projects U.S. Physics Team New Faculty Programs Publications American Journal of

  5. Pedagogical Content Knowledge for World History Teachers: What Is It? How Might Prospective Teachers Develop It?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Lauren McArthur; Bain, Robert B.

    2011-01-01

    This article takes up the question of world history teachers' pedagogical content knowledge by reporting on two separate but related projects. In the first, we briefly discuss an empirical investigation one of the authors conducted into the ways that pre- and in-service world history teachers think about, organize, and make meaning of separate and…

  6. Composing with New Technology: Teacher Reflections on Learning Digital Video

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, David L.; Chiu, Ming Ming

    2015-01-01

    This study explores teachers' reflections on their learning to compose with new technologies in the context of teacher education and/or teacher professional development. English language arts (ELA) teachers (n = 240) in 15 courses learned to use digital video (DV), completed at least one DV group project, and responded to open-ended survey…

  7. Learning from Lessons: studying the structure and construction of mathematics teacher knowledge in Australia, China and Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David J.; Clarke, Doug M.; Roche, Anne; Cao, Yiming; Peter-Koop, Andrea

    2018-03-01

    The major premise of this project is that teachers learn from the act of teaching a lesson. Rather than asking "What must a teacher already know in order to practice effectively?", this project asks "What might a teacher learn through their activities in the classroom and how might this learning be optimised?" In this project, controlled conditions are created utilising purposefully designed and trialled lesson plans to investigate the process of teacher knowledge construction, with teacher selective attention proposed as a key mediating variable. In order to investigate teacher learning through classroom practice, the project addresses the following questions: To what classroom objects, actions and events do teachers attend and with what consequence for their learning? Do teachers in different countries attend to different classroom events and consequently derive different learning benefits from teaching a lesson? This international project combines focused case studies with an online survey of mathematics teachers' selective attention and consequent learning in Australia, China and Germany. Data include the teacher's adaptation of a pre-designed lesson, the teacher's actions during the lesson, the teacher's reflective thoughts about the lesson and, most importantly, the consequences for the planning and delivery of a second lesson. The combination of fine-grained, culturally situated case studies and large-scale online survey provides mutually informing benefits from each research approach. The research design, so constituted, offers the means to a new and scalable vision of teacher learning and its promotion.

  8. Rearview Mirror: Reflections on a Preschool Car Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beneke, Sallee

    This book documents the work of a master preschool teacher, her co-teachers, student teachers, and very young children as they explored the automotive laboratory adjacent to their early childhood classroom at a community college. In addition to introducing the project approach, the master teacher also introduced the staff and students to…

  9. Teachers and Technology Use in Secondary Science Classrooms: Investigating the Experiences of Middle School Science Teachers Implementing the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Rachel Corinne

    This study investigated the intended teacher use of a technology-enhanced learning tool, Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), and the first experiences of teachers new to using it and untrained in its use. The purpose of the study was to learn more about the factors embedded into the design of the technology that enabled it or hindered it from being used as intended. The qualitative research design applied grounded theory methods. Using theoretical sampling and a constant comparative analysis, a document review of WISE website led to a model of intended teacher use. The experiences of four middle school science teachers as they enacted WISE for the first time were investigated through ethnographic field observations, surveys and interviews using thematic analysis to construct narratives of each teachers use. These narratives were compared to the model of intended teacher use of WISE. This study found two levels of intended teacher uses for WISE. A basic intended use involved having student running the project to completion while the teacher provides feedback and assesses student learning. A more optimal description of intended use involved the supplementing the core curriculum with WISE as well as enhancing the core scope and sequence of instruction and aligning assessment with the goals of instruction through WISE. Moreover, WISE projects were optimally intended to be facilitated through student-centered teaching practices and inquiry-based instruction in a collaborative learning environment. It is also optimally intended for these projects to be shared with other colleagues for feedback and iterative development towards improving the Knowledge Integration of students. Of the four teachers who participated in this study, only one demonstrated the use of WISE as intended in the most basic way. This teacher also demonstrated the use of WISE in a number of optimal ways. Teacher confusion with certain tools available within WISE suggests that there may be a

  10. Do Higher Salaries Buy Better Teachers?

    OpenAIRE

    Eric A. Hanushek; John F. Kain; Steven G. Rivkin

    1999-01-01

    Important policy decisions rest on the relationship between teacher salaries and the quality of teachers, but the evidence about the strength of any such relationship is thin. This paper relies upon the matched panel data of the UTD Texas School Project to investigate how shifts in salary schedules affect the composition of teachers within a district. The panel data permit separation of shifts in salary schedules from movement along given schedules, and thus the analysis is much more closely ...

  11. Desirable characteristics for teachers of High Ability/Gifted students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra da Costa Souza Martins

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the desirable educational background for a teacher to work with high ability/gifted students, desirable characteristics these teachers should present and conceptions on high ability/giftedness. The participants were 20 public school teachers from a city surrounding Brasilia. Of this group, ten were elementary school teachers working with initial grades and ten were undergraduate Pedagogy teachers. A qualitative approach was used and data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview. A content analysis was then conducted. In relation to the desirable educational background for a teach of high ability/gifted students, participants indicated the need of continuous training, under graduation curriculum adapted to the theme and graduation courses in the area. The desirable features for teachers of high ability/gifted students were related to personological attributes (personality traits and intellectual ability, as well as professional characteristics. The conceptions on high ability/giftedness presented by the participants were, in general, close to those found in the literature and used as reference for this study. However, there was lack of information on how to apply the theory into real practice, as well as several wrong ideas on the topic.

  12. Under-Threes' Mathematical Learning--Teachers' Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franzén, Karin

    2014-01-01

    This project highlights preschool teachers' views of toddlers' learning in mathematics. The Swedish national curriculum covers even the youngest children who are 1-3?years old. Interesting questions are thus: what should mathematics be for this age group and how should preschool teachers work with maths to achieve the curriculum objectives? Data…

  13. Building a Cyber Training Center for Teachers in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baek, Young-Kyun; Westrom, Marv

    2001-01-01

    Describes the development of a system for the delivery of teacher retraining on the Internet in Korea. Explains cooperation between the government and Korea National University of Education; and discusses goals of the project, including minimizing teacher's retraining costs and making inservice training available to all teachers. (Author/LRW)

  14. Exploring writing institutes for teachers in South Africa | Dippenaar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Several thousand teachers in the US participate each year in these invitational summer institutes, which are based on the NWP's model of teachers teaching teachers. The US Embassy's Regional English Language Office in South Africa collaborated with directors of writing projects in the United States, and South Africans ...

  15. Talking the talk…but walking the walk? How do non-specialist mathematics teachers come to see themselves as mathematics teachers?

    OpenAIRE

    Crisan, C.; Rodd, M.

    2014-01-01

    In order to address the shortage of mathematics teachers in England, the UK government has funded various in-service subject knowledge courses for practising teachers, who are not mathematics specialists. These courses aim to develop these teachers’ mathematical subject knowledge (e.g., DfE 2014). In this TAS session we will report on a research project which was set up to investigate how teachers on the in-service programmes offered by our institution developed as teachers of mathematics. We...

  16. Barriers to Providing the Sexuality Education That Teachers Believe Students Need

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisenberg, Marla E.; Madsen, Nikki; Oliphant, Jennifer A.; Sieving, Renee E.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Sexuality education teachers' perspectives are important to gain a full understanding of the issues surrounding teaching this subject. This study uses a statewide sample of public school teachers to examine what sexuality education content is taught, what barriers teachers face, and which barriers are associated with teaching specific…

  17. Teacher Enhancement Institute

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall-Bradley, Tina

    1994-01-01

    During the 1980's, a period of intense concern over educational quality in the United States, few indicators of U.S. student achievement garnered the interest of policy makers and pundits as successfully as the results of international testing in mathematics and science. This concern was so great that as a part of the Goals 2000 initiative, President George Bush indicated that 'By the year 2000, U.S. students should be first in the world in mathematics and science.' The Clinton Administration is placing a major emphasis, not only on rigorous academic standards and creating a new system for assessing students' progress, but also including professional development as a major focus. The argument being that teachers need more sustained, intensive training to prepare them to teach to higher standards. Executive order 12821 mandates that national laboratories 'assist in the mathematics and science education of our Nation's students, teachers, parents and the public by establishing programs at their agency to provide for training elementary and secondary school teachers to improve their knowledge of mathematics and science'. These and other issues led to the development of ideas for a project that addresses the need for excellence in mathematics, science and technology instruction. In response to these initiatives the NASA/LaRC Teacher Enhancement Institute was proposed. The TEI incorporated systemic reform perspectives, enhanced content knowledge for teachers, and teacher preparation. Emphasis was also placed on recruiting those educators who teach in impoverished urban school districts with at-risk student populations who have been traditionally under represented in science, mathematics, technology and engineering. Participants in the Teacher Enhancement Institute were 37 teachers from grades K-8, teaching in Region 2 in the state of Virginia, as well as 2 preservice teachers from Norfolk State University and one teacher from Dublin, Virginia, where a Science

  18. Education for sustainable development - Resources for physics and sciences teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miličić, Dragana; Jokić, Ljiljana; Blagdanić, Sanja; Jokić, Stevan

    2016-03-01

    With this article we would like to stress science teachers must doing practical work and communicate on the basis of scientific knowledge and developments, but also allow their students opportunity to discover knowledge through inquiry. During the last five years Serbian project Ruka u testu (semi-mirror of the French project La main á la pâte), as well as European FIBONACCI and SUSTAIN projects have offered to our teachers the wide-scale learning opportunities based on Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Our current efforts are based on pedagogical guidance, several modules and experimental kits, the website, exhibitions, and trainings and workshops for students and teachers.

  19. Teachers' voices: A comparison of two secondary science teacher preparation programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohlhaas Labuda, Kathryn

    This dissertation, using cross-case qualitative methodology, investigates the salient and latent features of two philosophically different university-based secondary science teacher preparation programs. Written documents from the two programs and from the Salish I Research project provided the salient data. New teachers' interview transcripts provided the latent data. This study provides the opportunity to hear teachers voice their perceptions of preparation programs. Three questions were investigated in this research study. First, What are the salient features of two different secondary science teacher preparation programs? Second, What are the latent features of two different secondary science teacher programs as perceived by new teachers? Third, How do new secondary science teachers from different programs perceive their preservice programs? The last question incorporates teachers' perceptions of gaps and coherence in the programs and teachers' recommendations to improve their preservice programs. Salient features of the programs revealed differences in the types of certification, and the amounts and types of required course work. Both programs certified teachers at the secondary science level, but only M program certified their teachers as elementary science specialists. Program M required more semester hours of education and science course work than Program S. Although teachers from both programs perceived little coherence between their science and education courses, S-teachers presented a more fragmented picture of their education program and perceived fewer benefits from the program. Lack of relevance and courses that focused on elementary teaching were perceived as part of the problem. M-teachers perceived some cohesion through the use of cohorts in three consecutive semesters of science methods courses that provided multiple field experiences prior to student teaching. S-teachers did not perceive an organized philosophy of their program. M-teachers

  20. World History and Teacher Education: Challenges and Possibilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marino, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This article discusses the role that teacher educators can play in helping their students develop a fuller understanding of world history. Trends such as globalization have led to calls for increased teaching about the diverse cultures and peoples of the world. However, prospective teachers' educational backgrounds have in most cases not…

  1. Journeys Across Difference: Pre-service Teacher Education Students’ Perceptions of a Pedagogy of Discomfort in a Digital Storytelling Project in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Gachago

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Engaging with difference is an important skill for teachers in current South Africa. Critics of the dominant approach to teaching on and with difference in pre-service teacher education argue that it mostly promotes de-contextualised celebrations of diverse cultures without addressing critical issues of power and social forces. One of the reasons that educators shy away from engaging with issues of power and privilege in the classroom is the fear of highly explosive emotions that might emerge in the process. In South Africa this is compounded by the legacy of racial discrimination, still impacting on today’s social engagements of students. However, proponents of the ‘affective turn’ (Berlant 2008; Ahmed 2004; Ahmed 2010; Clough and Halley 2007; Gregg and Seigworth 2010 in the Social Sciences argue, that it is important to work with the emotions that govern our classrooms, for social transformation in students to happen. Boler and Zembylas’ ‘pedagogy of discomfort’ (2003 for example stipulates that for social transformation to happen both students and educators have to step out of their comfort zone, to experience discomforting emotions, and recognizes the value of both cognitive and emotional labour for learning about difference. This study is piloting an innovative approach for teaching on and with difference in a South African pre-service teacher education classroom, combining a digital storytelling process with participatory learning and action techniques and a reflective essay. Framed by Boler and Zembylas’ (2003 work on the politics of emotions and feminist writings on the role of affect and public feelings, we explored how students experienced and negotiated their cognitive and emotional journey in this project. An interpretive analysis of data collected through focus groups with selected students revealed that this classroom was a highly divided, complex and contested space, in which students identified strongly along racial

  2. RITES: Online (Reaching In-service Teachers with Earth Sciences Online)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baptiste, H.

    2003-12-01

    The RITES: Online project team (Drs. H. Prentice Baptiste, Susan Brown, Jennifer Villa) believed that the power of technology could not be effectively utilized unless it was grounded in new models of teaching and learning based on a student centered and project based curriculum, that increased opportunities for active, hands-on learning and respect for multiculturalism. We subscribe to an inquiry approach to learning. Specifically, science teaching should actively engage the learners in activities that draw on multiple abilities and learning styles. Recent brain-based research has shown that human beings construct knowledge through actions and interactions within their environment. Learning occurs in communities, and new ideas are linked to previous knowledge and constructed by the learner. Knowledge is acquired by making connections. We believed the aforementioned ideas and points to be equally true for the teacher candidates and inservice teachers participating in the RITES: Online project as well as for their students. The ESSEA science courses were delivered by distance learning via the university WebCt distance education system to teacher candidates (preservice teachers) and inservice teachers. Teacher candidates and inservice teachers were encouraged to use technology when involving their students in science inquiry activities and to record their students' involvement in science activities with digital cameras. Teacher candidates and inservice teachers involve in the ESSEA courses are engaged in earth science inquiry activities relevant to the four spheres (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere) with the students in their classes. This presentation will highlight teacher candidates and inservice teachers in the roles of designer, researcher, and collaborator. Examples of student works will also be a part of the Power point presentation. As a result of our courses our teachers have attained the following positive outcomes: 1) Teacher candidates and

  3. Mediating Artifact in Teacher Professional Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svendsen, Bodil

    2015-01-01

    This article focuses on teacher professional development (TPD) in natural science through the 5E model as mediating artifact. The study was conducted in an upper secondary school, grounded in a school-based intervention research project. My contribution to the field of research on TPD is founded on the hypothesis that teachers would be best…

  4. Teacher Supply and Demand: Surprises from Primary Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew J. Wayne

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available An investigation of primary research studies on public school teacher supply and demand revealed four surprises. Projections show that enrollments are leveling off. Relatedly, annual hiring increases should be only about two or three percent over the next few years. Results from studies of teacher attrition also yield unexpected results. Excluding retirements, only about one in 20 teachers leaves each year, and the novice teachers who quit mainly cite personal and family reasons, not job dissatisfaction. Each of these findings broadens policy makers' options for teacher supply.

  5. Vocal dose in teachers: correlation with dysphonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gama, Ana Cristina Côrtes; Santos, Juliana Nunes; Pedra, Elisângela de Fátima Pereira; Rabelo, Alessandra Terra Vasconcelos; Magalhães, Max de Castro; Casas, Estevam Barbosa de Las

    2016-04-01

    Teachers are professionals with high prevalence of dysphonia, whose main risk factors are the large work hours in classrooms with the presence of background noise. The purpose of the study was to calculate the phonation time and the cycle dose of teachers with dysphonia and teachers without voice disorders during the class. There were two groups analyzed: five teachers with functional dysphonia were the first group and five teachers without voice disorders were the second group. For the data was used the VoxLog® dosimeter and the parameters were: intensity; fundamental frequency; phonation time and cycle dose. The statistical analysis used ANOVA, Student's T-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. Dysphonic teachers showed major values of phonation time and cycle dose compared with teachers without voice disorders. The dysphonia is related to extended period of speech time and greater exposure of the tissue of the vocal fold to phonotrauma.

  6. "Met" Made Simple: Building Research-Based Teacher Evaluations. Issue Analysis Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    New Teacher Project, 2012

    2012-01-01

    Groundbreaking new findings from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project hold the potential to answer crucial questions about how to assess teachers' performance. For the past two years, MET researchers have conducted a research project of unprecedented scope, involving 3,000 teachers in six school…

  7. Energy Project Professional Development: Promoting Positive Attitudes about Science among K-12 Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Amy D.; Daane, Abigail R.

    2017-01-01

    Promoting positive attitudes about science among teachers has important implications for teachers' classroom practice and for their relationship to science as a discipline. In this paper, we report positive shifts in teachers' attitudes about science, as measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science (CLASS) survey, over the course of…

  8. Designing GIS Learning Materials for K-12 Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Jung Eun

    2017-01-01

    Although previous studies have proven the usefulness and effectiveness of geographic information system (GIS) use in the K-12 classroom, the rate of teacher adoption remains low. The identified major barrier to its use is a lack of teachers' background and experience. To solve this limitation, many organisations have provided GIS-related teacher…

  9. Learning to Become a Teacher in the 21st Century: ICT Integration in Initial Teacher Education in Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brun, Mario; Hinostroza, J. Enrique

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the most relevant results from a national study about the availability and use of ICT in 46 Initial Teacher Education institutions in Chile, implemented during 2009 as part of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) international project "ICT in Initial Teacher Training." Main findings show an…

  10. Are Science Teachers Prepared to Promote Argumentation? A Case Study with Pre-Service Teachers in Bogotá City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Archila, Pablo Antonio

    2014-01-01

    This paper addresses the importance of argumentation in science education. A research project was done in order to know how a group of pre-service chemistry teachers has been prepared to promote students' argumentation. A Chemistry degree studies plan from a Colombian university was surveyed, and 18 future teachers' representations about…

  11. Measurements of Worldwide Radioxenon Backgrounds - The "EU" Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bowyer, Ted W.; Cooper, Matthew W.; Hayes, James C.; Forrester, Joel B.; Haas, Derek A.; Hansen, Randy R.; Keller, Paul E.; Kirkham, Randy R.; Lidey, Lance S.; McIntyre, Justin I.; Miley, Harry S.; Payne, Rosara F.; Saey, Paul R.; Thompson, Robert C.; Woods, Vincent T.; Williams, Richard M.

    2009-09-24

    Under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), radioactive xenon (radioxenon) measurements are one of the principle techniques used to detect nuclear underground nuclear explosions, and specifically, the presence of one or more radioxenon isotopes allows one to determine whether a suspected event was a nuclear explosion or originated from an innocent source. During the design of the International Monitoring System (IMS), which was designed as the verification mechanism for the Treaty, it was determined that radioxenon measurements should be performed at 40 or more stations worldwide. At the time of the design of the IMS, however, very few details about the background of the xenon isotopes was known and it is now recognized that the backgrounds were probably evolving anyhow. This paper lays out the beginning of a study of the worldwide concentrations of xenon isotopes that can be used to detect nuclear explosions and several sources that also release radioxenons, and will have to be accounted for during analysis of atmospheric levels. Although the global concentrations of the xenon isotopes are the scope of a much larger activity that could span over several years, this study measures radioxenon concentrations in locations where there was either very little information or there was a unique opportunity to learn more about emissions from known sources. The locations where radioxenon levels were measured and reported are included.

  12. White Teachers/White Schools: Oral Histories from the Struggle against Apartheid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieder, Alan

    2003-01-01

    Presents the oral histories of two white teachers who taught in white South African schools during apartheid. Both combined pedagogy and politics in their lives as teachers and joined other teachers in the struggle against apartheid. Describes the oral history project, apartheid and education, and oral history methodology. Both teachers spent…

  13. When teacher clusters work: selected experiences of South African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Using qualitative data from a large-scale research project, we explore teachers' perspec- tives on what ... a common purpose: to alter the knowledge, beliefs and practices of teachers (Guskey,. 2002). Indeed .... Research methodology.

  14. Learning from Lessons: Studying the Structure and Construction of Mathematics Teacher Knowledge in Australia, China and Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Man Ching Esther; Clarke, David J.; Clarke, Doug M.; Roche, Anne; Cao, Yiming; Peter-Koop, Andrea

    2018-01-01

    The major premise of this project is that teachers learn from the act of teaching a lesson. Rather than asking "What must a teacher already know in order to practice effectively?", this project asks "What might a teacher learn through their activities in the classroom and how might this learning be optimised?" In this project,…

  15. Elementary and Middle School Teacher Perceptions of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Prevalence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabiano, Gregory A.; Pelham, William E., Jr.; Majumdar, Antara; Evans, Steven W.; Manos, Michael J.; Caserta, Donald; Girio-Herrera, Erin L.; Pisecco, Stewart; Hannah, Jane N.; Carter, Randy L.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Estimates of ADHD diagnosis and stimulant medication use vary across studies. Few studies ascertain the teacher perspective on these rates. Objective: To ascertain teachers' perceptions of ADHD prevalence and medication treatment within their classrooms. Method: The present school survey collected teacher report of identified children…

  16. Preschool Teachers' Endorsement of Instructional Practices: An Interprofessional Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutsoftas, Anthony D.; Dubasik, Virginia L.; Moss DiDonato, Alicia

    2017-01-01

    Background: Preschool teacher's instructional practices are one component of high-quality early education classrooms that have the potential to directly influence young children's school readiness and success; therefore, the type and quality of instructional practices used by preschool teachers should be explored. Purpose: The purpose of this…

  17. Primary education teachers' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching geography lessons

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bent, G.J.W.; Bakx, A.W.E.A.; den Brok, P.J.

    2017-01-01

    This study was carried out to investigate the primary education teachers' self-efficacy regarding geography education, their beliefs regarding the classroom learning environment, and how these beliefs were related to each other and to teachers' background characteristics. Questionnaire data were

  18. Observatório da Educação: An Investigation of Teacher Professional Development of Mathematics Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia Silva, Angélica F.; Campos, Tania Maria M.; Pietropaolo, Ruy Cesar

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims to present the results of an investigation regarding the professional development of teachers who worked in the early years of basic education. The qualitative research involved teachers who participated in the "Observatório da Educação" project (MEC/CAPES). Because of the data amount, we choose to present the data…

  19. Queer English Language Teacher Identity: A Narrative Exploration in Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lander, Roderick

    2018-01-01

    This article presents partial results of research exploring links between language teacher identity and queer identity in English language teachers working in Colombia. Three gay male teachers participated in a narrative research project framed within a poststructural perspective on identity. I conducted and recorded semi-structured interviews…

  20. The Effective Distribution of Teachers into Secondary Schools in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The supply of qualified teachers did not match the demand for them in secondary schools in the State. It was projected that the State government would require additional 3,585 teachers by the year 2016. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the conditions of service of teachers should be reviewed and made ...

  1. Who is your best university teacher and why? characteristics of good university teachers under the view of teacher education students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graziela Giusti Pachane

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available This text aims to analyze the perception of students from different teaching courses at a Federal University in Minas Gerais about the characteristics of good university teachers. It amplifies the analysis developed by a group of graduate students who collect data for a report written as final task of a graduate discipline. This previous report was introduced in a larger project whose objective was to study university pedagogy. Based on studies conducted by national and international researchers on university teachers´ education and practice, we analyzed the data collected by means of a questionnaire specifically designed to know who were considered the best professors, and why they were distinguished from others, according to the opinion of teaching students. The results of the research points out the importance of didactics, of good relationship with students, specific content knowledge, communication abilities and concern with students´ learning as the main important factors that distinguish the best teachers from others. Results also lead us to a number of questions, mainly related to the fact that those teachers are responsible for preparing other teachers.

  2. Science and Mathematics Teachers Working toward Equity through Teacher Research: Tracing Changes across Their Research Process and Equity Views

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenner, Mary E.; Bianchini, Julie A.; Dwyer, Hilary A.

    2016-01-01

    We investigated secondary science and mathematics teachers engaged in a two-and-a-half-year professional development effort focused on equity. We examined how teachers conducting research on their own instructional practices--a central learning strategy of the professional development project--informed and/or constrained their views related to…

  3. Integrating Internet Resources into the Science Classroom: Teachers' Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiesenmayer, Randall L.; Koul, Ravinder

    1998-01-01

    Presents teacher perspectives on the impact of Internet usage on their teaching practices. Semi-structured interviews and two online surveys provide data from teacher participants in the West Virginia K-12 RuralNet Project. (DDR)

  4. Teachers’ Opinions Regarding the use of Technology in Education: Fatih Project Example

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esra KELEŞ

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, projects were carried out in order to take basic steps which were necessary to meet the requirements of the information society. One of the projects is “Fatih Project” in Turkey. So, this study aims to present implications of the Fatih project in schools via teachers’ views. For this purpose case study was used and data were collected via semi structured interviews. Interview questions include; the use of related technologies, questioning the contribution of these technologies to the learning process and suggestions for the implementations of the project. By visiting Fatih project’s pilot schools 11 volunteer teachers who were active participant of the project were selected to participate in the study. Data gathered from the interviews were subjected to content analysis. As a result of the study, teachers have positive thoughts towards Fatih Project, especially for using interactive board. Beside teachers have negative thoughts and concerns towards the project in terms of in-service teacher education for using these technologies and providing content appropriate to the curriculum

  5. Collaboration in teacher education through research in multicultural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Changing demands in education and society and the specific roles of teachers in classroom praxis urge lecturers (teacher trainers) from different tertiary institutions to collaborate in an internationally-funded project Understanding human rights through different belief systems: intercultural and interreligious dialogue. The

  6. Clean air strategy for Alberta: Background project reports

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-06-01

    As a background to the development of a clean air strategy for Alberta, reports are presented which cover the definition of what clean air is, the applicability of full cost accounting to this strategy, market-based approaches to managing Alberta air emissions, gas and electric utility incentives programs for energy efficiency, energy efficiency legislation in Alberta and other jurisdictions, initiatives which address emissions reduction in the transportation sector, coordination of science and technology relevant to clean air issues, and initiatives in energy and environmental education

  7. Awareness of autism amongst primary school teachers in Yenagoa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abstract. Background: Autism is a chronic neuro-developmental disorder and teachers of pupils with autism require a basic understanding of the disorder. Objective: To determine the awareness of autism amongst primary school teachers and to find out pupils with symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Primary schools ...

  8. Teachers' Self-Efficacy vs. Parental Involvement: Prediction and Implementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Yael; Kostelitz, Yifat

    2015-01-01

    This research examines the influence of teachers' views regarding parental involvement on their perception of self-efficacy. Data were collected from a sample of 319 Israeli elementary schools teachers. A path analysis procedure was employed to test the mediating effect of personal background and organizational variables and perceived parental…

  9. Teaching Astronomy through e-learning in Poland: Astronomical Education in teacher training conducted by the Regional Teacher Training Center in Skierniewice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabrowska, A. E.

    2014-12-01

    Regional Teacher Training Centre (RTTC) in Skierniewice is one of 49 public, accredited institutions in Poland carrying out it statutory goals at the regional level. It has been operating since 1989 and is responsible for organizing of support of schools, institutions, networks of teachers for cooperation and self-education, organizing various forms of in-service training and disseminating examples of good practice. It also has rich experience in teaching by using modern Interactive Computer Technology (ICT) tools and e-learning platform. I present examples about teaching of Astronomical issues through teacher training both as hands on workshops as well as through e-learning. E-learning is playing an important role in organizing educational activities not only in the field of modern didactic but also in learning Science subjects. Teachers find e-learning as a very economical, easy and convenient way of learning and developing their knowledge and skills. Moreover, they are no longer afraid of using new ICT tools and programs which help them to cooperate with students effectively. Since 2011 RTTC in Skierniewice has been an organizer of many on-line in-service programs for teachers, in learning Science. Some of them are organized as blended-learning programs which allow teachers to participate first in hands on activities then continue learning on the Moodle platform. These courses include two 15 and 30-hours of Astronomical topics. Teachers have the opportunity to gain knowledge and receive materials not only about the Universe and the Solar System but also can learn to use tools like Stellarium, Celestia, WorldWide Telescope, Your Sky and other tools. E-learning modules consist of both publishing learning materials in various forms, eg. PowerPoint Presentations, Word & PDF materials, web sites, publications, working sheets as well as practical duties like participation in chats, forums, tasks, Wiki, group workshop. Teachers use these materials for extending their

  10. Conflict and Consensus in Teacher Candidates' Discussion of Ethnic Autobiography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio-Ruane, Susan; deTar, Julie

    A Future Teachers' Autobiography Club discussion group/research project invited six elementary teacher candidates to read, write about, and discuss ethnic autobiography in order to foster and investigate the potential of peer discussion in teacher learning. Using a selected list of six autobiographies, the researcher hosted monthly dinner…

  11. Teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nammungkhun, Wisanugorn; Satchukorn, Sureerat; Saenpuk, Nudchanard; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chantharanuwong, Warawun

    2018-01-01

    This paper aimed to clarify teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning. The study applied the lens of sociocultural view of learning to discuss teachers' learning about research. Participants included teachers who participated in the project of thinking research schools: research for enhancing students' thinking skills. The project of thinking research schools provided participants chance to learn knowledge about research and thinking research, doing research and publication, and participate in the international conference. Methodology regarded ethnographic research. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview, and document analysis. The researchers as participants of the research project of thinking research schools tried to clarify what they learned about research from their way of seeing the view of research about enhancing students' thinking skills through participant observation. The findings revealed what and how teachers as apprenticeship learn about research through legitimate peripheral participation in the research project community of practice. The paper clarified teachers' conceptualization about research for enhancing students' thinking through the workshop, doing research, writing up research article with supported by experts, presenting research in the international conference, editing their research article on the way of publishing, and so on.

  12. Teacher change in implementing a research-developed representation construction pedagogy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hubber, Peter; Chittleborough, Gail

    2016-05-01

    The Representations in Learning Science (RiLS) project developed a representation construction approach to teaching and learning in science, which has successfully demonstrated enhanced student learning through sustained engagement with ideas, and enhancement of teachers' pedagogical knowledge and understandings of how knowledge in science is developed and communicated. The current Constructing Representations in Science Pedagogy (CRISP) project aims at wider scale implementation of the representation construction approach. This paper explores a range of issues that confronted four Year-8 teachers in implementing this research-developed approach, such as: preparedness of the teacher in terms of epistemological positioning and positioning as a learner, significant support for planning and modelling by the university expert, and a team ethos where teachers share ideas and plan jointly. The Year-8 teachers implemented a representation construction approach to the teaching of the topic of astronomy. The Interconnected Model of Teacher Growth (IMTG) (Clarke and Hollingworth, Teach. Educ., 18 (2001) 947) was used to analyse the teachers' experience in planning and delivering the teaching sequence. This model was found to be flexible in identifying the experiences of teachers in different situations and useful in identifying issues for implementation of a research-developed pedagogy.

  13. Preparing Teachers to Use GIS: The Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Program on Teachers' Use of GIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Steven; Haviland, Don; Moore, William; Tran, Michael

    2016-01-01

    This article reports the findings of a 3-year study of a hybrid professional development program designed to prepare science and mathematics teachers to implement GIS in their classrooms. The study was conducted as part of the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project funded by the National Science Foundation.…

  14. Teachers’ personal constructs on problem behaviour: towards professional development & Personal constructs on (problem) pupils: a teacher’s view

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Everaert; J.T.E. van Beukering; J.M.F. Touw; P. Kos

    2005-01-01

    This study focuses on revealing and developing personal constructs regarding problem behaviour in classrooms. Twenty-nine teachers (initial and in-service students) took part in the project. The main idea is that teachers’ opinions about their pupils and themselves influence the way they act in

  15. Reforming Vocational Didactics by Implementing a New VET Teacher Education in Denmark: Tensions and Challenges Reflected in Interviews with Vocational College Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duch, Henriette; Andreasen, Karen E.

    2015-01-01

    A new education program, Diploma of Vocational Pedagogy, has recently been implemented in Denmark to upskill vocational college teachers and improve didactics at VET colleges in general. Among many challenges, vocational college teachers have to adapt their pedagogy to a large number of students from backgrounds with no tradition for education.…

  16. Teachers' Motives for Learning in Networks: Costs, Rewards and Community Interest

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Beemt, Antoine; Ketelaar, Evelien; Diepstraten, Isabelle; de Laat, Maarten

    2018-01-01

    Background: This paper discusses teachers' perspectives on learning networks and their motives for participating in these networks. Although it is widely held that teachers' learning may be developed through learning networks, not all teachers participate in such networks. Purpose: The theme of reciprocity, central to studies in the area of…

  17. Unpacking Biases: Developing Cultural Humility in Early Childhood and Elementary Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Elizabeth Levine; Vesely, Colleen K.; Dallman, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Changing demographics in the U.S. require a focus on educating future teachers on how to engage children and families with diverse backgrounds. Teacher educators have been charged to address teachers' cultural competence and provide pedagogical instruction for working with diverse populations. We bolster this line of inquiry by sharing activities…

  18. Ending Isolation: The Payoff of Teacher Teams in Successful High-Poverty Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Susan Moore; Reinhorn, Stefanie K.; Simon, Nicole S.

    2018-01-01

    Background/Context: Many urban schools today look to instructional teams as a means to decrease professional isolation, promote teachers' ongoing development, and substantially reduce well-documented variation in teachers' effectiveness across classrooms. Recent research finds that teams can contribute to teachers' development and increased…

  19. ICT Competency Standards for Teachers: Competency Standards Modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2008

    2008-01-01

    Both professional development programs for teachers currently in the classroom and programs for preparing future teachers should provide technology-rich experiences throughout all aspects of the training. Standards and resources within the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s project "Information and…

  20. Telling Tales: The Value of Storytelling for Early Career Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allard, Andrea C.; Doecke, Brenton

    2017-01-01

    This article examines how early career teachers, participants in a research project, make sense of their experiences through storytelling. The teachers' stories provide a significant counterpoint to the way standards-based reforms construct their professional development, prompting us as teacher educators to think again about what it means for our…

  1. Small Bodies, Big Concepts: Engaging Teachers and Their Students in Visual Analysis of Comets and Asteroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cobb, W. H.; Buxner, S.; Lebofsky, L. A.; Ristvey, J.; Weeks, S.; Zolensky, M.

    2011-12-01

    Small Bodies, Big Concepts is a multi-disciplinary, professional development project that engages 5th - 8th grade teachers in high end planetary science using a research-based pedagogical framework, Designing Effective Science Instruction (DESI). In addition to developing sound background knowledge with a focus on visual analysis, teachers' awareness of the process of learning new content is heightened, and they use that experience to deepen their science teaching practice. Culling from NASA E/PO educational materials, activities are sequenced to enhance conceptual understanding of big ideas in space science: what do we know, how do we know it, why do we care? Helping teachers develop a picture of the history and evolution of our understanding of the solar system, and honing in on the place of comets and asteroids in helping us answer old questions and discover new ones, teachers see the power and excitement underlying planetary science as human endeavor. Research indicates that science inquiry is powerful in the classroom and mission scientists are real-life models of science inquiry in action. Using guest scientist facilitators from the Planetary Science Institute, NASA Johnson Space Center, Lockheed Martin, and NASA E/PO professionals from McREL and NASA AESP, teachers practice framing scientific questions, using current visual data, and adapting NASA E/PO activities related to current exploration of asteroids and comets in our Solar System. Cross-curricular elements included examining research-based strategies for enhancing English language learners' ability to engage in higher order questions and a professional astronomy artist's insight into how visual analysis requires not just our eyes engaged, but our brains: comparing, synthesizing, questioning, evaluating, and wondering. This summer we pilot tested the SBBC curriculum with thirteen 5th- 10th grade teachers modeling a variety of instructional approaches over eight days. Each teacher developed lesson plans

  2. In-service and pre-service teacher education in IBSE: The ESTABLISH approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ješková, Zuzana; Kireš, Marián; McLoughlin, Eilish; Finlayson, Odilla; Ottander, Christina; Ekborg, Margareta

    2015-01-01

    One of the main goals of the ESTABLISH 7fp project (available on line at http://www.establish-fp7.eu/) was the development and implementation of the professional development teacher education programmes (TEP) to support teachers in adopting inquiry-based strategies in their teaching. Within the project there was a model for in-service and pre-service teacher training in IBSE designed and implemented across 12 participating countries. The programme is based on 4 core elements and 4 additional elements that are built around the IBSE teaching units developed within the project. As accepted by ESTABLISH partners, all teacher training programmes include the minimum of the four elements, i.e. introduction to IBSE, industrial content knowledge, teacher as implementer and teacher as developer of IBSE teaching materials. There are also four additional elements designed in detail, i.e. ICT for IBSE, argumentation in the classroom, research and design projects for students, assessment of IBSE. These can be added to the programme optionally with regard to the level of teachers’ IBSE skills and current situation in education and teachers’ professional development within the country. This ESTABLISH model of TEP was followed in participating countries in order to change teachers’ attitudes from traditional ways of teaching towards adopting inquiry strategies and their successful implementation in the classroom. Within the face-to-face workshops teachers experienced and developed their inquiry based teaching strategies using specifically developed materials. In addition, the e-platform has been developed to provide on-line support. This platform provides educators and teachers with all the necessary materials for the training and IBSE teaching units and other teaching materials for teachers’ ongoing help. The teacher training programme was successfully implemented in Slovakia. There were two runs of teacher training workshops on IBSE already carried out. Moreover, the

  3. The environmental literacy of urban middle school teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owens, Marcia Allen

    This dissertation study assessed the environmental literacy of 292 urban, middle school teachers using the Wisconsin Environmental Literacy Survey (WELS). Environmental literacy may be defined in terms of observable behaviors. Specifically, the study examined four dimensions of participants' environmental literacy: (a) attitudes toward the environment, (b) beliefs about their own power and responsibility to affect environmental change, (c) personal behaviors and actions toward the environment, and (d) knowledge regarding ecology and environmental issues. The WELS measures these components of environmental literacy through a Likert-type attitude survey, a self-reporting behavior instrument, and a multiple choice measure of cognitive learning outcomes or environmental knowledge. These scores were combined to derive a total environmental literacy score. In addition, the study explored differences between African American and European American female teachers' environmental literacy; interactions between demographic variables; and patterns of frequently missed questions, environmental attitudes, or environmental behaviors. Differences in teachers' environmental literacy were examined relative to gender, racial/ethnic background, number of preservice environmental courses taken, number of inservice environmental courses taken, years of teaching experience, and subject area taught. Overall, teachers in the present study demonstrated nominal environmental literacy. Significant differences in scores on various subscales were found among teachers according to racial/ethnic background, subject area taught, and years of teaching experience. Taking preservice and inservice environmental courses appears to have a positive impact on environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity, awareness and values, but not appear to impact environmental knowledge. This study underscores the need for further descriptive environmental literacy research on urban, minority, and poor students

  4. The transformation of Teacher Work through digital learning platforms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, René Boyer; Andreasen, Lars Birch

    four transformation tendencies in the educational system regarding teacher work and discuss these in relation to a recent research project which aims at looking at the organizational and didactical implications for teachers working with digital platforms in the Danish primary school.......This paper examines a new mandatory initiative in the Danish primary school regarding digital learning platforms for students, teachers and parents and regards this as a part of a global process that leads to a transformation of teacher work and thus everyday life for teachers in schools. We list...

  5. Assessing Minimum Competencies of Beginning Teachers: Instrumentation, Measurement Issues, Legal Concerns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellett, Chad D.

    An overview is presented of a performance-based assessment system, Teacher Performance Assessment Instruments (TPAI), developed by the Teacher Assessment Project at the University of Georgia to measure competencies of beginning teachers for initial professional certification. To clearly separate the preparation and certification functions within…

  6. Theoretical background to orient the universitary projects management to local development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naybi Salas Vargas

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays the resources administration is a problem to be solved, and is remarkable the universities role to orient knowledge to the expected local development. With the communion of the university and the main decisors at local and territorial contexts, it is evident the development of alternatives that diminish existing breaches in the known projects management Anytime the projects development context is diverse and multicultural, all the knowledge elements that provide new forms are useful experiences without point out unique recipees. The development dynamic evolution in the territories continues being an urgency for human survival.The projects management, notable in international cooperation actions as the international dimension of the extensionist activity and in the science contributions, are reduced in their foccus to the promotion of local development, what points out the need to orient the universitary processes to the territorial development of the province, in particular the projects management. The objective of this work is to offer a guidance of foundations that allow to orient the management of universtary projects to local development.

  7. Teaching and learning English through digital game projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan deHaan

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Digital games are receiving increasing attention by researchers and practitioners in education; however, most of the theory and pedagogy focus on general education or language and literacy development of native speakers. There are very few investigations of game play or game culture and second language development. Language teachers and institutions must know more about games to use the media effectively. Two completed extracurricular projects, based on constructionist learning and media literacy theories and practices, are described in this paper: game design and game magazine creation. The action research projects aimed to guide students towards a better understanding of games’ formal features and technologies through their active creation of games and game-related media, and to improve their spoken and written English language skills. In general, students learned and practised a variety of language and technology skills with the design projects. The projects motivated the students, challenged the students, and provided many opportunities for authentic discussions in the foreign language. Various suggestions, based on the teacher and student experiences of these projects, are made for other language teachers interested in conducting creative game-based projects with their students.

  8. Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography: Background corrections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floyd, Carey E.; Sharma, Amy C.; Bender, Janelle E.; Kapadia, Anuj J.; Xia, Jessie Q.; Harrawood, Brian P.; Tourassi, Georgia D.; Lo, Joseph Y.; Kiser, Matthew R.; Crowell, Alexander S.; Pedroni, Ronald S.; Macri, Robert A.; Tajima, Shigeyuki; Howell, Calvin R.

    2007-01-01

    Neutron stimulated emission computed tomography (NSECT) is an imaging technique that provides an in-vivo tomographic spectroscopic image of the distribution of elements in a body. To achieve this, a neutron beam illuminates the body. Nuclei in the body along the path of the beam are stimulated by inelastic scattering of the neutrons in the beam and emit characteristic gamma photons whose unique energy identifies the element. The emitted gammas are collected in a spectrometer and form a projection intensity for each spectral line at the projection orientation of the neutron beam. Rotating and translating either the body or the beam will allow a tomographic projection set to be acquired. Images are reconstructed to represent the spatial distribution of elements in the body. Critical to this process is the appropriate removal of background gamma events from the spectrum. Here we demonstrate the equivalence of two background correction techniques and discuss the appropriate application of each

  9. Upper Primary School Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Functional Thinking in Algebra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkie, Karina J.

    2014-01-01

    This article is based on a project that investigated teachers' knowledge in teaching an important aspect of algebra in the middle years of schooling--functions, relations and joint variation. As part of the project, 105 upper primary teachers were surveyed during their participation in Contemporary Teaching and Learning of Mathematics, a research…

  10. Characteristics of primary teacher training programmes on inclusion : A literature focus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kurniawati, Farida; De Boer, Anke A.; Minnaert, A. E. M. G.; Mangunsong, Frieda

    2014-01-01

    Background: The implementation of inclusive education creates challenges for classroom teachers who have to meet the learning needs of students with and without special educational needs (SEN). Research has revealed that teachers' readiness and willingness to accommodate the learning needs of

  11. English Teachers' Language Awareness: Away with the Monolingual Bias?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otwinowska, Agnieszka

    2017-01-01

    The training of language teachers still follows traditional models of teachers' competences and awareness, focusing solely on the target language. Such models are incompatible with multilingual pedagogy, whereby languages are not taught in isolation, and learners' background languages are activated to enhance the process. When teaching…

  12. Pre-Service Teacher Training in Malawi: Findings of a Pilot Study on the Viability of Media Players for Teacher Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrier, Carol; Finholt-Daniel, Matt; Sales, Gregory C.

    2012-01-01

    As part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Malawi Teacher Professional Development Support project, a sub-task was the piloting of an alternative technology that could be used for improving the quality and consistency of teacher continued professional development (CPD). The pilot, which included 26 open and…

  13. Technology, Time, and Participation: How a Principal Supports Teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Robert B.

    1985-01-01

    Argues that administrations might better support teachers if they provided: (1) up-to-date technology, such as Xerox machines; (2) "guilt-free" time for curriculum work or special projects; and (3) more opportunities for teacher participation in school decision making. (KH)

  14. Effectiveness of an Alternative Certification Program for the Preparation of Elementary Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Follo, Eric J.; Rivard, James J.

    2009-01-01

    This study focuses on the effectiveness of the alternative elementary teacher certification program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. The program was developed in response to the projected teacher shortage, the need for teachers in subjects such as mathematics and science, the need for teachers in urban schools, and the need for…

  15. Teacher Professional Development in Laredo, TX

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finkelstein, Keely D.; Macri, L. M.; Hemenway, M.; Wetzel, M.; Preston, S.; Rood, M.

    2014-01-01

    In the fall of 2012, McDonald Observatory, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M International University conducted a series of workshops on astronomy content for 5th - 8th grade teachers in Laredo, Texas. Three one-day workshops were held at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium of Texas A&M International University, using a mix of in-person and distance learning technology. Texas A&M professor Lucas Macri gave public talks in English and Spanish, and a lunch-time presentation to the teachers. A series of evaluation tools were used to assess the success of the workshops. A Nominal Group Technique (NGT) discussion was used, through which groups developed consensus answers about their learning, expectations for classroom use, and satisfaction with the workshop. The Astronomy/Space Science Test (MOSART Grades 5-8) was also issued as a pre- and post-test to assess gains in knowledge. Teacher consensus was that the materials and activities of the workshop had been helpful for learning and that they expected to use many of them in their classrooms. However, the evaluation also showed that teachers would have preferred the Observatory educator be physically present for all workshops. Past video-conferencing workshops, where local facilitators first participated in workshops at the Observatory, showed better feedback and results concerning this point. Comparing those results to the present case, we conclude that more clearly defined roles and better training for the science specialists and local facilitators would improve the video conference experience for the teachers. Comparison of pre- and post-test results showed improved teacher knowledge. An additional benefit of this project was the further development of partnerships between McDonald Observatory and Texas A&M International University, which has resulted in further education projects, including a video-conference presentation series to eight-grade students and their families. This secondary project focused on

  16. Teacher Incentive Fund: First Implementation Report, 2006 and 2007 Grantees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphrey, Daniel C.; Gallagher, H. Alix; Yee, Kaily M.; Goss, G. Kyle; Campbell, Ashley Z.; Cassidy, Lauren J.; Mitchell, Nyema M.

    2012-01-01

    The Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) supports projects that are designed to reform teacher and principal compensation. Initially, the Department of Education (the Department) made two rounds of awards, in 2006 and 2007, to a total of 34 grantees. The specific goals of TIF were to reward teachers and principals for improving student achievement,…

  17. Secondary Teacher Workload and Job Satisfaction: Do Successful Strategies for Change Exist?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butt, Graham; Lance, Ann

    2005-01-01

    This article analyses the views of secondary school teachers involved in the Transforming the School Workforce: Pathfinder Project--a project designed to address issues of teacher workload and job satisfaction. The initiative was launched in 2002 by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to enable 32 pilot schools to explore ways in which…

  18. When teacher clusters work: selected experiences of South African teachers with the cluster approach to professional development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loyiso C Jita

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Recent scholarship on teacher professional development has shown renewed interest in collaborative forms of teacher learning. Networks, communities of practice and clusters are related concepts that describe forms of collaboration between schools and/or teachers that encourage such learning. In South Africa, teacher clusters represent a relatively recent and popular experiment in teacher professional development. However, there is no verdict yet about their effectiveness. While the utility of such collaborative structures for teacher learning is fairly well established in many developed countries, we still know very little about how the intended beneficiaries (the teachers experience these non-traditional structures of professional development. Using qualitative data from a large-scale research project, we explore teachers' perspectives on what constitutes a successful clustering experience, and the kinds of professional development benefits they derive from their participation therein. Our major findings are twofold: First, clusters seem to enhance teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Second, and somewhat unexpectedly, the teachers identified another set of benefits, the so-called "process benefits" that include collaboration, instructional guidance and teacher leadership. In a context where teachers have tended to work solo and insulated their classroom practices from influence, the presence of the "process benefits" represents a significant finding. We conclude the paper by exploring several possible directions for further research on these process benefits of clusters for teachers in South Africa and elsewhere.

  19. Te Kotahitanga: Culturally Responsive Professional Development for Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishop, Russell; Berryman, Mere

    2010-01-01

    Te Kotahitanga is a research and professional development project that aims to support teachers to raise the achievement of New Zealand's indigenous Maori students in public/mainstream classrooms. An Effective Teaching Profile, developed from the voices of Maori students, their families, principals and some of their teachers, provides direction…

  20. Legitimating Multilingual Teacher Identities in the Mainstream Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, Christina; Ponte, Eva

    2017-01-01

    This article explores the identities of a group of elementary teachers who participated in a professional development (PD) project on multilingual language learners. We study how the participating teachers drew on different aspects of their identities to respond to encouragement to increase their attention to students' diverse multilingual…

  1. Exploring How Secondary Pre-Service Teachers' Use Online Social Bookmarking to Envision Literacy in the Disciplines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colwell, Jamie; Gregory, Kristen

    2016-01-01

    This study considers how pre-service teachers envision disciplinary literacy through an online social bookmarking project. Thirty secondary pre-service teachers participated in the project through an undergraduate literacy course. Online bookmarks and post-project reflections were collected and analyzed using a constant comparative approach to…

  2. Retraining Institute in Teacher Education

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Byrd, H.B.; Jennings, R.

    1992-07-31

    This endeavor was comprised of three companion projects. They are interdependent components which together provide a significant enhancement to the existing programs in the School of Education at Norfolk state University.The primary focus of the project was in instructing regular and special education undergraduate students and teachers. As a result of this endeavor, instruction in science and engineering majors was enhanced.

  3. Preschool Teachers' Child-Centered Beliefs: Direct and Indirect Associations with Work Climate and Job-Related Wellbeing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hur, Eunhye; Jeon, Lieny; Buettner, Cynthia K.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Early childhood teachers' child-centered beliefs, defined as teachers' attitudes about how children learn, have been associated with teachers' developmentally appropriate practices and positive child outcomes. The predictors of teachers' child-centered beliefs, however, are less frequently explored. Objective: This study tested whether…

  4. Images of Teaching: Neoliberalism, Teacher Education and Gender

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo E. Fischman

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the results of a study done with a group of 178 Master’s Degree students in the city of Buenos Aires. The principle objectives of the project were: a to explore the dynamics of gender in teacher-training institutes; b to investigate the pedagogical images and the imagination of future teachers; and c to explore what senses the future teachers give to the concepts of vocation of authority.

  5. Teacher Education, the Global Financial Crisis, Frogs and Bicycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Lorraine

    2012-01-01

    Background: The extent to which the global financial crisis (GFC) has impacted upon teacher education in universities in Australia is potentially, like most other aspects of teacher education, a contested area. Purpose, aims/questions: The aim of this article is to examine the impact the GFC along with other funding constraints, has had on teacher…

  6. 2020 Vision Project Summary, FY98

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A Munoz; J. C. Clausen; K. P. Scott; K. W. Gordon

    1998-11-01

    The 2020 Vision project began in 1996 with two participating teachers and four classes. It has since grown to comprise more than a dozen participating teachers and hundreds of students across the country. Much of this growth took place in FY98, thanks to the accomplishment of several major goals: implementation of a mentor program, enhanced teacher training, a mid-year conference for students, recruitment of distant schools, and the development of an interactive Web site. The first part of this report describes these accomplishments, as well as future directions for 2020 Vision. The second part summarized the scenarios students wrote during the 1997-98 school year. it identifies recurrent themes in the students' scenarios and compares/contrasts them with scenarios written in the first two years of the project.

  7. A Study of the Generalizability of Teacher Change Quasi-Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stringfield, Samuel; Schaffer, Eugene; Devlin-Scherer, Roberta

    2017-01-01

    Quasi-experimental teacher effectiveness studies have indicated that properly designed staff development programs can lead to changes in teacher and student behavior and to gains in student achievement. Those studies involved workshop series led by nationally known scholars. Using instructors from varied backgrounds, the current study examined the…

  8. Differential Impact of Administrative, Organizational, and Personality Factors on Teacher Burnout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazur, Pamela J.; Lynch, Mervin D.

    1989-01-01

    Results are reported from a study which examined the extent to which teacher personality characteristics, organizational structure, and principal's leadership style are determinants of teacher burnout. Additionally, the influence of four background variables (personal, experiential, environmental, and health factors) were also examined.…

  9. The role of assessment infrastructures in crafting project-based science classrooms

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Amico, Laura Marie

    In project-based science teaching, teachers engage students in the practice of conducting meaningful investigations and explanations of natural phenomena, often in collaboration with fellow students or adults. Reformers suggest that this approach can provide students with more profitable learning experiences; but for many teachers, a shift to such instruction can be difficult to manage. As some reform-minded teachers have discovered, classroom assessment can serve as a vital tool for meeting the challenges associated with project science activity. In this research, classroom assessment was viewed as an infrastructure that both students and teachers rely upon as a mediational tool for classroom activity and communications. The study explored the classroom assessment infrastructures created by three teachers involved in the Learning through Collaborative Visualization (CoVis) Project from 1993--94 to 1995--96. Each of the three teachers under study either created a new course or radically reformulated an old one in an effort to incorporate project-based science pedagogy and supporting technologies. Data in the form of interviews, classroom observations, surveys, student work, and teacher records was collected. From these data, an interpretive case study was developed for each course and its accompanying assessment infrastructure. A set of cross-case analyses was also constructed, based upon common themes that emerged from all three cases. These themes included: the assessment challenges based on the nature of project activity, the role of technology in the teachers' assessment infrastructure designs, and the influence of the wider assessment infrastructure on their course and assessment designs. In combination, the case studies and cross-case analyses describe the synergistic relationship between the design of pedagogical reforms and classroom assessment infrastructures, as well as the effectiveness of all three assessment designs. This work contributes to research

  10. Literacy and teacher training: some reflections on reading and writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helenise Sangoi Antunes

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents reflections on reading and writing, from the research project “Literacy Lab: rethinking teacher training” which aims to establish exchanges between socially vulnerable schools and the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM and contribute to the training of undergraduates in Pedagogy and Special Education, as well as the teachers of the schools involved. Adopting a qualitative methodology based on studies of Bogdan and Bicklen (1994, the project seeks to support the literacy process by proposing reflection on the current pedagogical practices in the early years of elementary school. The results show the existence of practices in elementary school which mostly ignore the creative ability of the students. It was concluded that this project has enhanced the relationship between initial and continuous training of teachers and practices of reading and writing.

  11. Resources to Meet the Educational Needs of Language Minorities: Teachers in Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waggoner, Dorothy

    Findings are presented from the Teachers Language Skills Survey, the first national survey undertaken to estimate how many teachers currently employed in public schools have the backgrounds, experience, education, and skills needed to teach students with limited-English proficiency. Information was gathered on teachers teaching in the 1976-77…

  12. Project LASER

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-01-01

    NASA formally launched Project LASER (Learning About Science, Engineering and Research) in March 1990, a program designed to help teachers improve science and mathematics education and to provide 'hands on' experiences. It featured the first LASER Mobile Teacher Resource Center (MTRC), is designed to reach educators all over the nation. NASA hopes to operate several MTRCs with funds provided by private industry. The mobile unit is a 22-ton tractor-trailer stocked with NASA educational publications and outfitted with six work stations. Each work station, which can accommodate two teachers at a time, has a computer providing access to NASA Spacelink. Each also has video recorders and photocopy/photographic equipment for the teacher's use. MTRC is only one of the five major elements within LASER. The others are: a Space Technology Course, to promote integration of space science studies with traditional courses; the Volunteer Databank, in which NASA employees are encouraged to volunteer as tutors, instructors, etc; Mobile Discovery Laboratories that will carry simple laboratory equipment and computers to provide hands-on activities for students and demonstrations of classroom activities for teachers; and the Public Library Science Program which will present library based science and math programs.

  13. TRUST: A Successful Formal-Informal Teacher Education Partnership Designed to Improve and Promote Urban Earth Science Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sloan, H.; Drantch, K.; Steenhuis, J.

    2006-12-01

    We present an NSF-funded collaborative formal-informal partnership for urban Earth science teacher preparation and professional development. This model brings together The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and Brooklyn and Lehman College of the City University of New York (CUNY) to address science-impoverished classrooms that lack highly qualified teachers by focusing on Earth science teacher certification. Project design was based on identified needs in the local communities and schools, careful analysis of content knowledge mastery required for Earth science teacher certification, and existing impediments to certification. The problem-based approach required partners to push policy envelopes and to invent new ways of articulating content and pedagogy at both intra- and inter-institutional levels. One key element of the project is involvement of the local board of education, teachers, and administrators in initial design and ongoing assessment. Project components include formal Earth systems science courses, a summer institute primarily led and delivered by AMNH scientists through an informal series of lectures coupled to workshops led by AMNH educators, a mechanism for assigning course credit for informal experiences, development of new teaching approaches that include teacher action plans and an external program of evaluation. The principal research strand of this project focuses on the resulting model for formal-informal teacher education partnership, the project's impact on participating teachers, policy issues surrounding the model and the changes required for its development and implementation, and its potential for Earth science education reform. As the grant funded portion of the project draws to a close we begin to analyze data collected over the past 3 years. Third-year findings of the project's external evaluation indicate that the problem-based approach has been highly successful, particularly its impact on participating teachers. In addition

  14. My Teacher got a Trip to Kitt Peak Observatory, but all I got was This Lousy Data CD: Lessons Learned in Optimizing a Teacher Professional Development Program for Solar Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, C. E.; Hill, F.; Plymate, C.

    2005-12-01

    The solar project in "Teacher Leaders in Research-Based Science Education" program provides the opportunity for teachers to study the Sun with the world's largest solar telescope. This exciting program is designed for middle and high school science teachers with more than 5 years experience teaching science. Funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Teacher Retention and Renewal grant, teachers learn how to acquire astronomy data and support their students in conducting authentic astronomy research projects. In addition, the program enhances their skills as leaders and mentors for those science teachers new to the profession. The TLRBSE program includes: 1) A 14-week online distance learning program with an emphasis on spectroscopy and data imaging; 2) A 2-week in-residence workshop at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, including several nights of research observing at a world-class observatory; 3) A program of ongoing mentoring support for beginning teachers; and 4) Partial funding to attend a national NSTA meeting with the mentees; 5) A journal to publish student and teacher research results and 6) Access to ongoing research, via further observing runs or archival data. Various factors have played a part in the evolution of the solar project. It began as an activity that used sunspots to measure the solar rotation rate. Then it progressed to a comparison of active regions (e.g., the areas of sunspots) at various wavelengths, to measuring the splitting of infrared spectral lines due to strong magnetic fields in active regions, and to measuring the amount of polarization due to weak magnetic fields. Challenges were presented as the project evolved from an activity to a hands-on observing experience fully reflecting the scientific research process. Some of the issues and trade-offs we will discuss are hands-on observing experience vs. remote observing, archival data retrieval vs. talking data, and more vs. less scientific assistance in the

  15. How pre-service teachers' personality traits, self-efficacy, and discipline strategies contribute to the teacher-student relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, Romi; Mainhard, Tim; van Tartwijk, Jan; Veldman, Ietje; Verloop, Nico; Wubbels, Theo

    2014-06-01

    Although the teacher-student relationship is a well-documented phenomenon, few attempts have been made to identify its predictors. Research has mainly focused on in-service teachers, less is known about characteristics of pre-service teachers in relation to the teacher-student relationship. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of pre-service secondary teachers' relationships with their students. It was hypothesized that friendliness and extraversion, self-efficacy in classroom management and in student engagement, and various discipline strategies would contribute to the teacher-student relationship in terms of influence and affiliation. A total of 120 pre-service teachers in teacher education programmes participated. Data on pre-service teachers' background (e.g., gender and age), personality traits, and self-efficacy were gathered with teacher questionnaires; data on teachers' discipline strategies and the teacher-student relationship with student questionnaires. The two personality traits and self-efficacy appeared not to be related to the teacher-student relationship in terms of affiliation or influence. However, significant relationships were found between the different discipline strategies and the teacher-student relationship in terms of influence and affiliation. There were differential effects for gender on the relationship between discipline strategies on the one hand and influence and affiliation on the other. This study provides relevant new insights into the research fields of classroom management and interpersonal relationships in education. It contributes to our understanding of discipline strategies by fine tuning an existing instrument and revealing interesting connections with the teacher-student relationship. Specific gender effects on this connection are discussed, as are implications for practice. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  16. Teaching mathematical modelling through project work

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blomhøj, Morten; Kjeldsen, Tinne Hoff

    2006-01-01

    are reported in manners suitable for internet publication for colleagues. The reports and the related discussions reveal interesting dilemmas concerning the teaching of mathematical modelling and how to cope with these through “setting the scene” for the students modelling projects and through dialogues......The paper presents and analyses experiences from developing and running an in-service course in project work and mathematical modelling for mathematics teachers in the Danish gymnasium, e.g. upper secondary level, grade 10-12. The course objective is to support the teachers to develop, try out...... in their own classes, evaluate and report a project based problem oriented course in mathematical modelling. The in-service course runs over one semester and includes three seminars of 3, 1 and 2 days. Experiences show that the course objectives in general are fulfilled and that the course projects...

  17. Summer Research Fellowships for Students and Teachers - 2005

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Fellows willing to accept students/teachers for work on joint short-term projects are included as a supplement in the November 2004 issue of Resonance - journal of science education. This information is also available in the Academy website. Proposals are invited from interested students and teachers for these Fellowships ...

  18. School Culture: Teachers' Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hongboontri, Chantarath; Keawkhong, Natheeporn

    2014-01-01

    This mixed-methods research project documents the school culture of Hope University's Language Institute and reveals the reciprocal relationship between the school culture and the instructional practices of the English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in this particular institute. Altogether, 62 EFL teachers agreed to complete a questionnaire.…

  19. The Failure of Inquiry: Preparing Science Teachers with an Authentic Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lustick, David

    2009-12-01

    This mixed methodology action research study examined the impact of a curricular innovation designed to provide an authentic science inquiry learning experience for 15 secondary science teacher candidates enrolled in a master’s level initial certification program. The class investigated the question “How can peak autumn color in New England be determined?” The project goals were to help teacher candidates acquire the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to foster learning through inquiry in their respective content areas as defined by teacher preparation professional standards. Though the teacher candidates were successful at identifying a likely answer to the question, the project failed to achieve its learning goals. Reasons for the project’s failure and implications for the science education community are discussed.

  20. Self-Perceptions of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers Completing a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hine, Gregory S. C.

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative research project explored the self-perceptions of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers completing a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education. Specifically, the researcher investigated the extent to which teachers perceived their readiness to commence a secondary mathematics teaching position. The project relied principally on…

  1. WebQuests and Collaborative Learning in Teacher Preparation: A Singapore Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chien-Hui; Tzuo, Pei-Wen; Komara, Cecile

    2011-01-01

    This research project aimed to introduce WebQuests to train special education preservice teachers in Singapore. The following research questions were posed: (1) Does the use of WebQuests in teacher preparation promote special education teacher understanding on Universal Design for Learning in accommodating students with diverse learning needs? (2)…

  2. DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCIES OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS THROUGH BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR WORKING WITH VISUAL PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN MATH PROJECT WORK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rumyana Y. Papancheva

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a review of the contemporary school, the digital generation and the need of teachers equipped with new knowledge and skills, in particular – basic programming skills. The last change of educational system in Bulgaria after the adoption of the new pre-school and general school education act is analysed. New primary school curricula and new standards for teacher’s qualification were implemented. The new school subject “Computer modelling” is presented. Some experience of the authors from project-based work in mathematics with teachers and students is described. The aim is the formation of skills of programming by working within Scratch – visual environment for block-based coding. Some conclusions and ideas for future work are formulated.

  3. Teacher-student relationships in multicultural classes: Reviewing the past, preparing the future

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    den Brok, P.; Levy, J.

    2006-01-01

    This contribution reviews research that links students’ and teachers’ ethnic background to students’ perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior, teacher treatment of individual students, and student achievement and subject-related attitudes. The review mainly includes studies from the United

  4. Teacher-student relationships in multicultural classes: reviewing the past, preparing the future

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brok, den P.J.; Levy, J.

    2005-01-01

    This contribution reviews research that links students’ and teachers’ ethnic background to students’ perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior, teacher treatment of individual students, and student achievement and subject-related attitudes. The review mainly includes studies from the United

  5. Engaging High School Science Teachers in Field-Based Seismology Research: Opportunities and Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, M. D.

    2015-12-01

    Research experiences for secondary school science teachers have been shown to improve their students' test scores, and there is a substantial body of literature about the effectiveness of RET (Research Experience for Teachers) or SWEPT (Scientific Work Experience Programs for Teachers) programs. RET programs enjoy substantial support, and several opportunities for science teachers to engage in research currently exist. However, there are barriers to teacher participation in research projects; for example, laboratory-based projects can be time consuming and require extensive training before a participant can meaningfully engage in scientific inquiry. Field-based projects can be an effective avenue for involving teachers in research; at its best, earth science field work is a fun, highly immersive experience that meaningfully contributes to scientific research projects, and can provide a payoff that is out of proportion to a relatively small time commitment. In particular, broadband seismology deployments provide an excellent opportunity to provide teachers with field-based research experience. Such deployments are labor-intensive and require large teams, with field tasks that vary from digging holes and pouring concrete to constructing and configuring electronics systems and leveling and orienting seismometers. A recently established pilot program, known as FEST (Field Experiences for Science Teachers) is experimenting with providing one week of summer field experience for high school earth science teachers in Connecticut. Here I report on results and challenges from the first year of the program, which is funded by the NSF-CAREER program and is being run in conjunction with a temporary deployment of 15 seismometers in Connecticut, known as SEISConn (Seismic Experiment for Imaging Structure beneath Connecticut). A small group of teachers participated in a week of field work in August 2015 to deploy seismometers in northern CT; this experience followed a visit of the

  6. Nurturing young gifted and talented children: Teachers generating ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The project was funded by the Department of Education and Skills as part of the government's gifted and talented programme in the United Kingdom (UK). Two specific outcomes of the project are presented in this article. The project helped to develop teachers' understanding of both the identification of and provision for ...

  7. An Astronomer In The Classroom: Observatoire de Paris's Partnership Between Teachers and Astronomers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doressoundiram, A.; Barban, C.

    2006-08-01

    The Observatoire de Paris is offering a partnership between teachers and astronomers. The principle is simple: any teacher wishing to undertake a pedagogical project in astronomy, in the classroom or involving the entire school, can request the help of a mentor. An astronomer from the Observatoire de Paris will then follow the teacher's project progress and offer advice and scientific support throughout the school year. The projects may take different forms: construction projects (models, instruments), lectures, posters, exhibitions, etc. The type of assistance offered is as varied as the projects: lecture(s) in class, telephone and e-mail exchanges, visits to the Observatoire; an almost made-to-measure approach that delighted the thirty or so groups that benefited such partnership in the 2005-2006 academic year. And this number is continuously growing. There was a rich variety of projects undertaken, from mounting a show and building a solar clock to visiting a high altitude observatory, or resolving the mystery of Jupiter's great red spot. The Universe and its mysteries fascinate the young (and the not so- young) and provide a multitude of scientific topics that can be exploited in class. Astronomy offers the added advantage of being a multidisciplinary field. Thus, if most projects are generally initiated by a motivated teacher, they are often taken over by teachers in other subjects: Life and Earth Sciences (SVT), history, mathematics, French, and so forth. The project may consist in an astronomy workshop or be part of the school curriculum. Whatever the case, the astronomer's task is not to replace the teacher or the textbooks, but to propose activities or experiments that are easy to implement. Representing the Solar system on a school-yard scale, for instance, is a perfect way to make youngsters realize that the Universe consists mostly of empty space. There is no shortage of topics, and the students' enthusiasm, seldom absent, is the best reward for the

  8. A Bourdieuian Analysis: Teachers' Beliefs about English Language Learners' Academic Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Jenna Min

    2014-01-01

    Using Pierre Bourdieu's concept of "habitus," this work analyzes five teachers' beliefs about English language learners' academic challenges. In reference to reproductive and inventive qualities of "habitus," this article argues that teachers' beliefs that are linked to their socio-cultural backgrounds can delimit or enhance…

  9. South Korean Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Curricular Autonomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Min, Mina

    2017-01-01

    With increasingly diverse formal education settings around the globe, teachers' ability to differentiate curriculum is essential to meet the needs of students with varied cultural, socioeconomic, racial, and linguistic backgrounds. Teachers' curricular autonomy is a prerequisite to diversify curriculum. Guided by sociocultural approaches to agency…

  10. Introduction to the Project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kuhn, Johan M.; Malchow-Møller, Nikolaj; Sørensen, Anders

    In this note a short introduction to the project “Employment Effects of Entrepreneurs” is presented. First, we describe the purpose of the project; second, we present the background; third, we briefly describe the three papers that constitute the output of the project, and fourth, we discuss two ...... important qualifications for the understanding of the contributions and results established in the project.......In this note a short introduction to the project “Employment Effects of Entrepreneurs” is presented. First, we describe the purpose of the project; second, we present the background; third, we briefly describe the three papers that constitute the output of the project, and fourth, we discuss two...

  11. Teacher in Residence: Bringing Science to Students

    CERN Multimedia

    Daisy Yuhas

    CERN welcomes its first Teacher in Residence, Terrence Baine of the University of Oslo. Baine, who originally hails from Canada, will be concurrently completing his PhD in Physics Education during his time at CERN. Like CERN’s High School Teacher Programme (HST), of which Baine is an alumnus, the Teacher in Residence position is designed to help educators spread the science of CERN in a form that is accessible to students and can encourage them to pursue physics throughout their education.   Terrence Baine, first 'teacher in residence' at CERN Baine explains, “It’s very important to have a teacher present who can be that middle person between the young peoplecoming here, whom we are trying to enlighten, and the physicists who work at CERN. The Teacher in Residence can act as an on-site educational consultant.” As Teacher in Residence, Baine’s primary project will be to develop teaching modules, or a series of lesson plans, that can help high schoo...

  12. The Effect of Background Music While Silent Reading on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    sakineh sahebdel

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available This study attempted to determine the effect of background music while silent reading on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. The participants were 57 Iranian EFL learners between the ages of 14 and 16 in two 3rd grade high schoolclasses at pre-intermediate proficiency level. Before treatment,both experimental and control groups took a reading comprehension pretest. In the experimental group, the researchers played Mozart sonatas as background music and asked them to read the passage silently and then answer the reading comprehension questions. In the control group, the procedure was the same, but no music was played while silent reading by the students. After ten sessions, the students of both groups were asked to answer another independent but parallel form of reading section of PET as their post-test. The independent samples t-testresultsindicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in reading comprehension posttest, and listening to background music while silent reading had a significantly positive effect on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. The results of the present study have implications for EFL students, teachers, and teacher educators as well as syllabus designers and materials developers.

  13. Teacher Competences for Telecollaboration: The Role of Coaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melchor-Couto, Sabela; Jauregi, Kristi

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores the role of coaching in enhancing teachers' key competences for integrating Telecollaboration (TC) in their language course. A total of 23 secondary school teachers participated in this case study as part of the EU-funded project TILA. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered via two surveys, the first one measuring…

  14. Teacher Stress and Personal Values. An Exploratory Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachkirova, Tatiana

    2005-01-01

    This article presents the first stage of a small-scale research project into the relationship between teacher stress and personal values. It starts by outlining the problem of teacher stress and an overview of the literature investigating the sources of it. A particular combination of factors related to personal values that may increase…

  15. An Examination of Teacher Perceptions of Professional Development through the Framework of Individual Personality Traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burch, Stacie Quijada

    2016-01-01

    The emphasis placed on the need to develop and improve the skills of teachers in order to ensure that every child has a highly effective teacher has led to research that indicates that factors other than educational background and experience influence teacher behaviors. Research in the area of teacher development and learning indicated that…

  16. Chapter 3: Design of the Saber-Tooth Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Phillip

    1999-01-01

    Used data from interviews, surveys, and document analysis to describe the methods and reform processes of the Saber Tooth Project, examining selection of sites; demographics (school sites, teachers, data sources, and project assumptions); and project phases (development, planning, implementation, and support). The project's method of reform was…

  17. Stephen Hawking's Universe. Teacher's Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Malcolm H.; Rameau, Jonathan D.

    This program guide is meant to help teachers assist their students in viewing the six-part public television series, "Stephen Hawking's Universe." The guide features program summaries that give background information and brief synopses of the programs; previewing activities that familiarize students with the subject; vocabulary that…

  18. The School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCMHE) Project: Design and First Results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovess, Viviane; Carta, Mauro Giovanni; Pez, Ondine; Bitfoi, Adina; Koç, Ceren; Goelitz, Dietmar; Kuijpers, Rowella; Lesinskiene, Sigita; Mihova, Zlatka; Otten, Roy

    2015-01-01

    Background : The School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCMHE) project aims to build up a set of indicators to collect and monitor children's mental health in an efficient and comparable methodology across the EU countries. It concerns primary schools children aged 6 to 11 years a range where few data are available whereas school interventions are promising. Methods : Three informants were used: parents, teachers and children. In selecting instruments language, instruments were selected according to the easiness to translate them: SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) for parents and teachers and DI (Dominic Interactive). A two-step procedure was used: schools randomization then six children by class in each grade. Results : 9084 children from seven countries (Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Turkey) completed the Dominic Interactive in their own language. 6563 teachers and 6031 parents completed their questionnaire, and a total of 5574 interviews have been completed by the 3 informants. The participation rate of the children with parents in the participating schools was about 66.4%. As expected teachers report more externalised problems and less internalised problems than parents. Children report more internalised problems than parents and teachers. Boys have consistently more externalised problems than girls and this is the reverse for internalised problems. Combining the diverse informants and impairment levels children with problems requiring some sort of mental health care were about 9.9%: 76% did not see any mental health professional: 78.7% In Eastern countries 63.1% in Western Europe.

  19. Early Childhood Teachers in Contexts of Power: Empowerment and a Voice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overton, Jenny

    2009-01-01

    This article reports on findings from a qualitative research project (Overton, 2006) that highlighted a lack of empowerment experienced by, with and for eight early childhood teachers working in Tasmanian schools. The study investigated how change affects teachers, and focused on the theme of power as experienced by these teachers. The study noted…

  20. Kanto Asperity Project -Background and Outline-

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, R.; Yamamoto, Y.; Sato, T.; Shishikura, M.; Curewitz, D.

    2009-12-01

    The Kanto region (Tokyo and the surrounding area) is one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world and has been devastated by repeated great earthquakes. This region is located at an island arc-island arc collision zone and a zone where Pacific and Philippine Sea plates are subducting. Great earthquakes along the Sagami trough, where the Philippine Sea slab is subducting, have repeatedly occurred. The 1703 Genroku and 1923 (Taisho) Kanto earthquakes caused severe damages in the metropolitan area. The recurrence periods of Taisho- and Genroku-type earthquakes are about 200-400 and 2000 years, respectively (e.g., Earthquake Research Committee, 2004). Many studies on the asperities along the Sagami trough have been carried out. Two asperities of the 1923 Kanto earthquake are located around the western part of Kanagawa prefecture (the base of the Izu peninsula) and around the Miura peninsula. An additional asperity of the 1703 Genroku earthquake is located the southern part of the Boso Peninsula. Slow slip events have also repeatedly occurred in an area adjacent to the asperities of the great earthquakes, off Boso peninsula (e.g., Ozawa et al 2007). In the cases of Nankai and Cascadia, slow slip events occur at deeper levels than the asperities, in a transition zone between the asperity and a region of steady slip. In contrast, slow slip events in the Kanto region have occurred at relatively shallow depths, at the same level as the asperity, raising the possibiltiy of friction controlled by different conditions (materials, fluid, or surface roughness) to those (temperature and pressure) encountered at Nankai and Cascadia. Deep seismic profiling have been carried out since the Special Project for Earthquake Disaster Mitigation in Urban areas (DaiDaiToku) (2002-2006). These profiling successfully presented a new image of the upper surface of the Philippine Sea slab (Sato et al. 2005), which is shallower than the previous models. This profiling also presents