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"Teaching"

There are many different forms that work-integrated learning (WIL) takes and variants go by a range of different names. Based on current literature, key dimensions, shared by the various and disparate forms of WIL curricula, were identified and operationalised in a measurement model. The key dimensions identified were: authenticity, integrated learning supports (both at university and the workplace), alignment (of teaching and learning activities and assessments with integrative learning outcomes), supervisor access and induction/preparation processes. It is suggested that variations in the way that WIL courses or subjects are designed within these dimensions are the basis for different expressions of the quality of such courses. A latent construct measurement model was developed and validated with a sample of Australian and UK students. This paper presents the model and discusses the results of the validation study. It is proposed that the measures validated in this study will be useful for evaluating a wide variety of WIL curricula. © 2012 HERDSA.

In recent years, using e-portfolios to assess student learning has become more popular. From the perspective of education, portfolios should encourage students to collect, reflect on, and present their own works to enhance learning. Yet, currently available e-portfolios seem to function mainly as repositories of artifacts without connecting to the real learning process. As a result, although e-portfolios create a much more convenient environment through their technology, they are still unable to fulfill the initial purpose of portfolios. This paper presents a conceptual framework for the design of uFolio, an idea for an all-purpose portfolio system that has never been introduced previously. Based on the core value of portfolio and the technologies of a visual object-oriented platform and ubiquitous communications system, the design framework lays out an innovative system that establishes three major components-MyFolio, MyClass and MyLog-and an instant awareness notification tool, uAware, to integrate an e-portfolio, a learning management system (LMS) and a multidimensional assessment system into one. This paper presents the design steps taken so far and indicates the development tasks and related studies that still need to be carried out.

Blogging has been recommended as a suitable tool for learning during internship due to its associated usefulness in collaborative learning, reflection, communication, and social support. In this study, blogging was incorporated into the internship activities of two discipline-specific groups of interns: information management (n = 53) and nursing (n = 28). In examining the behavior, perceptions and processes of blogging among interns from the two disciplines, a mixed-methods design was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data through structured interviews and blogging entries. Results revealed that the interns engaged regularly in the writing and reading of their own blogs, and commented on others' blog-writing. The interns perceived blogs to be useful during internship in providing an avenue for knowledge construction, problem solving, reflection, and communicating their emotions. Positive perceptions were not influenced by discipline background, frequency of use, or blogging platform. Qualitative analyses of blog contents indicated that the students engaged in cognitive, metacognitive-reflective, affective, and social-collaborative learning processes in blogging. Higher engagement was found in cognitive and metacognitive processes. Responses to open-ended probes suggest that pedagogical factors (e.g., grading system, supervision) may also have influenced students' blogging behaviors and perceptions. Overall, this study offers evidence to support the use of blogging during internship as computer-based support for learning. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The paper presents some findings of a research study conducted at the University of Seville. One of the aims of the study was to stablish the main needs of in-service training and institutional support, as perceived by teaching staff of the University of Seville, with respect to the demands made on them by the methodological changes in teaching included in the principles of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey) research procedures have been applied to a large sample of teachers from all five university areas of knowledge to obtain their opinions with respect to perceived deficiencies in the four basic areas of teaching: teaching planning, developing new teaching methodologies, assessing acquisition of competencies, and tutoring students' learning process. The data analyses point to specific teaching difficulties (or in-service training needs) primarily related with teaching management of professional competencies in the new context: accurate identification of competencies, adequate selection of related contents for its acquisition, and knowledge of techniques to assess competencies. © 2011 Fundación Infancia y Aprendizaje, ISSN: 1135-6405.

This article represents the second article in a series evaluating wikis as an educational tool, having previously researched students' perspectives of wikis as a learning tool. The aim of this second instalment was to evaluate the experience of not only MBA students but also entrepreneurs and academics of wikis as a learning tool. Throughout the research the participants were encouraged to reflect and discuss their learning experience with one another in order to assess the strengths and weaknesses of wikis as an educational tool. Qualitative oral and written data gained during and after the teaching reflected this experience has been a positive one for students, staff and entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs have been particularly enthusiastic about the results, citing the educational and managerial benefits to their businesses. Evidence, however, also reveals that on reflection some of the processes and procedures need to be adapted and amended to gain greater initial student buy-in. The recurring criticism that academe and business too often fail to translate their relationships into practical outcomes can be rebutted through the development and application of wikis. Wikis offer different, but complimentary results for the various stakeholders. It is an innovative, low-cost technological tool that integrates entrepreneurial and experiential learning. It allows students and staff to understand and explore in real time issue(s) confronting small and medium enterprises, whilst business can access contemporary knowledge and practice at minimal cost. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Technology education is a study of technology, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology. In the field of education, computers have become an important metaphor to denote technology in the classroom. Keeping this in mind, most teacher education institutes in India have introduced a course in Computers in Education, but due to the paucity of time in the academic year, many teacher education institutes briefly cover the aspects of technology education in their classroom. A methodology was required that would allow the Pre-service teachers learn basic technical knowledge of relevant software effectively and hence allow more time for dwelling into the pedagogical constructs that makes the application technology in the teaching learning process - effective, interesting, challenging and satisfying. It was in this context that a Self learning material was developed for Open Office Impress - a free presentation software. Presentation software allows teachers to present text and images, including photographs, in color; to animate text and graphics; and to include audio and video files to a large audience, like the classroom. The cognitive apprenticeship framework specifies four dimensions for designing powerful environments, namely: content, method, sequence, and sociology. This paper discusses adapting an Interactive Video Based Self Learning Module on Open Office Impress in the Dimensions of the Cognitive Apprenticeship Framework. It further discusses the affect of this module on the Quality of Presentation made by Pre-service teachers vis-a-vis their Cognitive Style and their Gender. The results of the study showed that this material augmented the Pre-service teachers' technology skills in directly using, applying and learning technology. © 2011 IEEE.

Post practice is very important teaching mode combining learning with working through school -enterprise cooperation in training high skilled talents, which is the practice of teaching and learning activities participated by students, schools and businesses with purposes and plans. In order to enhance the effect of the post practice, it is necessary to build the quality management and monitoring system. In this paper, the connotation and construction of the quality management and monitoring system in post practice process will be introduced, the implementation result in Guizhou Communication Polytechnic shows that the students' internship , career development, base construction, curriculum teaching could be more effectively docked with the management and monitoring system, also, the school competitiveness be more strengthening. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Objective: This paper describes and compares exemplary work-based education (WBE) programs in Ontario Canada designed to meet the needs of two groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities. Participants: Two focus group interviews were held, one with professionals from exemplary programs designed to meet the needs of at-risk youth and one with professionals from exemplary programs for youth with severe disabilities. Method: Standard qualitative analyses were conducted on each focus group transcript to generate themes which were subsequently grouped into larger patterns. Then cross-case analyses identified consistencies and unique features within the two types of WBE programs. Results: Two major patterns that characterize the WBE programs emerged from the analyses: the first pattern described the programmatic approaches to WBE appropriate for each type of type of student (which included themes such as the need for an alternative learning environment for at-risk youth), and the second pattern highlighted the rationale for each kind of program (which included themes like ensuring equity for youth with severe disabilities). Conclusions: The findings suggest that schools should continue to provide distinct WBE programs for each of these groups of vulnerable youth - at-risk youth and youth with severe disabilities. © 2011 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.

This article argues that once apprenticeship is conceptualised as a social model of learning, then it no longer follows that apprenticeship is an age- or phasespecific model of vocational formation. The article explores this claim through drawing on a case study of the design of a Foundation Degree (FD) in aircraft engineering, which was explicitly designed to support the formation of 'new entrants' and the reformation of 'career switchers' vocational practice. Using the concept of recontextualisation the article highlights how: (1) the company (KLM) and the college (Kingston) FDs designed the teaching and learning curriculum to facilitate the above goals; and (2) learners used the opportunities provided by these curricula to develop their vocational practice. The article concludes with a number of observations about the conceptual and policy implications of its analysis. © 2011 The Vocational Aspect of Education Ltd.

The objective of this paper is to compare the Jigsaw III technique (of cooperative learning) with the instructional teacher-centered teaching method in six graders in terms of the effect of written expression on their academic success. The universe of the study consists of 71 sixth-grade students studying during 2009-2010 academic term in a primary school in the province of Erzurum. Two classes were randomly selected: one (n = 35) of which was the control group where teacher-centered teaching method was applied, the other being experimental group (n = 36) where the Jigsaw III technique was applied. In the study, one of the most common application, pretest/posttest with control group experimental design, was chosen. The data regarding the academic success of the groups were collected by means of the achievement test in Turkish course as pretest, posttest and retention test; the students' opinions about the group works were obtained through feedback form, group work opinionnaire, and data were analyzed through 11.5 SPSS program. The results of the statistical analysis of teaching a written expression course showed that the experimental group did significantly better than the control group in terms of academic success. In addition, it can be said that the students had positive impressions on the Jigsaw III technique. © 2010 Education Research Institute.