scholarly journals Does it Matter What We Measure? Domain-specific Professional Knowledge of Physics Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-480
Author(s):  
Eva Cauet ◽  
Sven Liepertz ◽  
Andreas Borowski ◽  
Hans E. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Effective Teaching ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Physics Teachers ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Cognitive Activation ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Level Analysis

Can we be confident that extensively validated tests for teachers on their professional knowledge actually measure what matters for effective teaching? This study investigated the relations between physics teachers’ domain-specific professional knowledge, students’ cognitive activation – as a measure for the quality of instruction in each of the teachers’ classrooms – and the achievement of their students using multi-level analysis. Neither teachers’ content knowledge (CK) nor their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) correlated significantly with their support of students’ cognitive activation in the classroom; nor did their professional knowledge explain any variance of student learning gains. While these results have to be interpreted carefully for various reasons, they question in particular the validity of the PCK test, which is dealing with content accepted in the community, but normatively set. Moreover, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of connecting professional knowledge to classroom and student variables in order to prove that what tests measure matters for effective teaching.

Modeling the Competencies of Prospective Business and Economics Teachers

2015 ◽  
Vol 223 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Schnick-Vollmer ◽  
Stefanie Berger ◽  
Franziska Bouley ◽  
Sabine Fritsch ◽  
Bernhard Schmitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Professional Competence ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Test Instrument ◽  
Parameter Values ◽  
Matrix Design

Despite the important role that teachers’ professional competencies play, domain-specific models of competence as well as established instruments to measure such competencies are lacking (e.g., Blömeke, Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Kuhn, & Fege, 2013 ). For this reason, a domain-specific model of competence and an instrument to measure prospective business and economics teachers’ professional competence in the domain of accounting was developed. This article focuses on the measurement of professional knowledge, which is a key facet of teachers’ professional competence. A corresponding test instrument is introduced and its measurement quality is reported. The test instrument used at 24 German universities (N = 1.158) comprises 49 items, distributed among different booklets following a multi-matrix design. All items have well functioning parameter values. In accordance with our hypothesis, a two-dimensional model fits the data best. The reliabilities of .64 (content knowledge) and .64 (pedagogical content knowledge) are satisfying. Thus, the developed instrument allows to gain a detailed understanding of prospective teachers’ professional knowledge in accounting.

scholarly journals Effects of Teachers’ Professional Knowledge and Their Use of Three-Dimensional Physical Models in Biology Lessons on Students’ Achievement

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Sonja Förtsch ◽  
Christian Förtsch ◽  
Lena von Kotzebue ◽  
Birgit Neuhaus
Keyword(s):  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Professional Knowledge ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Quantitative Sample ◽  
High Level ◽  
Positive Effect

Using three-dimensional physical models elaborately in their learning, students can develop high-level understanding of models and modeling in science, thereby attaining higher achievement. However, there are in the literature few indications of how teachers should use three-dimensional physical models in instruction and whether teachers’ professional knowledge is a prerequisite for teaching with elaborate use of models. Therefore, our study used a mixed-methods approach to analyze the effects of biology teachers’ domain-specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and content knowledge (CK) on students’ achievement mediated by elaborate model use (ELMO). Our quantitative sample comprised 36 German secondary school teachers whose lessons on the topic of neurobiology were videotaped twice (N = 72 lessons). Teachers completed professional knowledge tests on their PCK and CK. Students’ achievement was measured using pre- and post-knowledge tests. Our qualitative analysis involved five selected teachers according to aspects of ELMO. The results of our study indicated that teachers’ PCK and CK had no direct effect on students’ achievement. However, teachers’ PCK had a significant indirect and positive effect on students’ achievement mediated by ELMO. The findings of our study can provide teachers and researchers examples of how to implement biology instruction with elaborate use of three-dimensional physical models.

scholarly journals Towards a neuroscientific understanding of play: A neuropsychological coding framework for analysing infant-adult play patterns

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Neale ◽  
Kaili Clackson ◽  
Stanimira Georgieva ◽  
Hatice Dedetas ◽  
Sam Wass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Common Definition ◽  
Play Interactions ◽  
Emotional Dimensions ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Adult Play ◽  
Level Analysis

ABSTRACTDuring early life, play is a ubiquitous activity, and an individual’s propensity for play is positively related to cognitive development and emotional well-being. Play behaviour is diverse and multi-faceted. A challenge for current research is to converge on a common definition and measurement system for play ‒ whether examined at a behavioural, cognitive or neurological level. Combining these different approaches in a multi-level analysis could yield significant advances in understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms of play, and provide the basis for developing biologically-grounded play models. However, there is currently no integrated framework for conducting a multi-level analysis of play that spans brain, cognition and behaviour. The proposed neuropsychological coding framework uses grounded and observable behaviours along three neuropsychological dimensions (sensorimotor, cognitive and socio-emotional), to compute inferences about playful behaviour and related social interactional states. Here, we illustrate the sensitivity and utility of the proposed coding framework using two contrasting dyadic corpora (N=5) of mother-infant object-oriented interactions during experimental conditions that were either conducive (Condition 1) or non-conducive (Condition 2) to the emergence of playful behaviour. We find that the framework accurately identifies the modal form of social interaction as being either playful (Condition 1) or non-playful (Condition 2), and further provides useful insights about differences in the quality of social interaction and temporal synchronicity within the dyad. In conclusion, here, we present a novel neuropsychological framework for analysing the continuous time-evolution of adult-infant play patterns, underpinned by biologically informed state coding along sensorimotor, cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions. We expect that the proposed framework will have wide utility amongst researchers wishing to employ an integrated, multi-level approach to the study of play, and lead towards a greater understanding of the neuroscientific basis of play and may yield insights into a new biologically-grounded taxonomy of play interactions.

A Multi-Level Analysis of the Change in Teaching Methods in Post-Communist Romania

2013 ◽  
pp. 181-203
Author(s):  
Oana Gauca
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Student Work ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Post Communism ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Level Analysis

The chapter provides an overview of the changes suffered by the secondary and higher education systems in the communism to post-communism transition and discusses the transformation of the teaching methods and the impact of these transformations. Most teachers aspire to make critical thinking the main objective of their instruction; most of them do not realize that to develop as thinkers students must pass through stages of development in critical thinking. The conclusions point to the fact that most teachers are unaware of the levels of intellectual development that students go through as they improve as thinkers. The research shows that significant gains in the intellectual quality of student work will not be achieved if teachers do not recognize that skilled critical thinking develops only if properly cultivated and only through predictable stages.

A Framework for Supporting In-Service Teachers to Use Domain-Specific Technologies for Instruction

2017 ◽  
pp. 406-438
Author(s):  
Louise Yarnall ◽  
Judith Fusco
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
College Instructors ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Community College Instructors ◽  
Science Community

Domain-specific technologies, which are used for analysis, representation, and production in real-world contexts, differ from basic technologies, such as word processing software and Internet search tools. They cannot be used effectively without adequate command of fundamental domain-specific content knowledge. They can be used to deepen students' understanding of content, but these technologies bring distinct classroom-integration challenges. This chapter presents a framework for supporting in-service teachers to integrate these technologies. The research team derived this framework from data collected during an extended TPACK-style (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) workshop that engaged 13 life science community college instructors in integrating bioinformatics technologies into courses. This chapter presents a case study about the challenges community college teachers faced in implementing these tools—and the strategies they used to address them. Challenges included activity translation, problem definition, implementation, and assessment.

How Do We Measure TPACK? Let Me Count the Ways

2012 ◽  
pp. 16-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Koehler ◽  
Tae Seob Shin ◽  
Punya Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Level Analysis

In this chapter we reviewed a wide range of approaches to measure Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). We identified recent empirical studies that utilized TPACK assessments and determined whether they should be included in our analysis using a set of criteria. We then conducted a study-level analysis focusing on empirical studies that met our initial search criteria. In addition, we conducted a measurement-level analysis focusing on individual measures. Based on our measurement-level analysis, we categorized a total of 141 instruments into five types (i.e., self-report measures, open-end questionnaires, performance assessments, interviews, and observations) and investigated how each measure addressed the issues of validity and reliability. We concluded our review by discussing limitations and implications of our study.

A Framework for Supporting In-Service Teachers to Use Domain-Specific Technologies for Instruction

2016 ◽  
pp. 253-285
Author(s):  
Louise Yarnall ◽  
Judith Fusco
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
College Instructors ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Community College Instructors ◽  
Science Community

Domain-specific technologies, which are used for analysis, representation, and production in real-world contexts, differ from basic technologies, such as word processing software and Internet search tools. They cannot be used effectively without adequate command of fundamental domain-specific content knowledge. They can be used to deepen students' understanding of content, but these technologies bring distinct classroom-integration challenges. This chapter presents a framework for supporting in-service teachers to integrate these technologies. The research team derived this framework from data collected during an extended TPACK-style (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) workshop that engaged 13 life science community college instructors in integrating bioinformatics technologies into courses. This chapter presents a case study about the challenges community college teachers faced in implementing these tools—and the strategies they used to address them. Challenges included activity translation, problem definition, implementation, and assessment.

scholarly journals Long-term employment status and quality of life after cancer: A longitudinal prospective cohort study from diagnosis up to and including 5 years post diagnosis

Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 901-907
Author(s):  
Sietske J. Tamminga ◽  
Lyanne P. Jansen ◽  
Monique H.W. Frings-Dresen ◽  
Angela G.E.M. de Boer
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Quality Of Life Outcomes ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
After Cancer ◽  
Level Analysis

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer survivors are able to return to work. However, little is known about their work situation 5 years after diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To explore fluctuations in employment status and its association with quality of life 2, 3, and 5 years after cancer diagnosis of 65 cancer survivors employed at diagnosis. METHODS: In association with a randomised controlled trial (RCT), questionnaires were administrated to eligible cancer survivors at diagnosis, 2, 3, and 5 years thereafter comprising of validated questionnaires related to work (i.e. Work Ability Index (WAI), cancer, and quality of life (QOL) (i.e. SF-36, VAS QOL). The RCT studied a hospital-based work support intervention in female breast and gynaecological cancer survivors who were treated with curative intent and had paid work at diagnosis. Descriptive statistics and longitudinal multi-level analysis were employed. RESULTS: Sixty-five of the 102 eligible cancer survivors participated, who were primarily diagnosed with breast cancer (63%). Two and 5 years after cancer diagnosis respectively 63 (97%) and 48 (81%) participants were employed. Reasons for not being employed after 5 years included receiving unemployment benefits (7%), voluntary unemployment (3%), receiving disability benefits (3%), and early retirement (3%). Longitudinal multi-level analysis showed that employed cancer survivors reported in general statistically significant better quality of life outcomes at 5 years follow-up compared to those not being employed. CONCLUSIONS: We found high employment rates and few fluctuations in employment status. The steepest decline in employment rate occurs after the first two years of diagnosis. Employed participants reported better quality of life outcomes. Survivorship care should therefore focus on the population at risk possibly within the first two years after diagnosis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document