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This edited volume presents innovative current research in the field of Science Education. The chapter's deal with a wide variety of topics and research approaches, conducted in a range of contexts and settings. Together they make a strong contribution to knowledge on science teaching and learning. The book consists of selected presentations from the 12th European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Conference, held in Dublin, Ireland from 21st to 25th August, 2017. The ESERA community is made up of professionals with diverse disciplinary backgrounds from natural sciences to social sciences. This diversity enables a rich understanding of cognitive and affective aspects of science teaching and learning. The studies in this book will stimulate discussion and interest in finding new ways of implementing and researching science education for the future. The twenty-two chapters in this book are presented in four parts highlighting innovative approaches to school science, emerging identities in science education, approaches to developing learning and competence progressions, and ways of enhancing science teacher education. This collection of studies showcases current research orientations in science education and is of interest to science teachers, teacher educators and science education researchers around the world with a commitment to bridging research and practice in science teaching and learning. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

Virtual exchange is gaining popularity in formal and non-formal education, partly as a means to internationalise the curriculum, and also to offer more sustainable and inclusive international and intercultural experiences to young people around the world. This volume brings together 19 case studies (17 in higher education and two in youth work) of virtual exchange projects in Europe and the South Mediterranean region. They span across a range of disciplines, from STEM to business, tourism, and languages, and are presented as real-life pedagogical practices that can be of interest to educators looking for ideas and inspiration. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book. Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]

The papers in the monograph address different topics related to mathematics teaching and learning processes which are of great interest to both students and prospective teachers. Some papers open new research questions, some show examples of good practice and others provide more information about earlier findings. The monograph consists of six chapters. In the first chapter, the author studies the relation between the surface approach and the strategic approach to learning outcomes according to the results of research conducted with a group of university students in Denmark. This chapter presents the results of research carried out with the students who were required to recognise and interpret mathematical concepts that could be interpreted from the graphs in different contexts. It also provides an insight into a detailed analysis of the tasks of the Croatian State Matura exam related to the functions. In the second chapter, the authors discuss the topic of the importance of spatial reasoning and the effect of computer technology on geometry education. They study regular and semiregular polyhedrons in Euclidean space and compare geometric properties of Euclidean and hyperbolic planes. In the third chapter, the authors examine teachers' classroom practices and beliefs about mathematics and the use of textbooks as curriculum resources. The results of textbook analysis on an asymptote and the asymptotic behaviour in the two most common series of high-school mathematics textbooks in Croatia are presented. The language of mathematics textbooks is analysed in the third paper. In the fourth chapter, the author investigates the impact of using the proposed computer-guided discovery learning model on students' conceptual and procedural knowledge of mathematics. The application of the computer program Graph is illustrated. The advantages of introducing software to the teaching process are considered. In the fifth chapter, the author examines whether there is a connection between the attitudes towards mathematics and the performance in mathematics exams. In the second paper, the authors describe a method for selecting a group of students that is supposed to receive additional teacher attention in order to improve their performance in the course. This chapter presents research results on the relations between the use of mathematics tutoring services at the university level and building student profiles. The problem of mathematical anxiety is also researched. An inclusive approach to mathematics curriculum can be revealed through the presence of curriculum accommodations for pupils with disabilities. The author of the last paper in this chapter provides content analysis of national curricula of five European countries: Great Britain, Finland, Germany, France and Croatia. In the last chapter of the monograph, the authors suggest some useful approaches to teaching mathematics. Learning through games increases student motivation and encourages positive attitudes towards mathematics. The characteristics of problem solving in mathematics education are listed in the last paper of this monograph. Papers in Chapter 1 include: (1) The study approaches of university students in a calculus class (Bettina Dahl); (2) Searching for a common ground in mathematics and physics education: The case of integral (Zeljka Milin Sipus, Maja Planinic, Ana Susac, and Lana Ivanjek); and (3) Functions in the 2015 and 2016 Croatian State Matura in higher level Mathematics (Matea Gusic). Papers in Chapter 2 include: (4) Spatial reasoning in mathematics (Nikolina Kovacevic); (5) The football {5, 6, 6} and its geometries: from a sport tool to fullerens and further (Emil Molnar, Istvan Prok, and Jeno Szirmai); and (6) Holes in alien quilts (A. S. Leeds, Natasa Macura, and Zachary Moring). Papers in Chapter 3 include: (7) Teachers' beliefs on mathematics as a background for their teaching practice (Ljerka Jukic Matic and Dubravka Glasnovic Gracin); (8) Asymptote as a body of knowledge to be taught in textbooks for Croatian secondary education (Aleksandra Cizmesija, Ana Katalenic, and Zeljka Milin Sipus); and (9) Language of Croatian mathematical textbooks (Goran Trupcevic and Anda Valent). Papers in Chapter 4 include: (10) The impact of using GeoGebra interactive applets on conceptual and procedural knowledge (Zeljka Dijanic and Goran Trupcevic); (11) The use of the computer program "Graph" in teaching application of differential calculus (Bojan Kovacic and Mirela Katic Zlepalo); and (12) Applications of free computational software in math courses at Zagreb University of Applied Sciences (Luka Marohnic and Mandi Orlic Bachler). Papers in Chapter 5 include: (13) Mathematics attitudes among students of Civil Engineering (Josipa Matotek); (14) Targeting additional effort for students' success improvement: The highest effect group selection method (Dusan Mundar and Damira Kecek); (15) Discovering student profiles with regard to the use of mathematics tutoring services at university level (Ivana Durdevic Babic, Ana Kozic, and Tomislav Milic); (16) Identifying mathematical anxiety with MLP and RBF neural networks (Ivana Durdevic Babic, Tomislav Milic, and Ana Kozic); (17) Standardization of learning outcomes in teaching mathematics (Zoran Horvat); and (18) Teaching and learning mathematics in inclusive settings: Analysis of curriculum of compulsory education in five European countries (Ksenija Romstein and Ljiljana Pintaric Mlinar). Papers in the Chapter 6 include: (19) Enhancing positive attitude towards mathematics through introducing Escape Room games (Amanda Glavas and Azra Stascik); (20) The presence of mathematical games in primary school (Ruzica Kolar-Super, Andrea Sadric, Zdenka Kolar-Begovic, and Petra Abicic); and (21) Problem solving in elementary mathematics education (Edith Debrenti). An index is included. Individual papers contain references. Abstracts are provided in both English and Croatian. [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines.]

This volume presents a collection of 14 selected papers on the theme of how to use media technology to enhance language learning and teaching. Papers explore innovative ways to use existing technologies in broadband networks, the telemedia, and multimedia, while others focus on the use of the Internet. It is hoped that exploring the use of these emerging technologies will allow for the development of more flexible learning and add multidimensionality and authenticity to foreign language teaching. In order to be effective, the teacher and student must be able to successfully integrate old and new media or "omnimedia." In the first section, "The Overall Picture," the chapters are: "Effective Language Learning and the Media: A Study of Current Theories for the Exploration of Media Technology (Marie-Madeleine Kenning); "Computers as Cognitive Tools in the Language Classroom" (Dieter Wolff); "Will the Real Ed Tech Please Stand Up?" (Udo O.H. Jung). In the second section, "At the Creating End," the chapters are: "TELOS Language Learning: User Needs and Telemedia Answers" (Kurt Kohn and Angelika Rieder); "Learner Interaction and Broadband Network" (Edith Esch and R.-Liisa Cleary); "The Engima of Kaspar Hauser: A Multimedia Approach" (Gabriele Wittig-Davis and Robert Davis); "Language Comprehension and Staged Increase of Audio-Visual Support" (Joseph Boyle); and "Integrating the Internet: A Report of Work Always in Progress" (Norman Davies). In the third section, "At the User End," the chapters are: "Specialist Foreign Language Learning with Multimedia: New Learning and Teaching Dynamics" (Gabrielle Hogan-Brun and Ruth Whittle); "The WWW and Its Contribution to Foreign Language Learning" (Alison Piper and Vicky Wright); "Authority and the ESP Teacher in a Technological Age" (Peter Roe); and "Who Is in the Learning Zone: Evaluating the Impact of Italia 2000" (Robert Vanderplank and Peter Dyson). In the fourth section, "Food for Thought," the chapters are: "New Technologies: The Quest for Appropriateness" (Evelyne Namenwirth); and "Language Lab--Multimedia Lab--Future Lab" (Jurgen Froehlich). The fifth section contains as an appendix, "An International Bibliography of Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Fourth Installment" (Udo O.H. Jung). (KFT)

This research report presents 10 papers offering views of Finnish, Swedish, British, Danish, and United States educators on teaching and teacher education. The essays are as follows: (1) "The Missing Content in Teaching: Focus on What Teachers Reflect Upon While They Are Teaching" (Mikael Alexandersson); (2) "What Is Reflection? On Reflection in the Teaching Profession and Teacher Education" (Jan Bengtsson); (3) "Curiosity, Interest, and Intrinsic Motivation: A Conceptual Analysis" (Reijo Byman); (4) "The Development of Initial Teacher Education: Insights from Research on Learning to Teach" (James Calderhead); (5) "The Role of School Practice in Teacher Education" (Juhani Hytonen); (6) "Educational Knowledge and Reality" (Jujani Jussila); (7) "The 'Deutsche Didaktik' and the American Research on Teaching" (Pertti Kansanen); (8) "Concepts of Freedom in Danish School Legislation" (Sven Erik Nordenbo); (9) "The Denial of Change in the Process of Change: Systems of Ideas and the Construction of National Evaluations" (Thomas S. Popkewitz); and (10) "Evaluation of a Prototype Teacher Enhancement Program on Science Performance Assessment" (Maria Araceli Ruiz-Primo, Richard J. Shavelson, and Gail P. Baxter). (ND)

These 15 papers include: (1) "Current Models and New Developments in Teacher Education in Austria" (Michael Schratz and Paul Josef Resinger); (2) "Teacher Education in Canada: Renewing Scholarly, Pedagogical, and Organizational Practices" (Therese LaFerriere, Nancy Sheehan, and Tom Russell); (3) "Current Models and New Developments in Croatian Teacher Education" (Vlasat Vizek-Vidovic and Vesna Vlahovic-Stetic); (4) "Teacher Education in England: Current Models and New Developments" (Bob Moon); (5) "Teacher Education in Finland: Current Models and New Developments" (Pertti Kansanen); (6) "Teacher Education in France: Evolution or Revolution?" (Michele Deane); (7) "Teacher Education in Germany: Current State and New Perspectives" (Ewald Terhart); (8) "Changing Approaches to Teacher Training in Hungary" (Peter Debreczeni); (9) "Teacher Education in Ireland" (Ciaran Sugrue); (10) "Teacher Education in Italy: New Trends" (Marco Enrico Todeschini); (11) "Teacher Education in the Netherlands: Changing Gears" (Marco Snoek and Douwe Wielenga); (12) "Teacher Education in Poland" (Ireneusz Bialecki); (13) "Teacher Education Reform in Romania: A Stage of Transition" (Dan Potolea and Lucian Ciolan); (14) "Institutional Approaches within Higher Education to Reform Teacher Education in Yugoslavia" (Gordana Zindovic-Vukadinovic); and (15) "A Retrospective View of the National Case Studies on Institutional Approaches to Teacher Education" (Bob Moon). (Papers contain references.) (SM)

The relationship between higher education and the world of work is examined in terms of the changing structures of higher education institutions and the effect of the relationship on curricula. An international perspective is provided on the changing nature of employment and the labor market; the increasing diversification of higher education institutions, curricula and clients; and the policy frameworks and strategies through which governments may seek to steer these relationships. Eleven papers are included in this volume: (1) "Higher Education and Work: A Conceptual Framework" (John Brennan et al.); (2) "Responsiveness of Higher Education to Labour Market Demands: Curriculum Change in the Humanities" (Egbert de Weert); (3) "Employment and Work of British and German Graduates" (John Brennan et al.); (4) "Academic Cultures and their Role in the Implementation of Government Policy" (Craig McInnis); (5) "Higher Education and the Labour Market in Italy: Continuities and Changes" (Roberto Moscati and Enrico Pugliese); (6) "Managing Curriculum Development: A Case Study of Enterprise in Higher Education" (Sandra Jones); (7) "How Does a Changing Labour Market Affect the Transition from Higher Education to Work?" (Clara Aase Arnesen et al.); (8) "From Students to Intellectuals and Professionals: Subsequent Career Patterns of a Finnish Student Generation of the 1960s" (Yrjo-Paavo Hayrynen and Liisa Hayrynen); (9) "The Potentialities of Contract Education: A Study Based on Work in Progress in Thirteen European Universities" (Tony Becher); (10) "An Attempt to Forecast the Labour Market for Scientists in France" (Jean-Paul Beltramo et al); and (11) "The Institutional Aspects" (Maurice Kogan). (Individual papers contain references.) (JPB)

A collection of papers discusses preservice teacher education in Belgium, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Finland, and the United States, focusing on teacher professionalization and noting the politics of education in each country. (SM)