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National curricula influence, and are influenced by, political agendas. Understanding political enmeshment (both overt and covert) in curriculum development is therefore vital for ensuring transparency and quality in curricula. This paper analyses how the Australian Curriculum is represented in the federal Education Ministers' media releases. Using NVivo, media releases were inductively coded into two broad themes: (a) back to basics, overcrowding and phonics; and (b) Australian ‘truth’: History, democracy and identity. By organising political discourse into the narrative presented below, I argue that the Australian Curriculum is used as a weapon of mass construction. In other words, politicians use curriculum development and renewal to enforce particular subject positions and attack the other side of government. As a result, genuine curriculum renewal is stymied, with each new government claiming that it is correcting the mistakes of the previous government while appearing to make no tangible changes. The implications of this analysis are that greater transparency of political involvement is needed in curriculum materials, greater teacher autonomy is needed to adapt curricula to localised contexts and greater student freedom to contest curricula is needed to ensure robust literacy development and meaningful engagement with subject knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this survey paper we aim to provide an overview of research on mathematics textbooks and, more broadly, curriculum resources as instruments for change related to mathematical content, instructional goals and practices, and student learning of mathematics. In particular, we elaborate on the following themes: (1) The role of curriculum resources as instruments for change from a theoretical perspective; (2) The design of curriculum resources to mediate the implementation of reform ideas and innovative practice; (3) Teachers' influence on the implementation of change through curriculum resources; (4) Students' influence on the implementation of change through curriculum resources; and (5) Evidence of curriculum resources yielding changes in student-related factors or variables. We claim that, whilst textbooks and curriculum resources are influential, they alone cannot change teachers' teaching nor students' learning practices in times of curricular change. Moreover, more knowledge is needed about features of curriculum resources that support the implementation of change. We contend that curriculum innovations are likely to be successful, if teachers and students are supported to co- and re-design the relevant curriculum trajectories and materials in line with the reform efforts and their own individual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standardised curriculum or standardized lesson plans (SLPs) have become an accepted strategy to support and improve instructional practices in schools worldwide. These standardised lesson plans (SLPs) were criticized in the 1970s and 1980s for deskilling the teaching profession and reducing the work of teachers to that of mere technicians. This critique is now returning at a time of growing regulation of teachers’ work in many school systems. In this paper, we investigate the potential and limitations of the SLPs which are the main component of the Gauteng Primary Language and Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS), a large-scale multipronged instructional reform established in Gauteng, the most industrialised province of South Africa around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Our interest is to engage with the impact of SLPs on teachers, given the frequent claims that teacher autonomy is seriously eroded and threatened by SLPs. We examine the relationship between autonomy and authority, by drawing on the philosophers Peters and Winch as well as on curriculum theorists Remillard, Morris and Hiebert who have studied standardized curriculum materials and their impact on teachers’ work. The paper argues for a deeper analytical understanding of teacher autonomy and offers three conditions that can equip teachers to seize “autonomy opportunities” when working with SLPs: (1) standardised curriculum materials of high quality, sufficiently specified so that correct and incorrect ways of following the content and procedures inscribed in the SLPs and the reasons for them are accessible to all teachers; (2) authority which is considered legitimate, applied in a morally justified manner and managed in an educationally sound way; and (3) appropriate use of professional and personal knowledge, when making decisions and evaluating SLPs’ prescriptions in context. In the rest of the paper we evaluate the “autonomy opportunities” provided by the GPLMS standardised lesson plans, by examining whether the three conditions were met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To increase support for teacher education programs in colleges and universities through the development of the curriculum materials center (CMO. Design/methodology/approach - Through statistics drawn from a student survey and departmental records of the C.W, Post CMC, along with the perspective of the author, the development of a CMC as support for a teacher education program is explored. The paper provides insight into various necessary collections and services that the center should offer, Findings - General historical information is offered. The paper also provides information on key collections found in a CMC. Successful approaches to development and creative application of instruction are discussed. Practical implications - This paper provides clear and useful information, including but not limited to suggested author lists, a professional collection bibliography, and software ideas. The objective is to improve the development, functionality and service in a CMC. Originality/value - Arguably, this study is the first to examine and promote in detail the CMC as support for teacher education programs in colleges and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Nursing is the property of Taiwan Nurses Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The goal of this paper is to introduce the curriculum strategy framework as a way to characterize teachers' interactions with curriculum materials. The framework focuses on three key interpretive activities: reading, evaluating, and adapting curriculum materials. Describing an individual teacher's curriculum strategy involves identifying the manner in which a teacher engages with each of these activities before, during, and after instruction. This paper presents the results of a study in which the framework was used to identify patterns in the curriculum strategies of 10 elementary-school teachers who were using a reform-based mathematics curriculum for the first time. It concludes with directions for further research using the curriculum strategy framework, and implications of this work for curriculum designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Curricular interpretations and responses were initiated by attention to materials. • Curriculum elements and format influenced what was attended to and for how long. • Curriculum elements and format influenced attention, interpretations, and responses. Abstract This paper reports a study of four prospective secondary mathematics teachers' (PSTs) attention to different sets of curriculum materials when planning lessons. Specifically, it addresses how this attention interacted with their interpretations of and responses to the materials and how the curriculum elements and format of each set of materials influenced the interaction. Attention, interpretations, and responses were analyzed by capturing quantitative data from eye tracking glasses the PSTs wore and qualitative data from coding the transcripts from two staged planning interviews. Results indicate that PSTs' interpretations and responses were initiated by their attention and that the curriculum elements and format of each set of materials influenced this attention. The authors conclude with implications for curriculum development and teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive classrooms are a must in today's education system so that all the students are given equal opportunities, irrespective of their abilities. Understanding science without diagrams and illustrations can be a challenging task for learners. Although Braille books are available for visually impaired students, they lack diagrams and illustrations. To address this issue, the Department of Education in Science and Mathematics (DESM), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, has brought out a tactile science book for upper primary level students. This paper aims to convey the importance of the tactile science book for students of class VI. The tactile science books were distributed to students from different inclusive schools as well as students in special schools. The students with visual impairments felt that they were able to understand science concepts easily with the aid of the tactile diagrams. The tactile science book can promote comprehensive classrooms in inclusive setups and, through diagrams and illustrations, can help students with visual impairments to increase the efficacy of their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research studies in education show that use of technology can help student learning, its use is generally affected by certain barriers. In this paper, we first identify the general barriers typically faced by K-12 schools, both in the United States as well as other countries, when integrating technology into the curriculum for instructional purposes, namely: (a) resources, (b) institution, (c) subject culture, (d) attitudes and beliefs, (e) knowledge and skills, and (f) assessment. We then describe the strategies to overcome such barriers: (a) having a shared vision and technology integration plan, (b) overcoming the scarcity of resources, (c) changing attitudes and beliefs, (d) conducting professional development, and (e) reconsidering assessments. Finally, we identify several current knowledge gaps pertaining to the barriers and strategies of technology integration, and offer pertinent recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a contextual approach to teaching Mathematics at the pre-university level is recommended, and an example is illustrated. A context in the form of a real common mathematical problem is presented to the students. Different approaches to tackle the problem (from topics within and outside the syllabus) can be elicited from students. The insight obtained from the various methods of solving the problem can be used to deepen students’ learnt concepts and to enhance concepts to be learnt later in the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia and New Zealand have reputations as countries prone to catastrophic and frequent natural and man-made disasters. Therefore, it is no surprise that antipodean academics want trauma-informed education for their journalism students. This study presents the Australian-New Zealand results of a 2021 survey exploring educators' attitudes toward embedding trauma literacy into journalism curriculum. It mirrors a survey from the UK-based Journalism Education and Trauma Research Group. The Australian-New Zealand results confirm that educators want more training to effectively embed trauma-informed reporting into their curricula. The discussion notes the availability of local, research-based teaching materials, and identifies barriers to implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Indian (AI) communities experience persistent diabetes-related disparities, yet few nutrition interventions are designed for AI with type 2 diabetes or address socio-contextual barriers to healthy eating. We describe our process of adapting the evidence-based Cooking Matters® program for use by AI adults with type 2 diabetes in a rural and resource-limited setting in the North-Central United States. We conducted three focus groups with AI adults with diabetes to (i) identify Cooking Matters® adaptations and (ii) gather feedback on appropriateness of the adapted intervention using Barrera and Castro's cultural adaptation framework. Transcripts were coded using an inductive, constant comparison approach. Queries of codes were reviewed to identify themes. Contextual considerations included limited access to grocery stores and transportation barriers, reliance on government food assistance and the intergenerational burden of diabetes. Adaptations to content and delivery included incorporating traditional and locally available foods; appealing to children or others in multigenerational households and prioritizing visual over written content. Our use of Barrera and Castro's framework adds rigor and structure to the cultural adaptation process and increases the likelihood of future intervention success. Other researchers may benefit from using this framework to guide the adaptation of evidence-based interventions in AI communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the formation of a coalition government in May 2010, there have been substantial changes in government policies relating to the education system in England and Wales. The previous Labour administration strengthened education in food and nutrition and promoted healthy eating in schools. The National Curriculum relating to food technology states what pupils should learn, making reference to practical cooking skills, food safety and hygiene and nutrition and healthy eating. This remains a statutory requirement. The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), announced in October 2010, meant that substantial financial cuts would be made across government, including the Department for Education. A huge swathe of quangos has already been cut, including the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) and the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP). The School Food Trust (SFT) has faced budget cuts, and further massive savings will come from the scrapping of Building Schools for the Future (BSF). The White Paper and Education and Children's Bill will provide greater freedom for schools and academies to determine their own curriculum, length of the school day and lesson times. David Cameron's vision of a 'Big Society' will require greater collaboration from a wide range of organisations, including industry and charitable organisations to support high quality education in food and nutrition in schools. Individual Headteachers will be freed to make decisions at a local level. This will leave individual schools with greater decision making and funding responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curriculum materials serve as a key conceptual tool for science teachers, and better understanding how science teachers use these tools could help to improve both curriculum design and theory related to teacher learning and decision-making. The authors review the literature on teachers and science curriculum materials. The review is organised around three main questions: What do teachers do when using science curriculum materials?, What happens when teachers use science curriculum materials? and Why do teachers make the decisions they do? For each question, the authors first summarise the findings of two key reviews from the mathematics education literature, then situate the findings from science education in juxtaposition with those findings. The review uncovers that relatively little is understood about the mechanism underlying how teachers interact with curriculum materials. To try to address this gap, complementing and extending the field’s existing understandings of the teacher–curriculum relationship, the authors make four propositions, grounded in the literature on self-regulation. The propositions reflect a mechanism for teacher curricular decision-making. The self-regulation perspective also helps to develop more targeted support for science teachers aimed at the uptake, adaptation and enactment of curriculum materials in ways that are intended, and that teachers themselves experience as an improvement in their teaching. The authors conclude with a call for research that further explores the ways in which individual science teachers’ decision-making is situated within the wider sociocultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A textbook is of a proper medium for conveying curricular values to students. The aim of this study is to examine how math textbooks reflect the core values stated in the curriculum. Selected by homogeneous sampling technique, the data sources of this qualitative study consisted of two (one official and one private) fifth-grade math textbooks. All elements (e.g., text, visuals, exercises, questions) in the textbooks were analyzed through content analysis technique, employing the core values as a preliminary outline. Findings revealed that the both textbooks included all the core values in the curriculum with varying frequencies across values. The most frequently reflected values were patriotism and responsibility while the least was honesty. The values of friendship, patience, justice, love, helpfulness, and respect were represented in moderate frequencies in both textbooks. The frequencies of representations regarding values were mostly parallel in official and private publications. Teachers must play a complementary role for the underrepresented values during teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As new online and cellular technologies advance, the implications for the traditional textbook model of curricular instruction are profound. The ability to construct, share, collaborate on and publish new instructional materials marks the beginning of a global revolution in curricula development. Research-based media literacy frameworks can be applied to all subjects, and they enable teachers to have confidence that, in employing the frameworks to address academic subjects, themes or projects, students will gain content knowledge. Teaching through media literacy education strategies provides the opportunity to make media literacy central to teaching and learning, since media literacy process skills enable students to become self-directed lifelong learners, capable of addressing any subject. What are characteristics of curricula that use media literacy frameworks? How does such curricula differ from traditionally constructed curricula? And why should administrators and teachers embrace this change? As education is moving from paper-based, face-to-face classwork to technology-enabled curricula that is better, faster and cheaper, educators need new yet proven approaches and curricular resources to delivering effective lessons and outcomes. With media literacy education, this shift is not only possible but also imperative for providing curricula for the globalized classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study defines and analyses adaptive gamification design principles for online courses. It was conducted as a holistic single case study framed by two theoretical approaches, namely, gamification and adaptive learning. The first part of the study establishes a theoretical matrix with its contents converted into a questionnaire which includes nine semi-structured questions. Following this, a four-round Delphi panel with 12 field experts was performed. In the second part, the design principle proposition checklist was presented to a focus group of six formed by experts in the field of open and distance education to obtain their feedback on its usability, applicability and significance. The qualitative data obtained in the first phase was analysed by using content analysis while the quantitative data obtained in the other phases were analysed by calculating the distribution of frequencies and measures of central tendency. Results of the Delphi rounds and the focus group interview yielded a checklist of adaptive gamification design principles for online courses comprising 102 design principles under 11 themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has grown in leaps and bounds in the last decade. Course design is one of the key stages in ESP. Hutchinson and Waters see ESP as an approach rather than a product, by which they mean that ESP does not involve a particular kind of language, teaching material and methodology. Language varieties are self-contained entities which extend from a common core of language. This paper has highlighted some of the issues involved in ESP curriculum development. The main focus is on the topic of language varieties and on the type of investigation ESP curriculum developers use to identify the gap between what learners already know and what they need to know in order to study or work in their specific target environments. Apart from this it examines the topic of wide- versus narrow-angled course designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the notion of curriculum potential by revisiting the ideas of Miriam Ben-Peretz and Joseph Schwab. Invoking the German Didaktik tradition and by way of a curriculum-making framework, the paper argues that interpreting curriculum materials for curriculum potential requires a careful analysis and unpacking of the meanings and significance of the content contained in materials. This analysis and unpacking need to be informed by an understanding of the 'curriculum' embodied in materials. More specifically, it needs to take account of its theory of content-a special way of selecting, arranging, and framing content for educational and pedagogical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesson planning serves as a key means for ensuring the quality of instruction. In an effort to facilitate and improve the literature related to lesson planning, this paper proposes a framework which integrates online lesson planners, databases, case libraries, and Web 2.0 tools such as blogs and wikis to support both pre-service and in-service teachers. The purpose of the framework is to encourage and enable users to collaborate and reduce preparation time in planning lessons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our understanding of the nature of student ideas informs our instructional and research agendas. In this paper, I characterize student ideas in terms of five observable properties (determinacy, coherence, context-dependence, variability, and malleability) and describe how those observable properties correspond to the ‘misconceptions’ and ‘pieces’ models of student reasoning. I then analyze instructional materials and student thinking in a particular topic area (special relativity) in terms of each of those two models. I show that specific instructional strategies reflect specific theoretical orientations, and explore the extent to which observed student behavior corresponds to predictions made by the theoretical models. The analysis suggests that while both the misconceptions and pieces models are flexible enough to accommodate all of the data, some aspects of student thinking seem best described in terms of pieces, and others seem better characterized as misconceptions. The purpose of the analysis is to illustrate the effect of theoretical orientation on instruction, instructional research, and curriculum development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the main present issues of the provision of Lithuanian general education with appropriate educational software and the introduction of these modern aids into teaching and learning. The introductory part describes the importance of the issue, explores its close relation with the national context and describes the analytical framework of the research. The second part provides the definition of the term ‘educational software’. The third part analyses the national background of schools' provision with educational software: policies and state of art of ICT in education, and the structure of Lithuanian educational software market. The fourth and fifth parts provide a comprehensive analysis of external and internal factors that influence the provision of schools with educational software. The last three parts provide a discussion and conclusions about the main aims and challenges of the introduction of modern learning aids into schooling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this single case study, university students' burnout was examined with respect to the curricular activities in an institution. The participants consisted of A2 level English students (N=390) at an English preparatory school of a state university. The participants were given a survey consisting of the Turkish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Scale and open-ended questions. The data were analyzed and the results were reported through descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis. In the study, implications were drawn for curriculum developers and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eswatini has been sourcing Library and Information Science (LIS) education from foreign institutions due to a shortage of institutions offering LIS training. The relevance of sending officers for training in other countries has been a great concern for the organizations in Eswatini. The complexity of sending officers out of the country for training have caused problem for many organizations due to their absence from the office. As part of the study, a model was designed for implementation of LIS education in Eswatini in the context of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Open Educational Resources (OER) platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the ERIC/SEP Special Project on Interagency Information Dissemination of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) has released an Issue Brief entitled "Adapting Instructional Materials for Mainstreamed Students," by Jane Burnette. The publication makes use of data from seven projects sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. It explains the eight steps needed in order to adapt curriculum materials and provides examples of the ways the projects utilized this procedure.

Purpose: Instructors teaching courses on diversity issues in communication sciences and disorders do not typically or uniformly teach about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) culture. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a detailed description of the importance, historical context, and pedagogical methods for integrating LGBTQ content and history into courses on diversity issues for speech-language pathology and audiology students. Conclusion: Content on LGBTQ culture and history merits inclusion in the curricula for future health care providers given the backdrop of historic and continuing discrimination as well as persistent health disparities among LGBTQ-identified persons. This article provides one example of the instructional design of an LGBTQ teaching module, embedded into a required course on cultural and linguistic diversity for speech-language pathology students. This preliminary investigation revealed that learners responded positively to this content module, demonstrating interest and engagement as well as improved awareness and knowledge for better serving LGBTQ clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the collaborative development of a rehabilitation guide for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which was adapted from an online resource for clinicians. Methods: We adapted a comprehensive evidence-informed online clinical resource for people living with HIV using a three-phase participatory process. In Phase 1, we interviewed 26 clinicians and 16 people living with HIV to gather recommendations on how to adapt and format the content to benefit people living with HIV. In Phase 2, we adapted the patient education resource using the recommendations that emerged from Phase 1. Phase 3 consisted of comprehensive stakeholder review of the revised resource on the adaptability, usability, communicability, and relevance of the information. Stakeholders participated in an interview to obtain in-depth information on their perspectives. Transcribed interviews underwent qualitative content analysis. Results: Stakeholders indicated that the e-guide had utility for people living with HIV, community HIV service organizations, and care providers. Conclusion: Engaging people living with HIV resulted in a more relevant and meaningful resource that incorporated patients’ values, needs, and preferences. Implications: Involving multiple stakeholders and user groups in the adaptation and evaluation of online patient education resources can assist in meeting patients’ needs through increasing the relevance, organization and presentation of the content, and incorporating patients’ values and needs. Implications for Rehabilitation: Online patient education resources should be adapted in order to maximize relevance and meaningfulness to patients. Involving multiple stakeholders in the adaptation and evaluation of online patient education resources can assist in meeting patients’ needs. Involving multiple stakeholders increases the relevance, organization and presentation of the content and allows the incorporation of patient values and needs. This collaborative approach with an emphasis on meaningful participation of patients and community may be of interest to others interested in promoting knowledge translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Swiss high schools, teachers have significant leeway in determining the learning objectives and contents of curricula, including the recommended transversal theme of human rights. Teachers’ views on human rights and human rights education (HRE) are, therefore, a determining factor for HRE’s successful implementation. This article presents the results of a study conducted with 55 high school teachers, which aimed to establish teachers’ views of HRE. The article focuses specifically on perceived challenges to implementation: teachers’ views on content and aims of HRE; intended curriculum; and supporting implementation of HRE. It argues that, while we need to address some of these challenges at the level of policy, curriculum, and material development, other obstacles are mainly due to teachers’ misconceptions and lack of familiarity with the concept of HRE and can, thus, best be tackled through tailored pre- and in-service training measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines physical education (PE) curriculum development in an elementary school. Our goal was to understand the daily construction of a curriculum. We sought to analyse the theoretical and methodological framework and documents that a PE teacher uses each day while putting a curriculum into practice (lived curriculum). The data collection instruments included participant observation, interviews and document analysis. The analytical process revealed the influence of internal and external factors that affect both the authorship and the autonomy of a teacher working on the daily construction of a lived PE curriculum and that create tensions, struggles and conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Australian Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The relative absence of Indigenous and multicultural perspectives in core undergraduate psychology curriculum is said to hamper the preparation of students for engaging with culturally diverse communities. An intercultural unit that includes perspectives on Australia's history of race relations, Indigenous issues, and migration as the basis from which to research and practise intercultural psychology was introduced into the psychology undergraduate syllabus at Victoria University. This article describes the unit framework, structure, and evaluation of the unit. Content analysis of survey data showed that students appeared to develop greater critical awareness of psychological perspectives on cultural and social diversity. Although many students reported positive learning and an increased awareness of cultural matters, there were also student responses that suggested dissatisfaction or disengagement from what was being taught. These responses are consistent with the dynamics of learning about self and other, and of dominance and subjugation. It is argued that promoting an understanding of psychological phenomena as socially, culturally, and historically embedded is important in preparing students to be culturally safe and respectful mental health practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' curricular role identities are those dimensions of their professional identities concerned with the use of curriculum materials. In a previous study, we developed and tested a survey instrument designed to measure preservice elementary teachers' development of curricular role identity for science teaching through their use of science curriculum materials. In this follow-up study, a revised version of the survey was administered to a second group of preservice elementary teachers in the same science methods course, and data were analyzed within and across years. Results from this study suggest that preservice teachers articulated important similarities and differences between the curricular role identities for science teaching they attributed to themselves and to more experienced elementary teachers. Over time, they were often able to begin to appropriate the curricular role identities for science teaching that they attributed to more experienced elementary teachers. However, findings from the second survey administration also suggest that preservice teachers' curricular role identities for science teaching are more stable when characterized by their actual curriculum design practices than when characterized by comparative, probabilistic means. These findings have important implications for science teacher education and curriculum development, as well as the operationalization of curricular role identity in education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food technology is an essential part of the school curriculum, providing students with the knowledge and skills to become informed consumers in the future. This article reflects the current changes that are influencing what is happening in food technology classrooms in secondary schools in England from the perspective of a recent head of Food and Advanced Skills Teacher. Accordingly, this article commences with a review of the changeable position of food technology within the school curriculum, followed by a discussion of each of the Key Stages (3, 4 and 5) in light of recent developments that have been adopted to support the delivery of good food education in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in information and communication technology continually offer innovations to assist faculty in their efforts to help students learn new information or develop new skills. However, faculty members are often hesitant to incorporate these innovations into their courses out of fear that these new methods may not provide the anticipated outcomes. Hence, students are often the subjects of educational trials to evaluate curriculum innovations by comparing a new teaching/learning method to traditional lecture-based instruction. The most typical finding is that students can learn equally well by either method. However, two questions that have not been studied extensively in dental education are whether dental students will actually use computer-based educational resources made available to them and whether students perceive these materials to provide a value-added learning experience. Accordingly, the goals of this study were to determine whether first-year dental students (D1), second-year dental students (D2), and third-year dental students (D3) would 1) use an interactive tooth atlas, available on a DVD, as a study aid and 2) perceive that the atlas provided sufficient value-added benefit for their dental anatomy (D1), preclinical laboratory endodontics (D2), and clinical endodontics (D3) courses to recommend adding it to their school's comprehensive electronic resources. A low percentage of the students (14 percent; 40/289) voluntarily downloaded the atlas from a DVD to their laptops prior to the addition of incentives in the form of atlas-related examination questions. Even after incentives were added, only 43 percent of the students (126/289) downloaded the DVD. After using the atlas, students responded to the statement "Using the 3D Interactive Tooth Atlas was beneficial for me" on a 0 to 10 scale with 0 representing strongly disagree, 5 representing unsure, and 10 representing strongly agree. The mean rankings were 5.34 for D1s, 6.79 for D2s, and 7.28 for D3s. Students also responded to the statement "The atlas should be added to our school's VitalBook" (digital library of curriculum materials). The mean rankings for this statement, using the same 0-10 scale, were 5.15 for the D1s, 6.63 for the D2s, and 7.26 for the D3s. Based upon these findings, the course directors decided not to add this atlas to the students' electronic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on use of a triadic teaching approach in a science–technology–society (STS) course designed for future science teachers for middle schools in Turkey. Forty-three pre-service science teachers were enrolled in a semester-long course organized around issues students identified and used throughout the semester. The triadic teaching approach includes library-online searches that lead the students to design and conduct investigations, to carrying out mini-scientific symposia, and to preparing and conducting poster presentations open to the entire student body and faculty. The results of a 30-item Likert scale, administered to the students as a pretest and a posttest, indicated that there were significant increases in positive attitudes towards STS issues from the beginning to the end of the study. Individual interviews were also conducted with the students to determine the individual effects of each component of the triadic teaching approach on their attitudes towards STS issues. All aspects of the new approach provided significant contributions to the development of more positive attitudes among the students towards STS via interviews and on all sub-scales of a survey administered that include: (1) pupil interest in STS issues; (2) teacher interest in STS issues; (3) general perceptions regarding importance of STS issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a rich representation of how in-school practices that recruit students' “out-of-school” literacies, such as hip hop, can be used as critical bridges in students' learning. Hip hop, conceptualized in this article as an “out-of-school” literacy, works as a vehicle for curricular change at Eastview School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens. In so doing, such literacy learning can be a tool for social action. Because the literacy learning of “at risk” students, as the students who attend Eastview School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens are labeled, is often described through remedial or basic skills models of instruction, it is imperative that researchers document curricular change that challenges prevailing assumptions about the learning of “at risk” students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the integration of science popularizations into the classroom-based courses in order to create a learner-centered environment, as well as to provide an alternative to traditional textbooks and to facilitate student thinking. The five key changes to the teaching practice developed by Weimer are used to ascertained the success of science popularizations. These include the balance of power, the function of content, the role of the teacher, the responsibility for learning and the purpose and process of evaluation.

We describe a model professional development intervention currently being implemented to support 3rd- through 5th-grade teachers’ science instruction in 9 urban elementary schools with high numbers of English language learners. The intervention consists of curriculum materials for students and teachers, as well as teacher workshops throughout the school year. The curriculum materials and workshops are designed to complement and reinforce each other in improving teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices in science instruction and English language development for ELL students. In addition to these primary goals, secondary goals of the intervention included supporting mathematical understanding, improving scientific reasoning, capitalizing on students’ home language and culture, and preparing students for high-stakes science testing and accountability through hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to gauge the current state of the academic developments in Educational Technology in order to identify pivotal issues and offer suggestions for future planning in Canada. This article explores the professional literature and the views of 25 senior faculty members from the twelve Canadian universities which offer or offered graduate degree programs in Educational Technology (and Distance Education). Findings from the study revealed one main category (challenges) connected to the academic field of Educational Technology in Canada with seven key sub-categories, namely, identity, standardization and professionalization, university politics, external influence, competition, funding, and teaching and learning. A synthesis of information sources is provided to delineate major patterns and generate new theory to help guide strategic program planning and evaluation. Recommendations suggest that greater attention should be invested in partnering and identity branding activities within the field to help leverage program success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the survey of the curriculum change in educational communications and technology. Computers are considered the most obvious influence on curricula as compared to the effects of educational television. It has been added to the educational technology curricula some years ago. At present, the computers are considered a basic need in distance education as it provides access to teachers, students, and research tools. These changes also resulted to the increasing number of universities who offer bachelor degrees in educational technology.

The article discusses several successful strategies for exploiting anthropomorphisms for use in deep and accurate learning for primary students. One is ensuring the engagement of every student on the topics to be discussed. This can be done by reading aloud amazing features of animals, some factual, some fiction. Another is the stage of preassessment, where it will give the chance for the students to consider what they currently know about human and animal characteristics through the creation of a concept map. Exploration is likewise hinted, where the students would be allowed to read through their books about 15 to 20 minutes. Moreover, postassessment stage must allegedly likewise take place, where the students will communicate their understanding of their animal to the class.

While the term ‘learner‐centered’ is invoked in many curriculum standards documents, packaged curriculum materials, mission statements and criticisms of educational practice, there is little agreement on its meaning. Shallow understandings and conflicting practices abound. And rarely do the meanings ascribed to the term take into account the meanings of thoughtful teachers who live learner‐centered approaches daily in their work. Here we introduce lived meanings of learner‐centeredness found in the personal and professional histories of experienced teachers. Data were gathered in interviews that took the form of focused conversations which yielded elaborated stories and reflections that suggest that learner‐centeredness is a concept that cannot be captured in finite, static, unquestioned definitions. The teachers’ lived meanings are expressed in fine‐grained detail, are embedded in particular settings and the teachers’ own personal and professional histories, go beyond surface features of practice and are in motion and unfinished. Taken together, these lived meanings have the potential to challenge and deepen current understandings of learner‐centered practices. Further, they have the potential to bring humanity, humility and integrity to the work of those who engage in these practices and of those who would support or criticize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curriculum materials for Grades K-12 that are intended to promote teacher learning in addition to student learning have come to be called educative curriculum materials. How can K-12 curriculum materials be designed to best promote teacher learning? What might teacher learning with educative curriculum materials look like? The authors present a set of design heuristics for educative curriculum materials to further the principled design of these materials. They build from ideas about teacher learning and organize the heuristics around important parts of a teacher's knowledge base: subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge for topics, and pedagogical content knowledge for disciplinary practices. These heuristics provide a context for a theoretically oriented discussion of how features of educative curriculum materials may promote teacher learning, by serving as cognitive tools that are situated in teachers' practice. The authors explore challenges in the design of educative curriculum materials, such as the tension between providing guidance and choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore the potential of the computer to support curriculum materials development within the context of secondary level science and mathematics education in southern Africa. During the four-year course of the study, a computer program was developed named CASCADE-SEA, which stands for Computer Assisted Curriculum Analysis, Design and Evaluation for Science (and mathematics) Education in Africa. By carefully documenting the iterative process of analysis, prototype design, evaluation, and revision, we sought insight into the characteristics of a valid and practical computer-based tool that possesses the potential to affect the performance of its users. The results of this study include the CASCADE-SEA program itself, which assists users in producing better quality materials than they otherwise might, while they also learn from the development process. Further, this research has contributed to the articulation of design principles and related developmental research methods. This article highlights the research and development that took place, and only briefly addresses the tool itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on a study related to achieving standards in urban systemic reform in reference to a sixth grade project-based science curriculum. In this study, the authors attempted to demonstrate that, through designing science curriculum materials that build from district, state, and national standards and use a project-based science design model, as an integral part of a larger urban systemic reform initiative, students are able to develop understandings of science concepts called for by the standards. They found that the overall learning outcomes improved across the science learning goals and inquiry process of Big Things, even as participation in the project increased to include greater numbers of teachers and students. Students showed improvement in their understanding not only at a recall, descriptive level but also showed an increased ability to apply information to new situations and draw relationships between concepts. In addition, this approach to science instruction achieves these learning gains while also involving students in inquiry around real-world problems and utilizing new technology tools to support student investigations, instructional methods advocated by national reform documents.

ABSTRACT: A curriculum-based instructional management system was used to enhance the mathematics instruction of 3rd through 6th grade Title I and non-Title I students. Improvements in math achievement for Title I students who were and were not participants in this curriculum enhancement were also compared. Title I students who participated in the instructional management system significantly outperformed those who did not. There were also important qualitative differences in how the instructional management system worked for Title I and non-Title I students. Implications for managing math instruction are specified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]