Education Literature (education + literature)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Returns to Schooling and Bayesian Model Averaging: A Union of Two Literatures

JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 2 2004
Justin L. Tobias
Abstract., In this paper, we review and unite the literatures on returns to schooling and Bayesian model averaging. We observe that most studies seeking to estimate the returns to education have done so using particular (and often different across researchers) model specifications. Given this, we review Bayesian methods which formally account for uncertainty in the specification of the model itself, and apply these techniques to estimate the economic return to a college education. The approach described in this paper enables us to determine those model specifications which are most favored by the given data, and also enables us to use the predictions obtained from all of the competing regression models to estimate the returns to schooling. The reported precision of such estimates also account for the uncertainty inherent in the model specification. Using U.S. data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY), we also revisit several ,stylized facts' in the returns to education literature and examine if they continue to hold after formally accounting for model uncertainty. [source]


Folk theories of "inquiry:" How preservice teachers reproduce the discourse and practices of an atheoretical scientific method

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 5 2004
Mark Windschitl
Despite the ubiquity of the term "inquiry" in science education literature, little is known about how teachers conceptualize inquiry, how these conceptions are formed and reinforced, how they relate to work done by scientists, and if these ideas about inquiry are translated into classroom practice. This is a multicase study in which 14 preservice secondary science teachers developed their own empirical investigations,from formulating questions to defending results in front of peers. Findings indicate that participants shared a tacit framework of what it means to "do science" which shaped their investigations and influenced reflections on their inquiries. Some facets of the participants' shared model were congruent with authentic inquiry; however, the most consistent assumptions were misrepresentations of fundamental aspects of science: for example, that a hypothesis functions as a guess about an outcome, but is not necessarily part of a larger explanatory system; that background knowledge may be used to provide ideas about what to study, but this knowledge is not in the form of a theory or other model; and that theory is an optional tool one might use at the end of a study to help explain results. These ideas appear consistent with a "folk theory" of doing science that is promoted subtly, but pervasively, in textbooks, through the media, and by members of the science education community themselves. Finally, although all participants held degrees in science, the participants who eventually used inquiry in their own classrooms were those who had significant research experiences in careers or postsecondary study and greater science-content background. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 481,512, 2004 [source]


Educating doctors in France and Canada: are the differences based on evidence or history?

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 12 2005
Christophe Segouin
Background, Despite many economic and political similarities between France and Canada, particularly in their health care systems, there are very significant differences in their systems of medical education. Aim, This work aims to highlight the sociohistorical values of each country that explain these differences by comparing the medical education systems of the 2 countries, including medical schools (teachers, funding), key processes (curriculum, student selection) and quality assurance methods. Discussion, In France, means and processes are standardised and defined at a national level. France has almost no national system of assessment of medical schools nor of students. By contrast, Canada leaves medical schools free to design their medical curricula, select students and appoint teachers using their own criteria. In order to guarantee the homogeneity and quality of graduates, the medical profession in Canada has created independent national organisations that are responsible for accreditation and certification processes. Each country has a set of founding values that partly explain the choices that have been made. In France these include equality and the right to receive free education. In Canada, these include equity, affirmative action and market-driven tuition. Conclusion, Many of the differences are more easily explained by history and national values than by a robust base of evidence. There is a constant tension between a vision of education promoted by medical educators, based on contextually non-specific ideas such as those found in the medical education literature, and the sociopolitical foundations and forces that are unique to each country. If we fail to consider such variables, we are likely to encounter significant resistance when implementing reforms. [source]


What can clinical teachers learn from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 12 2002
Jennifer J Conn
Many clinical teachers acquire a working knowledge of the principles of teaching and learning through observation, by adopting positive and rejecting negative examples of clinical instruction. Well selected vignettes of teaching behaviours taken from contemporary film and literature may provide rich substrate by which to engage clinical teachers in discourse about instructional technique. This paper draws on J K Rowling's novel and its companion film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and critically analyses the teaching styles of the staff at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft in the context of contemporary generic and medical education literature. Specifically, it argues that effective teachers demonstrate not only an in-depth knowledge of their discipline but possess a keen appreciation of the cognitive changes that occur in their students during the learning process. They are, furthermore, proficient in core instructional skills such as small group facilitation, feedback and questioning. Most importantly, effective teachers model appropriate attitudes in their professional setting and possess highly developed personal qualities such as creativity, flexibility and enthusiasm. [source]


Stemming the tide: Cognitive aging theories and their implications for continuing education in the health professions

THE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 3 2003
Dr. Kevin W. Eva PhD Assistant Professor
Abstract As demographic drift among health care providers mimics that of the larger population, it becomes increasingly clear that theory pertaining to the impact of aging on cognitive processing should inform the continuing education efforts designed for health care professionals. The purpose of this article is to offer a critical review of the major theories in this area and outline a sample of the implications that can be derived from these views. Research articles examining the relationship between age and physician performance were identified using MEDLINE, PsychLit, and ERIC. In addition, the psychology literature on age-related changes in cognitive processing was reviewed. Evidence from the medical education literature and psychological theory suggest the importance of increased environmental supports, decreased time demands, and peer review programs as barriers against the impact of aging. The implications of these findings include the potential to tailor continuing education (and physician remediation) efforts toward the age-related abilities/deficiencies of individual physicians. [source]


,Blended' education and the transformation of teachers: a long-term case study in postgraduate UK Higher Education

BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
Gary Motteram
This paper discusses the role of blended learning in teacher education on a Master's programme at Manchester University. Blended learning is the bringing together of traditional physical classes with elements of virtual education. The paper focuses on one particular module of the degree and attempts to capture students' experiences of using a number of online tools. As our students are primarily in-service teachers, this experience is particularly relevant and equips them to make use of educational technology in the language classroom. Some comparisons are also made with a cohort of teachers studying the programme at a distance. The paper explores a range of issues that currently feature in the adult education literature, namely, deep and surface learning, communities of practice, and the importance of educational dialogue. The paper illustrates how important the blended nature of this module is for the teachers to get a balanced programme that upgrades skills and knowledge, but which also enables them to reflect on past and future practice. A transformative education scale is used to show that teachers can be transformed. The paper is a case study that makes use of data that explore the student perspective on a series of research questions. [source]