Approaches to improving teaching

This paper discusses a few issues related to teaching improvement that are commonly found in tertiary education, such as curriculum development, student engagement, and ethical considerations. Scholars re- search on resolving these issues are investigated. Corresponding approaches to improving teaching of a year one information technology unit are proposed and experience is shared. The importance of teaching scholarship is also emphasized at the end of this paper.

As representações sobre Meio Ambiente de alunos da 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Papel da matematização nas explicações de professores e alunos em disciplinas de física na formação inicial de professores

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Geschichten erzählen als Methode im Musikunterricht. Ergebnisse und Forschungsmethoden einer historischen Studie

Storytelling as a teaching method in the music classroom can no longer be found in repertoires of music teaching methods, even though stories are still being told in music lessons nowadays and storytelling has a long teaching tradition. Numerous sources of the late 18th century and beyond account for different kinds of storytelling in the German music classroom. They have systematically been analysed with regard to certain aspects and teaching patterns. In this way the present study takes account of a decades- old demand within the discipline of historical music pedagogical research, which has postulated a structural historiography. Starting with a reflection of the historiographical research method the author finally illustrates the benefits of combining historical classroom research and the research of current teaching practices. (DIPF/Orig.)

Wie denken Lehrer*innen über (das Unterrichten von) Musiktheorie?

Teaching music theory is an essential, yet a barely researched part of music education in secondary schools. This paper examines the expert knowledge of Bavarian teachers regarding this subject After discussing the background and the methodology of this study the differences among the music teachers' understanding of "music theory" are illustrated with three examples: While all three interviewees agree that music theory is a set of specific knowledge, they differ by a) locating it in the non-practical, b) connecting it with practical applications or c) isolating it as knowledge, that, at first, has to be learned in isolation. These conceptions of music theory can be understood as intrinsically connected with didactic assumptions and are founded in the teachers' biographies. (DIPF/Orig.)

As representações dos alunos relativamente às acções que têm lugar nas aulas da disciplina de ciências da terra e da vida no 10º ano de escolaridade

Dissertação de mest. em Observação e Análise da Relação Educativa, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Univ. do Algarve, 2003

Analysing and improving a recruitment process : a teaching case for developing business process improvement capabilities

The demand for Business Process Management (BPM) is rapidly rising and with that, the need for capable BPM professionals is also rising. Yet, only a very few structured BPM training/ education programs are available, across universities and professional trainers globally. The ‘lack of appropriate teaching resources’ has been identified as a critical issue for BPM educators in prior studies. Case-based teaching can be an effective means of educating future BPM professionals. A main reason is that cases create an authentic learning environment where the complexities and challenges of the ‘real world’ can be presented in a narrative enabling the students to develop crucial skills such as problem solving, analysis and creativity-within-constraints, and to apply the tools and techniques within a richer and real (or proxy to real) context. However, so far well documented BPM teaching cases are scarce. This article aims to contribute to address this gap by providing a comprehensive teaching case and teaching notes that facilitates the education of selected process improvement phases, namely identification, modelling, analysis, and improvement. The article is divided into three main parts: (i) Introductory teaching notes, (ii) The case narrative, and (iii) Student activities from the case and teaching notes.

Analysis and improvement of a construction permit approval process: A teaching case for developing business process development capabilities, targeting developing nations

With the increasing competitiveness in global markets, many developing nations are striving to constantly improve their services in search for the next competitive edge. As a result, the demand and need for Business Process Management (BPM) in these regions is seeing a rapid rise. Yet there exists a lack of professional expertise and knowledge to cater to that need. Therefore, the development of well-structured BPM training/ education programs has become an urgent requirement for these industries. Furthermore, the lack of textbooks or other self-educating material, that go beyond the basics of BPM, further ratifies the need for case based teaching and related cases that enable the next generation of professionals in these countries. Teaching cases create an authentic learning environment where complexities and challenges of the ‘real world’ can be presented in a narrative, enabling students to evolve crucial skills such as problem analysis, problem solving, creativity within constraints as well as the application of appropriate tools (BPMN) and techniques (including best practices and benchmarking) within richer and real scenarios. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive teaching case demonstrating the means to tackle any developing nation’s legacy government process undermined by inefficiency and ineffectiveness. The paper also includes thorough teaching notes The article is presented in three main parts: (i) Introduction - that provides a brief background setting the context of this paper, (ii) The Teaching Case, and (iii) Teaching notes.

Intra and Interorganizational Learning Networks and the Implementation of Quality Improvement Initiatives: The Case of a Portuguese Teaching Hospital

Learning has an important position in the development of employees and their expertise. This article focuses on the role and utilization of intra and interorganizational formal and informal learning within different types of learning networks. Specifically, we investigate different types of networks (inter- or intraorganizational) and different types of learning (formal or informal) that can occur within such networks. Our qualitative case study is based on 46 expert interviews involving 49 interviewees, through which we explore how formal and informal learning was used in the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives at a large public teaching hospital in Portugal. Our analysis suggests that formal and informal learning can take place within different types of learning networks that draw on internal resources as well as on the collaboration with external entities. The article argues that it is important for HRD managers, seeking to support organizational learning, to understand how different types of learning take place, and which features of learning networks support these processes.

Research challenges inherent in determining improvement in university teaching

Using a recent study that examined the effectiveness of a particular approach to improving individual university teaching as a case study, this paper examines some of the challenges inherent in educational research, particularly research examining the effects of interventions to improve teaching. Aspects of the research design and methodology and of the analysis of results are discussed and recommendations for improvements for future research are made.

Changing teaching practice using a school improvement cycle

This paper discusses the actions, strategies and responses of teachers during their involvement with a short cycle school improvement model in four schools. The school improvement cycles are designed to build the leadership of principals to support teachers at an individual level through a web of decision making and practices. In these cycles, teachers are both more supported and more accountable for implementing changed classroom practices in order to bring about improved student outcomes. T he school improvement model follows a pattern of decision making and negotiation across and between layers of leadership within the network and the school, but for improvement to occur at the level of the student, the teacher’s pedagogical practices need to be r(e)negotiated to ensure that teaching practice meet the needs of the students.
However, evaluating teacher practice is risky business. Teachers can say, and believe, that their practices are providing the best for their students, but this is an area of uncertainty. Using a number of strategies including observation of teacher meetings, teacher interviews and video capture, the research will investigate the issue of how directives for change are translated into classroom practice. The observation of meetings of teachers will provide an indication of the type of change required and the proposed strategies. Video-capture, which is followed by teacher interviews, will provide further information about changing teaching practice.
With teacher permission, students in the research will also view the video snippets to indicate what particular pedagogy was instrumental in their learning, providing substantial feedback to the teacher on what works best for that cohort of students at that time. Teachers will be provided with the opportunity to reflect on and learn from their practice, using video-capture as a self-reflective tool. Teachers can employ video capture as a strategy to assess their management of students, their pedagogical approaches, teaching strategies and student responses and is an emerging area of research of interest to teachers and teacher educators (e.g. Seidel, Sturmer, Blomberg, Kobarg, Schwindt, 2011). The paper will provide examples of changed teacher practice through vignettes of a number of schools, teachers and classrooms and will explore the methodological reflexivity associated with this dual role of the research: to evaluate, and to support improvement.

Simulator Network project report: a tool for improvement of teaching materials and targeted resource usage in Skills Labs

During the last decade, medical education in the German-speaking world has been striving to become more practice-oriented. This is currently being achieved in many schools through the implementation of simulation-based instruction in Skills Labs. Simulators are thus an essential part of this type of medical training, and their acquisition and operation by a Skills Lab require a large outlay of resources. Therefore, the Practical Skills Committee of the Medical Education Society (GMA) introduced a new project, which aims to improve the flow of information between the Skills Labs and enable a transparent assessment of the simulators via an online database (the Simulator Network).

Personality development; a practical self-teaching course, comprising health, posture, dress, grooming, voice and speech, conversation, social and business etiquette, self-confidence, poise, living and working with others, acquiring background, improvement of mind and character, achieving success and happiness,

"Suggestions for reading" at end of some of the chapters.