When Teachers' and Parents' Values Differ: Teachers' Ratings of Academic Competence in Children From Low-Income Families.

The authors examined predictors of teachers' ratings of academic competence of 105 kindergarten children from low-income families. Teachers rated target children's expected competence in literacy and math and completed questions about their perceptions of congruence-dissonance between themselves and the child's parents regarding education-related values. Independent examiners assessed children's literacy and math skills. Teachers' instructional styles were observed and rated along dimensions of curriculum-centered and student-centered practices. Controlling for children's skills and socioeconomic status, teachers rated children as less competent when they perceived value differences with parents. These patterns were stronger for teachers who exhibited curriculum-centered, rather than student-centered, practices. The findings suggest a mechanism by which some children from low-income families enter a path of diminished expectations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defining Phonological Awareness and Its Relationship to Reading Skills in Low-Literacy Adults.

The main purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the relative importance of complexity of syllable structure and task differences in measuring phonological awareness in low-literacy adults. This study is a replication of a study with children conducted by S. A. Stahl and B. A. Murray (1994). Results indicated that the complexity of syllable structure did indeed better describe the construct of phonological awareness in low-literacy adults. At the same time, the authors also found some differences in the pattern of literacy acquisition for their Spanish adults in comparison with child literacy acquisition in English. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Language learners' digital literacies: Focus on students' information literacy and reading practices online

The widespread use of technology and the Internet have changed many of language learners' everyday practices, including literacies. While there have been many studies with the focus on language learners' digital literacies, few, however, have explored language learners' digital information literacy and online reading practices with the use of social bookmarking tools, especially in a community college setting. We address this gap by investigating community-college language learners' digital literacies when social bookmarking with the focus on digital information and online reading practices from an ecological perspective. In this qualitative multiple-case study, the focal participants were five English learners, students in an English as a Second Language writing course in a community college in the northeastern United States. Data collection included interviews, observations, and researchers' e-journals. Thorough within- and cross-case analysis of data shows that language learners searched for digital texts and evaluated them based on relevance, reliability, interest, language, and importance for them and their learning community in the social bookmarking tool. The participants struggled with the number of results in search engines, keywords, and evaluation of digital texts for relevance and reliability. We show the need for more instruction, support, and guidance of language learners' digital information literacy practices as well as the benefits of providing students with opportunities to read digital texts. Our suggestions for future research include investigating the role of multimodality and other factors that influence language learners' evaluation practices when they look for and read information online.     

网络环境下精品课程教师信息技术能力培养研究

2003年4月教育部下发了《教育部关于启动高等学校教学质量与教学改革工程精品课程建设工作的通知》,要求全国高等学校启动教学质量与教学改革工程精品课程建设工作。广大教师积极参与其中,努力建设自己所教授的课程,力争成为精品课程。但是,在精品课建设当中,由于专业教师信息技术能力欠缺,使课程建设遇到了瓶颈。本文从分析精品课教师具备信息技术能力的必要性入手,指出精品课教师应该具备的信息技术能力,最后提出精品课教师在网络环境下提高信息技术能力的途径。     

中国媒介素养教育实施缓慢原因初探

信息时代的到来使社会充斥着各种信息,需要大众具备一定的分析辨别能力,媒介素养教育的目标就是培养大众对信息的辨别利用能力。论述了媒介素养教育在中国已有十几年的发展,但实施的步伐明显落后于媒介的发展速度,这与中国现阶段的各种特有情况是分不开的;指出大众的媒介素养水平与媒介发展速度不适应以及对媒介的管理不到位,使媒介的负面影响进一步显现,加快实施媒介素养教育显得十分必要。     

对合训学员计算机课程教学与信息素养培养的思考

针对合训学员在任职教育院校指挥信息系统相关课程学习中表现出的问题,提出关于提升合训学员计算机课程教学与信息素养培养效果的几点思考,为增强合训人才培养效果提供参考。     

Students Weigh In: Usability Test of Online Library Tutorials

Librarians can improve their online tutorials by borrowing usability testing techniques from the computer science field to improve the human-computer interface. This study involved a multimethod usability test of librarian-created tutorials to determine what students learned, how they felt on several affective questions, and what they suggested for improving the tutorials. Results of pre- and post-tests showed that student knowledge increased, and surveys and focus group findings lean to several suggestions for improving engagement and placing tutorials where they will be most effective. This case study demonstrates the value of user input to improve the effectiveness of online instruction for information literacy.     

浅析如何避免信息技术课中的授课弊端

现在我们大多数信息技术课堂上老师都是采用布置操作任务,讲解操作要领及注意事项的方法给学生上信息技术课,这样做偏离了信息技术课的教学目标即＂培养学生良好的信息技术素养＂。怎样让我们的信息技术课成为学生培养信息素养的课堂,改变纯技术化授课模式就需要我们的老师从教学设计、教学过程、教学内容、教学评价等多方面进行分析和改进,并针对学生的个体差异进行区别教学。