Search Results for
"learning"

Why should instructors in traditional higher education institutions consider the re-design of their courses? The paper begins with a defense of four compelling reasons for changes in didactics: a review of some key principles of good teaching and learning, the increasing diversity of student characteristics and associated needs, the strategic and educational rationales for five types of flexibility increase in our current courses, and the particular need for instructors in faculties of education to provide leadership and models. Given the why, the next question is how? The remainder of the paper discusses the how in terms of a conceptually grounded approach to the pedagogical re-engineering of existing courses so that they become more flexible, with more student engagement, more-targetted communication, and more-attuned instructor scaffolding of increased student responsibility for his or her own learning. These concepts are made concrete through the extension of six standard sets of course-related tasks into redesigned sets involving the new didactics and WWW-based course-support functionalities. Examples from current practice at the Faculty of Educational Science and Technology at the University of Twente are used to illustrate the new didactical categories and their use of WWW-based course environments. The paper concludes with a consideration of key challenges that will confront the implementation of such new didactics in practice. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

This article explores the concept of apprenticeship as a model for learning at and about work in the late 20th century. The authors propose that social and activity theories of learning can usefully underpin a reconceptualisation of apprenticeship generally, and the recent British initiative the Modern Apprenticeship in particular. Central to this claim are two growing beliefs: first, that the distinction between formal and informal education is unhelpful because it implies the superiority of learning which takes place within educational institutions over, and distinct from, that which occurs in the workplace; second, that a reconceptualised apprenticeship needs to reconcile the previously polarised positions of learner-centred and transmission approaches to pedagogy. The article concludes by outlining a number of features which a contemporary apprenticeship should include and by indicating the extent to which they are featured in the Modern Apprenticeship. © 1998 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Discusses the impact of high wages and investment strategies in physical and human capital on eastern Germany post unification. Introduces the concept of learning-by-doing as an externality of high quality investment. Provides some eclectic arguments in support of learning-by-doing effects which may be used to partly replace costly, publicly financed vocational training programmes. © 1997, MCB UP Limited

Concentrates on the mentoring support for teachers in further education (FE) and higher education (HE), rather than the mentoring of students following qualification programmes. Raises issues of definition and argues the need for peer mentoring. Evaluates mentoring models and explores issues of role modelling, selection, styles, skills and qualities. Covers literature from the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe and spans the period 1793-1996, starting with a British Library reference called “The Female Mentor” and including the recent upsurge in mentoring interest across business and the professions. © 1997, MCB UP Limited

On the basis of findings from the expertise research we will first discuss three reasons for the deficits of giftedness research within the field of vocational training: the emphsis put on general giftedness factors and the insufficient attention paid to the domain specifity of exceptional performances and to the course of expertise development. As a consequence, we suggest a giftedness model that combines the traditions of giftedness research with those of expertise research. In addition to a person's internal performance dispositions, favorable personality characteristics, and environmental features we primarily focus on the active learning process where domain specific expertise is acquired. We will also discuss the consequences for practical diagnosis and the advancement of gifted persons in the vocational area.