The Bologna Process places special emphasis on the outcomes of higher education in terms of employability and key competencies. Taking Germany as an example, this article examines whether the introduction of a two-tier degree structure actually has led to an enhanced acquisition of key competencies. Based on constructivist learning theories, in…

This article examines the transition process of 14 international teaching assistants (TAs), who teach mathematics courses in U.S. college contexts. In particular, this study documents several major aspects of changes in their teaching, including their curriculum choice and instructional practices over time. This study reveals how the institutional…

Recent research has explored the complex, situated process by which students from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds become socialized into academic discourses and practices. As part of a multiple case study involving seven international students, this study provides an in-depth analysis of the academic discourse socialization…

Relatively little is known about the ways in which children understand and perceive how they learn tasks or skills in physical education classes. The purpose of this study was to use a constructivist framework to explore how children express their experiences, thoughts, and feelings about how they learn in physical education classes. A variety of…

Background: Constructivist views of learning have brought conceptions of learning to attention again. Conceptions are considered important determinants of effective learning. Students can differ in their conceptions depending on their educational experience. Aims: The present study investigated students' conceptions of constructivist learning. Do…

Based on the life histories of residents from La Victoria, a poor settlement in Santiago, Chile, this study reconstructed the central biographic elements in individual empowerment processes, linking them with the sociocultural context in which they occurred. Results show the following main characteristics related to individual empowerment:…

This study primarily focuses on Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) from the Narconon Nepal for drugs rehabilitation and prevention center. The study attempt to explore the changing behavior of IDUs from the education received from the rehabilitation center which contributes to reduce the prevalence of HIV among IDUs. The data were collected through semi…

Metacognition is a concept in psychology that refers to a variety of self-awareness process that help learners learn better. It grew out of the developments over the past few decades of cognitive models of learning. This paper will present a brief overview of these models and discuss their main features. It begins with a discussion of…

To be successful in the workplace of the 21st century, individuals must not only have an extensive store of knowledge, but also must know how to keep that knowledge current, apply it to solve novel problems, and function as a member of a team. This modern view of the workplace has compelled many educators to rethink the ways in which students are…

Plant growth, development and reproduction are fundamental concepts in biology; yet there is a recorded lack of motivation for young people to grapple with these concepts. Here we present the "DigitalSeed" toy for making investigations around these concepts more accessible to children through hands-on digital interaction. This is part of an…

In this paper, an attempt is made to determine if peer collaboration increases student achievement in teaching elementary mathematics. Empirical evidence and philosophical problems with constructivist epistemology are considered. Two things are argued: first, it is reasonable to think, for elementary mathematics, peers collaboration is useful…

Teacher education seems to exhibit a shift from product-oriented mode to social constructivist, process-oriented mode of working. The emergence of professional learning communities (PLCs) of teachers may be seen as one manifestation of this shift. PLCs are increasingly seen as an effective channel for teacher learning and professional development.…

This paper reports results of a qualitative study of sixteen students enrolled in a second year organic chemistry course for chemistry and chemical engineering majors. The focus of the study was student use of the arrow-pushing formalism that plays a central role in both the teaching and practice of organic chemistry. The goal of the study was to…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of the Institute of Information Studies of Tallinn University in introducing ICT, including Web 2.0 technologies, in library and information science education, and to explore the role that these can play in new models of learning and teaching. Design/methodology/approach: Web 2.0…

A constructivist approach in teaching and learning requires one to change various habitual ways for thinking (von Glasersfeld 1995). There is a need for different ways of thinking and doing things, if conventional education is to realise a constructivist worldview. Educators and trainers in both academic and work sectors are promoting the use of…