Is Educational Research Any Use?

We begin by examining the widespread scepticism about the value of empirical educational research that is found within sections of the philosophy of education community. We argue that this scepticism, in its strongest form, is incoherent as it suggests that there are no educational facts susceptible of discovery. On the other hand, if there are such facts, then commonsense is not an adequate way of accessing them, due to its own contested and variable nature. We go on to examine the claim that teaching is a moral enterprise whose successful pursuit demands the grasp of moral concepts and their implications. We show that while this is the case, it is a necessary, not a sufficient condition for successful teaching, which also requires a grasp of facts that are relevant to effective teaching and learning. Finally we examine some protocols for educational research. John Gingell, John Gingell is head of philosophy programmes at the University of Northampton, UK. He is the author, with Ed Brandon, of ‘In Defence of High Culture’ (Blackwell 2000) and (with Christopher Winch) ‘Philosophy and Education Policy: a critical introduction’ (Routledge 2004). Christopher Winch teaches at King’s College, London, UK. He is the author of ‘The Philosophy of Human Learning’ (Routledge 1998) and ‘Education, Autonomy and Critical Thinking’ (Routledge, forthcoming, 2005).     

青少年药物滥用的防治

随着社会转型所带来的生活方式多元化,青少年药物滥用现象,在威胁着青少年身心健康的同时,也破坏了社会的和谐与发展。一般来说,其形成原因包括自身、家庭、学校和社会等多种因素,因而,预防和解决青少年药物滥用问题,就需要建立一套涉及多个层面的防治体系。     

医学专科能力评审的争议及规避策略

医院的医学重点专科建设是医院发展的重要战略,如何认定某医院某专科为地方的重点专科,是一个系统工程。地方卫生行政主管部门如何把握评审认定标准,展示政府执政的公正公平,是十分敏感的问题,它蕴藏着很大的风险。在重点专科的评定过程中如何体现政府形象,规避行政风险,需要认真探讨。结合某市重点专科检查的实际情况进行分析,就此种争议及规避策略提出建议。     

中学生学习策略的结构与使用特点

本文采用修订的中学生学习策略量表,系统考察了初一到高三1341名中学生学习策略的使用情况。结果表明:①本次修订的中学生学习策略量表具有良好的信度和效度,划分为认知策略、元认知策略和资源管理策略的结构合理;②中学生在认知策略、元认知策略和资源管理策略的使用上有随年级增长而下降的趋势,在资源管理策略上女生得分明显高于男生;③时间管理策略、努力策略和支持寻求策略对初中生的学习成绩有正向预测作用,调节策略和努力策略对高中生的学习成绩有正向预测作用,而支持寻求策略有负向预测作用。     

策略型学习者认知心理结构及其运行机制

高效率学习是现代社会发展的需要,也是适应信息量急增的社会变革需要的必然选择。从教育心理学的视角研究策略型学习者,对其高效率学习心理,特别是高效率学习认知心理结构及其运行机制进行研究,有助于教育理论与实践工作者准确把握这类特殊教育对象的心理特点与规律,为开展策略型学习者教育提供了心理学依据。     

小学生数学应用题解题水平影响因素的研究——视空间能力、认知方式及表征方式的影响

研究采用3(年级)×2(场认知方式)×2(视空间能力水平)×3(问题表征方式)四因素混合实验设计,探讨了这四种因素对小学生数学应用题解题水平的影响。结果表明:年级、认知方式、空间能力以及问题表征方式均是影响小学生应用题解决水平的关键因素;问题表征方式、认知方式、空间能力以及年级四个因素对小学生解题水平存在交互作用,其中图形提示有利于场依存性学生解题水平的提高,低空间-场依存型的学生更适合图形提示;高空间-场依存型的学生随年级升高解题能力发展较快,而低空间-场依存型的学生解题水平提高较慢;随着年级的升高,图式表征对小学生问题解决的促进作用增强。     

主动建构学习策略和自信的实验研究

目的:通过开设心理健康教育课,促进学生学习策略和自信心的形成。方法:采用问卷法和实验干预法对某中学初一学生进行为期八周的实验干预。结果:实验组学生在学习策略、自信方面的提高水平高于对照组学生,在自信方面,两组学生之间存在明显差异。结论:正确的学习策略和自信心可以主动建构。     

高效率学习的心理机制研究

本课题通过一系列研究,发现要实现高效率学习,应在知识呈现符合学生认识规律的情况下,具备以下五个主要心理要素:选择性注意是实现高效率学习的前提,元认知是高效率学习的监控系统,非智力因素是高效率学习的动力源泉,学习策略是实现高效率学习的保障,内隐认知,特别是内隐学习是高效率学习的特殊形式。     

Qualitative research in psychology: Attitudes of psychology students and academic staff

Qualitative research is experiencing a resurgence within the field of psychology. This study aimed to explore the range of attitudes towards qualitative research in psychology held by students and academics, using the model of attitudes by Eagly and Chaiken as a framework. Twenty‐one psychology students and academics were interviewed about their attitudes towards qualitative research. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. While qualitative research was described as inherent to the psychology profession and useful for generating rich data, some participants felt that this approach was not well respected or considered as legitimate as quantitative methods. Reflecting common misperceptions about qualitative research, participants also expressed concerns that qualitative research was too subjective and had limited generalisability. Furthermore, some participants felt that they lacked the skills and confidence necessary to conduct qualitative research. Large investments in time and resources were identified as barriers to undertaking qualitative research. Identifying attitudes towards qualitative research provides a basis for future work in dispelling myths, promoting attitudinal change and increasing both the use and teaching of qualitative approaches in psychology.     

The Role of Strategy in Mixed-Gender Group Interactions: A Study of the Television Show “The Weakest Link”

This paper studies mixed-gender group interactions in a strategic game where group members are sequentially eliminated till a single winner takes all. Study 1 tests the hypothesis that female contestants are retained till final rounds where they are eliminated. Using observational data from the US television show The Weakest Link (20 shows), results show that females are finalists but not winners. In a laboratory study (Study 2, 67 Berkeley undergraduates), we show that this effect is attenuated when winnings are shared among finalists (versus one winner takes all) due to the reduction in competitive pressures in the context. This research was supported in part by the Junior Faculty Research Grant awarded by the University of California at Berkeley to the second author.