1. The mass media, including TV, radio and newspapers, have great influence in shaping people's ideas. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Education is recognized as vital to the future of any society in today's world. Governments throughout the world should make education compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 15. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
3. The idea of going overseas for university study is an exciting prospect for many people. But while it may offer some advantages, it is probably better to stay home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a different culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
Monday 29 November 2010
Monday 22 November 2010
Saturday 13 November 2010
Qualitative Research
Educational qualitative research is research relying on collected qualitative (i.e. non-numerical data) designed to explore or discover areas of interest. Since the data is often comprised of words, pictures, interviews, etc., this type of research follows a distinctly different path than does quantitative, numerically driven research. The findings are usually presented in narrative form with the results being induced through observation of real events.
Steps in a typical qualitative research study
In a qualitative research paradigm, 8 steps are identified and often depicted cyclically as shown below
Often researchers do not go in step-by-step order since new questions may arise from the fluid nature of the data gathering process, findings suggest other directions, or topics have to be further narrowed to conduct the research. However, most qualitative research eventually uses all of the steps and will generally fall into four major categories: Phenomenology, Ethnography, Case Study and Grounded Theory. The remainder if this writing strives to summarize the salient points of each category of qualitative research.
http://knol.google.com/k/chapter-14-qualitative-research# ( The complete text here )
click on comments to read more
Educational qualitative research is research relying on collected qualitative (i.e. non-numerical data) designed to explore or discover areas of interest. Since the data is often comprised of words, pictures, interviews, etc., this type of research follows a distinctly different path than does quantitative, numerically driven research. The findings are usually presented in narrative form with the results being induced through observation of real events.
Steps in a typical qualitative research study
In a qualitative research paradigm, 8 steps are identified and often depicted cyclically as shown below
Often researchers do not go in step-by-step order since new questions may arise from the fluid nature of the data gathering process, findings suggest other directions, or topics have to be further narrowed to conduct the research. However, most qualitative research eventually uses all of the steps and will generally fall into four major categories: Phenomenology, Ethnography, Case Study and Grounded Theory. The remainder if this writing strives to summarize the salient points of each category of qualitative research.
http://knol.google.com/k/chapter-14-qualitative-research# ( The complete text here )
click on comments to read more
Ethnographic Case Study
An Ethnographic Case Study Approach to Studying the Process of Child Abuse Investigation in the United Kingdom
Jon Prosser
ABSTRACT: This article is concerned with methodological issues related to studies into investigative practices following accusations of child abuse. Part One describes an ethnographic case study approach adopted by a study conducted in the UK and explores how research design was in part molded by the circumstances and context in which the study took place. Part Two takes a broader perspective and identifies some of the problems and benefits which may ensue as a result of adopting a qualitative approach. It is apparent that adopting a qualitative strategy, particularly an ethnographic one, is problematic. However, whilst ethnographic case study work brings with it significant methodological problems it offers valuable insights into the process of child abuse investigation carried out by protection agencies.
Part One
Prosser and Lewis (1992) conducted a study between 1989 and 1991. They considered 30 cases of families who claimed to have been wrongly accused of child abuse. The central aim of the study was not to establish the guilt or otherwise in each case but to identify families' perceptions (children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents) of the process of child abuse investigation. What is presented here is not a prescriptive or "ideal" model of how such a study should be conducted, but an attempt to record one approach. This approach reflects some of the difficulties, uncertainties and mistakes made by a research team who used a sociological framework in studying how accusations of child abuse were investigated.
CLICK ON COMMENTS TO READ MORE...
Jon Prosser
ABSTRACT: This article is concerned with methodological issues related to studies into investigative practices following accusations of child abuse. Part One describes an ethnographic case study approach adopted by a study conducted in the UK and explores how research design was in part molded by the circumstances and context in which the study took place. Part Two takes a broader perspective and identifies some of the problems and benefits which may ensue as a result of adopting a qualitative approach. It is apparent that adopting a qualitative strategy, particularly an ethnographic one, is problematic. However, whilst ethnographic case study work brings with it significant methodological problems it offers valuable insights into the process of child abuse investigation carried out by protection agencies.
Part One
Prosser and Lewis (1992) conducted a study between 1989 and 1991. They considered 30 cases of families who claimed to have been wrongly accused of child abuse. The central aim of the study was not to establish the guilt or otherwise in each case but to identify families' perceptions (children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents) of the process of child abuse investigation. What is presented here is not a prescriptive or "ideal" model of how such a study should be conducted, but an attempt to record one approach. This approach reflects some of the difficulties, uncertainties and mistakes made by a research team who used a sociological framework in studying how accusations of child abuse were investigated.
CLICK ON COMMENTS TO READ MORE...
Friday 12 November 2010
APRENDIZAJE AUTONOMO
What is Learning?
When we learn, we organize, shape, and strengthen our brains.
Humans are learning machines. From the day we are born—and even before—our brains are ready to capture our experiences and encode them into a web of nerve connections.
Our brains are the engines driving the human learning machines. A hundred billion or more nerve cells are crammed into three pounds of complex tissue inside our skull.
Each of these cells is capable of making thousands of connections with others. These cells and connections are the nuts and bolts of the learning machine.
Recent brain research suggests that actively engaging our brains in learning throughout life significantly affects how well we age. Let's explore what we mean by learning.
What Does "Learning" Mean?
To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it.
How much do you remember of what you learned in school?
Unless you've used skills from school in your day-to-day life, you may have trouble recalling the details. This is why brain researchers draw differences between learning and memory. They are closely linked—but they are not the same thing.
Difference between Learning and Memory
Not all learning is transformed into lasting memories.
"Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time," says Eric R. Kandel, M.D., vice chairman of The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine for his work on the molecular basis of memory. "There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory."
For example, you may look up a telephone number and remember it just long enough to make your call. This is sometimes called "working memory." It requires learning—but not for the long haul.
CLICK ON COMMENTS TO READ MORE
When we learn, we organize, shape, and strengthen our brains.
Humans are learning machines. From the day we are born—and even before—our brains are ready to capture our experiences and encode them into a web of nerve connections.
Our brains are the engines driving the human learning machines. A hundred billion or more nerve cells are crammed into three pounds of complex tissue inside our skull.
Each of these cells is capable of making thousands of connections with others. These cells and connections are the nuts and bolts of the learning machine.
Recent brain research suggests that actively engaging our brains in learning throughout life significantly affects how well we age. Let's explore what we mean by learning.
What Does "Learning" Mean?
To most of us, "learning" means an attempt to create a memory that lasts. Mastering new dance steps, learning foreign languages, or remembering acquaintances' names require our brains to encode and store new information until we need it.
How much do you remember of what you learned in school?
Unless you've used skills from school in your day-to-day life, you may have trouble recalling the details. This is why brain researchers draw differences between learning and memory. They are closely linked—but they are not the same thing.
Difference between Learning and Memory
Not all learning is transformed into lasting memories.
"Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time," says Eric R. Kandel, M.D., vice chairman of The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine for his work on the molecular basis of memory. "There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory."
For example, you may look up a telephone number and remember it just long enough to make your call. This is sometimes called "working memory." It requires learning—but not for the long haul.
CLICK ON COMMENTS TO READ MORE
pregunta sobre AUTONOMÍA.
Dear All,
Nuevamente les envio la pregunta sobre AUTONOMÍA.
Pregunta ECAES
Cómo implementaría el aprendizaje autónomo en su aula de L2.
De qué manera las instituciones educativas y los profesores pueden fomentar la autonomía en sus estudiantes.
LA IDEA ES LEER PRIMERO LOS TEXTOS,
GC
Nuevamente les envio la pregunta sobre AUTONOMÍA.
Pregunta ECAES
Cómo implementaría el aprendizaje autónomo en su aula de L2.
De qué manera las instituciones educativas y los profesores pueden fomentar la autonomía en sus estudiantes.
LA IDEA ES LEER PRIMERO LOS TEXTOS,
GC
Monday 8 November 2010
Ethnography. Reaction papers are to contain your reaction, analysis and reflections on the week’s readings.
Theorizing Class Through Ethnography
*Ethnography: Ethnography is both a method of research as well as a type of text. Ethnography as a research method is most closely associated with the discipline of anthropology. Ethnographies are also monographs (texts) that are, more often than not, based on the method of participant-observation – in which the ethnographer (the researcher) produces knowledge and a text by being physically present (e.g. participating and observing the lives/experiences of the people he/she is interested in). As such, ethnographies are usually focused on relatively small groups of people and are based on long-term intensive fieldwork – research – traditionally in one location (although this is changing with “multiple-site ethnography”).
For those who question whether class and other identities matter in education, there are numerous ethnographic studies that demonstrate the way social class frames educational opportunities and relationships between communities and schools. These studies have turned our attention to the lived experiences of poor and working-class students. Through ethnographic and other forms of qualitative investigation, some researchers have highlighted the relationship between social class and access to knowledge (Anyon, 1981; Hemmings & Metz, 1990; Metz, 1986; Oakes, 1985; Page, 1991). Working-class students, for example, have been found to receive unequal access to knowledge because of academic tracking and differential teacher expectations.
Many critical ethnographers have focused on working-class students’ creative and often resistant responses to schooling (Fine, 1991; Weis, 1990; Willis, 1977). These scholars have focused on working-class students as active agents in their own education. In his seminal book Learning to Labor, Paul Willis (1977) found that working-class boys created a culture of resistance and opposition to school that ultimately contributed to their class reproduction. By identifying working-class boys as active agents in their education, Willis challenged purely structural accounts of education that focused on the role of schools in reproducing existing class inequalities (Bowles & Gintis, 1976).
Even good ethnographies, however, are limited in their ability to show the fluidity of social life; ethnographies often freeze people, cultures, and communities in time.
READ MORE ON COMMENTS
*Ethnography: Ethnography is both a method of research as well as a type of text. Ethnography as a research method is most closely associated with the discipline of anthropology. Ethnographies are also monographs (texts) that are, more often than not, based on the method of participant-observation – in which the ethnographer (the researcher) produces knowledge and a text by being physically present (e.g. participating and observing the lives/experiences of the people he/she is interested in). As such, ethnographies are usually focused on relatively small groups of people and are based on long-term intensive fieldwork – research – traditionally in one location (although this is changing with “multiple-site ethnography”).
For those who question whether class and other identities matter in education, there are numerous ethnographic studies that demonstrate the way social class frames educational opportunities and relationships between communities and schools. These studies have turned our attention to the lived experiences of poor and working-class students. Through ethnographic and other forms of qualitative investigation, some researchers have highlighted the relationship between social class and access to knowledge (Anyon, 1981; Hemmings & Metz, 1990; Metz, 1986; Oakes, 1985; Page, 1991). Working-class students, for example, have been found to receive unequal access to knowledge because of academic tracking and differential teacher expectations.
Many critical ethnographers have focused on working-class students’ creative and often resistant responses to schooling (Fine, 1991; Weis, 1990; Willis, 1977). These scholars have focused on working-class students as active agents in their own education. In his seminal book Learning to Labor, Paul Willis (1977) found that working-class boys created a culture of resistance and opposition to school that ultimately contributed to their class reproduction. By identifying working-class boys as active agents in their education, Willis challenged purely structural accounts of education that focused on the role of schools in reproducing existing class inequalities (Bowles & Gintis, 1976).
Even good ethnographies, however, are limited in their ability to show the fluidity of social life; ethnographies often freeze people, cultures, and communities in time.
READ MORE ON COMMENTS
Sunday 7 November 2010
For next Wednesday's class I prepared a document about argumentative presentations which I would like the students to have access to and get a copy.
An argumentative presentation – 5-6 minutes
1. Introduction to presentation: BRIEF- What is the topic? What are you going to talk about? Why is it important?
2. Structure: BRIEF- Structure of your argument.
3. Analyse the topic: give statistics, facts and examples – do not argue yet.
4. Argument: Propose an argument related to the topic, use argument-example-explanation structure. Maybe give 2 or 3 arguments.
5. Counter-argument: For a balanced debate you need a counter argument. You can refute the previous arguments and argue why the other point of view may be valid. REMEMBER- you are not yet giving your opinion, a mature argument considers both sides and cleverly refutes the other point of view.
6. Opinion: With the above arguments considered you should have set yourself up to give your point of view. You can build on previous arguments and assert why you have such an opinion. It can be for one side, or balanced.
7. Solution/ Conclusion: Finish the presentation. If possible propose a solution. Try to conclude with a strong, clear statement.
Connectors
1.
In the following presentation, I will explore/analyse...
It is a topic/problem/phenomenon that has created lots of controversy/debate
2.
Firstly, next, afterwards, following that, finally
I will explain/analyse/focus on/emphasise/centre on/concentrate on
3.
According to, statistics suggest, it is interesting to note that
4 and 5.
It could be argued
Some may assert
On the one hand
In theory/theoretically
For that reason/therefore/consequently
In addition/also/added to that
With reference to
Similarly/in the same way/in the same manner
It is clear that/the reality is that
For example/an example of that is....which demonstrates
If conditional – If there was/were...
However/on the other hand/contrastingly/in contrast/in opposition to
Even though/despite
At the same time
6
In my opinion
My intuition tells me
To my judgement
According to my own point of view
7.
Finally/in conclusion/To conclude
The above considered
It is necessary to/it makes sense to
In order to combat/eradicate/help
If I were the president...
1. Introduction to presentation: BRIEF- What is the topic? What are you going to talk about? Why is it important?
2. Structure: BRIEF- Structure of your argument.
3. Analyse the topic: give statistics, facts and examples – do not argue yet.
4. Argument: Propose an argument related to the topic, use argument-example-explanation structure. Maybe give 2 or 3 arguments.
5. Counter-argument: For a balanced debate you need a counter argument. You can refute the previous arguments and argue why the other point of view may be valid. REMEMBER- you are not yet giving your opinion, a mature argument considers both sides and cleverly refutes the other point of view.
6. Opinion: With the above arguments considered you should have set yourself up to give your point of view. You can build on previous arguments and assert why you have such an opinion. It can be for one side, or balanced.
7. Solution/ Conclusion: Finish the presentation. If possible propose a solution. Try to conclude with a strong, clear statement.
Connectors
1.
In the following presentation, I will explore/analyse...
It is a topic/problem/phenomenon that has created lots of controversy/debate
2.
Firstly, next, afterwards, following that, finally
I will explain/analyse/focus on/emphasise/centre on/concentrate on
3.
According to, statistics suggest, it is interesting to note that
4 and 5.
It could be argued
Some may assert
On the one hand
In theory/theoretically
For that reason/therefore/consequently
In addition/also/added to that
With reference to
Similarly/in the same way/in the same manner
It is clear that/the reality is that
For example/an example of that is....which demonstrates
If conditional – If there was/were...
However/on the other hand/contrastingly/in contrast/in opposition to
Even though/despite
At the same time
6
In my opinion
My intuition tells me
To my judgement
According to my own point of view
7.
Finally/in conclusion/To conclude
The above considered
It is necessary to/it makes sense to
In order to combat/eradicate/help
If I were the president...
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About Me
- Colombia
- Pamplona, Nsder, Colombia
- Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.