This article uses "close-up" ethnographic research to provide an account of students' engagement with learning in a South African university. Broadly based on Halliday's [Halliday, M. A. K. (1973). "Explorations in the functions of language". London: Edward Arnold; Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). "Language as social semiotic". London: Edward Arnold;…

Responding to a survey requires cognitive abilities similar to those for any other linguistic task. We argue that, when faced with a cognitively challenging task, individuals respond by simplifying the task, declining it, or performing it poorly. Using the 2003 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA 2003) data sets, we document that…

This article reports a theoretically based study on the model of development of epistemological understanding proposed by Kuhn (2000) [Kuhn, D. (2000). Theory of mind, metacognition, and reasoning: A life-span perspective. In P. Mitchell & K. J. Riggs (Eds.), "Children's reasoning and the mind" (pp. 301-326). Hove, UK: Psychology Press], which…

This contribution reviews research that links students' and teachers' ethnic background to students' perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior, teacher treatment of individual students, and student achievement and subject-related attitudes. The review mainly includes studies from the United States, Australia and the Netherlands and a few Asian…

This paper reports on results of research from a 25-year program of studies investigating teacher-student relationships in secondary classrooms. The authors review the research that examines teaching from an interpersonal perspective using a communicative systems approach and propose a model to describe teacher-student relationships in terms of…

In this paper, we draw on Bernstein's [1996. "Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity: Theory, research, critique." London: Taylor and Francis] notion of "framing" of pedagogical communication to propose a framework for use in specific literacy contexts. Here, we illustrate how this framework has emerged from an examination of text response online…

Calibration concerns (a) the deviation of a person's judgment from fact, introducing notions of bias and accuracy; and metric issues regarding (b) the validity of cues' contributions to judgments and (c) the grain size of cues. Miscalibration hinders self-regulated learning (SRL). Considering calibration in the context of Winne and Hadwin's…

My argument for an empirical and normative model of children's development applicable to reasoning in mathematics is in three parts. Part I is a review of the evidence from a recent study of the development of young children's (aged 5-7 years) reasoning by mathematical induction. Part II outlines an interpretation in terms of an inclusive unit of…

Considers the persuasive qualities of refutational text and explores the role of refutational text in educational settings that have competing agendas. Discusses how the use of refutation to aid learning fits into one of these agendas, and the teaching of refutation as a persuasive rhetorical device fits another. (SLD)

This special issue provides a comparative review and analysis of early childhood education and care policies in several countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The five chapters contain cross-national research reviews and scholarly examinations, illustrated with detailed country case studies. (SLD)

Introduces the five chapters of this theme issue, which explores the learner characteristics, task components, and context variables (including instruction), that can facilitate or inhibit the occurrence of transfer. These chapters represent the diversity of opinion about transfer and instruction. (SLD)

Reviews evidence from more than 40 studies that multimedia learning environments can promote constructivist learning that enables problem-solving transfer. Explores the problem of how multimedia instructional messages can be designed to promote problem-solving transfer. (SLD)

Focuses on transfer of cognitions, motivations, and dispositions related to learning across different cultural-educational contexts, illustrating the discussion with research on learners of Confucian heritage from Singapore and Hong Kong studying in their own countries and in Australia. Discusses implications for educational practice in a…

This review of literature was written in preparation for conducting a research study on the U.S. community college system as a potential model for developing countries, and using Vietnam as a specific case. It is divided into four sections: (a) a discussion of the purposes of higher education (HE), (b) an examination of problems faced by the HE…

A number of research reports and meta analyses on student evaluation of college teaching were reviewed. Student ratings were found to be multidimensional, reliable, valid, and relatively unbiased. Results were useful for feedback, course selection, and personnel decisions. Marsh's Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality (SEEQ) was also…