‘It’s one of the first times I’ve felt fully engaged’: developing student engagement using blogging as a form of assessment

There is a widespread debate in higher education about how best to support students in becoming more active and engaged learners. Geographers have occupied a central position in these debates having long been concerned with understanding and creating teaching spaces that encourage active and experiential learning. Recent pedagogical innovations have seen a movement away from a reliance on lecturing as the key pedagogical method and a redefinition of the roles of both teacher and learner. In this paper, we look at the role that assessment, specifically assessed blogs, can play in enhancing student engagement. Drawing on interviews with Course Organizers from two case study courses, student focus groups, and course evaluation surveys we show the various ways in which blogs enhance engagement. We draw attention to how blogging enabled students to personalize their learning and make it more meaningful to them, as well as to foster greater engagement with the course materials including making connections across the course as a whole. Further, we show how blogging enabled students to develop transferable skills that would stand them in good stead for the rest of their time at university and in their future professional lives.     

教育部直属师范大学历史教学论类课程建设的几个问题

2007年国务院决定在教育部直属师范大学实行师范生免费教育,学科教学论的地位得到重视,学校对这类课程的要求也进一步提高。以往部属师范大学历史教学论类课程单一,内容庞杂,理论与实践分离,教学效果不理想。《历史教学论》作为一门学科,应该根据授课对象、培养目标、教学内容分解为多门课程,每一门课程集中力量完成师范生培养的某一个方面的任务,以提高教学质量。     

A Practical Guide to Focus-Group Research

This article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus-group research investigations into students' learning experiences. One previously published focus-group study is used as an illustrative example, along with other examples from the field of pedagogic research in geography higher education. An approach to deciding whether to use focus groups is suggested, which includes a consideration of when focus groups are preferred over one-to-one interviews. Guidelines for setting up and designing focus-group studies are outlined, ethical issues are highlighted, the purpose of a pilot study is reviewed, and common focus-group analysis and reporting styles are outlined.     

关于旅游学几个基本理论问题的思考

从旅游学的理论构成和形成特点看,旅游学属交叉科学;从旅游学的作用和功能看,旅游学又是一门软科学。旅游学的研究对象是旅游系统,具有交叉性、综合性、系统性、群体性和实践性等特点。旅游学的学科体系可以有多种分类。若按学科划分的规范方法,旅游学可以划分为旅游基础理论和旅游应用理论两部分。     

Challenges and Opportunities in Cross-cultural Geographic Inquiry

While qualitative fieldwork in cross-cultural settings is central to human geography, there has been limited focus in the literature on the expectations and skills required to succeed as a field researcher in this area. Some practical advice is available for researchers who are new to cross-cultural fieldwork (e.g. graduate students, junior faculty members) and for advisers preparing young academics for such endeavours; however, themes are often treated individually rather than as a collective whole. This paper provides suggestions for novice field researchers by drawing on the experiences of four female graduate students engaged in qualitative geographic research. It identifies some major issues that influence the feasibility and efficacy of cross-cultural fieldwork, and provides practical suggestions to help prospective researchers plan for and implement field-based research projects in these contexts.     

Training interdisciplinary “wicked problem” solvers: applying lessons from HERO in community-based research experiences for undergraduates

Management of “wicked problems”, messy real-world problems that defy resolution, requires thinkers who can transcend disciplinary boundaries, work collaboratively, and handle complexity and obstacles. This paper explores how educators can train undergraduates in these skills through applied community-based research, using the example of an interdisciplinary research program at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Participating students strengthened their abilities to handle setbacks in the research process, improved communication and teamwork skills, and gained familiarity with interdisciplinary investigation. Programmatic elements that could transfer well to other settings include studying local human–environment problems, working in multigenerational, small groups, and using multiple methodologies.     

三维度服务体验实证研究

服务体验是顾客对服务遭遇所作出的感觉和评价。顾客每次消费都追求相应的利益,比如,追求产品或服务的实用功能、享乐性情感或增进与同伴的友谊等。不同的消费目的决定了顾客的服务体验应当是一个多维的概念。本文在文献回顾的基础上,提出服务体验包含功能体验、情感体验和社会体验3个维度,并以餐馆为调研行业,用问卷调研方法验证了这3个维度的合理性。最后,文章提出对旅游体验作进一步研究的几点思考。     

关于中共党史学理论的若干问题

关于中共党史学理论和方法的研究一直比较薄弱,而且其中若干问题尚存有争议。关于中共党史学的理论方法论体系、学科性质与特点、学科的研究对象与研究内容、党史的体系与历史分期等问题,有进一步探讨、研究和厘清的必要。     

努力开创国史研究工作的新局面

中华人民共和国国史研究不是纯学术研究。我们坚决反对“四人帮”唯心主义的影射史学和其他各种各样歪曲历史的做法 ,但我们不否认国史研究与现实政治生活之间实际存在的密不可分的内在联系。基于此 ,搞好国史研究 ,除了要具备一般的史学功底和综合知识素养 ,以及研究者的刻苦钻研之外 ,还必须解决好实事求是的问题、政治立场的问题、国史研究的理论指导问题。在党的基本理论指导下 ,要认真关注现实问题 ,发挥国史研究在社会主义精神文明建设中的战斗和宣传作用 ,继续加强国史学科的自身建设 ,认真借鉴、学习中共党史研究和地方志编纂的成果及其独特的方法 ,加强同友邻学科的协作、交流 ,而且要注意同国外学术界的联系和交流 ,开拓我们的视野 ,从横向的比较中加深国史研究的深度和广度     

我国旅游学研究现状与学科体系建构研究

在不同的语境下,“旅游”的含义是不同的,内涵复杂多义。“旅游学”一词一般只存在于《旅游学概论》类的教科书中,但从目前坊间收集到的国内《旅游学概论》类的教材的比较分析可以看出,对于旅游学的内涵和外延,旅游学的学科性质、分类和归属等,各家看法都还很不一致,国外!学者对于此也无明确的一致意见。本文认为,旅游学的学科发展和体系建设应该从旅游的最基础、最核心和最本质的概念出发来研究和构建。     

跨学科研究与当代中国史学科发展的前景

当代中国史是历史学家族中最年轻的一门学科,也是最富发展潜力的一门学科,其优势和活力主要表现在能够充分借鉴、运用和整合其他学科的理论和方法。在当代中国史学科中提倡跨学科研究,一方面是指运用其他学科的理论和方法拓宽当代中国史研究的范围,从而更好地体现当代中国史学科的整体性、综合性;另一方面是指借鉴其他学科的理论和方法,从新的视角或新的思路拓展当代中国史研究的深度,增强其学术性与科学性。越来越多的学术实践表明,整合其他学科的理论和方法、实现自身的进步已成为当代中国史学科发展的重要趋势。     

西学移植与中国现代学术门类的初建

晚清时期西方学术各门类传入中国后引起中国传统学术门类分化。中国人所接受的西方学术门类体现出明显的“移植”色彩。西学的传入不仅使中国缺乏的学术门类得到“移植”,而且也促使中国固有学术门类内部的变化,中西学术被整合在一种新学术体系之中。