Zoekresultaten

Transforming foreign language teaching practices through communicative classroom-based assessment programs

In today’s foreign language (FL) education, teachers universally recognise the importance of fostering students’ ability to communicate in the target language. However, the current assessments often do not (sufficiently) evaluate this. In her dissertation, Charline Rouffet aims to gather insight into the potential of assessments to steer FL teaching practices. Communicative learning objectives FL teachers fully support the communicative learning objectives formulated at national level and embrace the principles of communicative language teaching. Yet, assessments instead primarily focus on formal language knowledge in isolation (e.g., grammar rules), disconnected from real-world communicative contexts. This misalignment between assessment practices and communicative objectives hampers effective FL teaching. CBA toolbox The aim of this design-based PhD research project is to gather insight into the potential of assessments to steer FL teaching practices. To this end, tools for developing communicative classroom-based assessment (CBA) programmes were designed and implemented in practice, in close collaboration with FL teachers. Rouffet's dissertation consists of multiple studies, in which the current challenges of FL education are addressed and the usage of the CBA toolbox is investigated. Findings reveal that assessing FL competencies in a more communicative way can transform teaching practices, placing communicative abilities at the heart of FL education.

Development and feasibility of stratified primary care physiotherapy integrated with eHealth in patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints: results of a mixed methods study

Background Providing individualized care based on the context and preferences of the patient is important. Knowledge on both prognostic risk stratification and blended eHealth care in musculoskeletal conditions is increasing and seems promising. Stratification can be used to match patients to the most optimal content and intensity of treatment as well as mode of treatment delivery (i.e. face-to-face or blended with eHealth). However, research on the integration of stratified and blended eHealth care with corresponding matched treatment options for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints is lacking. Methods This study was a mixed methods study comprising the development of matched treatment options, followed by an evaluation of the feasibility of the developed Stratified Blended Physiotherapy approach. In the first phase, three focus groups with physiotherapists and physiotherapy experts were conducted. The second phase investigated the feasibility (i.e. satisfaction, usability and experiences) of the Stratified Blended Physiotherapy approach for both physiotherapists and patients in a multicenter single-arm convergent parallel mixed methods feasibility study. Results In the first phase, matched treatment options were developed for six patient subgroups. Recommendations for content and intensity of physiotherapy were matched to the patient’s risk of persistent disabling pain (using the Keele STarT MSK Tool: low/medium/high risk). In addition, selection of mode of treatment delivery was matched to the patient’s suitability for blended care (using the Dutch Blended Physiotherapy Checklist: yes/no). A paperbased workbook and e-Exercise app modules were developed as two different mode of treatment delivery options, to support physiotherapists. Feasibility was evaluated in the second phase. Physiotherapists and patients were mildly satisfied with the new approach. Usability of the physiotherapist dashboard to set up the e-Exercise app was considered ‘OK’ by physiotherapists. Patients considered the e-Exercise app to be of ‘best imaginable’ usability. The paper-based workbook was not used. Conclusion Results of the focus groups led to the development of matched treatment options. Results of the feasibility study showed experiences with integrating stratified and blended eHealth care and have informed amendments to the Stratified Blended Physiotherapy approach for patients with neck and/or shoulder complaints ready to use within a future cluster randomized trial.

Knee extensor muscle steadiness in relation to maximal torque and physical functioning in patients with knee osteoarthritis

DoeltaalDigitaal: het gebruik van vertaaltools in de les

Moet je het gebruik van Google Translate in de taalles verbieden of juist toelaten? In deze blog vertellen Marrit van de Guchte en Paul Halma (project DoeltaalDigitaal) over hun onderzoek naar het gebruik van vertaaltools in de les. Ze laten zien hoe het gebruik van vertaaltools, Quizlet en de activiteit chatten de woordenschat van leerlingen kan vergroten.

Chattaken in je klas: niet alleen superleuk!

Als docent Duits was Paul Halma betrokken bij het driejarige NRO-onderzoek Doeltaal Digitaal. In dit onderzoek leidde hij verschillende professionele leergemeenschappen waarin talendocenten van meerdere scholen werden getraind chattaken te ontwerpen en uit te voeren in de klas. In deze blog beschrijft hij hoe hij een chattaak uitvoert in een 2de klas havo/vwo.

Doeltaal-Leertaal

Heeft een doordachte en verantwoorde doeltaaldidactiek gunstige effecten op het leren van leerlingen in het voortgezet onderwijs, en is zo’n didactiek duurzaam aan te leren door docenten? Om tot de antwoorden op deze vragen te komen, ontwierpen Sebastiaan Dönszelmann, Anna Kaal, Rick de Graaff en Jos Beishuizen een complete didactiek, gericht op toepassing in de reguliere vreemdetalencontext, en daarnaast een intensief professionaliseringstraject. Deelnemende docenten onderwezen hun leerlingen van 1 havo/vwo een jaar lang met behulp van het programma Doeltaal-Leertaal, waarna de prestaties in kaart werden gebracht en vergeleken met die van controleklassen. Het blijkt dat toepassing van de didactiek positieve invloed heeft op de taalvaardigheid van de leerlingen bij zowel lezen als luisteren, spreken en schrijven.