Environmental Education as a Lived‐Body Practice? A Contemplative Pedagogy Perspective

Environmental education usually appeals to the students’ knowledge and rational understanding. Even though this is needed, there is a neglected aspect of learning ecologically fruitful action; that of the lived‐body. This paper introduces the lived‐body as an important site for learning ecological action. An argument is made for the need of a biophilia revolution, in which refined experience of the body and enhanced capabilities for sensing are seen as important ways of complementing the more common, knowledge‐based environmental education. Alienation from the physical environment is seen as one key element in producing environmental devastation. Consequently, human alienation from nature is seen as closely related to alienation from one's body. It is claimed that through overcoming the (Cartesian) dualist alienation of human consciousness from its lived body, we can decrease the alienation of human beings from their environment. Methods of contemplative pedagogy are introduced for addressing alienation. By getting in touch with the tangible lived‐body in yoga or mindfulness meditation we reconnect to the material world of nature. Contemplative pedagogy cultivates the body and its senses for learning intrinsic valuation and caring for the environment. Lived‐body experience is challenging to conceptualise; we use Maurice Merleau‐Ponty's concept of the flesh in our attempt to do so. Finally, this paper suggests some contemplative practices of the lived‐body for environmental education. Experiencing the flesh of oneself and the world as one and the same is an environmentally conducive experience that gives value and meaning to the flourishing of all life, human and non‐human.     

Efficient reverse k-nearest neighbor estimation

The reverse k-nearest neighbor (RkNN) problem, i.e. finding all objects in a data set the k-nearest neighbors of which include a specified query object, has received increasing attention recently. Many industrial and scientific applications call for solutions of the RkNN problem in arbitrary metric spaces where the data objects are not Euclidean and only a metric distance function is given for specifying object similarity. Usually, these applications need a solution for the generalized problem where the value of k is not known in advance and may change from query to query. In addition, many applications require a fast approximate answer of RkNN-queries. For these scenarios, it is important to generate a fast answer with high recall. In this paper, we propose the first approach for efficient approximative RkNN search in arbitrary metric spaces where the value of k is specified at query time. Our approach uses the advantages of existing metric index structures but proposes to use an approximation of the nearest-neighbor-distances in order to prune the search space. We show that our method scales significantly better than existing non-approximative approaches while producing an approximation of the true query result with a high recall.     

Technological Study of the Decoration on an Erard Harp from 1818

ABSTRACT

Historical pedal harps from the early nineteenth century are highly adorned objects, decorated with various techniques such as polychromy, gilding, decoupage, and gilt composition ornaments. Even though a large number of such instruments are kept in private and public collections, until now their decorative features have not been examined systematically. Moreover, little has been written about the motives behind the choice of various decorative techniques by harp makers. This article presents results from the investigation of a double-action harp made in 1818 by Erard, the leading manufacturer of harps in Regency London, focusing on the technological aspects of its decorative features. Various analytical methods, such as visual examination, microscopy, SEM-EDX, FTIR, and Py-GC-MS, were used to identify the inorganic and organic components in the coating of the harp and to analyse its stratigraphy. Inspection with ultraviolet light revealed details of the original layers and of later additions, while radiography made the internal structure as well as damaged areas and repairs visible. The outcome of this object-based examination was complemented by archival research on the Erard firm, providing new insight into Erard’s production and marketing strategies.     

Cognitive performance of dysphasic students

The cognitive abilities of a group of dysphasic children in a special school in Finland were examined in this study to answer the following questions: Can we categorize their cognitive processing as planning, arousal-attention, simultaneous and successive processing (PASS)? The second question was concerned with detecting subgroups within the dysphasic sample in terms of PASS processes. The subjects were 60 dysphasic children in a special school. Their ages ranged from 7 to 19 years. All subjects were administered tests of planning, arousal-attention as well as simultaneous and successive processing. They were also administered the Wechsler test of intelligence for children and adults according to their ages, two sub-scales of Wechsler memory scale, as well as three ad hoc tests, cancellation task, KS persons and Rey Osterrieth copy task. The results of the factor analysis generally confirmed the emergence of the four PASS factors. As a results of cluster analysis, two subtypes of dysphasics emerged categorized as clearly high and low in the successive factor as well as relatively high and low on the simultaneous factor scores. The low-simultaneous/low-successive group was significantly lower in WISC verbal IQ the Wechsler memory scale for logical memory, and the ad hoc test of KS persons. The results were discussed, in terms of the importance of understanding the language problems typically associated with the two subtypes as well as the remedial program which will take into account their cognitive differences in spite of the fact that both groups had significant language impairment.     

The development of computational estimation in the transition from informal to formal mathematics education

European Journal of Psychology of Education - The transition from informal to formal mathematics is an important episode in children’s mathematical development. The current study investigated...     

How Should Quality Management be Taught?

The teaching of quality management at Chalmers University is described in detail and there is discussion of some important issues to be considered. Possible developments in quality management education for engineers are discussed.     

Framework for Empirical Research on Science Teaching and Learning

In view of the research on education—and subject-related education in particular—that has been conducted in recent years, it would seem useful to describe the current state and future trends of research on science teaching and learning. In the present article, research findings are described, the deficits of science education are analyzed, and medium- and long-term research goals are specified from the perspective of an interdisciplinary cooperative effort between specialists in the fields of empirical educational research; the psychology of learning and instruction; and biology, chemistry, and physics education. Revised and supplemented version of Fischer, H. E., Klemm, K., Leutner, D., Sumfleth, E., Tiemann, R., and Wirth, J. (2003). Naturwissenschaftsdidaktische Lehr-Lernforschung: Defizite und Desiderata [Natural science-didactical learning research: Deficits and desiderata]. Zeitschrift für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften, 9, 179–208.     

Secondary schools included: a literature review

For over a decade, inclusive discourse comprises the development of a school for all, both in primary and in secondary education. Facing long-standing barriers for effective comprehensive education, secondary schools show specific interests, strengths and needs in a school-wide movement towards inclusion. Reviewing literature of recent research in inclusion in secondary schools (2000–2012), current interests represent inclusive culture, policy and practices, although the balance between each of these dimensions is unequal. A large number of studies report on attitudes towards inclusion, followed by inclusive practice. A lower number of studies deal with policy issues. Staff attitudes towards inclusion, access to the general curriculum, peer support, self-determination strategies and collaborative practices in specific subject areas were identified as major topics of investigation. Considerable attention has also been paid to peer attitudes, self-advocacy and student grouping. While the adolescent perspective is emphasised, little room is left for parental involvement. Also, the central role of administrators and professional development of staff has been underexposed in current research on secondary inclusion.