A general history of the research on Chinese academies (1923–2007)

Research on traditional Chinese academies has aroused interest ever since its existence. At least 2 302 papers and over 162 books concerning traditional academic institutions have been published for over 85 years from 1923 to 2007. Consisting of the following four phases as initial development (1923–1949), continual progress (1950–1979), vigorous prosperity (1980–1993) and new tendency in the new century (2000–2007), this paper discusses the characteristics, central issues and research trends of each phase and introduces the main achievements, which are worthy to be noted and discussed. __________ Translated from Hunan Daxue Xuebao (Shehui Kexue Ban) 湖南大学学报 (社会科学版), Journal of Hunan University (Social Sciences), 2007, 21(3): 31–40     

Ted Hughes: The Development of a Children’s Poet

This article looks at how Ted Hughes’ poetry for children developed over more than 30 years of publication. It traces the movement from his earlier, more conventional rhyming poems, such as Meet My Folks! (1961) and Nessie the Mannerless Monster (1964), to the mature, free verse “animal poems” for older readers of Season Songs (1976c), Under the North Star (1981) and the “farmyard fable” What is the Truth? (1984). The article argues that the later lyrical poems for younger readers where Hughes returned to rhyme, The Cat and the Cuckoo (1987) and The Mermaid’s Purse (1993), represent an undervalued final phase of Hughes’ work for children which is rarely discussed by critics. The discussion considers Hughes’ changing attitude to the concept of the “children’s poet” at different periods of his career. Reference is made throughout to Hughes’ own writing about children and poetry, such as Poetry in the Making (1967), and to parallel developments in his poetry for adults.     

THE IMPACT OF PEER INSTRUCTION ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ BELIEFS ABOUT PHYSICS AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

The purpose of this study is to assess students’ conceptual learning of electricity and magnetism and examine how these conceptions, beliefs about physics, and quantitative problem-solving skills would change after peer instruction (PI). The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM), Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), multiple-choice test was administered as a pre- and posttest with Solomon 4 group design to students (N  =  138) enrolled on freshman level physics course. The number of chapter taught to the students was 14. Problem-solving strategy steps were asked to students in the exam. The analyses of CSEM showed that the treatment group (g  =  0.62) obtained significantly higher conceptual learning gain than the control group (g  =  0.36). The conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills of the students on magnetism considerably enhanced when PI was conducted (37% and 20%, respectively). CLASS results for 5 subscales (conceptual understanding, applied conceptual understanding, problem solving general, problem solving confidence, and problem solving sophistication) supported the findings of CSEM.     

论教育重心的转移:以《哈佛教育评论》为例

With the content analysis method, this paper uses statistic evidence and analysis of the discourses in Harvard Educational Review (HER) from 1931 to 2000 to discuss the transformation of educational research, which has turned from “teaching object” to “teaching subject”. What is more, education research is not only aimed at pursuing the efficiency of teaching, but also showing more concern for the individuals in the process of teaching. Translated from Jiaoyu Fazhan Yanjiu 教育发展研究 (Exploring Education Development), 2005, (12): 53–56     

Relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetic comparison of two different enteric formulations of omeprazole

In order to comply with the requirements for a drug listed in China, the study was developed to compare the pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of two different enteric formulations of omeprazole (OPZ) in healthy Chinese subjects. A total of 32 volunteers participated in the study. Plasma concentrations were analyzed by nonstereospecific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method. After administration of a single 40-mg dose of the two OPZ formulations, the comparative bioavailability was assessed by calculating individual AUC_0−t (the area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration), AUC_0−∞ (the area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinity), C _max (the maximum observed concentration), and T _peak (the time to C _max) values of OPZ, 5-hydroxyomeprazole (OH-OPZ), and omeprazole sulfone (OPZ-SFN), respectively. The 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of AUC_0−t , AUC_0−∞, and C _max were 85.4%–99.0%/88.8%–98.6%/87.6%–99.4%, 85.5%–99.2%/89.0%–98.6%/88.5%–101.3%, and 72.3%–87.6%/79.6%–91.1%/88.4%–99.1% for OPZ/OH-OPZ/OPZ-SFN, respectively, and T _peak values did not differ significantly. In this study, the test formulation of OPZ in fasting healthy Chinese male volunteers met the Chinese bioequivalance standard to the reference formulation based on AUC, C _max, and T _peak.     

A general version of the Morse-Sard theorem

Let k,m,n be positive integers,and k≥2,α∈(0,1],0＜r＜min {m,n} an integer,d=r (m-r)/(k α),and iff∈ Ck,α(Rm,R″),A =Cr(f)= {x ∈ Rm ,rank(Df(x))≤r},thenf(A)is d-null.Thus the statement posed by Arthur Sard in 1965 can be completely solved when k≥2.     

Influences of Chinese educational journals—research based on 2000–2004 CSSCI

Based on the analyses on the quality of educational periodicals and the number of publications and citations in Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI), this paper intends to make an analysis and introduction of the general situation of Chinese educational journals and publications during 2000–2004. Results show that the quantity of educational periodicals and papers published in China, their influence, “impact factor” and the quantity of language varieties and quotation types are not completely compatible. __________ Translated from Jiaoyu Yanjiu 教育研究 (Educational Research), 2006, (9): 8–18     

Is season of birth related to developmental dyslexia?

Different moderators/mediators of risk are involved in developmental dyslexia (DD), but data are inconsistent. We explored the prevalence of season of birth and its association with gender and age of school entry in an Italian sample of dyslexic children compared to an Italian normal control group. The clinical sample included 498 children (345 boys, mean age 10.3 ± 2.1 years) with DD, the control sample 1,276 children (658 boys, mean age 10.8 ± 2.2 years) from four elementary schools from the same urban area, and with the same socio-economic status level. A prevalence of birth in autumn was found among children with DD compared to controls (34% versus 24%, p < 0.0001). Children with DD were more frequently males (p < 0.0001) and had a lower mean age of school entry (p < 0.0001). Regarding the distribution of ages, 11.4% of children with DD, but none of the subjects in the control group, started school before 5.7 years. Therefore, greater risk of DD was related to age of school entry (OR = 2.72), gender (OR = 2.16), and season of birth (OR = 1.21). Significant interactions between boys with DD born in autumn, and correct school of entry (OR = 2.56) were joint predictors of higher risk of DD. The association between birth in autumn and DD may be explained by the earlier age of school entry, which may be a critical element in the youngest children with DD or at risk to DD. Whether Italian school policy is oriented to anticipate the school entry, a closer detection of early learning disorders and associated risk factors (familial load, specific language disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) should be warranted.     

Dutch home-based pre-reading intervention with children at familial risk of dyslexia

Children (5 and 6 years old, n = 30) at familial risk of dyslexia received a home-based intervention that focused on phoneme awareness and letter knowledge in the year prior to formal reading instruction. The children were compared to a no-training at-risk control group (n = 27), which was selected a year earlier. After training, we found a small effect on a composite score of phoneme awareness (d = 0.29) and a large effect on receptive letter knowledge (d = 0.88). In first grade, however, this did not result in beneficial effects for the experimental group in word reading and spelling. Results are compared to three former intervention studies in The Netherlands and comparable studies from Denmark and Australia.     

中国大陆高中生国际化高等教育的需求状况分析

By probing into the relationship of senior students’ demand for “internationalization”, students’ expected economic returns in future careers, and their individual concept of modernity, this study attempts to explore several factors that are influencing the demand for overseas higher education. Translated from Jiaoyu Yu Jingji 教育与经济 (Education and Economy), 2006, (1): 51–54