Metaphorical images of schooling: beliefs about teaching and learning among prospective teachers from the United States displaying different motivational profiles

This study focused on investigating the types of schooling beliefs (teaching and learning) expressed through metaphorical images by prospective teachers (PTs) from the United States. Participants (N = 215) rated 10 schooling metaphors illustrating the student–school–teacher relationships (i.e. Passenger–Bus–Driver; Student is a passenger, School is a bus and Teacher is a driver). Two main factors, a student-centred and a teacher-centred approach described the key schooling beliefs of PTs. Additionally, differences in PTs’ schooling beliefs across typologies/clusters of PTs were found. Further, qualitative data from interviews illustrated how each cluster specifically expressed their instructional views.     

有向线图中的(k,l)-核

1 Introduction We consider the finite digraphs that do not havemultiple arcs or loops , but pairs of opposite arcs areallowed.LetD=(V,A) be a digraph , whereVisthe set of vertices andAis the set of arcs .If there isan arc (x,y) fromxtoy,thenthe vertexxis …     

IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF TAIWANESE CHILDREN’S CONCEPTIONS OF LEARNING MATHEMATICS

The aim of the present study was to identify children’s conceptions of learning mathematics and to assess the identified conceptions. Children’s conceptions are identified by interviewing 73 grade 5 students in Taiwan. The interviews are analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods, which results in a structure of 5 major conceptions, each having 2 subconceptions: constructivist (interest and understanding), interpretivist (liberty and innovation), objectivist (academic goal and perseverance), nativist (confidence and anxiety (reverse)), and pragmatist (vocational goal and application). The conceptions are assessed with a self-developed questionnaire, titled “the Conception of Learning Mathematics Questionnaire” (CLMQ), which is administered to 513 grade 5 students in Taiwan and examined with a reliability measure, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlations with 2 criteria: mathematics achievement and approaches to learning mathematics. The results show that the CLMQ has desirable internal consistency reliability and construct validity. The conceptions are also sensibly in relation to the 2 criteria, suggesting that the CLMQ is a valid measure for evaluating the quality of children’s learning mathematics in relation to teaching contexts.     

The influence of situational emotions on the intention for sustainable consumer behaviour in a student-centred intervention

Within the curriculum guidelines for Bavaria, we designed a hands-on educational programme for teaching sustainability with regard to agriculture, food and consumerism, partly implemented on a farm as an out-of-school learning setting. The participants were fifth graders (N?=?176). The research followed a quasi-experimental design and used the subscale consumerism of the General Ecological Behaviour Scale and situational emotions (interest, well-being, boredom) to focus data collection activities. The study monitored the students’ knowledge increase and their Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scores as possible influencing factors on environmental behaviour. After participation in the programme, while we found that the students intended to consume in more environmentally friendlier ways, this intention did not persistent over a seven-week time span, nor did it relate to the INS or knowledge scores. There was, however, a high correlation with positive situational emotions like interest (r?=?.46, p???.001) and well-being (r?=?.39, p???.001), and a negative correlation with boredom (r?=??.42, p???.001). We conclude that the ‘effect’ of the programme immediately measured after the intervention was strongly linked to situational (short-term) emotions, and should be considered in educational planning as well as the evaluation of sustainability teaching and learning.     

Investigating the Efficacy of a Core Kindergarten Mathematics Curriculum to Improve Student Mathematics Learning Outcomes

This study examined the efficacy of a core kindergarten mathematics program, Early Learning in Mathematics (ELM), a 120-lesson program with four content strands: (a) number operations, (b) geometry, (c) measurement, and (d) vocabulary. The study utilized a randomized block design, with 129 classrooms randomly assigned within schools to treatment or control conditions. Measures of achievement were collected in the fall (pretest) and spring (posttest) in kindergarten and in the winter of first grade (follow-up). Although students in ELM classrooms did not differ significantly from students in control classrooms, we expected and found that the effects of ELM depended on students’ initial achievement. Initial achievement moderated condition effects for Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA) scores (p =.0039), but not the Early Numeracy–Curriculum-Based Measurement (p =.1887). We found no effects on follow-up first-grade scores from the Stanford Achievement Test Tenth Edition Problem Solving subtest (p =.9737) or Procedures subtest (p =.6336).     

New Zealand Maori Stories and Symbols: Family Value Lessons for Western Counsellors

Maori stories and symbols offer Westerns counselors a rich heritageof wisdom. This article provides a summary of key Maori mythologyand worldview highlighting the profound significance of sacredgeography—manifested in the marae (meeting ground) andthe wharenui (meeting house)—and family (whenau) imbedded in genealogy (whakapa). The authors then considerrelated significance for contemporary Maori, offer questions andapplications for western counsellors, and acknowledge essentialconsultation from a Maori staff advisor (te kaiurungi).     

Genetic analysis for brix weight per stool and its component traits in sugarcane （Saccharum officinarum）

Brix weight per stool (BW) of sugarcane is a complex trait, which is the final product of a combination of many components. Diallel cross experiments were conducted during a period of two years for BW and its five component traits, including stalk diameter (SD), stalk length (SL), stalk number (SN), stalk weight (SW), and brix scale (BS) of sugarcane. Phenotypic data of all the six traits were analyzed by mixed linear model and their phenotype variances were portioned into additive (A),dominance (D), additive×environment interaction (AE) and dominance×environment interaction (DE) effects, and the correlations of A, D, AE and DE effects between BW and its components were estimated. Conditional analysis was employed to investigate the contribution of the components traits to the variances of A, D, AE and DE effects of BW. It was observed that the heritabilities of BW were significantly attributed to A, D and DE by 23.9%, 30.9% and 28.5%, respectively. The variance of A effect for BW was significantly affected by SL, SN and BS by 25.3%, 93.7% and 17.4%, respectively. The variances of D and DE effects for BW were also significantly influenced by all the five components by 5.1%～85.5%. These determinants might be helpful in sugarcane breeding and provide valuable information for multiple-trait improvement of BW.     

Exploring teachers’ perceptions on physical activity engagement for children and young people with intellectual disabilities

Aim: To explore teacher’s perceptions of barriers and facilitators to physical activity (PA), including enabling, reinforcing and predisposing factors amongst children and young people (CYP) with intellectual disabilities (ID). Method and procedures: The Youth Physical Activity Promotion (YPAP) Model was used to inform semi-structured focus groups to explore PA of CYP with ID. Participants were 23 (9 male) teachers and teaching assistants, from three special educational needs (SEN) schools (1?=?Primary, 2?=?Secondary) within North West England. Three focus groups were held with between six and eight participants, audio and video recorded and data transcribed. Data were inductively and deductively analysed using Nvivo and represented through pen profiles. Results: Three pen profiles were developed and structured around YPAP Model to display themes within the data. Enabling factors (facilities (n?=?23) and activity type (n?=?39)); reinforcing factors (influences of peers (n?=?23), family (n?=?10) and teachers (n?=?19) to PA engagement); and predisposing factors (healthy lifestyle (n?=?15), enjoyment of PA (n?=?14), adaptations for PA (n?=?10), structured play (n?=?10), effects of disability on PA (n?=?8) and the CYPs attitudes towards PA (n?=?8)). Conclusion: CYP with ID enjoy engaging in PA, particularly activities that are of a fun and unstructured nature which allow for progression of skills and promote independence. Participants recognised that they, as teachers, had an influence on the CYP’s PA engagement, however suggested that parents have the most influential role. Similar to previous research, participants noted that CYP with ID had a lack of understanding as regards the importance of PA engagement and its benefits to health. It is suggested a strong home–school link for CYP within SEN schools could prove to be a key facilitator for active and healthy lifestyles education and choices.     

Application of near-infrared spectroscopy to predict sweetpotato starch thermal properties and noodle quality

Sweetpotato starch thermal properties and its noodle quality were analyzed using a rapid predictive method based on near-infrared spectroscopy （NIRS）. This method was established based on a total of 93 sweetpotato genotypes with diverse genetic background. Starch samples were scanned by NIRS and analyzed for quality properties by reference methods. Results of statistical modelling indicated that NIRS was reasonably accurate in predicting gelatinization onset temperature （To） （standard error of prediction SEP=2.014 ℃, coefficient of determination RSQ=0.85）, gelatinization peak temperature （Tp） （SEP=-1.371 ℃, RSQ=0.89）, gelatinization temperature range （Tr） （SEP=2.234 ℃, RSQ=0.86）, and cooling resistance （CR） （SEP=0.528, RSQ=0.89）. Gelatinization completion temperature （To）, enthalpy of gelatinization （△H）, cooling loss （CL） and swelling degree （SWD）, were modelled less well with RSQ between 0.63 and 0.84. The present results suggested that the NIRS based method was sufficiently accurate and practical for routine analysis of sweetpotato starch and its noodle quality.     

Book reviews

Books reviewed in this article: MALATESHA, R.N. and HARTLAGE, L.C. (eds) (1982) Neuropsychology and Cognition (2 volumes). GOLDBERG, H.K., SHIFFMAN, G.B. and BENDER, M. (1983) Dyslexia: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Reading Disabilities. YOUNG, P. and TYRE, C. (1983) Dyslexia or Illiteracy? Realising the Right to Read JORM, A.F. (1983) The Psychology of Reading and Spelling Disabilities. ELLIS, A.W. (1984) Reading, Writing and Dyslexia: A Cognitive Analysis. CULLER, JONATHAN (1983) On Deconstruction: theory and criticism after structuralism. DREYFUS, H.L. and RABINOW, P. (1982) Michel Foucault: beyond structuralism and hermeneutics. EAGLETON, T. (1983) Literary Theory: an introduction. JEFFERSON, A. and ROBEY, D. (eds) (1982) Modern Literary Theory: a comparative introduction. KERMODE, F. (1983) Essays on Fiction 1971-82. LEITCH, V.B. (1983) Deconstructive Criticism: an advanced introduction. MCHOUL, A.W. (1982) Telling How Texts Talk: essays in reading and ethnomethodology. SHOLES, R. (1982) Semiotics and Interpretation. TODOROV, T. (ed.) (1982) French Literary Theory Today; a reader. TODOROV, T. (1983) Symbolism and Interpretation. TODOROV, T. (1982) Theories of the Symbol. SOLTOW, L. and STEVENS, E. (eds) (1981) The Rise of Literacy and the Common School in the United States: a socioeconomic analysis to 1870. DOWNING, J., AYERS, D. and SCHAEFER, B. (1983) Linguistic Awareness in Reading Readiness (LARR) Test. BRADLEY, LYNEITE (1980) Assessing Reading Difficulties. VINCENT, D., GREEN, L., FRANCIS, JEAN and POWNEY, JANET (1983) A Review of Reading Tests. PUGH, A.K. and ULIJN, J.M. (eds) (1984) Reading for Professional Purposes: studies and practices in native and foreign languages. HUDELSON, s. (ed.) (1981) Learning to Read in Different Languages. JUNG, U.O.H. (ed.) (1982) Reading: a symposium. GEOFFRION, L.D. and GEOFFRION, O.P. (1983) Computers and Reading Instruction. SHUARD, H. and ROTHERY, A. (eds) (1984) Children Reading Mathematics. BOUMA, H. and BOUWHUIS, D.G. (eds) (1984) Attention and Performance Vol. X: Control of Language Processes. MANDL, H., STEIN, N.L. and TRABASSO, T. (1984) Learning and Comprehension of Text.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Pirozzolo, F.J. (1979) The Neuropsychology of Developmental Reading Disorders. Tansley, P. and Panckhurst, J. (1981) Children with Specific Learning Difficulties: a Critical Review of Research. Ingham, Jennie (1981) Books and Reading Development. Pavlidis, G.Th. and Miles, T.R. (Ed.) (1981) Dyslexia Research and its Applications to Education. Tzeng, O.J.L. and Singer, H. (Ed.) (1981) Perception of Print: Reading Research in Experimental Psychology. Pirozzolo, F. J. and Wittrock, M.C. (Ed.) (1981) Neuropsychological and Cognitive Processes in Reading. Reichmann, F. (1980) The Sources of Western Literacy: the Middle Eastern Civilizations. Hills, P. (Ed.) (1980) The Future of the Printed Word. Vellutino, F.R. (1979) Dyslexia: Theory and Research. Martin, Graham Dunstan (1981) The Architecture of Experience: a Discussion of the Role of Language and Literature in the Construction of the World. Martínez-Bonati, Félix (1981) Fictive Discourse and the Structures of Literature: a Phenomenological Approach. Ricoeur, Paul (1981) Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences: Essays on Language, Action and Interpretation. Young, Robert (Ed.) (1981) Untying the Text: A Post-structuralist Anthology. Levinson, H.N. (1980) Dyslexia: A Solution to the Riddle. Ericson, Britta (1981) Reading Disabilities and Emotional Disturbances. Arnold, Helen (1982) Listening to Children Reading. (UKRA Teaching of Reading Monograph.) Francis, Hazel (1982) Learning to Read. Tuunainen, K. & Chiaroni, A. (Ed.) (1982) Full Participation. (Proceedings of the Second European Conference on Reading, August, 1981.) Hendry, A. (Ed.) (1982) Teaching Reading: the Key Issues. (Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Conference of the United Kingdom Reading Association, July, 1981.)     

Timing of Information Presentation in Learning Statistics

This study in the domain of statistics comparesfour information presentation formats in a 2 × 2factorial design: timing of supportiveinformation (before or during taskpractice) × timing of procedural information(before or during task practice).Seventy-two psychology and education students(7 male and 65 female; mean age 18.5 years,SD = 2.85) participated. Theeffectiveness of the learning material wasmeasured by test performance. The instructionalefficiency was measured by a combination ofmental effort during practice and testperformance (i.e., a high test performancecombined with a low mental effort duringpractice denotes a high instructionalefficiency). ANOVA showed a main effect fortiming of supportive information: presentationduring practice led to more efficient learning than presentationbefore practice. Moreover, an interactioneffect was found. Simultaneous presentation ofprocedural information before andsupportive information during practiceled to the most efficient learning.     

Simulation games in science education‡

The astronomy concepts of 345 young people were studied over a 10‐year period using a multi‐media, multi‐modal methodology in a research design where survey participants were interviewed three times and control subjects were interviewed twice. The purpose of the research was to search for evidence to clarify competing theories on conceptual coherence versus knowledge‐in‐pieces, distinguishing between coherence as revealed in the representational systems at any particular stage in a young person’s development and the changes evident in mental growth thereafter. Thus five research questions concerned with the elements and structure of understanding were investigated: (1) conceptual coherence shown as patterns of high correlation of concept representations between the media used to assess subjects’ understanding within a survey, as well as (2) coherence revealed as consistency of representation of those concepts across media and modalities; (3) enhanced conceptual understanding and skill through repeated interviews across (longitudinal) surveys, as young people develop their knowledge; (4) cultural similarity in subjects’ representations of basic static concepts (e.g. the shape of the Earth); and (5) improved understanding of basic dynamic concepts (e.g. the motion of the Earth) and complex dynamic concepts (e.g. seasons and eclipses), through “knowledge‐skill compounding”. The research findings supported conceptual coherence and rejected the counter argument of knowledge‐in‐pieces (at an alpha level of .05). Further research is recommended to replicate current research in cultures other than those of China and New Zealand studied here to confirm the view that cognition and knowledge are inherently coherent in young people.     

Construction of some hypergroups from combinatorial structures

Jajcay's studies(1993; 1994) on the automorphism groups of Cayley maps yielded a new product of groups, which he called, rotary product. Using this product, we define a hyperoperation ⊙ on the groupSym _e(G), the stabilizer of the identitye∈G in the groupSym(G). We prove that (Sym _e (G), ⊙) is a hypergroup and characterize the subhypergroups of this hypergroup. Finally, we show that the set of all subhypergroups ofSym _e (G) constitute a lattice under ordinary join and meet and that the minimal elements of order two of this lattice is a subgroup ofAut (G).     

A queer politics of emotion: reimagining sexualities and schooling

This paper draws together [Hochschild's (1979) Emotion Work, Feeling Rules and Social Structure.” American Journal of Sociology 85: 551–575; (1983) The Managed Heart: Commercialisation of Human Feeling. London: University of California Press] concepts of emotional labour and feeling rules with Ahmed's affective economies [(2004a) The Cultural Politics of Emotion. New York: Routledge; (2004b) “Affective Economies.” Social Text 22 (2): 117–139; (2008) “Sociable Happiness.” Emotion, Space and Society 1: 10–13; (2010) The Promise of Happiness. Durham: Duke University Press] and queer phenomenology [(2006a) Queer Phenomenology: Orientations, Objects, Others. London: Duke University Press; (2006b) “Orientations: Towards a Queer Phenomenology.” GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies 12 (4): 543–574] as a way to address wider questions about sexuality and schooling. It highlights the value of the everyday politics of emotion for elucidating and clarifying the specificities, pertinence and complementarities of Hochschild's and Ahmed's work for reimagining the relationship between sexualities and schooling. The combination of their approaches allows for a focus on the individual, bodily management of emotions while demonstrating the connectedness of bodies and spaces. It enables disruption of ‘inclusive’ and ‘progressive’ educational approaches that leave heterosexuality uninterrupted and provides insight into how power works in and across the bodies, discourses, practices, relations and spaces of schools to maintain a collective orientation towards heterosexuality. It also counters linear narratives of progressive change, elucidating how change is a hopeful but messy process of simultaneous constraint, transgression and transformation. Key moments from a three-year study with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBT-Q) teachers entering into civil partnerships in Ireland serve as exploratory examples of the theoretical ideas put forward in this paper.     

Speaking Out: Science Anxiety

A positive school climate is important in maintaining an effective educational environment characterized by excellence, productivity, and cooperation. Because of its impact on successful educational experiences, administrators should attempt to assess climate rather than rely on feelings or intuition to estimate it. Individualized surveys offer a flexible method of addressing specific school needs and concerns.

At first glance, the thought of individualizing a climate survey may appear to be an overwhelming task; however, with planning and effort, it can be accomplished. A systematic process outlining a method for individualizing a climate survey includes (a) planning, (b) preparation, (c) survey development, (d) administration, (e) analysis of results, and (f) dissemination.

A tailored climate survey can be used by administrators to assess the current climate, evaluate programs designed to enhance the climate, and periodically monitor a climate for signs of change. Although time and effort are required to individualize a survey, results directly applicable to the school can help administrators achieve and maintain a positive school climate.     

Estimation method for mixed-effect coefficient semiparametric regression model

Consider the mixed-effect coefficient semiparametric regression modelZ=X'α+Y'β+g(T)+e, whereX, Y andT are random vectors onR ^p×R ^q×[0, 1], α is a p-dimensional fixed-effect parameter, β is a q-dimensional random-effect parameter (Eβ=b, Cov(β)=Σ),g(.) is an unknown function on [0, 1], e is a random error with mean zero and variance σ², and (X, Y, T) and (β,e), β ande are mutually independent. We estimate α,b andg(.) by the nearest neighbor and the least square method. In this paper, we prove that estimations of α,b have asymptotic normality and obtain the best convergence raten ^−1/3 for the estimation ofg(.). Project supported by the NSFC and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province.     

How is nature asymmetric?

This two-part article considers certain fundamental symmetries of nature, namely the discrete symmetries of parity (P), charge conjugation (C) and time reversal (T), and their possible violation. Recent experimental results are discussed in some depth. In this second part, we discussCP andT violation and arrive at a synthesis.     

Learning anatomy enhances spatial ability

Spatial ability is an important factor in learning anatomy. Students with high scores on a mental rotation test (MRT) systematically score higher on anatomy examinations. This study aims to investigate if learning anatomy also oppositely improves the MRT‐score. Five hundred first year students of medicine (n = 242, intervention) and educational sciences (n = 258, control) participated in a pretest and posttest MRT, 1 month apart. During this month, the intervention group studied anatomy and the control group studied research methods for the social sciences. In the pretest, the intervention group scored 14.40 (SD: ± 3.37) and the control group 13.17 (SD: ± 3.36) on a scale of 20, which is a significant difference (t‐test, t = 4.07, df = 498, P < 0.001). Both groups show an improvement on the posttest compared to the pretest (paired samples t‐test, t = 12.21/14.71, df = 257/241, P < 0.001). The improvement in the intervention group is significantly higher (ANCOVA, F = 16.59, df = 1;497, P < 0.001). It is concluded that (1) medical students studying anatomy show greater improvement between two consecutive MRTs than educational science students; (2) medical students have a higher spatial ability than educational sciences students; and (3) if a MRT is repeated there seems to be a test effect. It is concluded that spatial ability may be trained by studying anatomy. The overarching message for anatomy teachers is that a good spatial ability is beneficial for learning anatomy and learning anatomy may be beneficial for students' spatial ability. This reciprocal advantage implies that challenging students on spatial aspects of anatomical knowledge could have a twofold effect on their learning. Anat Sci Educ 6: 257–262. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.