Frankenstein goes to engineering school

The development of an engineering curriculum assumes a body of knowledge that students, as future engineers, will need to know. Students acquire this body of knowledge through lectures, laboratories, projects and assignments and other means. The question then arises, how does one select the content and processes that are appropriate for the engineering education? What might be the consequences of these choices? Mary Shelley's Frankenstein presents a tale showing some of the possible consequences of poor choices in teaching content and process. In Shelley's novel, the ‘monster’ finds himself caught between two worlds, one comprised of humans and the other of animals. In this allegory, the engineer is caught between the two worlds of science and art. The purpose of this allegory is to demonstrate how engineers, by accepting the body of knowledge presented to them without questioning the underlying values and assumptions, may find themselves embracing an oppressive ideology and developing an unhealthy identity. Consequently, engineering programs must provide forums where students are not only allowed but encouraged to critique the hidden values and assumptions contained in the programme content and process.     

The Children's Television Workshop goes to school

Repackaging existing educational television series to fit the needs of more narrowly defined audiences is a cost-effective way of delivering high-quality educational television into the schools. This article discusses both the technological and program-design barriers to wider use of television in classroom instruction and details the steps that the Children's Television Workshop took to make3-2-1 Contact, its educational television science series, a more effective science teaching tool.     

Positive psychology goes to school: Are we there yet?

Implicit within a perspective of positive psychology is the assumption that environments can be promoted to foster individual strengths through a preventative focus and the development of positive institutions. Given that the development of positive institutions has direct implications for school psychology, this paper begins to draw attention to the potential of positive psychology within school systems. Throughout the paper, it is suggested that a focus on schools may serve as the nexus between the movement in positive psychology searching to promote positive human development and the institutions that could serve as the vehicle for this development. Historic and emerging trends are examined, with particular attention to how positive psychology could promote the development of positive schools (institutions) that foster success for all students. Specifically, the parallel histories of discontent with deficit‐oriented practice in the fields of mental health and school psychology are reviewed, and precursors to building and maintaining positive institutions that focus on working within the existing system to promote lasting change are explored. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 101–110, 2004.     

Community-based environmental monitoring goes to school: translations,detours and escapes

Community-school partnerships are an established practice within environmental science education, where a focus on how local phenomena articulate with broader environmental issues and concerns brings potential benefits for schools, community organisations and local communities. This paper contributes to our understanding of such educational practices by tracing the diverse socio-material flows that constitute a community environmental monitoring project, where Australian school students became investigators of and advocates for particular sites in their neighbourhood. The theoretical resources of actor-network theory are drawn upon to describe how the project – as conceptualised by its initiators – was enacted as both human and non-human actors sought to progress their own agendas thus translating the concept-project into multiple project realities. We conclude by identifying implications for sustaining educational innovations of this kind.     

Student Learning Theory goes (back) to (high) school

Biggs’ 3P (Presage–Process–Product) model, a key framework in Student Learning Theory, provides a powerful means of understanding relations between students’ perceptions of the teaching and learning environment, learning strategies, and learning outcomes. While influential in higher education, fewer tests of the model in secondary education contexts have been conducted. We investigated relations between Presage, Process and Product variables in the Australian secondary education context, using a wider range of Presage variables than is typical, as well as a novel set of outcomes (class participation, homework completion, and educational aspirations). Australian students (N = 5,198) from 13 high schools participated in the study, completing a paper-based survey in class. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test for construct validity of scales. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the fit of the hypothesised 3P model to the data, and estimate direct and indirect effects between Presage, Process and Product variables. Across the Presage variables, academic self-efficacy and perceived teacher support had the strongest direct effects on outcome variables, as well as the strongest indirect effects through the Product variables. Demographic (e.g., age, gender, parental education) and personological (e.g., Big five personality measures) covariates were generally less salient. The present study illustrates the utility of the 3P model in contemporary secondary education settings. Building academic self-efficacy and positive perceptions of teacher support should enhance both the Processes and Products of learning in secondary settings.     

Deep learning goes to school: toward a relational understanding of AI in education

ABSTRACT

In Applied AI, or ‘machine learning’, methods such as neural networks are used to train computers to perform tasks without human intervention. In this article, we question the applicability of these methods to education. In particular, we consider a case of recent attempts from data scientists to add AI elements to a handful of online learning environments, such as Khan Academy and the ASSISTments intelligent tutoring system. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS), we provide a detailed examination of the scholarly work carried out by several data scientists around the use of ‘deep learning’ to predict aspects of educational performance. This approach draws attention to relations between various (problematic) units of analysis: flawed data, partially incomprehensible computational methods, narrow forms of educational’ knowledge baked into the online environments, and a reductionist discourse of data science with evident economic ramifications. These relations can be framed ethnographically as a ‘controversy’ that casts doubts on AI as an objective scientific endeavour, whilst illuminating the confusions, the disagreements and the economic interests that surround its implementations.     

School psychology goes to college: The emerging role of school psychology in college communities

Many college students display academic and social‐emotional needs that are not being addressed by extant university supports. School psychologists who work in postsecondary settings and have expertise in providing psychoeducational services may be uniquely positioned to help many of these students. However, few school psychologists currently work with or serve college students. To address unmet student needs and illustrate the fruitful role of school psychology in college communities, this article discusses ways university‐based or ‐affiliated school psychologists can expand their current roles. Additionally, a multitiered framework is included that encourages the provision of interventions at universal, selective, and targeted service delivery levels. Although many of the interventions and ideas discussed in this article are not yet widely implemented, they warrant consideration and further elaboration because of their potential to impact college students and the practice of school psychology. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Gudaga goes to school study: methods used in understanding school transitions and early education experiences of an urban Aboriginal cohort

The Gudaga Goes to School Study described the transition to school and early education experiences of 117 urban Aboriginal children and their families. This paper outlines the methods and design of the study. A life course approach, employing multidimensional and multi-theoretical frameworks was used to capture the complexity of issues surrounding the transition and early school experiences with multi-methods used to collect data from children, parents and teachers. Quantitative data included questionnaires, checklists and educational assessments to track children’s academic progress, school attendance, and social/emotional/behavioural development. Qualitative data consisted of semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gain the perspective of stakeholders. Children also participated using photography and drawing mediums. The community controlled study was conceived, designed and conducted in close consultation with the local Aboriginal community.     

高中学生数学思维障碍的成因及突破

在素质教育提出更高要求的当前,只要我们坚持以学生为主体,以培养学生的思维发展为已任,则势必会提高高中学生数学教学质量,真正减轻学生学习数学的负担,从而提高高中学生的整体素质.     

对中考改革的实践与探索

中考具有"选拔"和"导向"的功能.探讨考试的规律、深化教育改革、规范考务管理,充分利用现代化设备、网络资源、程序语言、教育统计、教育测量等手段,以期建立具有我市特色的考试管理学基础理论和推动考务管理向现代化、科学化、规范化方向发展.     

对中考改革的实践与探索

中考具有“选拔”和“导向”的功能。探讨考试的规律、深化教育改革、规范考务管理,充分利用现代化设备、网络资源、程序语言、教育统计、教育测量等手段,以期建立具有我市特色的考试管理学基础理论和推动考务管理向现代化、科学化、规范化方向发展。     

Who goes to MLD schools?

The research reported by Dawn Male of the University of London Institute of Education provides important statistical evidence about the kinds of special educational needs that are currently being met in MLD schools.     

Dr Smith goes to Los Alamos

Long before the complex pressure-temperature phase diagram of plutonium (shown below) was determined, Cyril Stanley Smith’s suggestion that adding small amounts of some impurity atoms to liquid plutonium might retard its undesirable transformation to the brittle alpha phase enabled the fabrication of the world’s first nuclear device tested successfully in New Mexico on July 16, 1945.     

And the OSCAR goes to ..

Perinatal care providers function around the clock, perhaps overassessing themselves and others.     

Where special education goes to die

We suggest that special education could die among common myths about it. That is, special education could cease to exist, at least as we know it, because its true nature and requirements for its functioning are misunderstood. We discuss only 12 common myths about special education, recognizing that there are many more myths and that the ones we write about could be stated differently. We conclude with comments about how the long roots of the idea that special education could become unnecessary might be traced to a publication by Evelyn Deno in 1970 and express our hope that special education will continue as a separate entity.     

关于职业学校实施学分制的思考

章对学分制的两种模式、学分制的变革特征和职业学校实施学分制的挑战与选择进行了深刻的论述。并对实施学分制对深化职业教育教学改革，增强职业学校的吸引力的作用进行了分析。