AGING AND DISABILITY: TOWARD A UNIFYING AGENDA

The aged and the disabled have traditionally been split into two opposing camps by providers of services and themselves. With focus on five cross‐cutting phenomena—their prevalence the ever‐changing nature of their conditions their reactions to both the technicalization and medicalization of their care and the full implications of the home care revolution—for the importance of their finding a common ground is argued. The last section delineates the process by which such a unifying agenda might come to be.     

TEACHING RESEARCH IN GERONTOLOGY: TOWARD A CUMULATIVE MODEL

In this article, we consider different approaches to teaching research methods in gerontology across a continuum of educational program levels. Our goal is to offer a conceptual framework and stimulate productive discussion of key issues and challenges in teaching research in gerontology. It is our belief that education in gerontology should include some level of training in research methodologies across all levels of gerontology instruction. Therefore, we have sought to identify those components of research training most appropriate for each level of gerontological education. Thus, basic understanding of research methods is appropriate at the associate's degree level and introductory exposure to basic issues involved in conducting research with elders provides a necessary backdrop to undergraduate programs. More in-depth understanding of gerontological research methods, particularly those involved in applied research, is a component of quality master's level programs. Finally, in-depth knowledge and the ability to apply distinctively gerontological research methods are necessary for conducting advanced original research at the doctoral level.     

SPIRITUAL FORMATION AS SOCIAL: TOWARD A VYGOTSKYAN DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE

Spiritual formation is a critical concern for any Christian religious educator. While Scripture provides a depiction of spiritual growth, we have often turned to the developmental theorists to better understand the ecology of spiritual formation. One neglected voice in this instance is the late Russian developmentalist Lev S. Vygotsky. His unique perspective on human cognitive development provides an alternative to traditional developmentalism, and additional insight into the ecology of spiritual formation. This article will endeavor to explain the role of developmental theories in understanding spiritual formation, the developmental theory of Vygotsky, and its implications for our understanding of spiritual formation and Christian religious education as a means of advancing it.     

TOWARD A THEORY OF COMPUTER ESSAY GRADING

A principal components analysis was conducted to determine whether the measures of essays made by the computer could be grouped into factors. Six factors (fluency, spelling, diction, sentence structure, punctuation, and paragraphing) were identified. Factor scores were computed for the original essays, and two sets of papers were identified for each factor: papers with high scores and papers with low scores. The selected papers had average scores for all other factors. The high and low papers were then compared to determine what attributes of interest to humans were being reflected by the factors. The attributes found were: quantity of thought, spelling, range of vocabulary and word choice, structure of sentences, emphasis through subordination, and paragraph organization.     

象征人类学：意义的探求与解释

象征人类学把文化当成象征符号体系加以探讨,主张人类学研究的主要目标不是探索人类文化的发展规律,也不是揭示文化和社会的功能结构,而是对文化意义的探索和解释。该学派代表人物道格拉斯认为,象征仪式实际上是服务于社会现实秩序和道德秩序的一种构建,仪式意义是特定社会文化环境所赋予的;特纳提出象征符号不仅是意义的载体,而且直接参与或促成社会行动;格尔兹把文化看成由人定义和操作的符号体系,倡导从象征体系来解释人类行为。尽管在象征人类学内部有着上述不尽相同的理论观点和研究取向,但在研究宗旨、研究范围,以及研究方法方面有着作为一个学派的共同特征。     

英语语音的象征作用刍议

作为一种表音文字,英语的语音具有一定的象征作用。这种象征作用虽无固定的规律可循,但是,在语言长期的使用过程中,由于某些语音经常用于表示某种意义,使得语音与意义之间出现了一些松散的联系,而且某些语音似乎具有了某种固定的含义。本文通过对一些英语文学作品音韵效果的赏析,探索了语音与意义之间神秘的联系,并且说明了英语语音所具有的象征作用及其对于提高评析和鉴赏英语文学作品的能力和丰富词汇量的意义     

浅谈马致远的散曲创作

马致远是一位久负盛名的元曲大家,尤其在散曲创作方面成就更高.他的散曲具有感士不遇的主题,涵虚浑化的意境和旷达清丽的艺术风格,作品数量也极为丰富.