Elementary and middle school students' image of science and scientists related to current science textbooks in Taiwan

This study examined elementary and middle school students' images of science and scientists, with an analysis of how those images may be influenced by science textbooks currently in use in Taiwan. A modified Chambers' Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) was administered to a total 289 students from grades 1, 3, 5 and 8. Results showed that upper-grade students drew more indicators (i.e., lab coats, eyeglasses, facial features, research and knowledge symbols, and relevant captions) than did lower-grade students. An analysis of individual drawings revealed an increase in sophistication and complexity according to progressively higher grade levels. It was found that students very often drew images strikingly similar to what their science textbook presented. It implicated that our current science textbooks indeed have some degree of influence on students' image of science and scientists.     

Increasing the number of feminist scientists: why feminist aims are not served by the Underdetermination Thesis

Recent feminist philosophers of science have argued that feminist values can contribute to rational decisions about which scientific theories to accept. On this view, increasing the number of feminist scientists is important for ensuring rational and objective theory acceptance. The Underdetermination Thesis has played a key role in arguments for this view [Anderson (1995) Hypatia 10(3), 50–84; Hankinson Nelson (1990) Who knows? From Quine to a feminist empiricism. Temple University Press, Philadelphia; Longino (1990) Science as social knowledge. Princeton University Press, Princeton; Longino (2002) The fate of knowledge. Princeton University Press, Princeton; Kourany (2003) Philosophy of Science 70, 1–14]. This thesis is alleged to open an argumentative “gap” between evidence and theory acceptance and provide a rationale for filling the gap with feminist values. While I agree with the conclusion that feminist values can contribute to rational decisions about which theories to accept, I argue that the Underdetermination Thesis cannot support this claim. First, using earlier arguments [Laudan (1990) in: R. Giere (ed) Minnesota studies in the philosophy of science, vol 14, pp 267–297; Slezak (1991) International Studies in Philosophy of Science 5, 241–256; Pinnick (1994) Philosophy of Science 61, 664–657] I show that Underdetermination cannot, by itself, establish that feminist values should fill the gap in theory acceptance. Secondly, I argue that the very use of the Underdetermination Thesis concedes that feminist values are extra-scientific, a-rational, factors in theory acceptance. This concession denies feminists grounds to explain why their values contribute to rational scientific reasoning. Finally, I propose two alternative ways to explain how feminist values can contribute to rational theory acceptance that do not rely on Underdetermination.

论现代科学技术专家之责任

依据逻辑和历史相统一的原则,对在科技进步历程中科技专家所肩负的责任进行哲学维度的反思,并以案例分析的方法,指出“科学技术价值中立”说的有害性,认为在大科学时代,科技专家应当承担学术层面和社会层面的双重责任。     

当代中国灾害性公共危机下的应对机制构建

中国是灾害性公共危机频发的国家,人口因素、环境污染、资源浪费以及片面追求GDP的增长等诸多因素,使中国的灾害性公共危机面临潜在性的威胁,尤其是正处于转型时期的中国,更应当建立一整套行之有效的灾害性公共危机应对机制。合理有效的灾害性公共危机应对机制,应当以政府为主导,通过社会资本的参与,充分发挥媒体的宣传导向作用,才能够建立一套行之有效的灾害性公共危机应对机制。     

公共领域、当代媒体与构建和谐社会

公共领域有古希腊的公共领域、代表型公共领域和资产阶级公共领域这三个发展阶段,它本质上是一个社会公共空间,其主体是具有批判能力的公众,客体是公众关注的问题,而公众经过讨论形成的公共意见具有重要影响。当代媒体在这种意义上属于公共领域,它对于构建和谐社会具有积极意义。     

Building an online community to support the professional development of casual teachers

Abstract

With the burgeoning casualisation of the higher education workforce, the precarious nature of casual teaching has become increasingly well documented. Universities are recognising that enhancing quality learning and teaching must include attention to the provision of services, support, and professional development for teachers employed on a sessional or casual basis. This paper presents a study investigating an online course for supporting and connecting dispersed and diverse casual teachers at an Australian university. The study explores the role of community and the impact of professional development for casual teachers across discipline boundaries in an institution-wide online course.     

Professional learning of observers,collaborators, and contributors in a teacher-created online community in Korea

This study investigated professional learning taking place in a teacher-created online community. In particular, this aimed to explore how teachers at different levels of participation learn in an online community. The results showed that teachers usually began as observers, reading others' postings and using contributors' teaching resources, and moved to collaborators, posting their comments on teaching resources and discussing their problems with other teachers, and then to contributors, sharing their teaching resources with other teachers and providing information, advice, and help to other teachers. As they participated in the online community at different levels, teacher learning took place in multiple ways including learning through tryout, collaborative problem solving, and critical reconstruction. Yet, not all teachers moved toward full participation in the online community. The majority of teachers remained as observers and their lack of participation in the negotiation of meaning constrained teacher learning. For the online community to be a fertile ground for teacher learning, more emphasis needs to be placed on the collaborative construction of knowledge and the transformation of shared practice, rather than the transmission of knowledge and the dissemination of good practice.     

Learning through making in public libraries: theories,practices, and tensions

This article investigates learning and teaching in library makerspace programs. Given the recent trend for libraries and makerspaces to define themselves in terms of learning, the findings of this article are particularly relevant to current initiatives. The article first reviews pedagogical theories which are referenced in literature connected with makerspaces. Second, the article analyzes interview and observational data from a system-wide public library makerspace program. The analysis compares the pedagogical theories with the realities of teaching and learning in public library makerspaces and indicates tensions emerging from these comparisons. The conclusion highlights ways librarians in makerspaces might consider the affordances of these spaces and ways goals, facilitation strategies, and assessments might draw on a range of pedagogical theories. Rather than approaching makerspaces with a ‘one-size-fits’ all model, librarians can design makerspace learning and teaching to align with a range of structures, styles, and content.     

Collaborative feedback and reflection for professional growth: preparing first-year pre-service teachers for participation in the community of practice

Teaching has been described as an emerging community of practice. Within such professional communities, the processes of reflection and collaborative dialogue, or critical transformative dialogue, are central to the maintenance and improvement of professional practice for individuals, and the field. This paper reports on the challenges experienced by a group of first-year pre-service teachers engaging in a process of reflection and critique with peers, as they participated in a program focused on the development of core practices of teaching. These pre-service teachers' responses indicated their growing understanding of the importance of engaging in ongoing critical dialogue, as part of the “unnatural” aspects of teaching. The paper concludes with a reflection on the value of feedback from the earliest stages of professional learning.     

Limits and potentials of social networking in academia: case study of the evolution of a mathematics Facebook community

The use of social networking services has rapidly increased in recent years, especially by university students. Some authors assert that they have educational potential in terms of promoting collaborative learning practices among undergraduate students which enhance engagement and understanding. This possibility is particularly relevant to mathematics learning, because university communities are frequently experienced as isolating and performance-oriented. This case study reports on the use of Facebook to support mathematical communication and more participative learning identities within a UK university mathematics department. It describes how the reactive formation of a student-led Facebook community became a source of conflict within the wider academic social community and how this conflict was eventually resolved. While it raises questions about the extent to which Facebook can encourage open collaborative learning within the wider context of student aspirations in a competitive climate, it notes its potential for fostering cross-cohort student support in a subject which frequently induces anxiety in its students.     

Reframing peer mentoring as a route for developing an educational community of practice

ABSTRACT

The benefits of peer mentoring in school settings are well-documented, however, the focus has been on the perceptions of teachers, as opposed to teaching assistants, who report distinct beliefs about their professional development. A mixed methodology was used in which 304 primary school teaching assistants completed questionnaires regarding their views of their professional development while undertaking training on a mathematics intervention for underachieving pupils. Open-ended questions elicited the perceived benefits of the peer mentoring aspect of the training. We utilized Lave and Wenger’s (1991) community of practice framework to inform the qualitative analysis and the principles of grounded theory to arrive at three themes representing the perceived benefits: an opportunity to discuss and share experiences; increased confidence; and a safe space to test teaching plans and resources. Findings were used to reframe the benefits of peer mentoring for teaching assistants undertaking intervention training, which can inform further research and future training programs.     

I just do not have time for new ideas: resistance,resonance and micro-mobilisation in a teaching community of practice

There is growing interest in the role Communities of Practice (CoPs) play in continuing professional development of academics. However, very little research has explored how CoP theory is applied in practice in academic settings. Using the concepts of resonance and micro-mobilisation from social movement theory, we explore academic engagement (and disengagement) in the online aspects of a CoP in a large, multi-campus, multi-disciplinary university business school. Our findings demonstrate that while some found this environment useful and minor patterns of micro-mobilisation emerged, there were challenges in developing resonance using online technologies. Difficulties in finding technologies fit for purpose, concerns about confidentiality online and time jealousy were key issues that need further exploration.     

“公共精神”:培育当代民族精神的核心理论维度

现代教育的最终使命和核心任务在于塑造和培育民族精神。任何民族的民族精神,实质上是该民族之“公共性”文化精神的理论表达,以及对共同的价值理想、信念的理解和不懈追求。现代“公民社会”需要具备现代性社会精神气质与人格特质的人,国民教育尤其是民族精神教育实质上是一种社会化的“公众教育”,是指全社会都参与到新的理性与人文精神的学习、传播、创新和实践中来。培育民族精神中的“公共精神”品质的关键,是发育中国的“公民社会”,培养民众的“公民意识”。一个国家的公民意识和公民精神,可以折射出这一民族和国家文明的面貌;反之,从一个民族国家的文明中也可以看到公民意识和公民精神的投影。突出民族精神中“公共精神”信念的教育,既是在国际社会中树立中华民族的“国家形象”的长远之策,又是构建一种涵摄“公共性”文化精神与价值理念追求于其中的、富于鲜明时代特色的开放的民族精神新生形态之必需。     

马克思政府公共性思想的黑格尔主义来源与当代价值

马克思政府公共性思想是对黑格尔市民社会与国家理论的批判性继承:在这种批判性继承中显示出马克思政府公共性思想的黑格尔主义来源;对市民社会与政治国家作明确区分是马克思政府公共性思想与黑格尔国家理论的共同基础;两者都属于自由主义批判的共同模式.通过对近代自由主义和黑格尔国家理想主义的批判,马克思以"自由人的联合体"实现了对市民社会和政治国家的双重超越.研究马克思政府公共性思想特别是市民社会理论,对我国当前加强以改善民生为重点的社会建设、强化政府社会管理和公共服务职能、构建公共服务型政府和多元参与的公共管理模式,具有重要的理论价值和实践价值.     

略论江泽民的科技观及其科技发展战略

江泽民在充分考察当代世界科技发展新态势的基础上,全面阐述了科学技术对社会经济发展的巨大推动作用,认为现代科学技术已成为生产力发展的主要动力,是精神文明建设的基石,是先进生产力和先进文化的集中体现和重要标志。同时,在科教兴国的总体战略下,他提出了科技与经济相结合、基础研究与高新技术开发并重、加强科技创新、弘扬科学精神、培养科技人才等一系列推进我国科技进步的具体方针。江泽民的这些科技思想是对邓小平科技思想的继承与发展,是实现我国科技事业在21世纪跨越式发展的根本指针。     

科技革命与风险社会

科技革命的实质是人类文明传统的转换,也促发了现代社会的风险。在当代,科技革命成为风险社会的建构机制,风险社会成为科技革命的发展困境。为了有效应对新科技革命时代下的风险社会问题,以科学发展观为指导的公共治理成为科技社会的革新路径。     

基础教育课程改革理论与实践偏离的社会学分析

始于千年交替之际的中国基础教育课程改革,针对原有课程的种种弊端提出了一系列新的教育和课程理念,为我们描述了一幅“乌托邦”式的教育美景。但是在从理论到实践的过程中,我们发现了许多矛盾和偏离,这引起了学界和社会各界人士的关注和争论。文章试图从“文化堕距”、“迟发展效应”等社会学的角度对此进行剖析,认为争论或矛盾都或多或少可以归因于我国“社会转型”的特殊性和复杂性。     

Promoting writing amongst peers: establishing a community of writing practice for early career academics

In the current research-focused climate, academics are facing increasing pressure to produce research outputs. This pressure can prove particularly daunting for early career (EC) academics, who are simultaneously attempting to master new teaching and administrative demands while establishing their own independent research trajectories. Previous reports suggest that academic writing retreats can be an effective way of increasing research outputs. Such retreats generally involve academics from a range of career stages and require expert facilitators. Through organising a series of structured writing events, this project aims to cultivate an enduring community of practice for academic writers. Reflecting on our EC retreat and subsequent writing days with academics from different career stages, we suggest that success hinged on three key factors: (1) A formal structure comprising bounded periods of intense writing, flanked by group reviewing and goal-setting; (2) Co-located writing with participants based in a shared space, away from their usual workstation and distractions; (3) Peer discussions involving participants at a similar career stage. Specifically we found that writing amongst ‘equals’ increased productivity and confidence amongst EC academics.     

20世纪90年代以来欧美教师科学观研究综述

本文从教师科学观的含义、研究方法、研究结果以及由此所产生的启示和建议等方面,对20世纪90年代以来欧美关于教师科学观的研究进行了综述,并提出了笔者的几点思考.