Enhancing Interdisciplinary, Mathematics, and Physical Science in an Undergraduate Life Science Program through Physical Chemistry

BIO2010 advocates enhancing the interdisciplinary, mathematics, and physical science components of the undergraduate biology curriculum. The Department of Chemistry and Life Science at West Point responded by developing a required physical chemistry course tailored to the interests of life science majors. To overcome student resistance to physical chemistry, students were enabled as long-term stakeholders who would shape the syllabus by selecting life science topics of interest to them. The initial 2 yr of assessment indicates that students have a positive view of the course, feel they have succeeded in achieving course outcome goals, and that the course is relevant to their professional future. Instructor assessment of student outcome goal achievement via performance on exams and labs is comparable to that of students in traditional physical chemistry courses. Perhaps more noteworthy, both student and instructor assessment indicate positive trends from year 1 to year 2, presumably due to the student stakeholder effect.     

对小学科学课程的哲学反思

文章在后现代课程观的基础上,反思当前小学科学课现状,认为不确定性是小学科学课程的发展目标,实践性是小学科学课程的核心要素,境域性是小学科学课程的时空和文化共生平台,隐喻性是小学科学课程的方法和逻辑的重新共融。随着近年来我国新课程改革的推进,对小学科学课程的哲学反思越来越重要。     

计算机本科教育引入微软院校IT课程的思考

分析了我国计算机本科教育的现状,并通过对微软院校IT课程特点的分析,揭示了在我国计算机本科教育中有选择地引入微软院校IT课程对原有课程体系进行改革的必要性。     

高校课程大纲的功能和要件:兼论我国大学课程大纲制度之现状

在高等教育发达的国家和地区,课程大纲是高校教师开课之初必须向选课学生提供的文件。本文在讨论高校课程大纲的功能和基本内容后,报告了我国两所重点高校相关调查结果。对N大学社会科学本科生专业课课程大纲使用情况的调查表明,该校教学中缺乏课程大纲制度和文化,严重影响了本科生和研究生的教育质量。对N和X大学部分教师的调查表明,90%受访教师认为大多数中国高校教师提供的课程大纲不符合国际规范。中国大学课程大纲现状,是其整体教师队伍尚处于前职业阶段的写照。     

《大学物理》教学改革和实践研究

《大学物理》是理工科各专业的一门重要必修基础课,近年来,我们以现代教育理念为指导,以培养高品位的“应用型人才”为目标,经多次修订教学大纲,完善课程体系、改进教学内容,进行了教学过程、教学方法与手段的改革与实践研究,并把多媒体技术融入大学物理课程教学,有效提高了大学物理教学的教学质量。     

Need Assessment of Computer Science and Engineering Graduates

This case study considered the syllabus of the first and second year studies in computer science. The aim of the study was to reveal which topics covered in the syllabi were really needed during the following years of study or in working life. The program that was assessed in the study was a Masters program in computer science and engineering at a university of technology in Finland. The necessity of different subjects for the advanced studies (years 3?–?5) and for working life was assessed using four content analyses: (a) the course catalog of the institution where this study was carried out, (b) employment reports that were attached to the applications for internship credits, (c) masters theses, and (d) job advertisements in a newspaper. The results of the study imply that the necessity of physics for the advanced study and work was very low compared to the extent to which it was studied. On the other hand, the necessity for mathematics was moderate, and it had remained quite steady during the period 1989?–?2002. The most necessary computer science topic was programming. Also telecommunications and networking was needed often, whereas theoretical computer science was needed quite rarely.     

科学课程的人文意蕴与教学实施

构建高效课堂是我国基础教育课程改革中备受关注的教育实践问题。以学生为中心,关注学生的人格健全,关注学生的精神成长,是高效课堂的重要特征之一。在科学教育中,学生人格健全与精神成长的重要方面是理解科学的文化价值。同时,科学与人文结合,体现科学课程的人文内涵,通过科学教育影响和改变学生的精神世界,也是近年来国际科学教育改革关注的焦点。在科学课程的教学实施中,基于科学课程内容特点,培养学生的民族情感、科学价值观、科学审美意识,以及科学精神与科学态度,是挖掘和体现科学课程的人文价值、渗透与培育人文精神的有效策略。     

战后日本小学理科课程的修订

文章以日本小学理科教学大纲（理科的目标和内容）为线索，简要系统地回顾了战后日本小学理科课程七次修订的历史，阐述了日本小学新理科课程的基本理念。     

我国小学科学课程发展的过程及特点

了解我国小学科学课程的发展历史,对指导当今的科学课程改革意义重大。我国小学科学课程的发展历经百年,可以划分为四个时期,在简述四个时期的发展过程及特点时,并对《国家小学科学课程标准》与新《科学》教材的一些特色作了分析。     

论基于探究的科学教学

随着国家基础教育课程改革向纵深方向发展,基于探究的科学教学已越来越被广大教师认同,并作为一种教学模式被教师所掌握,但在实际的科学教学中还存在着许多偏差。文章基于教师的角度,试图从传统的科学教学、学生学习科学以及探究性教学等方面来论述基于探究的科学教学的一些特点,并指出了教师应该努力的方向。     

Science Discipline Knowledge for Primary Teachers

Many primary teachers have a limited understanding of science concepts. A recent Australian government review of science teacher education strongly recommended that this problem be addressed in preservice and post‐initial teacher education programs. This paper outlines some approaches that might satisfy this recommendation. Course structure and design are initially considered. Specific techniques are then described which revolve around a constructivist approach to teaming science concepts. Although the importance of science processes is still acknowledged, it is implied that significant time needs to be devoted to reflecting upon and sharing one's own perceptions of science concepts. Some exemplar professional development courses and materials which also address the teacher's own science knowledge are considered briefly. The suggestions and examples draw heavily upon approaches taken by British teacher educators who have had to confront this issue directly because of the nature of their science syllabus.     

Internet Usage in Undergraduate Management Science and Operations Management Courses

We surveyed 1,353 professors to learn if and how they use the Internet in instructing their introductory undergraduate management science (MS) and operations management (OM) courses. We surveyed the faculty instructing these courses, since the same faculty often teaches both areas. Thirty-five percent of the faculty teaching introductory MS or OM courses use the Internet in their instruction. The most reported applications of the Internet were: searching the Internet for information/data, gathering data about a specific company, retrieving an article, reading or downloading homework problems, and downloading a syllabus. The most common reasons for not using the Internet as part of course pedagogy were: lack of student access to computer laboratory resources, lack of faculty training in Internet-related areas, lack of relevant Websites, and faculty not being convinced about the learning students receive from its use.     

Discourses of Cultural Diversity in the Science Curriculum: Connections,contradictions, and colonialisms

Cultural diversity is a key concept informing the recently introduced New South Wales Stages 4 and 5 (junior high school) science syllabus. In this paper I undertake a genealogical analysis of the discourses of culture and cultural diversity found in the syllabus itself and in the accompanying syllabus support document. The discourses used in the documents can be traced back to federal government documents from the 1970s and 1980s. I attribute the impetus for specifically and extensively addressing issues of culture and cultural diversity to recent changes in the ways in which state government bodies are required to report progress in matters of “ethnic affairs”. I identify a range of contradictions in the discourses, and argue that some of these ways of thinking about culture and cultural diversity are colonial in the sense that they act to contain and constrain diversity. I argue that future versions of the syllabus need to more deftly and appropriately deal with issues of difference. In particular, they need to move beyond culturalist accounts to the provision of a wider range of concepts with which teachers can analyze the social contexts in which they are working.     

Linking Mathematics and Psychological Science

Abstract

We describe a successful collaboration between mathematics and psychological science faculty members to create a learning community for our students that linked sections of introductory mathematical reasoning and psychological science courses. The students in our learning community were in their second or third semester. The learning community is designed so that, throughout the semester, students regularly move across the border between the two linked disciplines by completing common assignments, including a group project. We modified our existing course topics and frameworks to be intentional about building connections between the courses.     

Implementing Change within a School Science Department: Progressive and Dissonant Voices

The purpose of this study was to describe the teaching and leadership experiences of a science teacher who, as head of department, was preparing to introduce changes in the science department of an independent school in response to the requirements of the new junior science syllabus in Queensland, Australia. This teacher consented to classroom observations and interviews with the researchers where his beliefs about teaching practice and change were explored. Other science teachers at the school also were interviewed about their reactions to the planned changes. Interpretive analysis of the data provides an account of the complex interactions, negotiations, compromises, concessions, and trade-offs faced by the teacher during a period of education reform. Perceived barriers existing within the school that impeded proposed change are identified.     

陕西省高校理工科学生田径教学达标考核标准研究

通过对陕西普通高校走访调查，发现田径教学达标考核标准的科学性，合理性不足是田径教学中存在的一个急需解决的共性问题，本课题通过对理工科学生进行研究，试给其制定出一个较为合理，科学，统一的田径教学达标考核标准，为进一步修订和完善普通高校教学大纲提供客观依据和理论参考。     

“知识为本”课程体系的危机与理念重塑

以知识为本、高度分化、相互缺乏相融性的“科学主义”和“专门职业化”的高等教育课程体系已远远不能适应现代社会、经济、科技发展的需求。在构建新世纪我国高等教育课程体系时,应充分考虑现代政治、经济结构对人才的要求,站在主动适应和促进科技进步的战略高度,去分析和预见高等教育课程的构建原则,形成新的反映我国传统文化,又体现知识经济发展态势,以“能力为本”的高等教育理念。     

Transforming Elementary Science Teacher Education by Bridging Formal and Informal Science Education in an Innovative Science Methods Course

We investigated curricular and pedagogical innovations in an undergraduate science methods course for elementary education majors at the University of Maryland. The goals of the innovative elementary science methods course included: improving students’ attitudes toward and views of science and science teaching, to model innovative science teaching methods and to encourage students to continue in teacher education. We redesigned the elementary science methods course to include aspects of informal science education. The informal science education course features included informal science educator guest speakers, a live animal demonstration and a virtual field trip. We compared data from a treatment course (n = 72) and a comparison course (n = 26). Data collection included: researchers’ observations, instructors’ reflections, and teacher candidates’ feedback. Teacher candidate feedback involved interviews and results on a reliable and valid Attitudes and Beliefs about the Nature of and the Teaching of Science instrument. We used complementary methods to analyze the data collected. A key finding of the study was that while benefits were found in both types of courses, the difference in results underscores the need of identifying the primary purpose for innovation as a vital component of consideration.     

Marginalization of Socioscientific Material in Science–Technology–Society Science Curricula: Some Implications for Gender Inclusivity and Curriculum Reform

Science education reformers have argued that presenting science in the abstract is neither motivating nor inclusive of the majority of students. Science–technology–society (STS) curricula that give science an accessible social context have developed in response, but controversy surrounds the extent to which students should be introduced to socioscientific debate. Using material from a case study of Salters' Advanced Chemistry in the United Kingdom, this article demonstrates how socioscientific material is marginalized through the structures and language of syllabus texts and through classroom practices. This means students are unlikely to engage with socioscientific aspects in their course. Socioscientific content is gendered through association with social concerns and epistemological uncertainty, and because gender is asymmetric, socioscience is devalued with respect to the masculinity of abstract science. Teachers fear that extensive coverage of socioscience devalues the curriculum, alienates traditional science students and jeopardizes their own status as gatekeepers of scientific knowledge. Thus, although STS curricula such as Salters' offer potential for making science more accessible, the article concludes that greater awareness of, and challenges to, gender binaries could result in more effective STS curriculum reform. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach: 37: 426–440, 2000.     

Reconstructing Iconic Experiments in Electrochemistry: Experiences from a History of Science Course

The decomposition of water by electricity, and the voltaic pile as a means of generating electricity, have both held an iconic status in the history of science as well as in the history of science teaching. These experiments featured in chemistry and physics textbooks, as well as in classroom teaching, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This paper deals with our experiences in restaging the decomposition of water as part of a history of science course at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. For the experiment we used an apparatus from our historical teaching collection and built a replica of a voltaic pile. We also traced the uses and meanings of decomposition of water within science and science teaching in schools and higher education in local institutions. Building the pile, and carrying out the experiments, held a few surprises that we did not anticipate through our study of written sources. The exercise gave us valuable insight into the nature of the devices and the experiment, and our students appreciated an experience of a different kind in a history of science course.