What is a virtual world? Definition and classification

In 2008, articles by Bell and Schroeder provided an initial platform from which to develop a coherent definition of the term ‘virtual worlds’. Yet over the past ten years, there has been little development of the term. Instead there is confusion in the literature, with the introduction of new terms which are at times used to classify the type of virtual world and at others are used synonymously with the term. At the same time there has been a resurgence of interest in the potential of virtual reality which further muddies the conceptual waters. While the lack of a clear and common understanding of a term is not uncommon, there are implications for researchers and practitioners. To address these issues, this paper presents a new framework for the definition of virtual worlds, arguing what it is for a world to be virtual, the user experience that is a necessary part of this and the technical features which afford this. For the first time the relationships between commonly confused terms and technologies are identified to provide a much needed conceptual clarity for researchers and educators.     

What Did You Do with the Ship?

Whileworkingonacruiseship熏amagicianperformedthesametrickseachweeksincehealwayshadanewaudience.一个魔术师在一艘观光船上工作,因为每周有不同的观众,他总是表演着同样的魔术。Problemwas熏thecaptainhadaparrotwhosaweachshowandhadfiguredouthowthemagiciandidhistricks.问题是船长有一只鹦鹉,它看了每一场表演,也看明白了魔术师是怎么表演魔术的。Theyfloatedfordayswithoututteringaworduntilfinallytheparrotturnedtothemagician.“Okay.Igiveup.”Itsaid.“Whatdidyoudowiththeship芽”他们一起漂流了好几天都没说一句话,最…     

Do trees tell about the past?

Realizing the consequences of global warming, scientists are currently engaged in understanding the causes and mitigation measures of this phenomenon. One of the important criteria to understand the present pattern of climate is the study of past climate. To reconstruct past climate, analysis of ice cores, lake sediments, peat bogs, ocean floor and trees is necessary. This article explains how the anatomical features of trees can throw light on past climate.     

Special education in Swedish and Finnish schools: seeing the forest or the trees?

The purpose of this research was to study the content of the work of two special education professions in Sweden, special teachers and special pedagogues. In addition, we compare their work to the work of Finnish special teachers. The Swedish participants were 74 special educators: 27 special teachers and 47 special pedagogues. The Finnish data were from an earlier study, involving 133 special teachers. Participants in both countries were approached via a questionnaire. The results show that Swedish special pedagogues do more consultative work and Swedish special teachers more direct work with pupils. However, there is plenty of overlap in the work profiles of Swedish special pedagogues and special teachers. Most of the work content is in line with the Finnish findings, except that Finnish special teachers had a minor consultative role. It seems that the work duties across the two professions, special pedagogues and special teachers, are somewhat similar. Their ways of working in practice are discussed.     

What Is the Function of Mind and Brain?

Byrnes and Fox (1998) provide a useful and important overview of the ways in which cognitive neuroscientific research can inform educational research and practice, but leave unanswered the question: What is the function of mind and brain? An understanding of the function of mind and brain has implications for research in cognitive neuroscience and in educational psychology, and a number of these implications are spelled out in this comment.     

What Do Schools Do after OFSTED School Inspections-or before?

ABSTRACT

The results of research on the effects of OFSTED secondary school inspections in England since 1994 are presented. The reactions of headteachers to the inspections and their progress on the resulting school action plan are given. The results indicate considerable potential for school inspections to contribute to the process of school improvement.     

What do trainees' really think? Some views of inclusion before and after school placement

This article reports on a small-scale research study utilising semi-structured interviews to discover and understand trainee teachers perceptions of inclusion in the Primary School. As future educators it is vital that trainee teachers understand, critique, and develop their thinking and around the concept of inclusion to ensure they continue, and hopefully improve, the practice of inclusive teaching and learning. More research is necessary to explore the intricacies of inclusion in the Primary School as the concept is a controversial one. This article makes no claim to uncover the entire ‘story’ of inclusion; rather it offers areas for thought and consideration which will lead and contribute to the ongoing discussion and evaluation of ways of improving the learner experience from the perspective of Primary age-range trainees.     

What Was Wrong with Eugenics? Conflicting Narratives and Disputed Interpretations

Although it is often taken for granted that eugenics is odious, exactly what makes it so is far from obvious. The existence of considerable interpretative flexibility is evident in the disparate policy lessons for contemporary reproductive genetics (or “reprogenetics”) that have been derived from essentially the same set of historical facts. In this paper, I will show how different—indeed, diametrically-opposed—morals have been drawn from the history of eugenics and link these contrasting messages both to different underlying conceptions of what constitutes the central wrong of eugenics and differing degrees of enthusiasm for reprogenetic technologies. I will then argue that, for several reasons, the history of eugenics simply cannot provide the kind of direct guidance that many participants in current debates would like. Although the history does have implications for policy, the insights to be gleaned are both subtle and indirect.     

What are the Differences between Good and Poor Readers?

Reading is a very essential skill in the process of knowledge aqusition,while,effective reading ability is the outcome of the good combination of both time and skills.The differences between good readers and poor reader will be studied in terms of comparisons towards their reading speed,efficiency and reasons behind in the domain of psychological perspectives.     

Learning and the pandemic: What’s next?

PROSPECTS - This article highlights key points with respect to each of the following: 1) School systems around the world were stagnant before Covid-19 and had been for some time; 2) Therefore there...     

What Is the Sun?

认.t‘~~已一、_、，、~耘 戮estlnis a efock， 讥招衬流庇out漏t一 ，阵“:_二 pound‘呜oin， 匆· le sun isa昌udower， ich断6计。in氏aven匀幽记en. 钱e一赫15们漏而能撬’ In tyoa 8 In】IL DOWI- -卜::一逻一‘ Thesuni，al汪酷， 。:the润如ets击星).‘ 太阳是钟、，叮吁谕洲 滴答地散发着热量。 太阳是硬币， 飞卜 买下了广表的天空。 太阳是向日葵， 生长在天国的花园。 太阳是柠檬， ‘盛在上帝的水果盘里。 太阳是一个蛋， 哺育着无数颖行星。What Is the Sun?@May~~…     

What is the target?

Reconciling the differential perspective with the Piagetian perspective is a very difficult task. The Piagetian perspective admits the existence of interindividual differences but interprets them as noise masking the universal logical succession of structures, whereas the differential perspective views development as consisting of "vicarious processes." As a matter of historical fact, the main aim of the "procedural studies" carried out in Geneva was to introduce concrete microgenesis into the macrogenetic Piagetian model.     

What is the time?

Read the dialogues and write the times on the clocks.读下面的对话并在表盘上标上相应的时间。     

What Is the Greatest?

What is the greatest in your heart? Have you ever thought about this question?Someone will say in confidence: "Man!" Maybe you are not wrong, but I don' t agreewith you.There is a special heavenly body called the earth in the cosmic space. The earth isthe only place suitable for human beings to live on."Do you know where life came from?" "From the earth!" "Right!""Do you know where man was born?" "On the earth!" "Right!"Where is there life without the earth? Where can man exist without the eath?the eath     

What Lies between the Religious and the Secular?: Education beyond the Human

The current age is characterised by many as secular, and a source of such a characterisation can be found in the Nietzschean claim that thoughts about there being some ultimate reality have to be jettisoned, and human existence and the world need to be embraced as they are. That claim is renewed by some secular thinkers who insist that education has to be reconceived in ways congenial to the new age. It is argued that central to their logic is the dichotomy between the religious and the secular or the otherworldly and the earthly, and that this dichotomy is simplistic as well as problematic. As an alternative to the ‘two worlds’ view, the ‘two aspects’ view is suggested, with an interpretation of reality that the noumenon––the non‐human––has to be taken in the negative sense. Against secularising the domain of education, it is indicated that there still remains a place for education to occupy between the two poles of religiousness and secularity.