Potential interaction and potential investigation of science center exhibits and visitors' interest

This research consisted of studying the characteristics of interaction and investigation potential present in museum or science center exhibits. Categories (strong and weak) for the characteristics of interaction potential and investigation potential were established. Fifteen exhibits were chosen from the Museum of Science (Ottawa) and from two science centers (Sudbury and Toronto); these were representative of the established characteristics and categories. A test was constructed that measured the interest in an exhibit in a museum or a science center. The final analysis of the test (20 items) reflects a coefficient of homogeneity (Cronbach alpha) of 0.97 (n = 278). In terms of the characteristics of interaction potential and investigation potential, a significant difference among the ranks of interest was not found once they were regrouped under the categories of strong and weak. The hypothesis of a relationship between the interaction potential and visitors' interest in an exhibit in a museum or science center and the hypothesis of a relationship between the investigation potential and the interest aroused were both rejected. In regards to the interaction potential, median ranks of interest in exhibits of 8.6 for the strong category and of 7.5 for the weak category were observed. In terms of the investigation potential, median ranks of interest of 7.0 for the strong category and of 9.1 for the weak category were observed. In the case of investigation potential, even if the difference is not significant, there is an indication that the strong investigation potential seems to have the effect of creating disinterest in the presentation of an exhibit in a museum or in a science center. In the context of new museum and science centers, the view of developing exhibits which are primarily objects which stimulate interest must be maintained. If this is done with exhibits that arc interactive and have an investigative approach, it is necessary for those in charge of museums and science centers to consider other characteristics in order to ensure capturing visitors' interest.     

高等职业教育教学质量标准研究

对高等职业教育教学质量标准体系的内涵及划分进行了探讨,将高等职业教育教学质量划分为教学输入质量、教学运行质量和教学输出质量三部分,并构建了三者之间的关系模型;对高等职业教育教学质量标准的内在因子进行了分析,分别建立了输入质量模型、运行质量模型和输出质量模型,可作为有关部门对高等职业院校的教育教学质量进行评价的参考.     

质性评价中存在的问题与对策

从对评价及学生评价的认识入手,分析了学生评价的基础──多元智能,提出了科学的学生评价方法应该是质性评价,论述了质性评价的有关问题与对策。     

Understanding teachers' evaluation criteria: A condition for success in science classes

This study is part of a broader research project. The main aim was to find out pedagogic practices which can improve students' science achievement, namely, in complex cognitive competencies. The study is based on Bernstein's theory. Previous studies have suggested that the explicitness of the criteria of evaluation is related to students' scientific understanding and achievement. One of the many ways in which the evaluation criteria can be made explicit to students is through assessment tests, and their correction and marking. In this study, we analyze the extent to which students understand teachers' evaluation criteria, more specifically, teachers' marking criteria and procedures (i.e., the extent to which they have recognition and realization rules to the assessing context). We also analyze the relation of that understanding with social class, social context of the school, teacher's conceptual demand, teachers' explicitness of criteria, and science achievement. A clear relation between students' acquisition of recognition and realization rules and social class is shown: the higher the social class, the higher that acquisition. A privileged school's social context and the teacher's explicitness of assessing criteria also contribute to students' understanding of teachers' evaluation criteria. This understanding influences science achievement, especially in complex competencies. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

关于心理素质训练课评价标准的探讨

心理素质训练课日益成为学校开展心理素质教育的主渠道,但对心理素质训练课评价标准的研究却几乎是一片空白。以形成性评价和终结性评价相结合的方式,并以形成性评价为主,构成心理素质训练课评价标准,是我们研究的主旨。     

Enhancing the quality of argumentation in school science

The research reported in this study focuses on the design and evaluation of learning environments that support the teaching and learning of argumentation in a scientific context. The research took place over 2 years, between 1999 and 2001, in junior high schools in the greater London area. The research was conducted in two phases. In phase 1, working with a group of 12 science teachers, the main emphasis was to develop sets of materials and strategies to support argumentation in the classroom, and to support and assess teachers' development with teaching argumentation. Data were collected by video‐ and audio‐recording the teachers' attempts to implement these lessons at the beginning and end of the year. During this phase, analytical tools for evaluating the quality of argumentation were developed based on Toulmin's argument pattern. Analysis of the data shows that there was significant development in the majority of teachers use of argumentation across the year. Results indicate that the pattern of use of argumentation is teacher‐specific, as is the nature of the change. In phase 2 of the project, the focus of this paper, teachers taught the experimental groups a minimum of nine lessons which involved socioscientific or scientific argumentation. In addition, these teachers taught similar lessons to a comparison group at the beginning and end of the year. The purpose of this research was to assess the progression in student capabilities with argumentation. For this purpose, data were collected from 33 lessons by video‐taping two groups of four students in each class engaging in argumentation. Using a framework for evaluating the nature of the discourse and its quality developed from Toulmin's argument pattern, the findings show that there was improvement in the quality of students' argumentation. This research presents new methodological developments for work in this field. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 994–1020, 2004     

环境科普基地建设意义、面临问题及建设措施探讨

环境科普基地在普及环境科学知识,传播绿色理念,普及环保科学技术,提高公民科学素养,满足公众对高质量环保科普产品和科普服务水平需要等方面发挥着重要作用.我国环境科普基地建设存在水平低、对其重要意义认识不够、分布不均等同题.需要我们借鉴国内外优秀环境科普基地的先例做好环境科普基地建设规划、利用现有资源和基础、建立健全环境科普基地管理制度和政策法规来加强其建设.     

Teachers’ opinions on quality criteria for Competency Assessment Programs

Quality control policies towards Dutch vocational schools have changed dramatically because the government questioned examination quality. Schools must now demonstrate assessment quality to a new Examination Quality Center. Since teachers often design assessments, they must be involved in quality issues. This study therefore explores teachers’ opinions on assessment quality evaluation criteria. Pre-vocational and vocational teachers (N=211$N=211$) responded to a questionnaire. Contrary to expectations, results show that teachers deem classical and competency-based quality criteria equally important. Vocational teachers gave higher importance scores than pre-vocational teachers, possibly due to the pressure they experience to improve the quality of their assessments.     

教育质量的内涵和衡量标准探微

教育质量是近年来我国教育改革中着眼关注的问题。但是教育质量的内涵及衡量指标等问题一直是被广泛模糊的。通过分析,文章提出了教育质量的特性说,并指出发展性、主体性和低耗性是衡量一所学校教育质量的三个主要指标。     

Teacher self-evaluation: an analysis of criteria,indicators and processes used by teachers in judging their success

This paper summarises the accounts provided by some 60 experienced infants and primary teachers and 18 student teachers to the questions “How do you tell when you've taught a really good lesson?” and “How do you evaluate your success as a teacher?” These accounts were analysed both in terms of the criteria and the indicators used by teachers in evaluating their own short- and long-term success. The results contrast strongly with those reported by Jackson (1968) and by Lortie (1975) and an attempt is made to delineate and describe the constructive processes used by teachers to evaluate their success in a classroom setting of complexity and uncertainty.     

关于评价一堂好课根本标准的初步认识

评价一堂好课的根本标准是客观效果,即凡是好课一定对学生有好的教育教学效果.这个根本标准具有客观性、辩证性、科学性和价值性.实现一堂好课的关键在教师,而教师贵在优化课堂教学,优化课堂教学包括四点主要认识.     

基于互联网的科普展品远程操作和体验系统的设计与实现

为提高科普展品的使用效率和开放共享水平,提出了一种基于互联网的科普展品远程操作和体验系统。系统硬件主要包括直播设备、流媒体服务器、远程控制模块、Web服务器;软件主要包括用户操作、浏览界面和远程实验管理程序。以声驻波展品为例说明科普展品远程操作和体验的实现。此系统以互联网为媒介,几乎无限制地延伸了展品的操作、体验范围,同时提供了一个不断丰富体验内容和形式的基础平台。     

浅议大学生科学素质教育

科学素质教育是素质教育的重要内容。大学生科学素质教育的主要内容包含科学知识教育、科学思想教育、科学方法教育和科学精神教育 ,这四个方面构成一个有机整体。     

关于改革评价标准的研究综述

改革评价标准是一直是学术界充满争议性的话题。然而,由于改革评价标准更偏向于是一个集科学性、多元性、整体性为一体的标准体系,具有一定的研究复杂性。研究主要围绕马克思主义哲学评价标准或各个时期的评价标准的内容展开。而把研究重点落在马克思社会发展评价理论中国化发展上的、专门系统整体全面地研究改革开放评价标准的成果数量较少。学者们集中于三方面讨论改革评价标准。零散化、零碎化是当前研究的特点和不足。从发展着的全局高度上把握我国改革评价标准,是研究发展趋势。     

论我国科学教育存在的问题及其解决对策

科学教育是提高国民素质的根本途径。我国的科学教育存在着教学内容与实际生活相脱离、教学方法带有权威性和机械性、课程设置趋向单一性和专门化的问题。解决这些问题的对策:一是要开设综合性的科学教育课程,重视技术教育和人文教育;二是分析、了解学生的认知结构,使教学符合学生的发展水平;三是创设情境教学环境,以探究的教学方法将科学知识传授给学生。