Kiribati — The search for educational alternatives in a pacific micro-state

The Central Pacific Republic of Kiribati attempted during the 1970s to set up Community High Schools for the majority of students living in small-island village situations who could not proceed to academic secondary schools. The scheme failed as parents saw these schools more as high schools, and wanted them to lead to Western employment. The government was firm in not allowing this to happen, and continuing to pursue locally-oriented schooling through upper primary classes. This direction has been thrown into doubt by the recent emergence of private high schools on the main island which have attracted many outer-island students.     

In Practice—Anti‐rape on the road: Men hit the highways to share a powerful message

Several years ago, John Foubert was asked to counsel one university's male students on the truth of rape.Today, he and other men are taking that truth on the road—in a used RV.     

Career Preparedness Survey Outcomes of Food Science Graduates—A Follow‐Up Assessment

Abstract: Fifty‐eight recent graduates (1998–2008) from the joint Washington State University (WSU) and University of Idaho (UI) BiState School of Food Science program and 27 of their employers participated in a survey assessing learning outcomes based on the 2001 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) core competencies for undergraduate food science programs. Parallel web‐based survey instruments for the graduates and employers using the WSU Skylight Matrix Survey System^© were employed to assess the attitudes of the respondents to the frequency of usage of IFT defined skills and the adequacy of the graduates’ preparation from the program. Graduates responded that they were generally satisfied with their education; however, they reported lower rates of adequate or better preparation in Success Skill involving group dynamics, processing and engineering skills, and government regulations. Most of these skills were also the least frequently used by graduates in their careers. Success Skills were the most frequently performed competencies, while food microbiology and safety, and some engineering and processing skills were used less frequently by graduates of the Food Science program. Greater than 80% of the employers reported that the graduates’ performance was adequate or better in all skill areas. The assessment suggested program improvement since a similar survey in 2004, but also illuminated areas for improvement in teaching and learning, particularly in light of the revised IFT 2011 Guidelines. Specifically, graduates and employers emphasized the need for more course work that weaves critical thinking skills, group dynamics, and government regulations into the classroom. Graduates also highlighted the importance of internships and extracurricular activities for career preparation.     

用高度特异性王浆主蛋白1多克隆抗体ELISA法检测蜂王浆新鲜度(英文)

目的:为蜂王浆主蛋白1(MRJP1)的快速检测和鉴别提供科学依据,为蜂王浆的质量控制提供技术支持。创新点:首次比较了MRJP1特异性多克隆抗体与MRJP1重组表达蛋白多克隆抗体对王浆主蛋白家族的免疫反应差异,验证了蜂王浆中MRJP1蛋白降解与保温时间的相关性,建立了以MRJP1作为蜂王浆新鲜度生物标志物的快速检测方法。方法:通过蜂王浆主蛋白家族蛋白的氨基酸序列同源性分析,筛选出MRJP1的特异性多肽区域,进行人工合成,免疫兔子后取血清制备成特异性多克隆抗体。用蛋白质印迹法(Western blot)检测了MRJP1特异性多克隆抗体与MRJP1重组表达蛋白多克隆抗体对王浆主蛋白家族的免疫反应。以新鲜蜂王浆为对照品,用MRJP1特异性抗体酶联接免疫吸附剂测定(ELISA)法和变性电泳胶灰度扫描法分别测定保温(40°C)7~49天的蜂王浆中MRJP1含量的变化,并进行了相关性分析。结论:MRJP1的特异性抗体对MRJP1蛋白具有专一的免疫识别特性,可特异性地检测代表蜂王浆新鲜度的MRJP1含量变化,并鉴别蜂王浆的真伪。     

加强诚信建设构建和谐社会

诚信是和谐社会的基础。但社会上又存在着一些不诚信的问题,目前中国处于转型期是这些问题产生的基本社会背景。经济成本、法律约束以及评价体制等方面的因素都是诚信缺失的重要因素,因此,诚信建设要提高"不诚信"的成本,完善评价体系,同时加强教育,沟通他律与自律,最终夯实和谐社会的根基。     

Teaching future teachers basic astronomy concepts—seasonal changes—at a time of reform in science education

Bearing in mind students' misconceptions about basic concepts in astronomy, the present study conducted a series of constructivist activities aimed at changing future elementary and junior high school teachers' conceptions about the cause of seasonal changes, and several characteristics of the Sun–Earth–Moon relative movements like Moon phases, Sun and Moon eclipses, and others. The activities and results concerning the cause of seasonal changes are reported. Both the experimental class and the control groups improved their grasp of basic astronomy concepts statistically significantly, although the experimental class made the most impressive progress of all. Regarding subjects relevant to this study (seasonal changes), only the experimental class showed a statistically significant improvement, which justifies the constructivist approach. We conclude that in implementing a reform in the science curriculum, the change has to include the subjects taught and also the way they are taught. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 879–906, 2006     

The failure of a decision support system: inconsistency in test grading by teachers

This paper examines the interaction between the contribution of established criteria to objective assessment of examinations, and the effect of mental fatigue induced during the process. Copies of 31 compositions, previously awarded a grade of 80 percent by specialists, were stacked in three randomly arranged sequences. Sixty teachers graded the compositions in sequential order. Thereafter, they re-evaluated every essay according to each of six criteria. These scores were used to generate a series of accumulative grades. In both scoring procedures, the grades rose in a time-dependent fashion, indicating impairment of judgment, apparently as a result of mental fatigue. Differences between the two assessments suggest that the criteria were not used efficiently in the original evaluation of the teachers. This may be explained by the phenomenon of bounded rationality.