Within-event learning contributes to value transfer in simultaneous instrumental discriminations by pigeons

Following simultaneous discrimination training with pigeons, in which responding to the S−was reinforced on half of the trials and responding to the S− was never reinforced, we examined the effect on the S− of presenting the S− by itself and the effect on the S+ of presenting the S− by itself (relative to an S− or an S− for which there had been no single-stimulus presentations). For Group A−, responding to the S− presented by itself was always reinforced, whereas for Group A−, such responding was extinguished. For Group B−, responding to the S− presented by itself was always reinforced, whereas for Group B+, responding was extinguished. Although both Group A+ and Group A−tended to avoid their associated S− (relative to a control S−), Group A+ avoided its associated S− less than did Group A−. In contrast, although for Group B−, presentation of the S− alone increased the pigeons’ preference for its associated S−(relative to a control S+), for Group B−, presentation of the S−alone had little effect on its preference for its associated S+. These results suggest that presentation of one stimulus from a simultaneous discrimination has two independent and sometimes opposite effects on the other discriminative stimulus. First, it reduces the strength of within-event conditioning between the S+ and the S−, and second, if the value of the singly presented stimulus has increased, some of its newly acquired value will transfer retroactively to the stimulus with which it was originally paired.     

Children’s use of subtraction by addition on large single-digit subtractions

Subtractions of the type M − S = ? can be solved by various strategies, including subtraction by addition. In this study, we investigated children’s use of subtraction by addition by means of reaction time analyses. We presented 106 third to sixth graders with 32 large non-tie single-digit problems in both subtraction (12 − 9 = .) and addition format (9 + . = 12). We examined the fit of three regression models, which represented the consistent use of direct subtraction, of subtraction by addition and of flexibly switching between both strategies based on the relative size of the subtrahend. Findings revealed that children did not switch flexibly between the two strategies, as adults do, but that they rely on direct subtraction for problems presented in subtraction format and on subtraction by addition for problems in addition format. We end with the major theoretical, methodological and educational implications of these results.     

Conceptions of,and approaches to,teaching online: a study of lecturers teaching postgraduate distance courses

This paper presents the outcomes of a study into online teaching. It builds upon previous research and conceptual frameworks produced by Kember and Kwan (Instr Sci 28(5):469–490, 2000) and Roberts (Instr Sci 31(1–2):127–150, 2003). It advances research on conceptions of, and approaches to, teaching by examining teaching in a novel context: distance-taught courses at the postgraduate level. Lecturers were interviewed from a Faculty of Health Sciences in a research-intensive Australian University. Relationships between conceptions and approaches found in previous research were confirmed in this study. However, it was found that the conceptions of online teaching proposed by Roberts (Instr Sci 31(1–2):127–150, 2003) did not adequately distinguish between the conceptions held by the lecturers interviewed in this study. Three modified conceptions of online teaching are proposed: ‘for individual access to learning materials and information; and for individual assessment’; ‘for learning related communication (asynchronous and/or synchronous)’; and ‘as a medium for networked learning’. Some of the dimensions developed by Roberts to describe approaches to online teaching were not applicable in this study setting and needed further modification. Two broad approaches emerged: ‘informative/individual learning focused’ and ‘communicative/networked learning focused’. Contextual influences on teaching reported by Kember and Kwan (Instr Sci 28(5):469–490, 2000)—that is, institutional influence, nature of students and subject and curriculum—were revealed in this study to have different levels of influence over approaches to online teaching: the first two being the more relevant ones.     

中国少数民族新创文字在文化变迁中的功能与意义阐释——以哈尼、傈僳和纳西族为例

New writing systems for several of China’s minority languages were developed and implemented during a unique period in Chinese history. Throughout the different stages of modern Chinese history, these writing systems have had various societal functions and uses, including the improvement of education and literacy for China’s ethnic minorities. In the new era, the societal functions of these newly created systems have been weakened by the large-scale influence from both outside and within minority environment. Nevertheless, the newly created writing systems have undeniable value and significance, and they continue to serve positive functions that cannot be fulfilled by other writing systems. __________ Translated by Daniel Weisman from Minzu Jiaoyu Yanjiu 民族教育研究 (Journal of Research on Education for Ethnic Minorities), 2007, 18(5): 5–11     

Ready...Fire...Aim! Toward meaningful technology standards for educators and students

Conclusion I applaud ISTE, AASL, AECT, and the other organizations involved for tackling the “messy work” of developing standards for the use of technology and information resources in schools. And, at the same time, I call for a “second generation” of standards that define realistic expectations for teachers based on the subjects and levels they are called upon to teach. I propose that professional organizations from each subject work with ISTE and AECT to complete this huge task, and I propose that we consider as a “next step” the creation of a set of on-line learning experiences through which teachers can gain the identified skills and knowledge by using the very technologies we’re hoping they’ll embrace in their own teaching. There’s an old saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do.” As far as educational technologies are concerned, this is also true. For many, the goal seems to have been simply to “get more computers into the schools,” without much thought about purpose. To return to Phil Schlechty’s metaphor, It’s generally been a brief and misguided “Ready” stage (occupied with questions like “How many do we need?” “What type?” “Where?” and “How shall we connect them?”), followed by “Fire!” (the acquisition and installation of equipment). What we need is: “Ready” (the creation of appropriate teams of people who will combine their insights to plan for the district)... “Aim” (a series of discussions about what technologies can accomplish for schools and the students they serve)... “Fire” (acquisition, installation, and professional development according to plan)... “Aim” (an assessment of how well the technologies and related programs met the intended goals, and a new planning effort designed to close the gap)... “Fire” (acquisition and implementation designed to eliminate the gap)... “Aim” (another gap assessment)... “Fire” (another attempt to close gaps)..., And so on.     

Professional Responsibility – An Issue for Higher Education?

The aim of this article is to shed light on some aspects of professional responsibility by investigating students’ visions of future work and notions of professional responsibility. The data is based on interviews with samples of freshmen in three educational programmes at the University of Oslo in Norway. The data has been analysed in relation to two thesis claimed by Steven Brint: “The rise of a utilitarian ethos” in higher education and the movement from “social trustee professionalism” to “expert professionalism”. The findings show that the students in our sample do not think of higher education primarily as a means to get credentials that will be useful in the labour marked. An intellectual interest in the discipline is the most prevalent reason for the students’ educational choices. Furthermore our findings support an orientation towards “expert professionalism” rather than “social trustee professionalism”. But, embedded in the perspective of an expert there is an emphasis on ethical knowledge, moral and/or societal responsibility and the wish to do good for others. However, the students’ sense of responsibility seems to be restricted to certain “localism” of their specific occupation. Based on the findings we argue that the students reveal a moral awareness that should be taken seriously by the educational institution in order to foster critical rationality and professional commitments.     

Solution of an inverse problem for ＂fixed-fixed＂ and ＂fixed-free＂ spring-mass systems

The tridiagonal coefficient matrix for the ＂fixed-fixed＂ spring-mass system was obtained by changing spring length. And then a new algorithm of the inverse problem was designed to construct the masses and the spring constants from the natural frequencies of the ＂fixed-fixed＂ and ＂fixed-fres＂ spring-mass systems. An example was given to illustrate the results.     

New representation of Maxwell relation

A new representation of the Maxwell relation for phase transformation is given, which is expressed in simpler form and has more direct physical meaning than the original Maxwell relation. It is shown that the physical conjecture for the so-called “lock-up” condition suggested by Jensen （1999） is correct, but the equation for the “lock-up” condition suggested by Jensen （1999） is not. Numerical examples also demonstrate that the application of the new representation of Maxwell relation gives exactly the same solutions as the ones with application of the original Maxwell relation and, however, application of the “lock-up” condition gives no real solutions.     

Educational research for professional practice: More than providing evidence for doing ‘x rather than y’ or finding the ‘size of the effect of A on B’

Educational research has been criticised by governments and practitioners. For some politicians and policy makers, there is a tendency to look for direct links between research and successful, effective and efficient practice. Research is needed to inform their evidence-based practice as policy makers, and to provide the kind of research teachers need to base their practice on the best available evidence for doing ‘x rather than y’ (Hargreaves 1996) or predicting the ‘size of the effect of A on B’ (Blunkett 2000). There is no doubt that both teachers and policy makers do make decisions on a daily basis based on some form of evidence. This paper explores Hargreaves’ notion of evidence-based practice, providing a range of criticisms. It also examines Carr’s historical account of ‘praxis’ and ‘poiesis’ to suggest a notion of evidence-based praxis based partly on the historical notion of ‘phronesis’ — practical wisdom. The basis for this is the argument that wise and practical ethical and moral judgements are central to an understanding of teachers’ daily work. What to do in a specific educational situation cannot be determined solely by theoretical beliefs or by ‘techne’. However the ethical dimension is not the only consideration. The paper suggests that evidence-based praxis use Stenhouse’s notion of ‘actionable evidence’, which includes the ethical dimension, but also Thomson’s concept of ‘thisness’, which describes the unique contextual characteristics of a school. If disadvantaged schools can make some sort of difference to learning opportunities for students, it is argued that teachers might engage in evidence-based praxis which involves them in reflecting on, and theorising what is happening in classrooms, schools and neighbourhoods. This ‘praxis’ also involves them in modifying their theories, critically analysing ‘what works’, questioning how they know and developing ideas about how things might be done differently. There will be an element of developing knowledge about teaching and learning strategies (Hargreaves’ ‘body of knowledge’), but it will be in the context of the ethical and moral dilemmas associated with education. It will take up the question of local differences as well as a realistic approach to what constitutes actual school improvement. Evidence-based praxis is also essentially a collective activity not an individual approach. Future development of the notion of evidence-based praxis might also include involving students in a more reciprocal and open learning process like that highlighted by researchers who focus on student participation linked to school reform.     

影响教师职业认同的相关因素分析

In order to evaluate the present state of teachers’ professional identity (TPI), 177 teachers in primary and secondary schools in Zibo of Shandong Province of China were surveyed by a questionnaire designed by the authors. The results reveals: (1) high professional identity for the overall level of teachers; (2) significant difference in genders and titles of professional positions; (3) significant difference between primary and secondary school teachers; (4) significant difference in professional motivations and satisfaction degrees of salaries among teachers. __________ Translated from Xinli Fazhan Yu Jiaoyu 心理发展与教育 (Psychology Development and Education), 2006, (1): 80–86     

Using visits to interactive science and technology centers,museums, aquaria,and zoos to promote learning in science

This article received the “Implications of Research for Educational Practice” award at the 1995 meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science. The award is made possible by Carolina Biological Supply. An adaptation of this article, entitled “Don’t Compare, Complement: Making Best Use of Science Centres and Museums,” was published in the 1995 Set: Research Information for Teachers, Number 1, Item 1, by the New Zealand and Australian Councils for Education Research.     

Critical thinking, education, and postmodernity: Possibilities and limitations for moral education

The contemporary educational discourse on critical thinking, as one of the primary aims of education. has been divided into the spheres of modernist defense and post-modernist criticism. Critical of both positions, this paper attempts to find a new way of employing critical thinking, especially for the purposes of moral education, by drawing on Bernard William’s concept of “ethical reflection.” It will be shown that employing critical thinking for the fostering of ethical reflection in our young students can lead them into an “understanding” of ethical, rather than “ethical knowledge,” which enables them to properly deal with moral relativism in a culturally pluralistic society. This paper then explores the educational possibilities presented by Socrates’ teaching method as an example of this employment, though not without consideration of the attendant educational limitations and dangers.     

Development of an instrument for measuring attitudes of early childhood educators towards science

The attitude towards science of first year early childhood education students was explored using an instrument developed for the purpose. The instrument comprises four Likert-type scales, biographical items and two open-ended attitude items. The four scales, characterised as ‘confidence’, ‘enjoyment’, ‘usefulness’ and ‘appropriateness of science for young children’, were supported by varimax factor analysis and had reliabilities from 0.83 to 0.88. Use of the combined scales as a general ‘attitude towards science’ scale was supported by principal components analysis; reliability for the combined scale was 0.94. Comments made in response to the open-ended items supported the validity of the scales. For the student group as a whole, mean scores on all scales were slightly to moderately positive, with the highest mean being for the ‘science for young children’ scale. Students who had studied at least one science subject at Year 12 level had significantly higher scores on all scales than students who had not studied science at senior level. Australia.Specializations: early childhood science education, biological aspects of child development, conservation biology of gulls.     

Mothering young children: Child care, stress and social life

This study focuses on mothers’ and young children’s everyday social experience by analyzing their social relationships, social support in child care, mother-child interaction, and mothers’ evaluations of all these aspects. Three hundred and eighty-four mothers with a child aged between I and 3 years, living in a city in Central Italy, were interviewed. A Principal Components Analysis was performed on items concerning mothers’ and children’s social experience and mothers’ evaluations. Four PCA generated factors were regressed on the mother’s and Four PCA generated factors were regressed on the mother’s and child’s characteristics. Results show that, even in a context characterized by social conditions supportive to mothering, there is a comparatively widespread desire for social interaction with other mothers and children. A stress related to intensive mothering was found in a minority of the mothers and was predicted by the mothers’ continuous commitment in child care during the whole day. Results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that social contacts with other mothers may have a mitigating effect on mothers’ stress. One implication is that early educational services that provide the opportunity for social intercourse among parents can be an important resource for them.     

Measuring Science Teachers’ Stress Level Triggered by Multiple Stressful Conditions

The complexity of science teaching requires science teachers to encounter a range of tasks. Some tasks are perceived as stressful while others are not. This study aims to investigate the extent to which different teaching situations lead to different stress levels. It also aims to identify the easiest and most difficult conditions to be regarded as stressful conditions by science teachers. An occupational stress inventory of 25 items developed by Okebukola (1988) validation of the occupational stress inventory for science teachers. Science Teacher, was used to measure the science teachers’ stress level in science teaching. A four point Likert scale ranging from 1 – ‘no stress at all’ to 4 – ‘extreme stress’ was used. Fifty-eight Malaysian secondary science teachers participated in the survey in which six volunteered to participate in the interview study. The data was then analyzed using the Rasch model to measure the level of stress caused by different kinds of stressful conditions. Even though ‘overloaded science syllabus’ was identified to be the basis of multiple stressful conditions, it was, however, difficult for the respondents to regard it as a stressful condition. On the other hand, the respondents found that ‘having to teach difficult science topics’ is easiest to be regarded as a stressful condition. It was shown that even though ‘overloaded science syllabus’ is the starting point for stress caused by multiple conditions, due to the availability of coping strategies which can be employed by the respondents, the stressor is minor in causing stress among teachers. On the other hand, when teachers lack the availability of coping strategies dealing with teaching difficult science topics, they easily feel stressful. One of the main recommendations to overcome stressful conditions is to provide the science teachers ‘topic specific pedagogy’ during in-service training.     

The construction of Taiwan’s educational indicator systems: experiences and implications

This study was designed to illuminate the state of education in Taiwan by constructing Educational Indicator Systems. The study, sponsored by the National Science Council between 1998 and 2000, was the first comprehensive indicator project to cover all educational levels in Taiwan. Various research methods were used, including panel discussion, conference, setting up website, Delphi technique, questionnaires and visits to 14 international organizations and government agencies. In the process, two educational indicator systems based upon the “Context-Input-Process-Progress” (CIPP) model were formulated: “Taiwan’s Educational Indicator System by educational level” (TEIS by el) with 99 indicators, and “Significant Indicators of Taiwan’s Education” (SITE) with 34 indicators. Finally, some limitations and suggestions were offered for the future development of Educational Indicator Systems.     

A Shadow Curriculum: Incorporating Students’ Interests into the Formal Biology Curriculum

Students have been largely ignored in discussions about how best to teach science, and many students feel the curriculum is detached from their lives and interests. This article presents a strategy for incorporating students’ interests into the formal Biology curriculum, by drawing on the political meaning of “shadow government” as alternative policies developed by parties not in office. A “shadow curriculum” thus reflects the interests and information needs of those who have no voice in deciding what the formal curriculum should include, although they are the ones who are most influenced by it. High school students’ interests in three Biology topics were identified (n = 343) and retested on another student sample (n = 375), based on their solicited questions as indicators for interests. The results of this exploratory case study showed that half of the questions asked by students in the areas of genetics, the cardiovascular system and the reproductive system are not addressed by the national curriculum. Students’ questions were then expressed in the curricular language of principles, phenomena and concepts in order to create a shadow curriculum. A procedure that could be used by other researchers and practitioners to guide the development of a curriculum that is more aligned with student interests is suggested.     

Space and Place: Urban Parents’ Geographical Preferences for Schools

Prior research documents the almost universal preference for schools that are “convenient”. Drawing on longitudinal interview data gathered from 36 urban parents, I argue parents’ preference for “convenient” schools is more complex than previously understood. Conceptions of geography used by policy makers do not adequately capture the ways in which parents think about geography. Instead of thinking about school as solely a location one must travel to, parents’ preferences for schools are informed by space and place-based notions of geography. Parents’ geographic preferences connect to larger, more deeply held ideas about parenting, family life, identity, child development, and one’s place in the larger stratified society. Further, these preferences do not exist in a vacuum. Parents’ geographic preferences have implications for the resources parents’ must activate in order to make certain schools possible. Geographic preferences also compete with other school preferences. This paper shows how notions of space and place shape the schools parents choose as well as the schools they are willing to consider. The study describes a fuller, more accurate portrayal of parents’ thinking. It also draws attention to the ways in which existing historical and social contexts influence parents’ understandings of choice policy.     

‘Thinking Schools, Learning Nations’ Implementation of Curriculum Review in Singapore

‘Thinking schools’ will be sites of learning for everyone declared the Singapore Prime Minister, Goh Chok and Minister of Education Teo Chee Hean’s in 1997 also spoke on the model of’ ‘thinking schools, learning nation’. Gardner’s model was used for the thinking school model in Singapore, in order to develop critical and creative thinking in students. This was to be done with the use of instructional technology as an enabling tool using a diversity of approaches including integrated project work. This paper reports on how one school went about changing approaches to teaching and learning by implementing integrated project work as a way of integrating the content areas of the curriculum, mathematics and science through English language, supported by the tools of instructional technology.     

Investigation on apoptosis of neuronal cells induced by Amyloid beta-Protein

Objective: To construct a PC12 cell strain with neuronal differentiation, and observe the apoptosis and pro-liferation activity effects induced these cells by Amyloid beta-Protein (Aβ-43). Methods: 1) PC12 cells in logarithmicgrowth phase were subcultured for 24 h. After the culture fluid was changed, the cells were treated with Rat-β-NGF andcultured for 9 days. 2) Neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells in logarithmic growth phase were divided into four groups:control group (0), experimental group (1), experimental group (2) and experimental group (3). The concentrations of Aβ inthe four groups were 0 μmol/L, 1.25 μ mol/L, 2.5 μ mol/L and 5 μmol/L, respectively. The cells were harvested at 24, 48 and72 h later and stained with AnnexinV-FITC/PI after centrifugation and washing. Then flow cytometry was conducted toexamine the apoptosis percentage. 3) NGF-induced PC12 cells were selected and Aβ with different concentrations wasadded. The final concentrations of Aβ were 0 μmol/L, 1.25 μmol/L, 2.5 μmol/L and 5 μ mol/L, respectively. After the cellswere incubated in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 at 37 ℃ in an incubator for 72 h, the OD values were examined. Results: 1)Neuronal differentiated PC 12 cell lines were successfully established. 2) Flow cytometric examination indicated that Aβ(1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 μmol/L) could effectively induce apoptosis of neuronal-differented cells at the 24 h, 48 h and 72 h timepoints. 3) Aβ (0-5.00 μ mol/L) had no obvious effect on proliferation or restraining of the neuronal differentiation of thePC 12 cells after a 72 h interacting process. Conclusion: This investigation revealed successful neuronal differentiation of thePC12 cell strain. The induction of apoptosis of the neurocytes by various concentrations of Aβ was observed and the in-fluence of Aβ on induced proliferation of PC 12 cells by Rat-β-NGF was revealed. This study -05 provide basis for futureresearch on the molecular cure of AD and interdiction of AD evolution.