An analysis of global problem issues in sixth-and seventh-grade textbooks

The study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth- and seventh-grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages of content devoted to each issue, and the degree of depth in which issues were treated. Differences between grade levels were also explored. Of the 4,393 pages of content analyzed, less than 2 percent was devoted to these issues identified as the most serious human problems. No significant differences were found between textbook series. Significant differences were found in the number of pages of content presented on each issue. Most of the content fell into the categories of water resources, population growth, air quality, and atmosphere. The issue of war technology had the least amount of content. Distribution of content did not vary by grade level. Both levels addressed the issues of population growth, air quality, and water resources with a greater degree of depth than the issue of world hunger or war technology. The study concludes that the most widely used textbooks at the sixth- and seventh-grade levels avoid serious discussion of major global problems. And like the career indecision of a recent Miss America contestant, purchasers don't seem to be able to decide whether they want science textbooks to be “a brain surgeon or a movie actress.” Implications stemming from this dichotomy and its relationship to future science education curricular are also explored.     

中学生物学实验室管理初探

实验教学是生物学教学的基本形式之一,课程标准所倡导的探究性学习,有许多活动也是通过实验来实施的.生物学实验室是生物学实验的专用场所,科学、规范地管理好实验室并充分发挥其功能是生物学教学的必然要求.     

Curriculum as open-ended inquiry in higher education

Abstract

Throughout the world, education curriculum are determined and guided by knowledge perceived as being critical for the advancement of humanity. Often such progress is indicated and determined by curriculum shaped by the ways of knowing of the dominant cultural group or languages that have achieved hegemonic status in such communities, in the process marginalizing any ‘indigenous’ ways of knowing as embedded in the language of other cultures. Sometimes such curriculum have little or no connection with contemporary reality. In this article I therefore argue that inclusive curricular knowledge types are critical in education in order to enable all people, individually and collectively, to progress without being inhibited by the hegemony of so-called ‘scientific’ knowledge. I also argue that knowledge as embedded in a language is power, and should therefore be connected to reality. Using critical social theory, I propose an alternative, inclusive treatment of knowledge types in education curriculum – open-ended inquiry – in order to level the learning field for all learners, and, in so doing, to adequately prepare tomorrow's world citizenry.     

实验室消耗材料费的科学管理

针对二级学院实验经费使用过程中出现的各种问题,提出了以实施实验项目成本核算为核心的实验消耗材料费管理模式,并初步分析了有效实施该模式的相关影响因素.     

高职院校建筑材料实验室规划建设探讨

探讨了建筑材料实验室建设规划布局、设备选购、师资队伍建设、管理制度建设与实验教学创新等关键点,提出了软硬件建设并重的原则,为高职院校建筑材料实验室建设提供参考。     

材料制备产学研实验室的安全控制与管理

以材料制备实验室为代表,以最为常见的材料制备过程中的高温反应系统和设备为核心探讨内容,研究在基础研究向应用研究扩展过程中所存在的安全隐患源,以及详细的应急处理方法。分析了实验室管理对安全与环保问题的影响,探究强化产学研化学实验室安全管理的对策。     

数学开放题的教育功能和特征

开放题有利于培养学生的表述能力和批判、评价能力，有利于培养学生对于所学知识的应用能力，它直接关系到学生的数学观及其在数学学习中的态度和信念。了解并利用开放题的教育特征和教育功能，对提升学生数学素养和人精神以及培养学生的创新意识和能力有极其重要的作用。     

Cultivating divergent thinking in mathematics through an open-ended approach

The purpose of this study was to develop a program to help cultivate divergent thinking in mathematics based on open-ended problems and to investigate its effect. The participants were 398 seventh grade students attending middle schools in Seoul. A method of pre- and post-testing was used to measure mainly divergent thinking skills through open-ended problems. The results indicated that the treatment group students performed better than the comparison students overall on each component of divergent thinking skills, which includes fluency, flexibility, and originality. The developed program can be a useful resource for teachers to use in enhancing their students’ creative thinking skills. An open-ended approach in teaching mathematics suggested in this paper may provide a possible arena for exploring the prospects and possibilities of improving mathematical creativity.     

Two Sequence Factors in Programmed Instruction

Pupil performances due to variation of step size (texture) and block size in programmed instruction were tested in a two-factor (3x3) experimental design. A 60-item addition drill was prepared in three different sequenc es of item difficutly and each sequence was presented via computer in three different block sizes (15, 30, and 60 items per block). Thirty-six bright eighth graders were randomly assigned to the resulting nine sequences. A nalysis of variance of posttest performance data based on response latency showed no significant differences du to texture, block size, or interaction. Control of performance data for initial differences in ability did not significantly improve experimental precision.     

程序启发教学法初探

初中化学新教材(人教版义务教育三年制初中化学课本)令人感到耳目一新,得心应手,如何充分利用课本,提高教学质量,是教学改革的又一次尝试。     

Insightful learning in the laboratory: Some experiences from 10 years of designing and using conceptual labs

This paper describes a series of projects on the design and implementation of ‘conceptual labs’ aimed at developing insightful learning, following work that began in 1994/1995. The main focus has been on courses in mechanics and electric circuit theory. The approach taken in designing these innovative curricula can be described as ‘design-based research’. A common feature in these learning environments is the use of technology as a tool to aid students’ inquiry. In addition, systematic variation, based on the theory of variation, has been introduced into the design of the assigned tasks. Results from conceptual inventories have demonstrated the success of conceptual labs. In the later projects, video recording was used to study students’ courses of action in labs. This paper describes how these studies have provided insights into conditions that are critical for learning and how these insights have helped the present author and his co-workers make further improvements to learning environments.     

材料科学与工程实验室建设与管理创新的思考

从功能分布角度,可将材料科学与工程实验室架构成教学型、科研型和公共测试平台3部分,进一步明确建设内涵,整合共享资源,提高组织效率,并提出在有偿使用制度、建设理念、网络预约系统、多媒体教学技术、队伍建设和软实力提升6个方面的创新举措。     

加强材料科学与工程实验室管理的探讨

结合东北大学秦皇岛分校材料科学与工程实验室的实际情况,围绕日常管理中强化基础实验教学,合理开放实验室并服务于科研、毕业设计工作等问题进行探讨,从实验室的管理模式、仪器设备及物资管理办法、实验师资队伍的建设三个方面提出了改革与实践方案。     

The Solving of Problems in Chemistry: The more open-ended problems

Most problem solving in chemistry tends to be algorithmic in nature, while problems in life tend to be very open ended. This paper offers a simple classification of problems and seeks to explore the many factors which may be important in the successful solving of problems. It considers the place of procedures and algorithms. It analyses the role of long-term memory, not only in terms of what is known, but how that knowledge was acquired. It notes the great importance of the limitations of working memory space and the importance of confidence which comes from experience. Finally, various psychological factors are discussed. This paper argues that solving open-ended problems is extremely important in education and that offering learners experience of this in a group work context is a helpful way forward.     

A conceptual framework for understanding information seeking in open-ended information systems

Technologies such as the Internet and World Wide Web are changing our conceptions of information systems, from who uses them and how they are used, to how the systems are created and who is doing the creating. Everyday users are afforded the same information retrieval opportunities as information scientists or librarians by using emerging information systems such as the Web. Yet, defining best practices for assisting users in finding the information they seek remains an unrealized goal. Discovering how users engage in information retrieval and strategy building while searching for information in open-ended systems such as the Web is an area in need of exploration if these systems are to fulfill their potential as tools for information seeking and learning. This paper describes a theoretically and empirically based framework for how users formulate and employ information-seeking strategies in open-ended information systems (OEISs). Background information and challenges related to OEISs are provided. OEIS theoretical and user perspectives are described. An example based on a recent research study is provided to illustrate use of the OEIS information-seeking framework. Implications for practice and research are offered.