Promoting mental model building in astronomy education

While astronomy has recently re-emerged in many science curricula, there remain unresolved teaching and learning difficulties peculiar to astronomy education. This paper argues that mental model building, the core process in astronomy itself, should be reflected in astronomy education. Also, this crucial skill may promote a better understanding of the nature of science by pupils and it resonates with current understandings about pupils' learning in science. However, three practical questions to be considered are: the expressed reservations about the connection between mental model building and meaningful learning; the earliest age of pupils for whom mental model building is appropriate; and the lack of research into pupils' prior ideas about the role of models in science. The paper describes how a four-phase general pedagogical strategy was adopted to create an astronomy teaching and learning package to promote mental model building. The package consists of notes explaining the mental model building followed by an overview of the teaching-learning approach and suggested outlines of the 12 lessons. Research investigated whether that package can help Year 7-8 pupils interrogate and refine their mental models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system within the constraints of an ordinary class of 33 pupils. The results showed that all four phases of the general strategy were necessary and effective in that most pupils were able successively and successfully to critique their mental models of the Sun-Earth-Moon system while also achieving traditional astronomy knowledge goals. Implications are that pupils as young as Year 7-8 may be able to construct other appropriate mental models, such as those for biological populations, atomic structure and plate tectonics.     

论高校音乐美育的重要性

音乐教育作为学校教育的重要组成部分，具有其他学科所不可替代的作用，是高校实施美育的主要内容和途径，也是加强社会主义精神明建设，提高学生道德水准，促进智力和身心健康发展的有效手段。     

浅析韩语教学中文化教育的重要性

文化是社会历史的积淀物,它与国家或民族的历史、思维方式、价值观念等息息相关,所以,当我们学习语言的时候,文化教育就显得尤为重要。在韩语教学过程中,教师的言传身教、韩国文化社团文化活动的开展等等都是韩国文化教育的重要手段。韩语课堂教学和课外体验相互融合的文化教育手段,可以让韩语专业的学生在生活、学习、就业中胜人一筹。     

The importance of place in indigenous science education

In this issue of Cultural Studies of Science Education, Mack and colleagues (Mack et al. 2011) seek to identify the necessary components of science education in Indigenous settings. Using a review of current research in informal science education in Indigenous settings, along with personal interviews with American educators engaged in these programs, the authors suggest some effective practices to use Indigenous ways of knowing to strengthen science programming. For the past 4 years, we have been interested in the importance of place in culturally relevant science education. We have explored the role of place and have used Gruenewald’s critical pedagogy of place (2003) to examine the importance of place in a variety of Indigenous contexts. In response to Mack and colleagues, in this paper we explore the importance of place as a means to reinhabituate Indigenous youth who live in urban, First Nation, and rural Costa Rican contexts.     

The importance of entertainment for sexuality education

Researchers in sexuality education have tended to focus on formal schooling. However, young people learn about sexuality from a range of sources, including entertainment media. This is particularly important because young people actively seek out entertainment media. They do so because it gives them the kinds of information they want, in ways that seem relevant to them. This is often not the case for formal schooling, for reasons that may not easily change in the near future. Possibilities exist for sexuality education researchers to form productive relationships with entertainment producers: but only if these are approached with respect for the producers' particular skills, including the ability to give audiences what they want.     

民族文化融入室内设计教育中的重要性探究

室内设计涵盖建筑学和艺术美学、要求技术与艺术完美相融,随着人们对室内设计要求的不断提高,在保证室内空间功能性和舒适性的同时,还需要将民族文化融入其中,营造出富有民族特色的室内环境,所以便需要在室内设计教学中融入民族文化。     

文化教育在大学英语教学中的重要性

在现阶段,许多高校在进行英语教学时通常只重视英语文化知识,而忽视了我们自己的母语文化。虽然在英语课堂上讲授英语文化是一件再正常不过的事情,但是我国已经明确了英语教育的目的就是对跨文化交际人才的培养。本文就母语文化教育和跨文化教育在大学英语教学中的现状和重要性进行了说明,同时根据这两方面的内容对文化教育在大学英语教学中的相关实施原则进行了总结,希望对大学英语教学中的文化教育起到一定的借鉴作用。     

批判性思维在大学英语教育中的重要性

我国传统的英语专业教学一直过于注重培养学生的英语语言知识及应用技能,而缺乏对学生批判性思维的培养。本文试图分析大学英语学习中批判性思维的重要性,并从教学方法和评价方法等方面对积极开拓批判性思维提出一些可行性建议。     

中学地理教师培训的新内容——中学地理教学中灾害教育和旅游教育的重要性

中学地理教师继续教育培训课程中增设灾害教育和旅游教育，要有针对性解决中学教学中的实际问题。为参培教师整理有关数据资料、典型案例、“3 X”综合考试试题，为他们提供常规教育素材和多媒体教育素材。     

学校体育在推进素质教育中的作用

体育素质教育的重要内容,体育教学是素质教学的重要手段.本文阐述了体育教学对于提高学生体育素质、促进学生智力开发、提高学习效率、培养学生思想道德素质和审美素质的作用,提出了体育教学实施素质教育的基本途径.     

人文教育在高职英语教学中的重要性研究

教育的对象是人,教育的作用归根结底还是对人的塑造。现在所提出的以人为本的教育理念的核心就是把人文教育作为基本的原则实施在对人的教育中。高职英语的教学不仅要让学生学到相应的知识,同时也要注意培养学生的个性和创造力。人文教育的重要性是与日俱增的。     

Autonomy: The importance of a scientific theory in education reform

The six national goals established by the National Governors' Association for education reform in the 1990s were conceived by people who had the power to decide what outcomes they wanted based on their own values and priorities. Although it is impossible to avoid questions of values, it is necessary in defining goals for education to consider scientific, explanatory theories about how human beings acquire knowledge and moral values. Jean Piaget's conceptualization of autonomy, in his unusual sense of the term, provides an overall aim for the development of individuals as well as of society, both in the intellectual and the moral realms. Autonomy as the aim of education is based on constructivism, a scientific theory, and would obviate the outdated conceptualization and contradictions among the six national goals.     

The importance of connection to nature in assessing environmental education programs

Environmental education imparts knowledge and creates experience to change beliefs, attitudes – and most importantly – behavior. What are the deep motivators of human behavior? Theory and research suggest that feeling connected to someone or something motivates protective and self-sacrificing behavior. This paper reviews the large body of research demonstrating that connectedness to nature is an important predictor of environmentally responsible behavior. We review past research on self-reported behavior, then summarize new research from our lab that demonstrates a link between connectedness to nature and actual conservation behavior (electricity use). We conclude that promoting connectedness to nature should be a goal for environmental education programs, and should therefore be an important part of any assessment.     

The importance of financial aid: The case of higher education in Sweden

This is the first in a series of investigations planned with a view to studying the effects of the financial aid reform which was introduced in Sweden in the mid-1960s. The group studied is a nationally representative sample of those born in 1948. It is shown that social background is a strongly influential factor in the selection for higher education. However, this class bias would have been far greater if it had not been for the national financial aid system. The aid is not only important for recruitment but also to enable the students to complete a degree program and this is particularly true for those from lower socio-economic strata.     

课堂观察在教育教学研究中的重要性探析

课堂观察是教师在课堂教学中以学生度其本人为对象的职业知觉活动。具有以下五个特点：目的性、系统性、理论性、选择性和情景性。课堂观察的范围很广、方式很多，它对促进有效教学、教师专业发展以厦教育决策和评价具有十分重要的作用。     

Development and evaluation of a context-aware ubiquitous learning environment for astronomy education

In recent years information technology has been integrated into education to produce a series of trends, beginning with “electronic learning” (e-learning), through “mobile learning” (m-learning) and finally to “ubiquitous learning” (u-learning), which aims to improve learner motivation through overcoming the conventional limitations of time and location. U-learning practices are still being developed, and learners frequently experience difficulty focusing on learning objectives, and effective learning strategy tools are still lacking. This study reports the design of a context-aware astronomy learning system. The system integrates several technologies, including radio frequency identification, wireless communication networks, handheld mobile devices, and databases to help students learn astronomical concepts. Two content modules were developed in the context of natural science education for fifth-grade elementary school students in Taiwan. Indicators of user experience with the system were collected for further phenomenographic analysis, based on four perspectives of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to assess learner willingness to use this novel u-learning approach. Results show that ease-of-use and the availability of immediate operational or technical support are key factors in increasing learning motivation and performance.     

生物教学中应重视人文教育

1社会的健康发展呼唤人文教育 2002年清华大学学生刘海洋为了做一个生物小实验,竞用掺有硫酸和火碱的饮料倒在了狗熊的身上和嘴里;2003年浙江大学学生周一超和2004云南大学学生马加爵都因极小的事情行凶杀人。如今的青少年为何精神如此脆弱？为何感情如此冷漠？为何对生命如此不知珍惜？我们的教育是否忽视了些什么？     

The importance of networks for newly qualified teachers in upper secondary education

Background and purpose:?The interest in raising the competence of teachers through networks and network activities is increasing. This article is based on the voices of four newly qualified teachers who give us the opportunity to listen to experiences in authentic surroundings. The purpose of this article is to gain better insight into the type of networks newly qualified teachers maintain, develop and create to develop as teachers. The research question is: What is the importance of networks for the professional development of newly qualified teachers in upper secondary education?

Main argument:?The main finding of the article, based on in-depth interviews with four newly qualified teachers, is that being acknowledged by colleagues is decisive for professional development. Furthermore, the school’s programme of meetings to some extent contributes to developing the respect and trust of the newly qualified teachers, who also need to find time and opportunities for reflection in personal networks outside school. The relational and emotional aspects of the teaching profession produce a need for guidance processes where the ethical dilemmas of the profession can be raised. When these dilemmas arise, the newly qualified teachers actively look outside school to grasp opportunities for professional development. The teachers appear to be very active in their own professional development, and they have ambitions to develop as teachers for the benefit of the pupils and the school.

Conclusions:?Systematic guidance is highlighted as fundamental for these teachers’ learning.     

社区健康教育在高血压防治中的重要性研究

目的：讨论以社区为基础,以健康教育为主的干预模式对高血压综合防治效果。方法：对沙河社区高血压患者有计划地实施系统的健康教育,随访6月后比较健康教育干预前后患者认知水平、饮食行为和血压控制程度。结果：健康教育后180例血压患者不同程度地改变了不良生活习惯,干预后血压为（133.05±10.36）mmHg（/83.42±8.02mmHg）,低于干预前（154.20±10.54;）mmHg（/95.61±9.83）mmHg,经t检验,P〈0.01。结论：健康教育是预防和控制高血压的基础和前提,实践证明,以社区为基础,以健康教育为主的干预模式是高血压综合防治的一个有效的、切实可行的途径。