A student's construction of transformations of functions in a multiple representational environment

This paper reports on a case study of a 16-year-old student working on transformations of functions in a computer-based, multi-representational environment. The didactic approach to reflections, translations and stretches began with visualization exercises, and then was extended to investigate the implications of visual changes in data points, and subsequently, in algebraic symbolism. A detailed analysis of the student's work during the transition from the use of visualization and analysis of discrete points to the use of algebraic symbolism is presented. Two new semiotic forms are introduced as an alternative kind of algebraic symbolism and as a means to facilitate the transition to f(x) notation: covariational equations and the horseshoe display for transformations. The implications of this case for the redesign and modification of the software are discussed.     

Lots of Fun,Not Much Work,and No Hassles: Marketing Images of Higher Education

ABSTRACT

The college viewbook has come to play an increasingly important role in the marketing of American colleges and universities. Offering appealing images of student life and campus activities, college viewbooks are potentially powerful segmenting tools when the visual symbolism used connects with the demands of the market niche. This segmentation is seen in the present study which content analyzed the visual material of college viewbooks from top- and lower-ranked American college and universities, as determined by the 1998 U.S. News and World Report. Drawing on advertising message strategy, the results of the analysis are interpreted in four parts: the “face” of the organization, the package, the promise, and the “Big Idea.”     

The Playing Learning Child: Towards a pedagogy of early childhood

From children's own perspective, play and learning are not always separate in practices during early years. The purpose of this article is, first, to scrutinise the background and character of early years education in terms of play and learning. Second, to elaborate the findings of several years of research about children's learning in preschool related to the curriculum of early years education and, finally, to propose a sustainable pedagogy for the future, which does not separate play from learning but draws upon the similarities in character in order to promote creativity in future generations. Introducing the notions of act and object of learning and play (by act we mean how children play and learn and with the object we mean what children play and learn) we will chisel out an alternative early childhood education approach, here called developmental pedagogy, based on recent research in the field of play and learning, but also related to earlier approaches to early education.     

Practical and conceptual aspects of children’s play in Hong Kong and German kindergartens

This study examines the practical and conceptual dimensions of children’s play in German and Hong Kong Chinese kindergartens. German (n?=?24) and Chinese (n?=?24) children (3–6 years) were randomly selected and videotaped during their free play for 5?min continuously on five consecutive days. Play behavior was analyzed by adopting the Parten-Smilansky play scale. Ten teachers were interviewed to elicit their views on play, learning, and play arrangements. The findings indicate that a significant difference was found between all the play categories of Hong Kong and German children. The most frequent behavior in both contexts is non-playing behavior (Non-Play), which includes completing assignments and onlooker behavior. German children show a slightly higher level in the social and cognitive dimensions of play, compared with their Chinese counterparts. Moreover, there is an association between children’s play and teachers’ views on play and, to some degree, the curriculum foci. This comparative study has implications for the curricula currently under reform, based on consideration of whether play should be applied to or removed from the curriculum.     

Topoi and literary interpretation: The effects of a critical reading and writing intervention on high school students’ analytic literary essays

Literary scholars use specific critical lenses called topoi (Fahnestock & Secor, 1991) to read literature and write their interpretations of these texts. Literary topoi are used in the discourse of modern college literature classrooms (Wilder, 2002) and are associated with higher grades in students’ literature classes ( [Wilder, 2002] and [Wilder, 2005] ). However, research shows that high school students are generally unable to justify their literary interpretations (Marshall, 2000). In this study, six high school students were taught a strategy to recognize and use topoi to form an interpretation of literature, and then write an argument to support that interpretation. Three of the students were taught to recognize repeated examples of single patterns of symbolism and imagery that support a theme, i.e., the ubiquity topos. The other three were taught to recognize opposing patterns of symbolism and imagery that support a theme, i.e., the paradox topos. All participants were then taught to form arguments based on the topoi, to utilize direct quotations to back their arguments, and to write “tie-in sentences” that link the quotations to the writers’ arguments. Instruction about these topoi resulted in higher quality argumentative essays that provided more textual evidence to support their literary interpretations.     

A Factor Analysis of Preschool Children's Play Strategies and Cognitive Style

ABSTRACT The social behaviours of 2400 3‐, 4and 5‐year old children attending an early childhood programme were observed, recorded, and analysed, and their cognitive style assessed. Factors underlying the play of preschool children based on their cognitive style were identified. Sex and age were considered in these social factors. ThePlay Rating Scale was used to record young children's behaviours in four different forms of play (physical, block, manipulative, dramatic); while theGoodenough‐Harris Drawing Test was used to determine the children's cognitive style. Factor analysis indicated two dimensions of play behaviours for each group of children. These factors had strong loadings with a range of items. The factors indicated that field‐dependent children participated more in social play activities, whereas field‐independent children engaged more in nonsocial play activities. The study suggests practical and research implications in promoting educational play using the children's cognitive style.     

Investigating the Efficacy of a Core Kindergarten Mathematics Curriculum to Improve Student Mathematics Learning Outcomes

This study examined the efficacy of a core kindergarten mathematics program, Early Learning in Mathematics (ELM), a 120-lesson program with four content strands: (a) number operations, (b) geometry, (c) measurement, and (d) vocabulary. The study utilized a randomized block design, with 129 classrooms randomly assigned within schools to treatment or control conditions. Measures of achievement were collected in the fall (pretest) and spring (posttest) in kindergarten and in the winter of first grade (follow-up). Although students in ELM classrooms did not differ significantly from students in control classrooms, we expected and found that the effects of ELM depended on students’ initial achievement. Initial achievement moderated condition effects for Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA) scores (p =.0039), but not the Early Numeracy–Curriculum-Based Measurement (p =.1887). We found no effects on follow-up first-grade scores from the Stanford Achievement Test Tenth Edition Problem Solving subtest (p =.9737) or Procedures subtest (p =.6336).     

Encouraging Maternal Guidance of Preschoolers’ Spatial Thinking During Block Play

Spatial thinking, an important component of cognition, supports academic achievement and daily activities (e.g., learning science and math; using maps). Better spatial skills are correlated with more spatial play and more parental attention to spatial concepts. Tested here was whether informing mothers about spatial thinking and ways to encourage it would increase the spatial guidance they provide to their preschool children (N = 41; M = 5.23 years) during dyadic block play. Mothers given such instructions indeed produced more spatial language and spatial guidance than mothers asked to play as usual. In instructed dyads, children also used more spatial language; both mothers and children engaged in less pretend play. Findings offer support for designing interventions to encourage parents to foster their children's spatial skills.     

Understanding the real barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education

Background: Academic staff have a key role to play in the innovation efforts of universities aiming to exploit the potential of web-based learning technologies. Although learning technologies are an important building block of educational innovation, the eLearning adoption rate of European academic staff appears disappointing. The majority of curricula in European universities are stalled in the traditional pedagogical model of knowledge transmission, which continues to dominate teaching and learning.

Purpose: This conceptual paper explores underlying structural and cultural barriers to technology-enhanced innovation in higher education.

Sources of evidence: Starting from the underdeveloped state of eLearning in European universities, the paper challenges arguments that visible barriers such as technical issues, budget constraints or lack of interest in technology amongst academic staff represent the actual reasons for the slow advancement of learning technologies in university curricula.

Main argument: The paper argues that the lack of faculty interest and engagement for eLearning are visible symptoms for deeply rooted causes, which hinder current innovation efforts of universities. It explores theoretical viewpoints for structural peculiarities of universities, motivational and habitual traits of academic staff, and long-standing cultural values in the academic community in an attempt to understand their impact on technology-enhanced innovation in higher education.

Conclusions: The real dilemma for eLearning innovation is caused by macro-level influence factors that even committed universities can hardly overcome at institutional level. University leaders have to take the underlying innovation barriers into account when they try to engage academic staff for the use of learning technologies. With a realistic view on existing limitations, institutional eLearning adoption efforts have to be tailored to serve real learning needs and motivations of academic staff; and they have to consider specific goals and contexts within different universities.     

‘Otherways’ into the Garden: Re-Visioning the Feminine in The Secret Garden

This article documents my interpretation of The Secret Garden. Re-visioning The Secret Garden as a Sleeping Beauty tale was the key that made it possible for me to recognize the story as Mary's quest tale and as a feminine, subversive text with covert, symbolic messages. To arrive at my interpretation, I explored a series of questions dealing with issues such as sight, speech, power, gender construction, and symbolism. My interpretation reveals the positive and potent ways women subvert the hegemony of patriarchal society and the celebration of the divine feminine within The Garden.     

The Relationship Between the Cognitive Styles and Play Behaviours of Preschool Children

Children's (n = 1276) cognitive style was identified and their play was observed and recorded. Reliability and validity estimates were obtained on the measures and procedures. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant results relating to the children's cognitive style and their play according to age. Also four significant interactions were found: (1) age and play behaviours; (2) play behaviours and cognitive style; (3) age and cognitive style; and (4) age, cognitive style and play behaviours. Significant differences were demonstrated between field dependent (FD) and field independent (FI) 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children's play behaviours in the physical, block, manipulative and dramatic forms of play. Most FD children displayed more play behaviours than did FI children. These results suggest that the FD and FI cognitive styles are providing a differential effect on the play behaviours of 3‐, 4‐, and 5‐year‐old children.     

Preschool Children’s Social Play and Involvement in the Outdoor Environment

Research Findings: The primary purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between social play and involvement in the outdoor preschool environment. The study included 173 children ranging in age from 3 to 6 years (M_age = 3.95, SD = 0.82) and attending 19 preschools in the Basque Country (Spain). A total of 51 teachers (50 women, 1 man) also participated. Our results indicated that there is a relationship between social participation and involvement and that group play is the type of play that best predicts greater involvement. No significant differences in levels of involvement were found between boys and girls, although gender was found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between the type of group play and involvement. Practice or Policy: The results are discussed with reference to the need to implement innovations in the outdoor preschool environment that have a positive effect on child development. The outdoor environment should promote social participation as well as gender equality and inclusion, and consequently it should be designed to offer both access to a natural environment and multiple opportunities for play.     

Aistear vis-à-vis the Primary Curriculum: the experiences of early years teachers in Ireland

Launched in 2009, the Aistear early years curriculum framework sought to complement and extend the primary school curriculum (PSC) at infant class level in the Republic of Ireland. While Aistear focuses on the development of attitudes, values and learning dispositions and is neither statutory nor inspected, the PSC centres on the acquisition of subject-based knowledge and the development of age-appropriate skills, and is subject to external inspection. To explore teachers’ experiences regarding the status of Aistear vis-à-vis the Curriculum, this study adopted a multi-method approach involving questionnaire surveys (n?=?104), one-to-one interviews (n?=?6) and classroom observations (n?=?6) to identify everyday practices in the classroom. Acknowledging the importance of play, there was little evidence that Aistear has transformed classroom teaching. Didactic teaching approaches remain dominant, with play afforded peripheral status. The study provides an original insight into the challenges teachers experience in meeting competing curricular demands.     

Decomposition in blocks at the level of wavelet coefficients andT(1) theorem on Hardy space

This paper deals with the establishment ofT(1) theorem on Hardy spaceH ¹ under condition of weak regularity. An operator or a function is identified on the basis of their wavelet coefficients which are regrouped on some blocks. The actions of each block operator (pseudo-annular operator) on each block function (atom) are exactly analyzed to establishT(1) theorem on Hardy space. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 1000102) and Education Ministry of China.     

Peer Play Interactions and Learning for Low-Income Preschool Children: The Moderating Role of Classroom Quality

Research Findings: The present study examined the degree to which the association between interactive peer play and academic skills was dependent upon the level of classroom quality for a representative sample of culturally and linguistically diverse urban Head Start children (N = 304 children across 53 classrooms). Peer play interactions within the classroom were assessed by teacher assistants in the fall of the year; observations of the quality of classroom instructional, emotional, and organizational support were conducted in the middle of the year; and norm-referenced direct assessments of literacy, language, and mathematics skills were administered in the spring. Findings from multilevel models indicated that disruptive and disconnected peer play behaviors early in the preschool year were associated with lower literacy and language skills regardless of classroom quality. However, interactive peer play early in the year was associated with higher mathematics outcomes when children were enrolled in classrooms characterized by high instructional support. Practice or Policy: Implications for early childhood research, practice, and policy are discussed.     

Higher education,Curriculum 2000 and the future reform of 14–19 qualifications in England

This article, which is based on research funded by the Nuffield Foundation, examines the responses of higher education institutions (HEIs) to the recent reform of advanced level qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, known as Curriculum 2000. The research, undertaken in late 2002 and early 2003 following the ‘graduation’ of the first cohort of Curriculum 2000 learners, combined documentary analysis, use of national survey findings and interviews with a sample of university admissions tutors from new (post‐1992) and old (pre‐1992) universities in England. The research shows that HEIs were generally well‐informed about most aspects of the advanced level reforms and, at the level of public statements, welcomed the possibility of a broader advanced level curriculum. However, this relatively positive approach was not reproduced in terms of offer‐making to candidates: admissions tutors, particularly in the pre‐1992 universities, continued to make offers largely on the basis of predicted grades in three main A Levels. We argue that the reason for this cautious approach by the HEIs was not simply a result of their traditional support for subject specialisation, but also stemmed from systemic problems related to the Curriculum 2000 qualifications, their voluntarism and their less than universal up‐take by schools, colleges and learners. We conclude by looking briefly at the implications of these research findings for the future reform of 14–19 curriculum and qualifications in England.     

梁宗岱象征主义诗学思想辨析

梁宗岱象征主义诗学是他在借鉴、吸收西方象征主义文学思潮的基础上,对其进行中国化改造的产物。它在形式层面追求纯诗化,在内容层面追求意义化,在意境层面追求象征化。梁宗岱象征主义诗学在一定程度提升了中国新诗的美学品质,促进了新诗的纯正化和现代化进程。     

“We're Playing Sisters,on Paper!”: children composing on graphic playgrounds

In this paper, I draw on two childhood ethnographies to ask basic questions about the foundation of child writing. The first question is, where does writing come from in young children's lives? Answering this question will lead us to childhood play as the foundation of writing. The second question is, how do educators negotiate an inclusive, playful classroom culture in racially divisive and neoliberal times? This question will lead to a critical consideration of forming an inclusive culture in a racially and culturally diverse classroom. In this time of uniform, mandated curricula, rampant in the United States and elsewhere, and of the dismissive attitude towards play and towards childhood diversity (e.g., in race, culture and socioeconomic class), it is worth revisiting basic questions about the beginnings of writing in childhoods. The questions are relevant whether a child is writing on paper, screen, slate, or sand.     

Research on Children’s Play: Analysis of Developmental and Early Education Journals from 2005 to 2007

Our review examined four early childhood journals (Early Child Development and Care, Early Childhood Education Journal, Journal of Research in Childhood Education, and Early Childhood Research Quarterly) and four developmental science journals (Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, and Merrill Palmer Quarterly) from 2005 to 2007. Only 57 articles out of over 1,000 (conservative estimate) included the term ‘play’ in the title, abstract or as a key word. Of these 57 articles, only 19 were primarily focused on play, 16 from ECE journals and only three from developmental science journals (Z = 2.43, p < .05). While the ECE journals drew implications for practice, the developmental science journals did not. Seven ECE journal articles dealt with the concept of play in education and four other ECE journal articles covered play and literacy. The findings suggest the need for more careful use of the term play in early education and child development studies and a reevaluation of rationales and methods for its study.     

Trial and intertrial durations in appetitive conditioning in rats

The effects of trial (T) and intertrial (I) durations were examined in two Pavlovian conditioning experiments with rats, in which a noise conditioned stimulus (CS) was paired with food delivery. In Experiment 1,T was either 10 or 20 sec, andI ranged from 15 to 960 sec, in separate groups of rats. The acquisition rate and final level of conditioned responding showed ratio invariance: They were better predicted by theI/T ratio than byI orT alone. In Experiment 2, theI/T ratio was 6.0 in all the groups, andT was 20, 40, 80, or 160 sec. Ratio invariance was not observed: Despite the commonI/T ratio, the rate of acquisition, final level of conditioned responding, and the ability of the CS to block conditioning of another stimulus differed among the groups. At the same time, the temporal distribution of conditioned responding withinT was similar in all the groups throughout conditioning and extinction and showed superpositioning when normalized acrossT. Many but not all aspects of the data were consistent with scalar timing theory.