Destination unknown? Study choices and graduate destinations of Hungarian youth in Slovakia

Focusing on Hungarian minority youth in a rural Slovakian setting, this article analyses their higher education aspirations and choices amidst significant economic, political and educational reforms. Relying on mixed methods and a longitudinal design, the research follows a cohort of high school students from their last year of secondary school through university up to their graduate destinations several years onwards. The data reveal three main study-work trajectories reflecting different trade-offs in terms of higher education studies, graduate careers and ethnic identity maintenance that affect life-chances and the future of the Hungarian community in Slovakia.     

A Research-Informed Instructional Unit to Teach the Nature of Science to Pre-Service Science Teachers

In this paper we discuss the foundations and process of design of a research-informed instructional unit aimed for pre-service science teacher education. The unit covers some key ideas on the nature of science (around methodology, theory change, scientific inference and explanation, values, gender issues) anchoring them in a well-known episode from the history of science—the ‘discovery’ of radium by the Curies. Such episode is mainly examined as reconstructed in the 1997 French commercial film ‘Les Palmes de Monsieur Schutz’. Pre-service science teachers are required to solve three tasks, individually and in small groups; those tasks are respectively centred around: (1) the distinction between ‘discovering’ and ‘inventing’; (2) scientific modelling via abduction; and (3) the extended hagiographic treatment of the figure of Madame Curie. Plenary debates around the tasks aim at acquainting pre-service science teachers with some powerful concepts of twentieth century philosophy of science.     

“I’m slowly ageing but I still have my value”: challenging ageism and empowering older persons through lifelong learning in Singapore

ABSTRACT

The National Silver Academy (NSA) was launched in 2016 as part of the Singapore government’s Action Plan for Successful Aging. This paper uses a grounded approach to explore and assess critical geragogical elements that are enabling, empowering and transformative for older learners. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 48 participants who had completed an NSA course. Although three different categories of older learners were identified in this study, most tend to internalize ageism and took courses to counter ageist stereotypes of being frail, dependent and useless. In terms of geragogy, participants articulated four key learning needs at the NSA. These were: (i) relatable, empathetic and engaging instructors; (ii) interactive and versatile methods of teaching with emphasis on real-life applications; (iii) flexible and accessible curriculum and course content appropriate to learners’ capabilities and expectations and (iv) inclusive and disability-friendly learning environments catering to a wide spectrum of learners. At the NSA, instructors are crucial to the empowerment of older learners by leading the challenge against ageism, promoting learners’ confidence and self-worth as well as enabling safe spaces for personal transcendence and creative expression. This study reinforces the need for more contextualized models of geragogy to dismantle structural and internalized forms of ageism by taking into account older learners’ cultural beliefs about aging, access to education, confidence and competences to navigate both formal and informal learning environments.     

A ‘Semantic’ View of Scientific Models for Science Education

In this paper I inspect a ‘semantic’ view of scientific models taken from contemporary philosophy of science—I draw upon the so-called ‘semanticist family’, which frontally challenges the received, syntactic conception of scientific theories. I argue that a semantic view may be of use both for science education in the classrooms of all educational levels, and for research and innovation within the discipline of didactics of science. I explore and characterise a model-based account of the nature of science, and derive some implications that may be of interest for our community.     

Effect of a Fast-skin 'body' suit on drag during front crawl swimming

The effect on drag of a Speedo Fast-skin suit compared to a conventional suit was studied in 13 subjects (6 males, 7 females) swimming at different velocities between 1.0 and 2.0 m.s-1. The active drag force was directly measured during front crawl swimming using a system of underwater push-off pads instrumented with a force transducer (MAD system). For a range of swimming speeds (1.1, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 m.s-1), drag values were estimated. On a group level, a statistically non-significant drag reduction effect of 2% was observed for the Fast-skin suit (p = 0.31). Therefore, the 7.5% reduction in drag claimed by the swimwear manufacturer was not corroborated.     

Using computer animation and illustration activities to improve high school students' achievement in molecular genetics

Our main goal in this study was to determine whether the use of computer animation and illustration activities in high school can contribute to student achievement in molecular genetics. Three comparable groups of eleventh‐ and twelfth‐grade students participated: the control group (116 students) was taught in the traditional lecture format, whereas the experimental groups received instructions that integrated a computer animation (61 students) or illustration (71 students) activities. We used three research instruments: a multiple‐choice questionnaire; an open‐ended, written questionnaire; and personal interviews. Five of the multiple‐choice questions were also given to students before they received their genetics instruction (pretest). We found that students who participate in the experimental groups improved their knowledge in molecular genetics compared with the control group. However, the open‐ended questions revealed that the computer animation activity was significantly more effective than the illustration activity. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that it is advisable to use computer animations in molecular genetics, especially when teaching about dynamic processes; however, engaging students in illustration activities can still improve their achievement in comparison to traditional instruction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 273–292, 2008     

Effect of bead and illustrations models on high school students' achievement in molecular genetics

Our main goal in this study was to explore whether the use of models in molecular genetics instruction in high school can contribute to students' understanding of concepts and processes in genetics. Three comparable groups of 11th and 12th graders participated: The control group (116 students) was taught in the traditional lecture format, while the others received instructions which integrated a bead model (71 students), or an illustration model (71 students). Similar instructions and the same guiding questions accompanied the two models. We used three instruments: a multiple‐choice and an open‐ended written questionnaire, as well as personal interviews. Five of the multiple‐choice questions were also given to students before receiving their genetics instruction (pretest). We found that students who used one of the two types of models improved their knowledge in molecular genetics compared to the control group. However, the open‐ended questions revealed that bead model activity was significantly more effective than illustration activity. On the basis of these findings we conclude that, though it is advisable to use a three‐dimensional model, such as the bead model, engaging students in activities with illustrations can still improve their achievement in comparison to traditional instruction. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 500–529, 2006     

Flexibility in higher professional education: A survey in business administration programmes in the Netherlands

In order to develop higher education in theEuropean Union there is a need to increase themobility of students and teachers. Improvingthe flexibility of educational programming isan educational policy in the Netherlands tosupport this development. To get a clearpicture of the operational characteristics ofcurrent educational programmes, theirflexibility and conditions for improvement, asurvey was carried out in Businessadministration programmes in higherprofessional education institutes in theNetherlands. The results indicate that theseeducational programmes are organised in ratherrigid operational formats that seem to restrictflexibility. The issue of developing newoperational models that allow for more flexibleeducational programme formats is discussed.Operations management and educationaltechnology are considered as potential domainsfor a re-engineering of educational systems.     

Methodology and Politics: A Proposal to Teach the Structuring Ideas of the Philosophy of Science through the Pendulum

This article refers to a framework to teach the philosophy of science to prospective and in-service science teachers. This framework includes two components: a list of the main schools of twentieth-century philosophy of science (called stages) and a list of their main theoretical ideas (called strands). In this paper, I show that two of these strands, labelled intervention/method and context/values, can be taught to science teachers using some of the instructional activities sketched in Michael Matthews’s Time for Science Education. I first explain the meaning of the two selected strands. Then I show how the pendulum can be used as a powerful organiser to address specific issues within the nature of science, as suggested by Matthews.