Clusters,Innovation and Tertiary Education

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the integration between research findings produced at the University and Community College levels and local SMEs (small and medium enterprises) as it impacts regional innovation systems and in particular the prospect of cluster formation. The paper explores certain factors that have been identified in international literature as being critical to fostering innovation in non-metropolitan regions. These factors include government policies and programmes, internal and external infrastructure, partnership or research links among educational institutions, and support from local business and civic leaders. Stakeholders from non-metropolitan regions were asked to judge the level of effectiveness with reference to these development “factors” while highlighting weaknesses, strengths, and effects on innovation in their locale.     

Solid-phase microextraction for flavor analysis in Harari Khat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Catha edulis</Emphasis>) stimulant

This research examined the typical flavor compounds in the commonest type of Khat called Harari Khat grown in the region of Ethiopia. Twenty-eight compounds, which includes 1,2-Propanedione, 1-Phenyl, Hexanol, Hexanal compounds, Limonene, Benzaldehyde with other flavors, were extracted by polydimethylsiloxane at room temperature for 30 min from Khat samples, and identified by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). This method needs no organic solvents and required minimal sample. Project supported by scholarship from China     

Enhancing Elementary Science Teachers’ Knowledge of Teaching: The Case of Designing and Implementing an Instructional Unit

This article provides a model for the professional development of elementary science teachers. The model focused on integrating different domains of knowledge into science teaching, including the knowledge of the science curriculum, especially scientific inquiry, teachers knowledge, and students knowledge. The two case studies in this article revealed that the teachers construct their knowledge in a social context. The constant reflections on the experiences helped them to generate alternative teaching approaches. The findings suggest that the model of the project had two functions. First, it provides a useful strategy to help science teachers to bridge the gap between theories of teaching and their own teaching practices. Second, it provides a social learning environment for learning how to teach science.     

A Conceptual Framework for Assessing Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning in College Students

A conceptual framework for assessing student motivation and self-regulated learning in the college classroom is presented. The framework is based on a self-regulatory (SRL) perspective on student motivation and learning in contrast to a student approaches to learning (SAL) perspective. The differences between SRL and SAL approaches are discussed, as are the implications of the SRL conceptual framework for developing instruments to assess college student motivation and learning. The conceptual framework may be useful in guiding future research on college student motivation and learning.     

Seizing the Opportunity to Create Uncertainty in Learning Mathematics

The paper is a reflective account of the design and implementation of mathematical tasks that evoke uncertainty for the learner. Three types of uncertainty associated with mathematical tasks are discussed and illustrated: competing claims, unknown path or questionable conclusion, and non-readily verifiable outcomes. One task is presented in depth, pointing to the dynamic nature of task design, and the added value stimulated by the uncertainty component entailed in the task in terms of mathematical and pedagogical musing.     

The Relationship Between School Composition,School Process and Mathematics Achievement in Secondary Education in Argentina

Using data from the 1998 High School National Census from the Ministry of Education and Culture of Argentina, the present study examines relationships between school composition, some characteristics of schooling (such as institutional culture and climate), and students’ achievement in Mathematics in the last year of high school. The study applies multilevel linear modeling on the levels of student, school and state. It finds a close relationship between achievement in Mathematics and the variables of school composition and schooling processes. It shows that when both variables act together, the effect of all other variables significantly decreases. The variables of schooling processes, however, even when diminished in influence, nonetheless notably continue to affect students’ achievements. The study also identifes a reference model for future studies evaluating other institutional factors of learning.     

Kindergarten Teachers’ Conceptions of Environmental Education

A written questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding Greek kindergarten teachers’ personal views on the concept of Environmental Education (EE). The questionnaire was also designed to obtain the teachers’ views relative to a series of theoretical and methodological issues concerning the application of EE. It was ascertained that the prevalent conception of the kindergarten teachers includes the following: (a) it is directed towards a knowledge-centered type of EE, (b) it is primarily centered on nature and its protection in terms of EE content, (c) it aims not only to shape citizens willing to adopt environmental measures recommended by the experts, but who will also actively participate in social actions for the protection of the environment, (d) it favors learning procedures in the environment with field study activities, (e) it must be compulsory in the kindergarten level.     

Application of stochastic method to optimum design of energy-efficient induction motors with a target of LCC

For an energy-efficient induction machine, the life-cycle cost (LCC) usually is the most important index to the consumer. With this target, the optimization design of a motor is a complex nonlinear problem with constraints. To solve the problem, the authors introduce a united random algorithm. At first, the problem is divided into two parts, the optimal rotor slots and the optimization of other dimensions. Before optimizing the rotor slots with genetic algorithm (GA), the second part is solved with TABU algorithm to simplify the problem. The numerical results showed that this method is better than the method using a traditional algorithm. Project (No. 601299) supported by the Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China.     

Analysis of the cognitive unity or rupture between conjecture and proof when learning to prove on a grade 10 trigonometry course

We present results from a classroom-based intervention designed to help a class of grade 10 students (14–15 years old) learn proof while studying trigonometry in a dynamic geometry software environment. We analysed some students’ solutions to conjecture-and-proof problems that let them gain experience in stating conjectures and developing proofs. Grounded on a conception of proof that includes both empirical and deductive mathematical argumentations, we show the trajectories of some students progressing from developing basic empirical proofs towards developing deductive proofs and understanding the role of conjectures and proofs in mathematics. Our analysis of students’ solutions is based on networking Boero et al.’s construct of cognitive unity of theorems, Pedemonte’s structural and referential analysis of conjectures and proofs, and Balacheff and Margolinas’ cK¢ model, while using Toulmin schemes to represent students’ productions. This combination has allowed us to identify several emerging types of cognitive unity/rupture, corresponding to different ways of solving conjecture-and-proof problems. We also show that some types of cognitive unity/rupture seem to induce students to produce deductive proofs, whereas other types seem to induce them to produce empirical proofs.     

Comparative studies on the biochemical characteristics of natural actomyosin isolated from PSE and normal pork

Biochemical changes of natural actomyosin from fresh pale, soft, exudative (PSE) and normal pork were studied, and the effects of different storage temperatures and different incubation temperature and times on sample superprecipitation, total sulfhydryl (-SH) content, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) sensitivity were investigated. The results demonstrated that ATPase activity and thermal stability of PSE actomyosin were lower than those of normal pork; and that PSE actomyosin had higher -SH content than that of normal pork at all incubation temperatures and times tested.