A Survey of Virginia Public School Principals on the State of Environmental Education

ABSTRACT:

The National Survey of Evaluation Methods and Results in Resident Outdoor Education Programs (1981–82) identified methods used by administrators to evaluate outdoor education programs. 144 surveys were returned (41%), and 171 evaluation instruments were submitted. Most programs evaluate by a combination of methods; 45% use subjective methods, 12% objective, and 36% both. Major uses of evaluations are for improvement pnd planning. Over 100 questions needing research were submitted. Evaluations most frequently assess overall satisfactions with the program, operational aspects, and students' attitudes. A model of the evaluation development process is included.     

“The verdict is in: A study of jury decision making factors,moment of personal decision,and jury deliberations—from the jurors' point of view”

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into jury decision waking factors, jury decision timing, and the jury decision making process by talking to actual trial jurors. Three criminal jury trials were observed, and seventeen of the jurors were interviewed after each trial's completion. The data indicate that jurors were influenced by the evidence, witnesses, lawyers, and defendant in the trials. In two trials, jurors made their decisions early; one trial produced later decisions. The jurors' reports also demonstrate that jurors considered evidence and discussed the key issues during deliberation.     

DETERMINING THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF OCCUPATIONAL COURSES

Administrators, instructors, students, and employers need to know the essential concepts taught in occupational courses. In particular, instructors require this information in order to avoid some common teaching traps and to avoid establishing a series of cumulative deficiencies for their students. To provide this information, community college accounting instructors performed a forced Q‐sort of 56 accounting concepts. The high level of agreement on the Q‐sort was evidence for a “community of preference.” Lists of the essential and least important concepts were developed from this community of preference. The Q‐sort appears to be an efficient and effective “method” for determining what emphasis instructors should place on course content items.     

进化与设计

本文是普兰丁格在"第十届中美哲学与宗教学研讨会"(2004年10月,北京大学)上的演讲,主要阐述他对现代科学与基督教的关系的看法,牵扯到他与几个当今大人物(包括道金斯、丹尼特、E.O.威尔逊等人)的争论.他认为,基督教信念与科学本身(如进化论)并无冲突,而只跟对于科学的"形而上自然主义"解释不相容.科学本身不必预设"形而上自然主义"(不存在超自然),但它确实需要一种"方法论自然主义"(不假设超自然),后者在说明人的特性(如道德原则)时,对相关研究作了一种"条件化限制",因而其结论不能恰当地用来反驳基督教信念.在一种扩大的"认识基础"上,基督教信念包容并且修正了所谓的"西蒙式科学".     

Thinking critically: a look at students' critiques of a research article

The ability to reason, analyse and evaluate issues critically is a valued skill and ranks highly in the list of attributes expected of graduates. Much has been written about the importance and application of critical thinking in various domains, but studies on the actual manifestation of such skills in students' writing have attracted only modest interest. Even less has been written about critiques in relation to critical thinking. This study sought to investigate the form and nature of issues raised by 119 second-year biology undergraduates in their critiques of the introduction section of a research article. The study revealed that the vast majority of students tended to raise surface issues in their critiques, focusing on visible textual features such as rhetorical structure and language-related issues. The minority who raised depth issues addressed the arguments used in the reading and their significance. In light of the skewed results, a two-stage process – involving (1) summary writing and (2) the use of evaluative criteria and the Toulmin model as an overarching framework – is recommended to enhance the teaching of critical thinking within the curriculum. This study offers a glimpse into the outcomes of critical thinking, as represented by the students' critiques. It provides a bottom-up approach to our understanding of the issues raised by students in a task centred on critical thinking and so focuses our attention on specific areas for further consideration or remediation.     

Programming skills: Visualization,interaction, home language and problem solving

Education and Information Technologies - As a novice, learning computer programming is challenging. It requires learners to be inquisitive and acquire skills to analyze problems to get to solutions...     

Film Reference Works

Alvin H. Marill, Movies Made for Television: The Telefeature and the Mini-Series (Westport, Conn.: Arlington House, 1980—$29.95).

Eileen Bowser and John Kuiper, eds., A Handbook for Film Archives (FIAF, Couderberg 70, 1000 Brussels, Belgium— $40.00).

Just out is Peter Cowie, ed. International Film Guide 1981 (San Diego, Ca.: A.S. Barnes, 1981—$9.95, paper)

Charles Grande, The American Film Institute Seventh Annual Guide to Courses in Film and Television (Peterson's Guides, P.O. Box 123, Princeton, N.J. 08540—$11.50 plus $2.00 postage)

Patrick Robertson, Movie Facts and Feats: A Guiness Record Book (New York: Sterling Publishing, 1980—$21.50)

James L. Limbacker, Keeping Score: Film Music 1972-79 (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1981— $21.50)

Jerry C. Hostetler and Donald C. Winsor, Directory of United States Film and Video Festivals (write to Kathy Bury, Box 176-B, DeSoto, Ill. 62924—$5.00, spiral bound with $1.00 to cover postage)

Lubomyr Wynor and Lois Buttlar, Ethnic Film and Filmstrip Guide for Librarians and Media Centers: A Selected Filmography (Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1980—$18.50, or $22.00 outside of U.S.)