Pourquoi entrer a l'Universite? L'Exemple d'une universite de lettres et sciences humaines

The large number of secondary school graduates entering higher education is transforming the nature of universities, particularly in literature and the humanities, by changing the relative numbers of students enrolled in different academic years. At the same time this influx is accompanied by a significant failure rate in the first academic year, calling into question the efficacy of the university system. A national issue with local repercussions, the struggle against failure in the first year is leading to much heart-searching among the universities, whose staff are trying hard to understand why certain students abandon their studies. The enquiry described in this article reveals the co-existence of two student populations: those who enter university as an active choice and those who do so by default. In the case of the first group, entry to university represents an investment for the future which must be carefully managed. In the second case it is a matter of going into higher education as a faute de mieux solution in an economic context in which work is scarce.     

Theme D: interaction between engineering education and industrial development

Within a conference devoted to the interaction between engineering education and society, it was only natural to give a place to the contribution of engineering education to industrial development. This rich and undoubtedly delicate topic has been dealt with from three viewpoints:

— the contribution of educational establishments to the actualization of engineers' technological knowledge.

— the participation of industry in the precise definition of curricula.

— the contribution of engineering education to the industrial growth of developing countries.     

Connaissances utilisées par des elèves de 8 à 12 ans dans la formulation de problèmes arithmétiques concrets

This study analyses children development of semantic, linguistic, procedural and schematic knowledge in the context of writing arithmetic word problems. 139 children aged between 8 and 12 years old were presented with a task which consisted in writing arithmetic word problems, according to some contraints: words, questions or measures to include in their problems; type of problems to write. Results show the relevance of actual theoritical models of problem solving (Mayer, 1983; Kintsch & Greeno, 1985). Schematic knowledge seem indeed more important than other knowledge in the process of writing arithmetic word problems; semantic knowledge are also used to choose relevant numbers or measures; the roles of linguistic and procedural knowledge seem less evident. Finally, some hypotheses related with the development of mental models of arithmetic word problems are formulated.     

Politiques d'éducation et de formation: Université et professionnalisation. 2001/02. Bruxelles: De Boeck Université. 130 pp. ISBN 2-8041-3732-5, ISSN 1377-3488.

International Review of Education -     

Can Genetics and Genomics Nursing Competencies Be Successfully Taught in a Prenursing Microbiology Course?

In recognition of the entry into the era of personalized medicine, a new set of genetics and genomics competencies for nurses was introduced in 2006. Since then, there have been a number of reports about the critical importance of these competencies for nursing practices and about the challenges of addressing these competencies in the preservice (basic science) nursing curriculum. At least one suggestion has been made to infuse genetics and genomics throughout the basic science curriculum for prenursing students. Based on this call and a review of the competencies, this study sought to assess the impact of incorporation of genetics and genomics content into a prenursing microbiology course. Broadly, two areas that address the competencies were incorporated into the course: 1) the biological basis and implications of genetic diversity and 2) the technological aspects of assessing genetic diversity in bacteria and viruses. These areas address how genetics and genomics contribute to healthcare, including diagnostics and selection of treatment. Analysis of learning gains suggests that genetics and genomics content can be learned as effectively as microbiology content in this setting. Future studies are needed to explore the most effective ways to introduce genetics and genomics technology into the prenursing curriculum.     

Plant breeding in vitro

Over the centuries a variety of techniques have been developed to propagate plants vegetatively — dividing, layering, and grafting. These traditional methods are all slow, however, and in recent years there has been much interest in ‘test-tube’ breeding of plants. This is not only very fast — a single rose can produce up to 400 000 descendants in a single year — but is also a very valuable means of eradicating plant diseases.     

Interpersonal conflict resolution strategies in children: A father-child co-construction

The interpersonal conflict gives an opportunity to learn living together and to accept differences. We consider the interpersonal conflict resolution strategies as an indicator of the socialization and as such of the autonomisation and social integration. If, at the earliest age, the child has the advantage of a differentiated and early paternal involvement, he would use a larger variety of adjustment mechanisms when he will be in conflitual situations. Indeed, the father facilitates and stimulates the subjectivation process which integrates the appearing premises of self-consciousness, around 3–4 year old, in the conducts of initiative and self affirmation; the father introduces and consolidates the process which integrates the opening to wider interpersonal relations, which notably appears in collaboration conducts and more especially resolution interpersonal conflict.     

Evolution des Jugements de Conservation des Quantités de Gaz Chez des Elèves de CM2

This research studies the evolution in taking into account the constancy of a quantity of air. It is studied following a didactic sequence aiming at helping the students to be conscious of the variation of physical dimensions different from volume, when describing the state of gas. The experiment has been carried out in a class of 21 students (10–11 years old). Important improvements are stated. They are analysed according to the didactic sequence and the physical experiments proposed in the evaluation test used for the research. The interpretation of the results concerns the knowledge about gas acquired by the students during the didactic sequence. The reference to the Piagetian theory in the field of teaching experimental sciences is discussed.     

Victimization during childhood and revictimization in dating relationships in adolescent girls

OBJECTIVE: Various experiences with violence during childhood and adolescence (parental violence, exposure to marital violence, sexual abuse within and outside the family, sexual harassment at school, community violence, involvement with violent or victimized peers, and previous dating violence) are examined as potential risk factors for psychological, physical, and sexual revictimization in adolescent girls' dating relationships. METHOD: A group of 917 teenage girls (mean age = 16.3) were recruited in 5 high schools located in low to middle socioeconomic areas. Participants were in the 10th and 11th grades, and each completed a self-administered questionnaire. Analyses were performed on the 622 participants who reported having at least one dating partner in the last 12 months. RESULTS: Prevalence rates for past victimization experiences varied from 13% to 43%. Regarding last-year dating victimization, prevalence rates varied from 25% to 37%, depending on the type of violence sustained. Results suggest that extrafamilial experiences with violence are stronger risk factors for recent dating victimization than intrafamilial experiences, especially being sexually harassed by male peers at school and being involved with violent or victimized peers during the year preceding the survey. However, it is important to differentiate between girls who are repeatedly victims of violence in a single, long-term relationship (repeat dating victimization), and girls who are revictimized by different partners (dating revictimization), the former sustaining more frequent physical and psychological violence than the latter. CONCLUSIONS: Findings underline the importance of early prevention of adolescent dating violence. Prevention programs should especially address extrafamilial experiences with violence as important risk factors for victimization in dating relationships, and teach girls strategies to break up abusive relationships.