An Educational Case Study in Protocol Verification and Distributed Observation

This paper describes a case study presented to students in computer science during a course on formal techniques for protocol validation. The course teaches some basic notions on specification, simulation, verification, testing and distributed observation. The case study is the classical alternating-bit protocol. The exercise first consists of some simple modeling and simulation of the specification and verification of some basic service properties. It is then followed with the problem of observation of distributed executions of the protocol. This kind of experiment was found to be useful for students, since they gain an understanding of the importance and necessity of formal methods for protocol validation.     

Le Système ESSOR d'Expérimentation Scientifique Simulée et ses Potentialités Pédagogiques

Summaries

English

One of the main aims in the teaching of science is the acquisition of an experimental methodology. The principal obstacles to this methodological training are briefly analysed; they arise mainly from the shortage of time available for experimental work. In this article, computer‐simulated scientific experimentation is proposed as an aid in overcoming these obstacles. This type of teaching, integrated into a classical curriculum, does not exclude laboratory work, which is still indispensable for the learning of techniques. To facilitate the setting up of the proposed method, the ESSOR system simulation on mini‐computer has been developed. Its technical and pedagogic characteristics are described. This system allows the easy simulation of experiments analogous to those of the laboratory. The student using it is free to adopt individual procedures for the study of a proposed phenomenon; the system follows up automatically the individual activity of students and frees the instructor from most of the difficulties in programming work.     

The Value of Certain Factors for Direct and Differential Prediction of Academic Success

Are some students advantaged when changing multiple-choice answers? The authors of this investigation assessed the importance of an examinee's cognitive style in the answer-changing process. Two separate studies were conducted using undergraduates (n = 125 and n = 84). One set of variables consisted of a measure of field dependence/field independence, a measure of impulsivity/reflectivity, and an introductory psychology unit examination made up of multiple-choice items. A second set of variables was formed by gathering two answer-changing scores for each subject using the scannable forms from the unit examination—one reflecting the effect of answer changes and the other representing the number of changes. Canonical correlation analysis was used to describe the relationship between the two sets of variables. Only the first canonical correlation coefficient was statistically significant in each study. The structure coefficients indicated that the cognitive-style variables had little impact on the canonical solution and that a combination of the effect of answer changes, the number of changes, and unit examination scores were the most influential components of the first canonical variates.     

The Value of Amount of Tardiness and Absence for Direct and Differential Prediction of Academic Success

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among nine measures of attitude toward quantitative concepts and verbal and quantitative aptitude. Subjects were 353 graduate students enrolled in educational research courses. The attitude measures consisted of nine factor scores drawn from a seman tic differential instrument; the aptitude measures were the Graduate Record Examination Verbal and Quantitative scores. Canonical correlation was used to relate the attitude to the aptitude measures. Two significant canonical variates were obtained. The first showed a moderate relationship between positive attitudes toward quantitative concepts and high quantitative aptitude. The second indicated a slight relationship between negative attitudes toward quantitative concepts and high verbal aptitude.     

Alimentación infantil e infantilización de la alimentación

RESUMEN

Dentro del universo alimencio perturbado el niño es el primer amenazado por todo tipo de presiones que modelan sus hábitos y sus gustos. Los nuevos hábitos tienden a alejar al niño de lo que le conviene. Esta presión provoca una ansiedad creciente. Se espera que el actual proceso de destrucción sea el punto de partida para un tipo de alimentación que reconcilie lo bueno con lo sano.     

Preparing for educare: student perspectives on early years training in Northern Ireland

Preschool provision in Northern Ireland is government funded and quality assured in all statutory sector settings (nursery schools and units) and in many voluntary/private sector settings (playgroups and daycare facilities). However, three unresolved policy issues continue to divide the sectors: the choices between a teacher or pedagogue role model, graduate or vocational level training, and a competency or reflective model of training. This paper aims to explore the reflections of a sample of students from both graduate and vocational early years training courses on the content and effectiveness of their training in order to inform the broader early years professionalism debate. The design of the research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, with the data collection methods consisting of questionnaire survey (n = 282) and semi‐structured interviews (n = 22). Findings reveal broad agreement on the part of students, literature and government policy on the essential elements of early years training content; however, weaknesses in all training courses are detected in regard to preparation for significant areas of professional practice.     

Organizational change: Motivation,communication, and leadership effectiveness

Research indicates that numerous variables have an impact on a leader's effectiveness. This study explores the behaviors associated with leadership effectiveness in driving change. The findings confirm previous research that identifies change effectiveness skills, while isolating the specific leader behaviors deemed most valuable to implementing change: motivation and communication.     

Factors affecting the development of pupil attitudes toward school subjects

124 dissertation abstracts were reviewed to assess recent research concerning the study of factors which have an impact on pupil attitudes toward school subjects. The results of this review are discussed with research reported in journals to suggest that teacher attitudes and enthusiasm toward the subject and student related variables such as previous attitudes, parents, and self-concept may have a greater impact on attitude formation than instructional variables. Implications of this conclusion are pointed out.