Searching for randomised controlled trials and clinical controlled trials in Thai online bibliographical biomedical databases

Background: Thailand is a poor but highly literate country in South‐East Asia with over 60 million people. A lot of biomedical research is undertaken but dissemination is limited. Objectives: To identify relevant Thai bibliographic databases and investigate accessibility, functionality and content, particularly in relation to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and clinical controlled trials (CCTs). Methods: A systematic search for institutions productive of research and the databases in their libraries. Search each accessible database in both Thai and English, recording the functionality and content. Assess accessibility of the retrieved RCTs or CCTs by comparing to Pub Med holdings. Results: We found 32 different databases (29 accessible in UK) of various sizes, coverage and functionality but many with unique records of RCTs and CCTs (total, n = 781). Two hundred and nine of 781 trials were accessible on Pub Med (27%). However, 641 of the 781 trial records contain text in both English and Thai (82%) and 112 records were solely English (14%). Conclusions: Those undertaking comprehensive searches for RCTs/CCTs should, in addition to a Pub Med , search the Thai Medical Index and Thai Index Medicus databases, and the Khon Kaen University Library Catalogue.     

IMPACT OF EXPLICIT PRESENTATION OF SLOPES IN THREE DIMENSIONS ON STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF DERIVATIVES IN MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS

In two dimensions (2D), representations associated with slopes are seen in numerous forms before representations associated with derivatives are presented. These include the slope between two points and the constant slope of a linear function of a single variable. In almost all multivariable calculus textbooks, however, the first discussion of slopes in three dimensions (3D) is seen with the introduction of partial derivatives. The nature of the discussions indicates that authors seem to assume that students are able to naturally extend the concept of a 2D slope to 3D and correspondingly it is not necessary to explicitly present slopes in 3D. This article presents results comparing students that do not explicitly discuss slopes in 3D with students that explicitly discuss slopes in 3D as a precursor to discussing derivatives in 3D. The results indicate that students may, in fact, have significant difficulty extending the concept of a 2D slope to a 3D slope. And that the explicit presentation of slopes in 3D as a precursor to the presentation of derivatives in 3D may significantly improve student comprehension of topics of differentiation in multivariable calculus.

     

Beyond Punnett Squares: Student Word Association and Explanations of Phenotypic Variation through an Integrative Quantitative Genetics Unit Investigating Anthocyanin Inheritance and Expression in Brassica rapa Fast Plants

Genetics instruction in introductory biology is often confined to Mendelian genetics and avoids the complexities of variation in quantitative traits. Given the driving question “What determines variation in phenotype (Pv)? (Pv=Genotypic variation Gv + environmental variation Ev),” we developed a 4-wk unit for an inquiry-based laboratory course focused on the inheritance and expression of a quantitative trait in varying environments. We utilized Brassica rapa Fast Plants as a model organism to study variation in the phenotype anthocyanin pigment intensity. As an initial curriculum assessment, we used free word association to examine students’ cognitive structures before and after the unit and explanations in students’ final research posters with particular focus on variation (Pv = Gv + Ev). Comparison of pre- and postunit word frequency revealed a shift in words and a pattern of co-occurring concepts indicative of change in cognitive structure, with particular focus on “variation” as a proposed threshold concept and primary goal for students’ explanations. Given review of 53 posters, we found ∼50% of students capable of intermediate to high-level explanations combining both Gv and Ev influence on expression of anthocyanin intensity (Pv). While far from “plug and play,” this conceptually rich, inquiry-based unit holds promise for effective integration of quantitative and Mendelian genetics.     

POLARIZED PRIORITIES OR FLEXIBLE ALTERNATIVES? DIMENSIONALITY IN INGLEHART'S MATERIALISM--POSTMATERIALISM SCALE

Ronald Inglehart's Postmaterialism thesis has undoubtedly beenone of the most influential ideas in cross-national and cross-temporalresearch on political behavior over the past two decades. Thewide-ranging debate and criticism generated by the Inglehartthesis has focused both on theoretical issues concerning thenature of values and on methodological issues concerning themeasurement of Materialism and Postmaterialism, particularlythe method for ranking individual responses. Using a data setthat employed both the original ranking method for measuringvalues and an alternative rating method, we explore the dimensionalstructure of these values and discuss the implications of differencesbetween the two measurement strategies. The two-dimensionalsolution provided by the rating method is, we argue, a moretheoretically appropriate way of understanding Materialist andPostmaterialist values than the notion of a single conflictdimension, since it allows for a more flexible and realisticaccount of the choices made by most social actors—choiceswhich may represent both Materialism and Postmaterialism.     

Introduction−justifying a cross-cultural comparative approach to school leadership and management

England's Education Action Zones are a flagship New Labour policy geared towards raising standards and reducing social exclusion in areas of educational under-performance. This introduction outlines key features of the policy, considers its broader significance in relation to new models of educational governance and pulls out some of the key issues that arise from the contributions to this special feature.     

The Management of Dilemmas in School Restructuring: A case analysis

While there is growing interest in studying principals' perceptions of their work lives in terms of dilemmas, relatively few studies have gone beyond this to investigate how leaders manage and cope with such 'intractable' situations and the consequential effects and outcomes. Accordingly, this article provides an in-depth qualitative case study of the dilemmas faced by a principal who is involved in the restructuring of his school. It then analyses the ways in which he manages and copes with these intractable situations, and the effects and outcomes that result. The article begins by outlining a framework used in the analysis. It addresses some considerations of method, before describing relevant school and system contexts. Finally, the in-depth case study is presented using the structure associated with the framework described earlier. Among the key findings are that dilemmas present opportunities as well as challenges for visionary, proactive and creative school leaders.     

Historicizing Mathematics and Mathematizing Social Studies for Social Justice: A Call for Integration

Researchers and theorists in education have offered persuasive arguments and evidence documenting the need for, and benefits of, education for social justice. Despite these efforts the intersection of social justice with interdisciplinary curricular designs remains underexplored. This article argues that social justice education is enriched through interdisciplinary curricula, in that it holds the potential for students to develop deeper conceptions of social justice and experience deeper learning outcomes related to content knowledge across subject matter areas. Central to this argument is the notion that situating disciplinary relationships explicitly within social justice perspectives encourages an emphasis on broader and richer sociopolitical consciousness among learners. We draw on historical and contemporary narratives to position social justice in mathematics and social studies education. As researchers in these two fields, we envision greater possibilities for the advancement of knowledge, and we envision learning from inequalities and resisting oppression by nurturing deeper, more explicit connections between mathematics and social studies. We conclude this article with three overviews of learning segments as potential representations of interdisciplinary mathematics-social studies for social justice work in secondary school contexts.