‘Research as dialogue’ and cross-cultural consultations: confronting relations of power

In this paper, we discuss methodological issues that emerged as we worked through a small empirical research project, ‘Engaging Aboriginal students in education through community empowerment’. Recent national policy statements (see, for example, MCEETYA 2000, NBEET 1995) argue the importance of education/research that keeps the locus of control within the Aboriginal community as a means to further the goal of self-determination and improve educational outcomes. In keeping with these recommendations, our project aimed to challenge assimilationist frameworks and sought to ‘empower’ members of the local Aboriginal community through participation in the project.     

Fostering scientific understanding and epistemic beliefs through judgments of promisingness

The evaluation of promisingness is central to knowledge building and knowledge creation but remains largely unexplored. As part of a design-based research program to support promisingness judgments, the present study implemented an intervention in a sixth grade science class, with the goal of exploring the potential of promisingness judgments to foster scientific understanding and epistemic beliefs. Aided by a Promising Ideas Tool and pedagogical supports designed for this intervention, students explored the concept of promisingness, judged the promisingness of their community ideas, and engaged in iterative cycles of idea refinement. Results indicated that students were capable of improving their understanding of promisingness and making promisingness judgments deemed sensible by domain experts. The conceptual understanding and epistemic beliefs displayed by students improved over the course of the intervention, and such improvement happened in tandem with students’ understanding of promisingness. The implications of this exploratory study and future research are discussed.     

汇率干预中的多点自由边值问题的数值计算方法

1IntroductionIt is i mportant for the economic development of acountry to maintain the stabilization of exchange rate,so the intervention of exchange rate has become thetopic of the main concerns of the economic and math-ematical circles[1-5].To maintain the stabilization ofexchange rate,many countries use target zone re-gi mes,that is,the central banks intervene in the for-eign exchange market such that the exchange ratestays within the interval[a,b].There are fixed costand cost proportional …     

Ten Years of the National Policy on Education in Nigeria: An Assessment of Policy on Special Education

The National Policy on Education in Nigeria is an important document that had attractive plans for the Educational System of the country in general and, in particular, for persons with a disability. As the policy concerns the welfare and education of persons with a disability, its implementation has been fraught with the problem of lack of a legal document to regulate implementation activities. Basic to this problem, of course, are those of funding, limited definitions and policy objectives. This paper highlights these problems with brief discussions and concludes with suggestions for effective implementation.     

A review of the use of video‐conferencing for actuarial education — a three‐year case study

This paper reviews the three‐year history of teaching actuarial studies in live time by video‐conferencing from The University of Melbourne to students at The Australian National University, Canberra. The paper discusses the practicalities of this programme including aspects relating to students, staff and the technology. The outcomes for students at both institutions are presented together with a discussion of a number of issues from the perspectives of the lecturing staff. Some limitations of the programme are also presented.