The use of computers in K-12 schools in turkey

Through the determined efforts of MONE, more than one third of the existing 5,851 schools have at least one computer lab. It is clear that the number of computers in schools in Turkey will continue to increase.     

Investigation of blood pulse PPG signal regulation on toe effect of body posture and lower limb height

Objective: To study the regulation of blood pulse volume via photoplethysmography (PPG) signal detected from toe, while the lower limb is passively raised in different height positions. Methods: Use a modified non-invasive PPG technique to detect the blood pulse signal on toe with infrared (IR) photo sensor. A protocol consisting of two postures, i.e., supine and 45° reclining, was designed to conduct laboratory trial in this study. During the period of performing the protocol of these postures, the lower limb was passively raised from the heights of 10 cm to 60 cm randomly and individually with sponge blocks underneath the foot. Results: In the supine posture, the higher the foot was passively raised, the more the blood PPG signal decreased. In the 45° reclining posture, the blood PPG signal increased at the beginning and then decreased in the foot height position from 10 cm to 60 cm. In both postures the normalized AC signal changes significantly while the normalized DC signal changes little. Conclusion: The toe PPG signals can obviously indicate the regulated blood volume change with the designated postural procedures due to the heart level position.     

Children's Perception of Proportion in Graphs

Children ranging in age from 9 to 13 years made judgments of proportion with a variety of graphical elements in 2 experiments. Younger children can be misled by irrelevant dimensions of objects used to portray magnitudes and proportions, but older children make their judgments like adults, ignoring or accommodating the extra dimensions. Although the psychophysical function for older children and adults is approximately linear, closer inspection reveals a complex pattern of bias that is not captured by traditional psychophysical models. A characteristic pattern of over- and underestimation was observed and also turns out to be present, but previously unnoticed, in judgments made by adults. The pattern of bias is consistent with the view that the visual system extracts real or virtual axes of symmetry and that subjects use these, in addition to the object boundaries, as points of reference when making their judgments. A model that assumes repulsion of judgments away from these reference points is described and fitted to the children's data. The model is motivated by both neurophysiological and cognitive considerations.     

The effect of a strategy training on reading comprehension in fourth-grade students

Previous studies have shown that instruction of reading strategies is an effective method for enhancing reading comprehension. However, many of the interventions in these studies focused on small groups of (poor) comprehenders and were provided by research assistants, making it time-consuming and relatively expensive. The authors implemented a strategy intervention to intact classrooms, consisting of reciprocal teaching and delivered by teachers. Participants were 510 typically developing fourth-grade students. A clustered randomized controlled trial was conducted with pretest, posttest, and follow-up measures to assess knowledge of reading strategies and reading comprehension. The results revealed that the intervention had an effect on knowledge of reading strategies at posttest and follow-up. However, the intervention did not affect reading comprehension performance. Together with the results of earlier studies, the present study raises the question whether strategy interventions are the most efficient to improve fourth-grade students' reading comprehension.     

Jordanian and Malaysian science teachers' prominent perceived professional needs: A comparison

The prominent perceived professional needs of 365 Jordanian and 1,162 Malaysian secondary-level science teachers were examined using the Science Teacher Inventory of Need. These were compared across subgroups of the respective samples and across the two samples. The Jordanian science teachers' needs were in the areas of delivering science instruction, managing science instruction, administering science instructional facilities and equipment, and improving one's competence as a science teacher. The Malaysian science teachers' needs came from those four areas plus the area specifying objectives for science instruction. Needs from the first four areas were shared across the two samples. These needs were similar to ones observed in U.S. samples. The reason for the similarities is questioned.     

Der Übergang von der Grundschule in die Sekundarstufe I

Zusammenfassung Zu der Frage, auf welche Weise sich Merkmale der sozialen Herkunft auf den Schulübertritt nach der Primarstufe auswirken, wird in einer L?ngsschnittstichprobe 27 bayrischer Grundschulklassen der Verlauf des übertrittsprozesses untersucht, und zwar von den Bildungsaspirationen der Eltern am Ende der dritten Jahrgangsstufe über die Schullaufbahnempfehlungen der Lehrkr?fte bis hin zu den tats?chlichen Schulanmeldungen. Neben der Frage der Leistungsangemessenheit der Abschlussnoten und der erteilten Schulempfehlungen werden die Herkunftseffekte im Entscheidungsverlauf vertieft analysiert. Die letztendlich resultierende Schülerzuteilung zu den verschiedenen Bildungsg?ngen kovariiert deutlich mit der sozialen Herkunft der Schüler. Die vorgestellten Analysen der einzelnen vorgelagerten Entscheidungsschritte verweisen dabei auf eine st?rkere Bedeutung prim?rer gegenüber sekund?rer Einflusseffekte der sozialen Herkunft auf die Schulformzuteilung.      

PASS,an alternative method of teaching introductory psychology

A new teaching method based on positively reinforcing attempts at mastery was introduced and empirically tested to determine its validity. The program, labeled Programmed Achievement Study System (PASS), makes use of traditional learning principles by providing rewards (bonus points) contingent upon reaching specified mastery criteria. Specifically, college students enrolled in introductory psychology were awarded additional points if they demonstrated mastery of concept areas on retake quizzes administered during a given week. PASS students, as compared to a control condition, demonstrated higher performance on a final examination given at the end of the semester. These results suggest that the PASS contingencies are preferable to those contingencies operating in more traditional classrooms. A theoretical rationale based on the principles of operant conditioning is discussed.     

A pedagogical analysis of science textbooks: How can we proceed?

This paper discusses some of the available frameworks for the pedagogical analysis of school science textbooks. First, it distinguishes between (a) studies which focus on elements of textbooks, such as the content, vocabulary, illustrations used, and the teaching methods promoted; and (b) those which consider the principles that organize the content and the form of presentation. In attempting to consider the sorts of principles that may be used in the studies categorised under (b), two crucial issues are discussed. The first issue refers to the relationship between scientific knowledge and school knowledge, which, as the relevant literature suggests, might not be conceived merely as a simplified “casting” of the scientific structure, but rather should be understood as a complex social process. The second issue explicitly addresses the nature of the pedagogic relationship and the place of the pedagogic text within it. Recent views about the nature of knowledge, it is argued, would suggest a reconceptualisation of the teaching activity, and indicate a model according to which the three elements of the teaching situation-the content, the pupil and the teacher—are seen as being (re)constituted in their articulation within and through the text(book). Thus, for example, what is to be a competent pupil in this approach is a function of the text. On the basis of these considerations, three approaches to the analysis of science textbooks are discussed: the socio-cognitive, the sociolinguistic and the socio-epistemic. The relative merits of the third approach are considered, and some examples are used from Greek science textbooks.     

A teacher education program in elementary science that connects content,methods, practicum,and student teaching

Conclusion To educate teachers who have adequate content knowledge, possess the necessary skills to implement effective teaching strategies, and are confident and have positive attitudes toward science and the teaching of science, alternative teaching models are necessary. The University of Wyoming model provides such an alternative. Based on observations and interviews of students and the mentor teachers, it is apparent that it has created a very positive response in prospective teachers who have participated in it. The Wyoming model provided an effective process to train future elementary teachers. Even though it focused on science, the basis is general enough that it could be successfully extended to other disciplines with only minor modifications; however, all of the major components of the Wyoming model are vital to its success. Content courses designed specifically for prospective teachers have been successful in giving the students the content knowledge and providing opportunities for effective modeling. The seminars provide strong mechanisms to connect content to methodology and make the content relevant to teaching and to children. Because of their modeling, peer coaching, and sharing their time and students, the mentor teachers are essential partners in helping the university educate future teachers. Finally, the cooperation of all partners—district administrators, teachers, science content and science education university faculty, and students—is necessary to provide early and continuous experiences to prospective teachers. This material is based upon work supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Grant No. TTE-8851105). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF.