Teachers’ performances during a practical dynamic open inquiry process

The research goal of this study was to determine whether teachers who participated in an inquiry-based course were able to internalize a dynamic open inquiry process. This study focused on 25 science teachers who participated in an annual inquiry-based academic course. Several teaching tools helped teachers employ an open inquiry process. We concluded that the teaching tools applied by teachers in documenting their inquiry processes enabled them to express dynamic inquiry characteristics. The results indicate consistency between the criteria most frequent in teachers’ inquiries and the criteria running through their reflections. In addition, teachers implemented the dynamic inquiry criteria in their classroom teaching.     

Lewis Carroll’s Obtuse Problem

Carroll’s apparently impeccable solution to one of his probability problems is shown to answer another problem that is based on reasonable assumptions. His original assumptions, however, are self contradictory, hence entailing paradoxical results.     

An information system for dropout prevention

Reducing student dropout from school is one of the most important challenges faced by the education system. This study examines the effectiveness of a Local Authority Information Center (LAIC) that was developed in Israel to help prevent this phenomenon. The research population embraced 418 regular attendance officers (RAOs), educators dealing with students dropping out and with those who at risk of dropping out. The RAOs were divided into an experimental group, that executed its work using the LAIC, and a control group that accomplished its work manually. The research findings show that the use of an LAIC system reduced the dropout rate and raised the number of students studying to the school’s satisfaction. This improvement even intensified 3 years later when the size of the experimental group was increased. The RAOs in the experimental group employ most of the LAIC’s facilities and they present positive attitudes towards the LAIC’s contribution to their work. The LAIC system seems to have a real and direct impact on reducing dropping out.     

Education in parenthood

There are numerous reasons why curricula in parent education should be developed in universities and colleges today. These reasons are summarized and enumerated. An important question is whether, given a body of knowledge as well as social justification for parenthood courses, there is a sufficient number of interested students to enroll in such courses. A survey of high school students, college students, and P.T.A. members was conducted across a large metropolitan area. The results are that between two-fifths and one-half of the participants from the different groups are interested in pursuing as a minor in college, or as a subspecialty, course work in parenthood on a scientific and scholarly basis. Approximately one-fourth to one-third of the people from every group are prepared to pay for formal education in parenthood.     

An Illusion of Interactivity

This study explores paternalism in contemporary data journalism, a hybrid form of journalism where parts of the engineering culture are blended with the culture of journalism. Technologists often question paternalistic elements in design, whereas journalists consider paternalistic decision-making to be justified as an inherent part of what journalism is. Based on a predominately qualitative content analysis of paternalistic elements in 31 data journalistic projects submitted to the Nordic Data Journalism Awards in 2013, 2015 and 2016, three characteristics of paternalism were found: controlling functionality, the illusion of interactivity and linearity. All three characteristics include several types of control over the audience control, embedded in the design, and as previous research has found that paternalism is often associated with negative effects, on the basis of journalistic choices in design and presentation involving technology, the problem is whether the audience begins to perceive data journalism as controlling, non-transparent or intrusive.     

Religious belief: the main impact on the perception of the nature of science on student teachers

This study aims to examine the affect of the degree of religiosity of student teachers, and their nationalism and scientific background on their perception of the nature of science (NOS). First year Arab and Jewish religiously observant, traditional and secular students in Israel (101 in number) with different scientific backgrounds participated in the study. The students completed a closed questionnaire with 35 statements that explored diverse aspects of the perception of the NOS. The findings show that previous scientific knowledge or belonging to the Jewish or Arab nation barely impacts the perceptions of the NOS. In contrast, religious belief, whether Jewish or Muslim, had significant impact. The more religious the students the greater weight they afforded culture and society versus science, and their support of the freedom of inquiry and of the tentativeness of science declined. The educational implications of the findings are discussed in view of the social increase in dogmatic religious belief alongside the unreserved exacerbated skepticism of every truth. Emphasis is placed on reinforcing the liberal dialogue approach that does not fear criticizing tradition, according to which it is possible to educate to critical thought without negating religious belief.