Spatial abilities in an elective course of applied anatomy after a problem‐based learning curriculum

A concern on the level of anatomy knowledge reached after a problem‐based learning curriculum has been documented in the literature. Spatial anatomy, arguably the highest level in anatomy knowledge, has been related to spatial abilities. Our first objective was to test the hypothesis that residents are interested in a course of applied anatomy after a problem‐based learning curriculum. Our second objective was to test the hypothesis that the interest of residents is driven by innate higher spatial abilities. Fifty‐nine residents were invited to take an elective applied anatomy course in a prospective study. Spatial abilities were measured with a redrawn Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Test in two (MRT A) and three (MRT C) dimensions. A need for a greater knowledge in anatomy was expressed by 25 residents after a problem‐based learning curriculum. MRT A and C scores obtained by those choosing (n = 25) and not choosing (n = 34) applied anatomy was not different (P = 0.46 and P = 0.38, respectively). Percentage of residents in each residency program choosing applied anatomy was different [23 vs. 31 vs. 100 vs. 100% in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Anesthesia, respectively; P < 0.0001]. The interest of residents in applied anatomy was not driven by innate higher spatial abilities. Our applied anatomy course was chosen by many residents because of training needs rather than innate spatial abilities. Future research will need to assess the relationship of individual differences in spatial abilities to learning spatial anatomy. Anat Sci Ed 2:107–112, 2009. © 2009 American Association of Anatomists.     

Facilitating teachers' professional growth through their involvement in creating context-based materials in science

This paper traces the professional growth of science teachers in Trinidad and Tobago through their involvement in the production of context-based resource materials relevant to the lives of their students during workshop sessions. Grounded theory methods were used to analyse pre- and post-workshop questionnaire responses, tape-recorded group discussions and several draft lesson outlines. The findings show that professional growth is indicated by changes in the nature of the contexts chosen as lesson foci, the role of these contexts in the overall lesson design, and teachers' perceptions of contextualised teaching. Conflicts between students' cultural and scientific understandings were not addressed by these teachers.     

“I find it odd that people have to highlight other people’s differences – even when there are none”: Experiential learning and interculturality in teacher education

This article examines the role of experiential learning in developing intercultural competences in the context of teacher education in Finland. Local and foreign students studying to become teachers were asked to write five short narratives each about meaningful intercultural encounters they experienced prior to enrolling in an intercultural course. Based on these narratives, the author analyses the potential overlap between the way the students reflect on and interpret these encounters and an understanding of interculturality which concentrates on the construction of self–other and social justice. The discourse analysis of the students’ narratives shows that in most cases, important intercultural learning seems to have already taken place before these students embarked on the course. The article ends with a discussion of the importance of starting from this observation in teacher education and of providing the student teachers with theoretical tools and methods which can support them in expanding their understanding of interculturality in their job as teachers.     

每一天都是一份礼物--一个讲给所有活着的人们的故事

生活的观点是一种哲学。每个人都有自己的生活哲学、生活方式。怎幺样生活是由来已久的话题,本文作者所讲述的生活方式是否适合于所有人呢?欢迎读者朋友来信探讨。     

Becoming a Supervisor: Doctoral Student Perceptions of the Training Experience

Thirteen doctoral students, 7 Caucasians and 6 Hispanics, participated over 3 semesters of practicum/internship in a qualitative research project exploring the experience of becoming supervisors. A follow‐up study with 5 different doctoral students confirmed and refined findings 1½ years later. The research team of 2 female faculty members and 1 male research assistant (the authors) identified 6 themes emerging from individual and group interviews with supervisors‐in‐training regarding the process of becoming a supervisor: (a) learning, (b) supervisee growth, (c) individual uniqueness, (d) reflection, (e) connections, and (f) putting it all together.     

The Concept of Cycles for Environmental Education

The concept of ‘cycles’ could be an integrative one for learning about environmental issues within several school subject areas. This concept is the subject of this study with the following question: what are the ideas secondary school students associate with the word ‘cycles’ before instruction? Students formulate their associations on the stimulus word ‘cycles’ in terms of the school subject areas ‘biology’ and ‘environment’ more than in terms of the subject areas geography or other sciences. In their formulations a restricted number of cycle ideas, relevant for the use of cycles as an integrative concept in environmental education, occurs. Possibilities for making use of the concept of cycles in lower and higher secondary environmental education are discussed.     

Types and frequencies of feedback interventions in classroom interaction in secondary education

Contributing to the growing amount of literature on learning–enhancing feedback, this article attempts to distinguish between progress feedback and discrepancy feedback. Building on relevant literature drawn from psychology, we propose the use of a ratio of 3:1, positive:negative feedback. We analyzed contiguous 10 min blocks of classroom interactions from 78 teachers. Findings indicate that teachers seldom provide the types of feedback interventions identified as effective in enhancing learning in the course of typical classroom interactions. We examine potential explanations for this, discuss the consequences of this finding on teacher education and professional development, and offer several opportunities for future research.     

A preliminary investigation on diffusion through a layered system

We introduce layered systems such as the citations–citing authors–citing institutes–citing countries one. Diffusion of scientific ideas flows through such layered systems. Our contribution contains three main topics: a fractional counting system for the number of different units in a layer; the fractional number of items of the same type, i.e. in the same layer, over which ideas have been diffused; and the evenness of diffusion over different layers. In this way we construct a coherent system to measure the extent to which scientific ideas are diffused.     

Goethe,and his search for a rhetorical standard

Goethe's writings dealing with rhetorical concepts are representative of major concepts held by many Germans. His distrust of formalized, structured expression of ideas are representative of the distrust many German writers have in relationship to the study of human communication. At the same time, Goethe had to resolve this problem when he was required to offer formal instruction to actors.