Professional learning opportunities from uncovering cover stories of science and science teaching for a scientist-in-transition

Members of particular communities produce and reproduce cultural practices. This is an important consideration for those teacher educators who need to prepare appropriate learning experiences and programs for scientists, as they attempt to change careers to science teaching. We know little about the transition of career-changing scientists as they encounter different contexts and professional cultures, and how their changing identities might impact on their teaching practices. In this narrative inquiry of the stories told by and shared between career-changing scientists in a teacher-preparation program, we identify cover stories of science and teaching. More importantly, we show how uncovering these stories became opportunities for one of these scientists to learn about what sorts of stories of science she tells or should tell in science classrooms and how these stories might impact on her identities as a scientist–teacher in transition. We highlight self-identified contradictions and treat these as resources for further professional learning. Suggestions for improving the teacher-education experiences of scientist–teachers are made. In particular, teacher educators might consider the merits of creating opportunities for career-changing scientists to share their stories and for these stories to be retold for different audiences.

The American science pipeline: sustaining innovation in a time of economic crisis

Significant limitations have emerged in America's science training pipeline, including inaccessibility, inflexibility, financial limitations, and lack of diversity. We present three effective programs that collectively address these challenges. The programs are grounded in rigorous science and integrate through diverse disciplines across undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students, and resonate with the broader community. We discuss these models in the context of current economic constraints on higher education and the urgent need for our institutions to recruit and retain diverse student populations and sustain the successful American record in scientific education and innovation.     

Education the way ahead? An evaluation of a pilot course on scenario writing

Scenario writing is a method to promote creative thinking and a proactive approach to dealing with the future. ATEE's Research and Development Centre Curricula in Teacher Education has adapted this method for use in teacher education. A Comenius funded course on Scenario writing was run over five days with teachers, teacher–educators, and persons in training management from several European countries. The paper reports the results of the summative evaluation which proves the course was very successful. In addition, on the basis of the formative evaluation indications, a detailed analysis makes clear which cognitive, motivational, and social problems are fundamental to courses like this and how these difficulties are to be dealt with.

Écrire des scénarios est une méthode qui promeut la réflexion créative et en même temps c'est une approche proactive au traitement de l'avenir. Dans le cadre des Curricula de Formation des Enseignants du Centre de Recherche et de Développement de l'ATEE (Association pour la Formation des Enseignants en Europe), la méthode d'écrire des scénarios a été adaptée pour l'utilisation dans la formation des professeurs. Dans un stage de cinq jours, financé par Comenius, des professeurs, des instructeurs de professeurs et ceux engagés dans l'organisation des programmes de formation ont été introduits à la méthode d'écrire des scénarios. Les participants provenaient de différents pays européens. Cet essai traite des résultats de l'évaluation finale qui ont démontré que un stage a été un grand succès. De plus, une analyse détaillée du stage est présentée qui—en considérant des résultats de l'évaluation formative—démontre les problèmes cognitifs, sociaux ainsi que les problèmes de motivation qui sont généralement liés à un cours de ce genre et qui donne des suggestions pour résoudre ces difficultés.

Die Szenario–Technik fördert kreatives Denken und regt zu einem offensiven Umgang mit der Zukunft an. Im Rahmen des Research and Development Centre Curricula in Teacher Education der ATEE wurde diese Methode für die Anwendung in der Lehrerausbildung angepaßt. In einem von Comenius finanzierten Lehrgang, der sich über fünf Tage erstreckte, wurden Lehrer, Lehrerausbilder und in der Ausbildungsorganisation Tätige in die Szenario–Technik eingeführt. Die Teilnehmer kamen aus verschiedenen europäischen Ländern. Dieser Beitrag berichtet von den Ergebnissen der summativen Evaluation, in der sich der Kurs als sehr erfolgreich erwies. Darüber hinaus wird eine detaillierte Kursanalyse vorgelegt, die unter Berücksichtigung von Befunden aus der formativen Evaluation aufzeigt, welche kognitiven, motivationalen und sozialen Probleme grundsätzlich mit einem Lehrgang dieser Art verbunden sind und wie sie zu bewältigen sind.

La escritura de escenario es um método para promover el pensamiento creativo y un enfoque proactivo para enfrentar el futuro. El Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Curricula en Educación Pedadógica de la ATEE ha adaptado este método para usarlo en la educación pedagógica. Un curso financiado por Comenius sobre escritura de escenario se impartió por cinco días con profesores, pedagogos, y personas en el entrenamiento de administradores de varios países europeos. El reporte informa que los resultados de la evaluación sumativa que demuestran que el curso fue muy exitoso. Además, sobre la base de las indicaciones de la evaluación sumativa, un análisis detallado deja claro que los problemas cognitivos, motivacionales y sociales son fundamentales a cursos como éste y cómo abordar estas dificultades.     

Participation in Higher Education in Scotland: A Geographic and Social Analysis

In this paper we relate participation in full-time Higher Education in Scotland to the geographic and social characteristics of the areas where people reside. National data on students at Higher Education institutions in all parts of the UK are used to calculate the rates, with areas of residence defined by their addresses at the times of applying to the institutions. Population data and the social characteristics of the areas were derived from the 1991 Census. The smallest geographic area considered was the Post-Code Sector, consisting of around 5000 households. Economic factors, social class, unemployment and housing tenure were strongly related to participation in the expected direction. However, different strengths of effect were found in different parts of the country. The analyses also suggest that cultural factors may be important, especially away from the major cities, and that aspects of accessibility to the institutions may also be of relevance in some areas.     

Targeting associated mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury in female community-level athletes

This study aims to determine if biomechanically informed injury prevention training can reduce associated factors of anterior cruciate ligament injury risk among a general female athletic population. Female community-level team sport athletes, split into intervention (n = 8) and comparison groups (n = 10), completed a sidestepping movement assessment prior to and following a 9-week training period, in which kinetic, kinematic and neuromuscular data were collected. The intervention group completed a biomechanically informed training protocol, consisting of plyometric, resistance and balance exercises, adjunct to normal training, for 15–20 min twice a week. Following the 9-week intervention, total activation of the muscles crossing the knee (n = 7) decreased for both the training (? ?15.02%, d = 0.45) and comparison (? ?9.68%, d = 0.47) groups. This decrease was accompanied by elevated peak knee valgus (? +27.78%, d = ?0.36) and internal rotation moments (? +37.50%, d = ?0.56) in the comparison group, suggesting that female community athletes are at an increased risk of injury after a season of play. Peak knee valgus and internal rotation knee moments among athletes who participated in training intervention did not change over the intervention period. Results suggest participation in a biomechanically informed training intervention may mitigate the apparent deleterious effects of community-level sport participation.     

Classroom Learning Environments and Students' Approaches to Learning

Four hundred and eighty-four students from two metropolitan secondary schools completed the Learning Process Questionnaire, the Individualised Classroom Environment Questionnaire and the Learner Self Concept scale. Relationships between perceptions of the classroom learning environment, approaches to learning and self concept as a learner were investigated. Gender and level of schooling (junior high versus senior high) differences were examined. Results showed Deep Approaches to learning were significantly related to classroom learning environments which were perceived to be highly personalised and to be encouraging active participation in the learning process and the use of investigative skills in learning activities. High learner self concept was positively associated with Deep Approaches to learning and with classrooms perceived as high in Personalisation. It was negatively associated with Surface Approaches to learning. Differences in perceptions of learning environments and approaches to learning in relation to gender and level of schooling were small. The implications of these findings are discussed and strategies for facilitating Deep Approaches to learning are referred to. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students' conceptions of formal learning and experiences of informal learning

This paper describes an investigationof conceptions of learning held by 22 Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander students from threeuniversities in Queensland, Australia. Other areasinvestigated were students' experiences of informallearning, their reasons for studying and thestrategies they used to learn. Research intoconceptions of learning is gaining impetus and currentbeliefs include the premise that approaches tolearning adopted by university students, and hencelearning outcomes, are closely related to theirconceptions of learning. There is substantial researchfocused on Aboriginal learning styles in earlychildhood and primary school which indicates thatAboriginal children prefer to learn in a practical wayas well as through observation and imitation and trialand error. Very little research has focusedspecifically on Aboriginal university students'conceptions of learning. Results of this study foundthat these students view and approach formaluniversity learning in much the same way as otheruniversity students and most hold quantitativeconceptions of learning. The most interesting resultwas the difference between students' conceptions offormal learning and their experiences of informallearning. Many students' experiences of informallearning were grounded in practical activities orexhibited a cultural focus, however, most formallearning is not dependent upon practical or culturalknowledge. It is proposed that formal learning forIndigenous students recognise and include anIndigenous perspective such as integrating, whereappropriate, practical strategies for learning. Wealso suggest that Indigenous students be helped todevelop conceptions that will enable them to learnformal, theoretical material successfully.     

The graphics calculator as a teaching aid in statistics

This article explores some ideas for the imaginative use of a graphics calculator in introductory statistics teaching.