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.     

Spatial integration with rats

Rats were trained to find the hidden platform in a Morris pool, whose location was defined by reference to a small number of landmarks around the circumference of the pool. In each of three experiments, an experimental group was trained on alternate trials with two different subsets of three of the available landmarks, with the two subsets sharing one landmark in common. When tested with landmarks drawn from both of their training configurations, but without the landmark common to the two sets, they had no difficulty in locating the platform. In Experiment 1, they performed at least as well as a group trained with all the available landmarks present on every trial. In Experiment 2, they performed significantly better than a group trained with two different subsets of landmarks that shared no one landmark in common.     

Evaluation of genetic potential of the polyvoltine silkworm （Bombyx mori L.） germplasm and identification of parents for breeding programme

In the present study, polyvoltine germplasm stock ofAndhra Pradesh State Sericulture Research and Development, Institute （APSSRDI） was evaluated for its performance based on quantitative and qualitative traits. Twenty-one oval and 10 peanut cocoon shaped lines were reared in different seasons of the year. Since the polyvoltines are non-diapausing, six generations were reared and evaluated for various economically important traits based on evaluation index and sub-ordinate function statistical methods. Ten top ranked lines obtained by using both the methods were identified as potential parental strains. Among oval lines, APMI4, APMI 1, APMIS, APMW9, and APMI9, and among peanut lines APMD5, APMDI, APMD3, APMD9 and APMD8 were selected as base material. The identified high yielding lines will be used in various breeding programmes as initial parents for the synthesis of superior polyvoltine breeds/hybrids.     

The essence of information: Philosophical notes

The information approach is practiced to study the Macrocosm (physical reality), biosphere, Microcosm (psychic reality), social reality, spiritual reality, and the technosphere. The ways in which scientists of different specialties understand information are characterized in detail. The interrelations between types of realities and types of information are revealed.     

Personalized context-oriented support for interactions between production networks members

An approach to information support for interactions between production networks members is proposed based on the use of a context-oriented knowledge management system. The use of context makes it possible to provide the production network members with currently relevant knowledge. Managing the profiles of members and users enables the personalization of information support for members in the knowledge management system and allows using them as sources of knowledge.     

Open access to scientific knowledge. Who receives dividends?

Open access to scientific knowledge is considered as a new neo-liberal project in the globalized world. The advantages and disadvantages that members of the open access obtain are described. Open access greatly facilitates monitoring, analysis, and control of scientific research by global institutions and transnational corporations, and enables them to identify promising branches of knowledge on the periphery of the global science system that are obtained outside of the “mainstream” and use them for their interests. The link between open access to scientific knowledge and knowledge feudalism is developed.     

Temporal Trends of Malondialdehyde in Stored Human Plasma

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is widely used as oxidative stress biomarker in biomedical research. Plasma is stored in deep freezers generally till analysis. Effect of such storage on MDA values, which may be variable and prolong, was incidentally observed in the ongoing study which is to estimate oxidative stress with oral iron. Plasma from blood samples of pregnant women (20–30 years age) in third trimester of singleton pregnancy (n = 139), consuming oral iron tablets was stored at −20 °C with intention of MDA estimation, as soon as possible. However logistic problems led this storage for prolonged and variable period (1–708 days). When values of MDA estimated using “Ohkawa” 79 method and readings were plotted against time to check the temporal effect, it showed a hyperbolic curve. Standard deviation (SD) was lowest when samples were tested within 3 weeks time. The samples analyzed within 3 weeks had mean ± SD value of 31.59 ± 26.11 μmol/L, while 123.7 ± 93.97 and 366.5 ± 189.8 μmol/L for samples stored for 1–3 and 4 months to 1 year respectively. Mean ± SD were 539.9 ± 196.8 in the samples store for more than a year. Rate of change in values was also lowest (0.0433 μmol/L/day) in the samples tested within first 3 weeks, which rose to 1.2 μmol/L/day during 3 month’s storage. This rate peaked at storage of 120 days (1.87 μmol/L/day) and fell to 0.502 μmol/L/day in the second year of storage. It is concluded that at −20 °C, only 3 weeks of storage time should be considered valid for fairly acceptable stability in MDA values.     

Pre-service primary teachers’ conceptions of creativity in mathematics

Teachers in the UK and elsewhere are now expected to foster creativity in young children (NACCCE, 1999; Ofsted, 2003; DfES, 2003; DfES/DCMS, 2006). Creativity, however, is more often associated with the arts than with mathematics. The aim of the study was to explore and document pre-service (in the UK, pre-service teachers are referred to as ‘trainee’ teachers) primary teachers’ conceptions of creativity in mathematics teaching in the UK. A questionnaire probed their conceptions early in their course, and these were supplemented with data from semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the responses indicated that pre-service teachers’ conceptions were narrow, predominantly associated with the use of resources and technology and bound up with the idea of ‘teaching creatively’ rather than ‘teaching for creativity’. Conceptions became less narrow as pre-service teachers were preparing to enter schools as newly qualified, but they still had difficulty in identifying ways of encouraging and assessing creativity in the classroom. This difficulty suggests that conceptions of creativity need to be addressed and developed directly during pre-service education if teachers are to meet the expectations of government as set out in the above documents.