Using Hands-On and Virtual Laboratories Alone or Together―Which Works Better for Acquiring Knowledge and Skills?

Journal of Science Education and Technology - Although hands-on laboratory experiments are traditionally used in schools, virtual laboratories have entered today’s classrooms, due to their...     

Searching for Components of Conceptual Ecology That Mediate Development of Epistemological Beliefs in Science

This paper articulates the importance of epistemological beliefs (EBs) and draws a parallel between EBs literature in educational psychology and nature of science (NOS) literature in science education. The paper stresses that EBs in science and NOS ideas have common ground and they can be best improved through explicit-reflective instruction informed by conceptual change theory. The paper concludes that future studies should explore the factors that mediate the development of EBs in science and NOS ideas rather than documenting the changes in students’ and teachers’ EBs in science and NOS ideas after explicit-reflective instruction through pre- and post assessments.     

Effectiveness of Computer-Based Chemistry Instruction in Enhancing the Learning of Content and Variable Control Under Guided Versus Unguided Conditions

Computerized learning environments offer several possibilities that can be used to improve the teaching of content along with the process. Research indicates that students benefit from additional guidance, particularly when computer-based instruction requires active construction of knowledge. This study examines the relative effectiveness of guided versus unguided computer-based instruction with respect to regular instruction in improving content knowledge and process skills among students with low and high chemistry achievement levels. The results indicate that the effectiveness of computer-based instruction increases when learning is supported by teacher-directed guidance. Computer-based instruction (with or without guidance) was observed to be more effective than regular instruction in improving process skills particularly for students with high chemistry achievement. However, although the students who received regular or guided computer-based instruction showed significant gains in content knowledge, students under unguided condition failed to construct the expected content knowledge.     

Determination and Evaluation of the Science Teacher Candidates’ Misconceptions About Density by Using Four-Tier Diagnostic Test

This study has two aims. The first one is to reveal the science teacher candidates’ misconceptions about the density by using a four-tier diagnostic test, and the second one is to determine to what extent science teacher candidates have scientific knowledge, lack of knowledge, and misconceptions about the density. In order to achieve these aims, a four-tier density diagnostic test was developed with the KR-20 reliability coefficient of 0.753 based on the correct answers, and the KR-20 reliability coefficient of 0.528 based on the misconceptions. To determine the misconceptions about the density with the developed test, data were collected from a total of 470 science teacher candidates from seven different universities in Turkey. With the developed four-tier diagnostic test, 48 different misconceptions were revealed. The results of the research showed that about one fourth of science teacher candidates had a misconception about the density and that the ratio of six of the resulting misconceptions was over 10%. It may be suggested that this study conducted on science teacher candidates should also be conducted on middle and high school students and experimental studies should be carried out to eliminate the misconceptions that emerged in this study.

     

Anomaly-based change in higher education: The case of a large, Turkish public university

This paper analyzes an institutional change in a large, Turkish public university, the Middle East Technical University (METU), by using an anomaly-based change model. The model explains change as an organizational response to anomalies caused by internal and external organizational conditions. The study used a qualitative case study design that included interviews with 51 individuals, and, analysis of institution-specific documents. Anomalies derived from the interview findings compared with a separate set of anomalies, devised from the document study, that are attributed to the strategic change agenda developed by the current president of the institution. The paper argues that human thinking and problem solving as well as organizational cognition and problem solving do proceed through existence and recognition of a problematic situation. So, anomalies are the ID cards of any major change in organizations in that they carry important information about where the organization comes from and where it should proceed to. Implications for the nature and management of change in higher education organizations are discussed.     

Improved protocol for plasma microRNA extraction and comparison of commercial kits

IntroductionMicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that are becoming popular biomarkers in several diseases. However, their low abundance in serum/plasma poses a challenge in exploiting their potential in clinics. Several commercial kits are available for rapid isolation of microRNA from plasma. However, reports guiding the selection of appropriate kits to study downstream assays are scarce. Hence, we compared four commercial kits to evaluate microRNA-extraction from plasma and provided a modified protocol that further improved the superior kit’s performance.Materials and methodsWe compared four kits (miRNeasy Serum/Plasma, miRNeasy Mini Kit from Qiagen; RNA-isolation, and Absolutely-RNA MicroRNA Kit from Agilent technologies) for quality and quantity of microRNA isolated, extraction efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Bioanalyzer-based Agilent Small RNA kit was used to evaluate quality and quantity of microRNA. Extraction efficiency was evaluated by detection of four endogenous control microRNA using real-time-PCR. Further, we modified the manufacturer’s protocol for miRNeasy Serum/Plasma kit to improve yield.ResultsmiRNeasy Serum/Plasma kit outperformed the other three kits in microRNA-quality (P < 0.005) and yielded maximum microRNA-quantity. Recovery of endogenous control microRNA i.e. hsa-miR-24-3p, hsa-miR-191-5p, hsa-miR-423-5p and hsa-miR-484 was higher as well. Modification with the inclusion of a double elution step enhanced yield of microRNA extracted with miRNeasy Serum/Plasma kit significantly (P < 0.001).ConclusionWe demonstrated that miRNeasy Serum/Plasma kit outperforms other kits and can be reliably used with a limited plasma quantity. We have provided a modified microRNA-extraction protocol with improved microRNA output for downstream analyses.     

Articulation of medium of instruction politics in the Malaysian Chinese press

In postcolonial multilingual societies, matters of education are deeply rooted in the discourse of ethnicity. In Malaysia, the interface between ethnicity and education is reflected in recent debates on the choice of medium of instruction (MOI). In 2002, the Malaysian government introduced English as MOI by replacing Malay, the national language, for teaching mathematics and science, at the school level. However, in 2009, the policy was reversed to Malay. This policy initiative has been actively contested in the Malaysian media. Through an analysis of news reports on the controversy published by the Malaysian Chinese newspaper, Nanyang Siang Pao, this paper aims to illustrate how a sizeable ethnic minority is able to position itself vis-à-vis a national policy. To explain the ethno-political construction of MOI debates in the newspaper, we use two concepts, namely, ‘plurality of struggles’ (Laclau, 2006a, 2006b; Laclau & Mouffe, 1985) and ‘transmission of the speech of others’ (Bakhtin, 1981). These notions are contextualized in the macro-context of a multi-ethnic polity in which Chinese society, Chinese press and Chinese education are seen to co-construct community interests.     

MitraClip: a novel percutaneous approach to mitral valve repair

As life expectancy increases, valvular heart disease is becoming more common. Management of heart disease and primarily valvular heart disease is expected to represent a significant proportion of healthcare provided to the elderly population. Recent years have brought a progression of surgical treatments toward less invasive strategies. This has given rise to percutaneous approaches for the correction of valvular heart disease. Percutaneous mitral valve repair using the MitraClip system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) creates a double orifice and has been successfully used in selected patients with mitral regurgitation. We review the rationale, procedural aspects, and clinical data thus far available for the MitraClip approach to mitral regurgitation.     

Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads

The aim of this study was to compare the musculature activity and kinematics of knee and hip joints during front and back squat with maximal loading. Two-dimensional kinematical data were collected and electromyographic activities of vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus and erector spinae were measured while participants (n = 12, 21.2 ± 1.9 years old) were completing front and back squat exercises with maximum loading. Paired sample t-test was used for comparisons between two techniques. Results showed that the electromyographic activity of vastus medialis was found to be greater in the front squat compared to the back squat during the ascending phase (P < 0.05, d = 0.62; 95% CI, ?15.0/?4.17) and the whole manoeuvre (P < 0.05, d = 0.41; 95% CI, ?12.8/?0.43), while semitendinosus (P < 0.05, d = ?0.79; 95% CI, 0.62/20.59) electromyographic activity was greater in the back squat during the ascending phase. Compared to the front squat version, back squat exhibited significantly greater trunk lean, with no differences occurring in the knee joint kinematics throughout the movement. Results may suggest that the front squat may be preferred to the back squat for knee extensor development and for preventing possible lumbar injuries during maximum loading.