Science activities for young children

Science for young children, and older ones as well, should be a blend of development of science content, science processes, and positive attitudes toward science. When educators stress development and learning in these three interrelated and complementary areas, children learn how to explore science as they develop skill in using science processes such as observing, communicating, predicting, and inferring.Jean Shaw is Associate Professor of Elementary Education at the University of Mississippi. Sally Blake teaches at Kentucky Wesleyan College. The late Mary Jo Cliatt taught at the University of Mississippi.     

Informationen/Meinungen

Ohne ZusammenfassungZiel dieser Rubrik ist die Förderung der informellen fachlichen Kommunikation durch Nachrichten, Kurzberichte, Interviews und Kommentare zu aktuellen fachlichen Themen. Auch Leserbriefe, die sich mit bereits veröffentlichten Beiträgen befassen, können hier veröffentlicht werden. Die Betreuung der Rubrik obliegt den Hauptherausgebern.     

A critical reflection on using food as learning materials

Abstract

As early childhood teacher educators, we are thoroughly immersed in conversations about developmentally appropriate practice. Whether teachers should incorporate the use of food as learning materials is a case in point. As with many other concerns we ponder in our field, our task must be to define, clarify, and consider multiple perspectives in the pursuit of a rational justification of our position. In this paper we report the results of our careful review of theory and research that leads us to propose that using food as art material violates principles of best practice for three main reasons, because it: (1) teaches young children that it is acceptable to eat play materials and to play with food, (2) teaches young children that it is acceptable practice to waste limited resources, (3) violates many premises of multicultural education, or teaching children about diverse ethnic groups.     

Identification of a fungal community on gilded wood carved heritage

During restoration activities, a fungal reddish area was noted on a gilded wood carved ceiling decoration from a sacristy of a church in Aveiro, Portugal. The protocols used to identify the fungal community present in this wooden material included the classical culturing methods and a molecular biology protocol based on the ability of denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) to separate fungal DNA from several species. This last method complemented the results obtained with the traditional culturing method approach and the overall study revealed three fungal species: Serpula lacrymans (Wulfen) P. Karsten, Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom) Samson and Penicillium chrysogenum Thom. This is, to the author's knowledge, the first documented case of S. lacrymans in Portuguese built cultural heritage. Despite the antifungal solution applied and the dryer environment recommended, the water activity (Aw) levels recorded on location are still dangerously high and may allow fungal regrowth. Periodic inspections were advised.     

中国移民家庭的社会福利支持

21世纪初,国内移民的最新趋势和最深刻变化在于由个体化移民到家庭化移民的转变,家庭化移民带来了生活需求的多样化、生活面向的转换及迁出地的家庭危机等。结合景天魁先生的“底线公平”概念,在城市化为主导的现代化发展战略下,中国移民家庭的社会福利支持体系应以最低生活保障、基本医疗卫生和公共基础教育为主要内容,进行政策设计。     

城市社区组织体系的法治探索

社区发展目标是以社区组织为主要载体的社区自治,社区自治与社区法治存在统一性。目前社区内主要组织包括社区党组织、居委会、业委会、物业管理公司等,在现行居委会组织法下,各主要社区组织之间关系不清,导致许多矛盾冲突。当前法治环境成为社区组织进一步发展的瓶颈,故亟须修订居委会组织法,理顺各社区组织间关系,明确其相互职能与权限,才能建立良好的社区秩序和法治秩序。     

建国初期中国共产党促进社会和谐的艰辛探索

新中国成立初期,中国共产党领导全国人民以经济建设为中心,为促进社会和谐奠定了物质基础;建立和发展新民主主义文化,为社会和谐建立了思想基础;同时确定“不要四面出击”的基本方针,采取化解各种矛盾、协调各方利益的基本方法促进社会和谐;特别是加强执政党自身建设,成为促进社会和谐的基本保证。     

远程教育：服务全民学习、终身教育的平台——“中美远程教育培训·交流·研究”

2011年9月16日-18日,“中美远程教育培训·交流·研究”会议在南京举行。来自中关两国的专家、学者围绕“远程教育：服务全民学习、终身教育的平台”这一主题,就特殊人群的远程教育服务、远程教育的教与学、远程教育课程认证与共享机制、远程教育教师的专业能力与职业化、远程教育在学习型组织建设中的作用,新技术在远程教育中的应用等方面进行了交流和探讨。此次会议对于推动中羡双方在远程教育研究领域的互动合作有着积极的作用。