Children's understanding of substances,Part 2: Explaining chemical change

This is the second part of a paper which focuses on the idea of chemical change (see Johnson 2000). The reported data comes from a study which explored the development of children's concept of a substance (ages 11-14). It examines the use of the ideas of elements, compounds and the bonding between atoms to explain chemical change and the intersection of these ideas with 'basic' particle ideas. Evidence is presented which suggests that the particle ideas were the means by which the pupils came to acknowledge the phenomenon of chemical change, having been unmoved by a macroscopic approach which identified substances by melting and boiling point. Furthermore, a basic particle model in which individual particles still retained the macroscopic properties of the substance was found to inhibit an understanding of chemical change. Findings with respect to a burning candle are reported in a separate section. Important implications for teaching are discussed.     

Should we Teach Primary Pupils about Chemical Change?

Thirty‐six pupils from three sixth‐grade classes (ages 11/12, n = 75) in Greece were interviewed pre‐ and post‐intervention in a piece of research on explanations of chemical phenomena. Software concerning chemical phenomena was incorporated in a teaching scheme, where the particle theory was used. After a 13 hour intervention, pupils’ explanations were categorized in five discrete categories. Only a few pupils could give satisfactory explanations, involving the integration of particle ideas at the level of atoms. The idea of chemical change seemed to be very difficult for the majority of pupils. Implications for the teaching of chemical phenomena at young ages are discussed.     

Student and teacher negotiations of racial identity in an Afro‐Ecuadorian region

In this article, using data collected primarily through interviews and observations the researcher explores how students and teachers of African descent at the Jaime Hurtado Academy understand and interpret race and racism in the city and province of Esmeraldas, which is the only region of the country where Afro‐Ecuadorians comprise the largest proportion of the population. The findings reveal that students often distanced themselves from their Blackness through racial mixture, and that parents played a critical socializing role in their students’ negotiations of racial identity. Additionally, it was found that teachers universally embraced their Blackness, although they simultaneously acknowledged their mixed racial ancestry. These findings contest literate understandings of race and ideological attempts by elites to exclude Afro‐Ecuadorians within the dominant discourse of national identity.     

Towards a framework for critical citizenship education

Increasingly, countries around the world are promoting forms of ‘critical’ citizenship in the planned curricula of schools. However, the intended meaning behind this term varies markedly and can range from a set of abstract and technical skills under the label ‘critical thinking’ to a desire to encourage engagement, action and political emancipation, often labelled ‘critical pedagogy’. This article distinguishes these manifestations of the ‘critical’ and, based on an analysis of the prevailing models of critical pedagogy and citizenship education, develops a conceptual framework for analysing and comparing the nature of critical citizenship.     

Reported Argumentativeness and Verbal Aggressiveness Levels: The Influence of Type of Argument

Arguments in interpersonal relationships can be divided into two types: public issue arguments and personal issue arguments. This study examines the ability of type of argument, trait argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness, and gender to predict reported argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness levels related to a particular argument episode. Reported argumentativeness levels were higher in the public argument condition, and reported verbal aggressiveness levels were higher in the personal argument condition. Trait argumentativeness predicted reported argumentativeness levels better in the public argument condition than the personal argument condition, suggesting that type of argument may serve as a moderator for the relationship between trait argumentativeness levels and argument-specific argumentativeness levels. Implications for using these two scales to examine interpersonal argument are discussed.     

A model of social interaction phase II: Further tests in radio and television situations

The research reported here is part of programmatic effort to develop a more deductive and holistic transituational framework for systematically modeling the relationships among six major elements of social interaction. Phase II was designed to confirm the initial model and to ameliorate methodological flaws found in Phase I.     

Perceptions of Barriers to Healthy Physical Activity among Asian Communities

There is clear evidence of inequalities in the health status of minority ethnic groups in Britain. This includes a number of conditions which may be alleviated or prevented through increased levels of physical exercise. Other research has shown lower levels of activity and raised body mass among Asian groups. There remains some scope for argument about the reasons for these differences. It is, for example, suggested that health education materials are poorly targeted at South Asian communities, or that certain cultures discourage involvement in recreational physical activities. It is known that both motivation and self-image are important to physical activity behaviour, from school age upwards. A lifestyle survey sponsored by the Health Education Authority, and qualitative research, provide an opportunity to examine the degree to which there are distinctive 'ethnic' barriers to exercise or other healthy physical activity amongst communities of South Asian origin living in England. While there are many similarities with the reasons given by members of the white population for 'not exercising', there are some subtle differences between communities, and a number of issues which appear to be specific to the minority populations. Some are particular to a religion, gender or generation. Attention to these, including questions of modesty, gender segregation, and safety, would improve the accessibility of recreational activities to this target group. At the same time, it is clear that individuals from these communities are well informed and well motivated, and do take advantage of local facilities when they can. The question of both institutional and personal racism cannot be excluded from a strategy for promoting healthy physical activity; equally, it is important to pay attention to the characteristics of particular communities to gain their confidence. A 'colour-blind' or homogenous approach may be counterproductive.     

Contesting contained bodily coaching experiences

Through critical readings of several images and texts, including photographs and artifacts in this collected montage, my aim here is to use multiple interactional analyses (visual culture techniques and deconstructive techniques) to assist in the critique of these presented visual images that represent current coaching policies in the USA.     

Changes in Self-Concepts during a Physical Development Program

Abstract

Three measures of self-concept were administered to children referred to a physical developmental clinic both before and after the six-week clinic program. The 74 children studied were referred primarily because of emotional disturbances, brain damage, and mental retardation. A comparison of preclinic and postclinic scores indicated the following significant changes: (a) decrease in self—self-ideal discrepancy on height, (b) increase in willingness to be with larger groups of children, (c) increase in willingness to be near the clinician, and (d) increase in desire (self-ideal) to be near the father. No significant changes occurred with respect to weight, arm length, leg length, or activity orientation.     

Effects of Varied Techniques in Organizing Class Competition upon Changes in Sociometric Status

Abstract

The effects of different methods of class organization and different competitive situations upon social status change in college men was investigated. After initial testing, 88 male subjects were randomly assigned to four experimental groups and participated three days per wk. for six weeks in badminton activity classes. A control group of 22 subjects did not participate in any activity. The subjects engaged in their respective programs for three weeks in anticohesive pairs and three weeks in cohesive pairs. A social distance rating card was used to obtain scores at the beginning and end of each three-week period.

The findings in this study would appear to warrant the conclusions that (a) positive shifts in social acceptance can be brought about through a conscious effort on the part of the teacher to organize class activity and direct student interaction in light of measured sociometric status; and (b) that changes in sociometric ratings are not likely to occur automatically as a result of the normal social forces present in a class situation, with or without physical activity.