An exploration of Biggs’ constructive alignment in course design and its impact on students’ learning approaches

This paper investigates whether instructors’ adoption of constructive alignment has any impact on university students’ learning approaches, which are highly correlated with students’ achievement of learning outcomes. A multi-method model with a combination of qualitative and quantitative design was adopted, using document analysis, interviews and survey. The analysis of covariance results suggested that regardless of individual differences, students would adjust their learning approaches and study behaviours in response to the classroom teaching and learning environment. Students in more ‘constructively aligned courses’ were more likely to adopt deep learning approaches and less likely to use surface learning approaches in their study of a particular course.     

雨水贮集设施之减洪效益选址研究

山坡地区遇上连日暴雨时,不但引起土壤冲蚀和山崩,更易造成径流集中,使洪峰径流量大幅增加,带来下游地区严重洪水及泥沙灾害。而雨水贮集可以有效的减少径流量,进而达到防洪减灾的效果,所收集来的雨水也可以做进一步的利用,如农田灌溉,或者引至社区作为浇花、洗车、冲厕等用途,达到水资源的有效利用。该研究选择汐止市为仿真对象,利用地理信息系统(GIS)及农业非点源污染模式(AGNPS)仿真分析出合适的雨水贮集设施设置地点。该研究设计在一定的径流量、输沙量、及坡度等适合设置雨水贮集设施限制条件,利用AGNPS的特性,由计算机筛选出符合限制条件的地点。一共在研究区526个方格中找到36个方格符合设置雨水贮集设施的地点,这些方格绝大部分都分布在集水区的上游地区。因此确信可以利用AGNPS模式来做为自动选址的方法,以节省大量的人力、物力及时间。     

Independent Olympic Athletes and the Legitimacy of the International Olympic Committee in Resolving International Conflicts

Abstract

Over the last three centuries (nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first) humanity has been facing huge political and ideological conflicts, especially wars. For these reasons, it was seen how necessary it was to create global institutions that aimed to promote peace and reduce or stop conflicts of this magnitude. Therefore, an international institution had already brought on its premises the principles of international peace and reconciliation through sport: the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, despite bringing together nations around peaceful ties in an international competition, the IOC and the Olympic Games event have always been affected by constant conflicts along their path in the twentieth century, emphasizing issues involving nationalities. Thereby, in a mediator posture of international conflicts and in an effort to reduce the subversions that surrounded it, the IOC, in the 1990s, created the delegation of Independent Olympic Athletes. Such a delegation consists of athletes who cannot represent their respective nationalities at the Olympics due to political factors and/or armament conflicts. This proposal of the IOC demonstrates its posture to avoid, minimize, and even cease ideological and political events that might interfere with the Olympics Games or the athletes participating in them.     

Improved determination of dynamic balance using the centre of mass and centre of pressure inclination variables in a complete golf swing cycle

Golf requires proper dynamic balance to accurately control the club head through a harmonious coordination of each human segment and joint. In this study, we evaluated the ability for dynamic balance during a golf swing by using the centre of mass (COM)–centre of pressure (COP) inclination variables. Twelve professional, 13 amateur and 10 novice golfers participated in this study. Six infrared cameras, two force platforms and SB-Clinic software were used to measure the net COM and COP trajectories. In order to evaluate dynamic balance ability, the COM–COP inclination angle, COM–COP inclination angular velocity and normalised COM–COP inclination angular jerk were used. Professional golfer group revealed a smaller COM–COP inclination angle and angular velocity than novice golfer group in the lead/trail direction (P < 0.01). In the normalised COM–COP inclination angular jerk, the professional golfer group showed a lower value than the other two groups in all directions. Professional golfers tend to exhibit improved dynamic balance, and this can be attributed to the neuromusculoskeletal system that maintains balance with proper postural control. This study has the potential to allow for an evaluation of the dynamic balance mechanism and will provide useful basic information for swing training and prevention of golf injuries.     

存在——海德格尔终生关注事情

海德格尔运思半个多世纪,存在始终是他关注的永恒主题,本文通过海氏前后期运思方式的不同,揭示了海氏对终极问题关怀没有改变。     

Rethinking critical patriotism: a case of constructive patriotism in Social Studies teachers in Singapore

Critical patriotism is an ideal in many liberal Western nations. Few studies, however, explore how teachers understand and teach critical patriotism and the possible tensions arising from its adoption, especially in non-Western contexts. This qualitative case study explores the understandings and practices of two Social Studies teachers from an elite girls’ school in Singapore to understand how they negotiate the tensions that arise when critical thinking and patriotism meet. The findings show that the teachers perceive little contradiction between patriotism and critical thinking and, hence, generally taught in line with democratic citizenship education. They encouraged students to discuss controversial policies, brought in diverse perspectives and challenged the status quo. However, sensitive to the socio-political context in Singapore, they sought consensus instead of contestation, gradual change instead of radical change, in contrast to the spirit of critical patriotism. These findings suggest that in Singapore, where communitarian values are promoted, critical patriotism was expressed differently. Constructive patriotism may be a better term to describe the type of patriotism observed in the teachers.     

The influence of social interaction on meaning construction in a virtual community

As proposed by social constructive theorists, meaningful learning and individual development were achieved through social interaction. To foster social interaction among students, this study formed an online learning community in which they played multiple roles as writers, editors and commentators. In playing different roles, they read peers' texts, edited peers' errors, evaluated peer editors' corrections and finally reconstructed their own texts. Results of this study showed that the multiple roles they played allowed them to have opportunities to view their own texts from others' perspectives. Based on these perspectives, they were more willing to acquire information from and contribute information to peers. All of this extensive information acquisition and contribution resulted in meaning construction of texts as active students improved their final drafts in both local revision (grammatical correction) and global revision (the style, organisation and development of a text) after receiving and evaluating feedback from peer editors. Their final drafts were very different from those of passive students whose first and final drafts were almost the same despite some grammatical revisions. This study suggests that, rather than relying only on an examination of students' final drafts, there may be benefits in teachers encouraging students to actively participate in social interaction by reading peers' texts, editing peers' errors and evaluating peer editors' corrections during text revisions.     

School Schedules Affect Sleep Timing in Children and Contribute to Partial Sleep Deprivation

Although the environmental light/dark cycle is the main zeitgeber for the human species, the social cues seem to be important in the synchronization of circadian rhythms. In Brazil, the existence of two school schedules—one with only morning classes (MG) and other with only afternoon classes (AG)—allows the investigation of the effect of school activities on light exposure and sleep/wake patterns in children. Forty‐seven children wore wrist actimeters for a week for registration of light and sleep data. MG children presented shorter sleep duration on school days than the children from the AG. The results showed that during school days MG children were exposed to bright light earlier in the morning when compared to AG children. Nevertheless, there were no differences in light exposure after sunset. The results reflect the role of school schedules and artificial light in shaping light exposure, and its association with sleep timing in children.     

雨水贮集设施之减洪效益选址研究

山坡地区遇上连日暴雨时,不但引起土壤冲蚀和山崩,更易造成径流集中,使洪峰径流量大幅增加,带来下游地区严重洪水及泥沙灾害.而雨水贮集可以有效的减少径流量,进而达到防洪减灾的效果,所收集来的雨水也可以做进一步的利用,如农田灌溉,或者引至社区作为浇花、洗车、冲厕等用途,达到水资源的有效利用.该研究选择汐止市为仿真对象,利用地理信息系统(GIS)及农业非点源污染模式(AGNPS)仿真分析出合适的雨水贮集设施设置地点.该研究设计在一定的径流量、输沙量、及坡度等适合设置雨水贮集设施限制条件,利用AGNPS的特性,由计算机筛选出符合限制条件的地点.一共在研究区526个方格中找到36个方格符合设置雨水贮集设施的地点,这些方格绝大部分都分布在集水区的上游地区.因此确信可以利用AGNPS模式来做为自动选址的方法,以节省大量的人力、物力及时间.