The variation of the residual ionization with pressure at different altitudes,and its relation to the cosmic radiation

Measurements have been made of the residual ionization in a closed vessel of steel one inch thick, shielded by a two inch casing of lead, over a range of pressure from atmospheric to one thousand pounds per sq. inch, at Pike's Peak (alt. 14,000 ft.), Colorado Springs (alt. 6,ooo ft.), and New Haven (alt. 6,000 ft.). The ionization-pressure curves presents features of interest in relation to the interpretation of the processes associated with ionization in the vessel. However, in the present investigation they are used simply to obtain average relative value of the ionization due to the cosmic rays at the three altitudes concerned. A method of correcting the observations for absorption by the iron sphere, the lead case, and the walls of the buildings, has been developed. It is found that the data for the three stations can be correlated by the assumption of a pair of frequencies in the original cosmic radiation; and, as a matter of fact, an infinite number of such pairs are possible. They are represented in graphical form in Fig. 7 If we permit the assumption of three different frequencies in the cosmic radiation, it is possible in general to assign two of the frequencies, and determine an infinite number of possibilities as regards the third, distributed over a definite range. The possibilities inherent in the assumption of three frequencies are contained in tabular form in Table XVII. Of course, the inclusion of observations from more than three altitudes would serve to fix more definitely the possibility as regards the analysis. However, the result of the analysis for the three stations concerned is possibly of interest for comparison with other data, and as an indication of the kind of information which it is possible to extract from observations of this kind. It is probable that the very large range of possibilities inherent in a solution with three coefficients of absorption will be rather surprising to anyone who considers a situation of this kind for the first time.In addition to those whose assistance has already been acknowledged, I wish to acknowledge the assistance of Professor J. W. Broxon, who visited me while on Pike's Peak, and assisted in setting up the apparatus; and my thanks are due to Mr. C. A. Kotterman, and particularly to Mr. Andrew Longacre, and Mr. W. E. Ramsey for assistance in the reduction of the observations, and in the computational work.     

Balancing Teacher and Student Roles in Elementary Classrooms: Preservice elementary teachers’ learning about the inquiry continuum

Using the National Research Council's inquiry continuum framework, we use a multiple-case study research design to investigate the teacher- and student-directedness of elementary preservice teachers’ planned and enacted science lessons and their pedagogical reasoning about science instruction during a semester-long science methods course. Our specific research questions were (1) What ideas do elementary preservice teachers bring to a science teaching methods course about the inquiry continuum? and (2) How do their ideas about the inquiry continuum change over the course of the semester through engaging in planning, enactment, and reflection upon science instruction? Participants’ course artifacts (journals, reflective teaching assignments, and lesson plan rationales), interviews, and field observations of their enacted science lessons served as data for this study. Findings show that although the preservice teachers began the semester defining inquiry as highly student-directed, their ideas and definitions broadened over the course of the semester to include and embrace more teacher-directed forms of inquiry. Their early science lessons were more student-directed but, as they encountered challenges engaging in inquiry-based instruction and increasingly emphasized students’ learning needs, they began to plan and enact lessons that were more teacher-directed. Teacher education programs need to explicitly emphasize these variations of inquiry as a core component of supporting preservice teachers’ learning to teach science as inquiry.     

Is contact with people with disabilities a guarantee for positive implicit and explicit attitudes?

In the past 50 years research on attitudes toward people with disabilities has repeatedly revealed negative attitudes by predominantly using self-report measures. The main aim of the present contribution was to develop an Implicit Association Test (IAT) to assess implicit attitudes toward people with disabilities. For this purpose 47 university students majoring in special education (11 male, 36 female) were asked to complete the IAT in addition to self-reported explicit attitudes (affective, cognitive, and behavioural component). Moreover, the students were asked about the amount and perceived quality of their contact experience with people with disabilities. Results showed that participants reported on average most negative explicit attitudes in the affective, followed by the cognitive and the behavioural component. On average, students were more likely to associate the category ‘disabled’ with the attribute ‘unpleasant’ on the IAT. Overall, explicit and implicit attitudes were only weakly correlated. The amount of contact significantly predicted the three components of explicit attitudes, but not implicit attitudes. The results and limitations of this study will be discussed with respect to their implications for the educational context.     

Changes in Science Content Knowledge and Attitudes toward Science Teaching of Educators Attending a Zoo-based Neuroscience Professional Development

Abstract

Informal learning environments often host teachers for learning opportunities, but little is known about the impact of these experiences on teacher professional development (PD). This article describes a unique collaborative PD experience between zoological park personnel and university faculty, examining the impact on teacher content knowledge, attitudes, and classroom lessons. Our findings suggest that the PD improved science content, but made no impact on already high attitudes toward science. In light of the high level of self-reported satisfaction and high frequency of teacher lesson plan use, we propose that the PD had other positive outcomes such as pedagogical knowledge and authentic learning experiences.     

Complex learning difficulties and EBD

Abstract

This is an account of how one residential school for KEYW ORDS children with emotional and behavioural difficulties has attempted to autistic set up a class for those children presenting complex needs within the spectrum school. The special class has been observed over a number of weeks disorders; and the boys in that unit are benefiting tremendously in their complex needs; social/emotional development and learning. The security of this small emotional and class has given them the courage to go out of school in a group, behavioural together with the teacher, on visits where they showed a high degree difficulties; of maturity in their behaviour and their anxiety was lessened to such residential an extent that they came back full of excitement to tell us what they schools had learnt.     

The Teenage Religion and Values Survey in England and Wales: an overview

The Teenage Religion and Values Survey was conducted throughout the 1990s among young people between the ages of 13 and 15 years. A total of 33,982 young people took part in the survey. As the next phase of this research begins for the twenty‐first century, this paper looks back at the survey conducted in the 1990s and considers two aspects of the research. First, this paper considers the methodology behind designing such a survey. Second, this paper considers some of the insights generated by the survey under five headings: personality, spiritual health, religious affiliation, belonging without believing and church‐leaving.