GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING OF THE CONCEPT OF FORCE, REPRESENTATIONAL CONSISTENCY, AND SCIENTIFIC REASONING

This quantitative case study used a pre- and posttest design for exploring the gender differences in secondary school students’ (n?=?131, 45 males and 86 females) learning of the force concept when an interactive engagement type of teaching was used. In addition, students’ ability to interpret multiple representations (i.e., representational consistency) was documented by a pre- and posttest and scientific reasoning ability by a pretest only. Males significantly outperformed females in learning of the force concept, pre- and posttest representational consistency, and pretest scientific reasoning. However, the gender difference in learning of the force concept was not significant when ANCOVA was conducted using pretest results of representational consistency and scientific reasoning as covariates. This appeared to indicate that the gender difference in learning gain was related to students’ abilities before the instruction. Thus, the teaching method used was equally effective for both genders. Further, our quantitative finding about the relation between representational consistency and learning of the force concept supports the assumption that multiple representations are important in science learning.     

Augmented inertial measurements for analysis of javelin throwing mechanics

This paper examines the exploitation of inertial measurements to analyze javelin throwing mechanics. The main objective was to demonstrate that consumer-grade inertial navigation systems, augmented with some position and attitude data obtained from a video sequence, yield detailed information of the mechanics of javelin throwing. Especially, such a system makes it possible to analyze the momentary force and power exerted on the javelin during the acceleration phase. Although the presented system is a pilot, leaving space for further improvements, it already reveals the potential of inertial navigation systems to sports. In practise, an inertial measurement unit was embedded inside the tip of the javelin to determine the javelin’s momentary attitude, position, and velocity. Graphs on the speed and angular velocity about the longitudinal axis of the javelin during the whole performance are presented. The maximum estimated release speed and release angular speed were 28.02 m/s and 215.9 rad/s, respectively. The acceleration phase trajectory of the javelin and its deviation from a straight line path are demonstrated. Additionally, the momentary forces and powers are shown and the effect of aerodynamic forces on the projectile is specified. The magnitude of the maximum tangential forces and accelerating powers were 364 N and 9.76 kW. The duration and length of the acceleration phase trajectory varied between 223 and 231 ms, and 2.48 and 2.75 m. To estimate the accuracy of the inertial measurements, the acceleration phase results were compared to measurements made with high-speed cameras.     

The Development of Study Orientations and Study Success in Students of Pharmacy

In research literature, two study orientations have been identified: meaning orientation and reproducing orientation. Few studies have examined how study orientations and conceptions of knowledge (epistemologies) interrelate. Further, longitudinal studies of the development of orientations and of conceptions of knowledge in relation to academic achievement are scarce. The study set out:(i) to examine the relationship between study orientations and conceptions of knowledge; (ii) to investigate how these kinds of beliefs change during short, career-aimed studies of natural science; (iii) to explore how study orientations and changes in them are related to study success. The sample consisted of 66 undergraduate students of pharmacy studying at a Finnish university. Participants filled in a questionnaire regarding study orientations and conceptions of knowledge at the beginning of their studies and after 3 years of study. Results showed a relationship between reproducing orientation and dualist conceptions of knowledge. Reproducing orientation and dualism diminished during undergraduate natural science studies. Further, students' reproducing orientation after the last study year was negatively related to their study success. In addition, a favourable development was detected in the group of above-average achievers, who maintained their initial level of meaning orientation while diminishing their level of reproducing orientation. Implications for instruction are discussed.     

The Intertextual Method for Art Education Applied in Japanese Paper Theatre—a Study on Discovering Intercultural Differences

In art education we need methods for studying works of art and visual culture interculturally because there are many multicultural art classes and little consensus as to how to interpret art in different cultures. In this article my central aim was to apply the intertextual method that I developed in my doctoral thesis for Western art education to explore whether the method would also work from a non‐Western point of view. My hypothesis was that it is possible to find local and global differences that arise from selected texts and study them interculturally. As postmodernism calls attention to marginal areas, I applied my method to a form of visual culture that is not well known in the European art education context, the Japanese kamishibai which can be translated as Japanese paper theatre. Based on the results, my study will propose a method for understanding visual culture and the multiple relations ‐ local and global ‐ between different cultures. Japanese paper theatre also offers an interesting potential for using visual and verbal stories in the theory and practice of art education.