Mathematics education in the neoliberal and corporate curriculum: the case of Brazilian agricultural high schools

The pedagogical principle learning by research guides the current curriculum in agricultural high schools in Brazil. A problematization of the principle shows how (1) it feeds into current neoliberal and corporate agendas in the education sector, and (2) it associates mathematical formalism and abstraction as necessary conditions for the production and use of biotechnology. Data consists of official national and institutional policy documents, as well as interviews conducted with nine former students, along with their school notebooks and tests. The theoretical and methodological framework draws on the work of Michel Foucault. It is argued that neoliberal market values are embedded in the mathematics education, through the articulation of abstract and formal reasoning with techno-scientific knowledge, for the purpose of competitive production. The learning by research principle shapes students’ subjectivities to desire becoming techno-scientificized individuals. The ethical question of the subordination of the value of mathematics education to a neoliberal, predominantly marketized logic is raised as a challenge to the role of mathematics in contemporary cultures.     

Sensitive periods in the development of attachment and the age of entry into day care

This study investigated how the age of entry into regular group day care may influence, in the context of other relevant variables, some short-time outcomes of this experience. In particular the study focused on behaviours expressing well-being or discomfort in the day care environment during the third year. Subjects were 129 young children who were enrolled in group day care when they were 6–29 months old. During their third year their social behaviour was evaluated by caregivers with the Day Care Adaptation Scale. Researchers observed 54 of the children in reunion with their parents. The quality of care was rated with the ITERS scale. It was found that children who started day care in the intervals 6–12 months and 18–23 months displayed more frequently difficult reunions with their mothers, and were rated as less resistant to frustration. Children who started day care from 12–17 months showed lower relational distress. Some significant relationships were found between the ratings of ITERS and the Day Care Adaptation Scale. These findings are discussed with reference to theories of attachment.     

The elixir (or burden) of youth? Exploring differences in innovation between start-ups and established firms

Despite the widely acknowledged role of start-ups in economic development, little is known about their innovative activities compared with those of established firms. Drawing on a sample of 12,209 UK firms, we differentiate between services and manufacturing firms and, using a matching estimator approach, demonstrate that start-ups differ significantly from established firms in their innovation activities. We find that in services, being a start-up increases the likelihood of product innovations. However, in manufacturing, we find no significant differences in the likelihood of product innovation between start-ups and established firms. When examining the returns to innovation, we find that start-ups have a significant advantage both in services and in manufacturing. We explore the implications of these results for theory and policy.     

Teachers’ use of their mathematical knowledge for teaching in learning a mathematics learning trajectory

In the past decade, research on learning trajectories has progressed from an agenda for research on student learning to include an agenda for research on teaching. In this paper, we use a design experiment to examine a professional development program created to support teacher learning of one learning trajectory. Using a re-interpretation of Ball and colleagues’ mathematics knowledge for teaching framework, we conducted a retrospective analysis to examine how a purposefully selected sample of three teachers used their knowledge to participate in discussions of the professional learning tasks designed to support teacher learning of the trajectory. Findings indicate that professional learning tasks focusing on pedagogical content knowledge present in learning trajectories also allow for teacher learning of subject matter knowledge; this learning is mediated by teachers’ prior mathematics knowledge for teaching. We conclude with considerations for researchers and professional developers seeking to support teachers in learning about learning trajectories.     

Reduction of gross hemolysis in catheter-drawn blood using Greiner Holdex? tube holder

Introduction:

Blood collection through intravenous lines frequently causes spurious hemolysis. Due to specific structure, the tube holder Holdex^® (Greiner Bio-One GmbH, Kremsmuenster, Austria) is supposed to prevent erythrocyte injury in samples collected from catheters, so that we planned a specific study to support this hypothesis.

Materials and methods:

Blood was collected from emergency department (ED) patients with 20-gauge catheter. In patients with odd order numbers, first and second tubes were collected with conventional holder (BD Vacutainer One Use Holder, Becton Dickinson, Milan, Italy) and the third with Holdex, whereas in even patients first and second tubes were drawn with Holdex and the third using BD Vacutainer One Use Holder. The first tube was discarded, whereas the second and third were centrifuged and serum was tested for potassium, lactate dehydrogenase (LD) and hemolysis index.

Results:

The final study population consisted in 60 ED patients. Concentrations of potassium (4.25 vs. 4.16 mmol/L; P = 0.031), LD (498 vs. 459 U/L; P = 0.039) and cell-free hemoglobin (0.42 vs. 0.22 g/L; P = 0.042) were higher in samples collected with BD Vacutainer One Use Holder than with Holdex. The mean bias of cell-free hemoglobin was −0.4 g/L in samples collected with Holdex. Although the frequency of samples with cell-free hemoglobin > 0.5 g/L was identical (17/60 vs. 17/60; P = 1.00), the frequency of those with concentrations >3.0 g/L was higher using BD Vacutainer One Use Holder than Holdex (4/60 vs. 0/60; P = 0.042).

Conclusions:

The use of Holdex for drawing blood from intravenous lines may be effective for reducing gross hemolysis.     

Self-training through the Internet

The development of five courses, aimed at advanced engineering training, using the Internet, is described in this paper. A European consortium was responsible for the development, implementation and testing of the courses through the organization of virtual classes on the Internet. An important outcome was the definition of the training service characteristics, which led to the development of a quality system based on four fundamental concepts: credit, accreditation, certification and qualification. Professionals of several age groups and industrial sectors with different expectations as well as engineering students attended pilot virtual classes. From the trainee's side, we report on how the training opportunity was received and how the training service provided was felt. The main project successes and a few weak points and a number of important recommendations are listed for future reference.     

From childhood nature experiences to adult pro-environmental behaviors: An explanatory model of sustainable food consumption

Abstract

In two studies, the role of nature experiences and social norms during childhood is explored next to adulthood biospheric values, connectedness to nature, environmental identity, and objective knowledge in relation to pro-environmental behaviors. Study 1 (N?=?185) tested the hypothesized model in the realm of general pro-environmental behaviors and sustainable fruit consumption on a sample of students. Study 2 (N?=?155) tested the model in the realm of sustainable seafood consumer choice on a general population sample. Path analyses show consistent results across samples. Results show that childhood nature experiences and exposure to pro-environmental social norms during childhood are related to adulthood development of connectedness with nature and biospheric values; these, in turn, help in shaping adulthood environmental self-identity ultimately influencing the enactment of sustainable food choices during adulthood. These findings point toward the relevance of childhood experiences for pro-environmental behaviors as compared to the provision of information. The role of objective knowledge across samples is inconsistent, thus requiring future investigations.     

Contributions of Academic Language,Perspective Taking,and Complex Reasoning to Deep Reading Comprehension

ABSTRACT

Deep reading comprehension refers to the process required to succeed at tasks defined by the Common Core State Literacy Standards, as well as to achieve proficiency on the more challenging reading tasks in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that three skill domains not frequently attended to in instruction or in theories of reading comprehension—academic language, perspective taking, and complex reasoning—predict outcomes on an assessment of deep reading comprehension. The Global Integrated Scenario-based Assessment (GISA; O'Reilly, Weeks, Sabatini, Halderman, & Steinberg, 2014 O'Reilly T., Weeks, J., Sabatini, J., Halderman, L., & Steinberg, J. (2014). Designing reading comprehension assessments for reading interventions: How a theoretically motivated assessment can serve as an outcome measure. Educational Psychology Review, 26, 403–424. doi:10.1007/s10648-014-9269-z[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) is designed to reflect students' abilities to evaluate texts, integrate information from an array of texts, and use textual evidence to formulate a position, all features of deep reading comprehension. We tested the role of academic language, perspective taking, and complex reasoning in explaining variance in end-of-year GISA scores, controlling for beginning-of-year scores and student demographics. All three predictors explained small, but significant, amounts of additional variance. We suggest that these three skill domains deserve greater attention in theories of reading comprehension and in instruction.     

大坝与坝基稳定性分析研究

大坝与坝基的稳定一直是工程师密切关注的一个安全问题. 论文提出2种分析重力坝和坝基稳定的方法: 一种是基于刚体极限平衡原理的直接分析方法, 它将坝体和岩基作为不变形的刚体, 利用该方法可直接计算出可能滑动面的安全因数; 另一种是基于弹塑性理论的间接分析方法, 它采用非线性有限元方法分析大坝和坝基的应力和变形. 根据收敛和突变准则来确定稳定安全度.结果表明:工程建筑物的破坏不仅仅是由于施加荷载的原因,同时也与组成材料的性质有关.