基于虚拟现实技术的救助船对外消防培训仿真系统

针对救助船消防训练中存在的海况复杂,对外消防炮射流受风影响大,往往无法准确控制其射向目标区域的问题,在理想状态下射流理论的基础上探究风对射流轨迹的影响,建立自然风条件下射流轨迹的数学模型,模拟对外消防炮射流的运动情况。应用3ds Max构建船舶模型,用Unity3D构建救助船在面临大风浪、遇险船着火等状况时对外消防系统的工作场景,提出一种精确构建粒子系统轨迹的方法,使射流模型能精确体现在场景中。通过虚拟现实设备能实现救助船对外消防培训仿真系统的立体显示和人机交互,起到更好的虚拟仿真和培训效果。     

浙江省耕地数量演变及其驱动力研究

选取了近25年浙江省耕地面积统计数据,利用GIS技术、主成分分析,研究了浙江省近25年来耕地面积变化的总体趋势、空间差异和驱动力。结果表明:改革开放以来,浙江省耕地变化总体呈逐年下降趋势且耕地变化空间差异较大;经济增长是形成浙江省耕地数量变化的主要宏观驱动因子,耕地快速减少在发生时间上与经济发展的增长基本同步;在空间分布上具有与地区间经济发展速度和水平的差异相一致的特点。     

Research Trends in Science Education from 2003 to 2007: A content analysis of publications in selected journals

The present study was a follow‐up to Tsai and Wen’s (2005) earlier research, in which 802 articles published in the International Journal of Science Education, Science Education, and the Journal of Research in Science Teaching from 1998 to 2002 were analysed in terms of author’s nationality, research type, and research topic. In the present study a total of 869 papers published in the three journals from 2003 to 2007 were analysed, and the results were compared with those of Tsai and Wen. Moreover, this study also identified 31 highly‐cited papers published during 1998–2002 and 20 highly‐cited papers published during 2003–2007. The results showed that authors from countries other than the four major English‐speaking countries (i.e., the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada) published an increasing number of articles in the past decade. During these five years (2003–2007), science educators showed relatively more interest in research topics involving the context of student learning. Besides, science educators have changed some of their research interests during 1998–2007, with a shift in the research topics from student conception learning and conceptual change (1998–2002) to student learning contexts (2003–2007). Moreover, the investigation of highly‐cited papers in the past decade revealed that studies on argumentation have gained significant attention among science educators.     

Internet‐based Science Learning: A review of journal publications

Internet‐based science learning has been advocated by many science educators for more than a decade. This review examines relevant research on this topic. Sixty‐five papers are included in the review. The review consists of the following two major categories: (1) the role of demographics and learners' characteristics in Internet‐based science learning, such as demographic background, prior knowledge, and self‐efficacy; and (2) the learning outcomes derived from Internet‐based science learning, such as attitude, motivation, conceptual understanding, and conceptual change. Some important conclusions are drawn from the review. For example, Internet‐based science learning is equally favorable, or in some cases more so, to learning for female students compared to male students. The learner's control is essential for enhancing students' attitudes and motivation toward learning in Internet‐based science learning environments. Nevertheless, appropriate guidance from teachers, moderators, or the Internet‐based learning environment itself is still quite crucial in Internet‐based science learning. Recommendations for future research related to the effects of Internet‐based science learning on students' metacognitive reflections, epistemological development, and worldviews are suggested.     

Towards a Transformative Epistemology of Technology Education

Technology Education offers an authentic and invaluable range of skills, knowledge, capabilities, contexts and ways of thinking for learners in the 21^st century. However, it is recognised that it occupies a comparatively less defined and more fragile curricular position than associated, but longer established, subjects such as Mathematics and Science. While recognising that no single factor lies behind such a condition, this paper draws upon thinking in the philosophy of technology, technology education and the ontology of artefacts to argue that transformation may be considered as an epistemic source for technology in a similar way to ‘proof’ within Mathematics and ‘interpretation’ within Science. Encapsulating technology's intimate relationship with materials, it is ultimately argued that the transformation of a technical artefact from an ill‐defined into a well‐defined ontological state constitutes a prime source of technological knowledge for pupils. Moreover, it provides an alternative route into further consideration about the nature of the domain, epistemology and curricular identity of the subject.     

Computers in Language Teaching

Abstract

Many people remember their language lessons from their secondary schooldays as tedious and ineffective. Although the emphasis in language teaching has shifted from the passive skills (reading, listening) to the active skills of speaking and writing, the result after many years of hard work is often disappointing. Learning a language in a classroom environment is extremely difficult. There is no real need to speak or write. Teachers are not interested in the contents of what their students are saying or writing but in the correctness. There is not enough time for the individual student to manipulate and practise what he or she has learned. Motivation is low. Obviously, computers cannot solve these problems. However, they can be used to create a more stimulating environment in which students are given authentic tasks that require a real use of language. If computers are used for practice and drill only, we are missing out on a valuable contribution to language learning and teaching.     

Spelling development in 6–11‐year‐old Greek‐speaking Cypriot children

The aim of the present study was to examine the spelling development of Greek‐speaking children in the early school grades. Although Greek orthography is regular for reading, it is much less transparent as far as spelling is concerned. Spelling development was investigated using a word spelling task designed to explore the effects of word length, familiarity and spelling regularity. One hundred and fifty normally developing primary school children living in Cyprus took part in the study. Results suggest that the children employed both phonological and lexical strategies in spelling Greek words. Results indicated that sub‐lexical procedures were more marked for younger children, whereas lexical processing was employed more widely by older children. The findings are interpreted in terms of stage developmental models.