ASERA: brief histor(y/ies)

This collection of historical accounts provides diverse perspectives on the structure and culture of the community of researchers who participate in activities of the Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA). It describes the formation of the Association, and identifies major changes and challenges for the ever growing and internationalisation of its membership.

Effect of intersolution interval,chlordiazepoxide, and amphetamine on anticipatory contrast

Previous experiments have shown that the intake of a 0.15% saccharin solution is suppressed if saccharin access is followed by access to 32 % sucrose in brief daily pairings. The present experiments found that: (1) the degree of suppression was not altered when no time elapsed between presentation of the two solutions each day (15 sec had been the minimum in previous experiments and was used as the control in this experiment); (2) the degree of suppression was not altered by chlordiazepoxide (6, 12, or 20 mg/kg), although the drug had large appetite-stimulating effects; (3) suppression was not influenced by amphetamine (0.25 or 0.50 mg/kg); and (4) contrast could be established or eliminated, even after extended training, by manipulating the sequences of solutions presented (saccharin-saccharin or saccharin-sucrose). The results were interpreted in terms of a contrast effect based on the learned anticipation of a preferred substance. The chlordiazepoxide data suggest that this contrast is different from successive negative contrast, and the intersolution interval data suggest that the occurrence of contrast rather than a reinforcement effect is not due to a time gap between presentations of the two solutions.     

Virtue and Character in Higher Education

Despite much recent concern with the possibilities of moral character education in elementary schooling and professional training, the university and higher educational prospects of such education have only lately received much attention. This paper begins by considering – and largely endorsing – the general case for character education in contexts of pre-adult schooling and adult professional and vocational training. However, it proceeds to argue that the case for intervention in character formation in some educational contexts is not generally applicable to university and higher education. Key points are that there can be no clear normative warrant for such intervention in the case of learners who are: (i) beyond the age of majority and (ii) voluntarily engaged in study wherein significant professional or public implications of personal character development are not a pressing concern. In short, while good moral character is clearly of general human importance, its deliberate or explicit promotion may not be equally warranted in all educational contexts.     

The Development of Spatial Skills in Elementary School Students

Through five waves of data collection, this longitudinal study investigated the development of spatial skills in 304 elementary school children (M_age = 7.64 years) as they progressed from the second to fourth grade. The study focused on whether multiple latent classes with different developmental profiles best explain development. Spatial skills were measured by tests featuring two‐dimensional figures. Mathematics achievement was measured by the statewide end‐of‐year test and was included as a distal outcome variable. The role of covariates, including socioeconomic status, verbal working memory, and gender, was also explored. The results indicate a need to view two‐dimensional spatial skills development as multidimensional with two developmental profiles predicted by socioeconomic status, verbal working memory, and gender. The developmental profiles predicted differences in mathematics achievement.