Transistors — From point contact to single electron

This article presents a historical account of the development of electronic devices along with an appreciation for the physics of semiconductors. Starting at the turn of the century with the work of J C Bose on Galena, the article leads us to recent low temperature experiments at IBM to demonstrate single electron transistors.     

Do digital natives differ by computer self-efficacy and experience? An empirical study

This study serves to validate a Chinese translation of the Digital Native Assessment Scale (C-DNAS) and assess if significant differences exist between a sample of students and teachers from a culture different than the one used in the development of the DNAS. Participants were 402 university students from one province in Mainland China. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the C-DNAS possessed a stable factorial structure and was a valid measure among Chinese-speaking participants in Mainland China. Tests of measurement invariance revealed score equivalence among the students for each of the four factors of the C-DNAS: grew up with technology; comfortable with multitasking; reliant on graphics for communication; and thrive on instant gratifications and rewards, by computer self-efficacy and experience. Finally, tests of latent mean differences revealed significant differences in each of the four factors by computer experience but not by computer self-efficacy. Implications for research are discussed.     

Market segmentation for improved distance education program planning

Distance education planners face two basic, yet difficult decisions: which students should be targeted and which programs should be offered? This paper reports the process and results of the planning committee of a consortium of engineering schools in the United States that was tasked with these very decisions. A market research study measured the program preferences of potential students. Three program characteristics (course type, delivery method, and time availability) were examined. The results show there is no ‘average’ student and no single program will satisfy all the needs of the student population. Rather, the committee must choose one or more segments based on the program preferences of the students and the resources required to provide the programs.     

What Teachers Take from Professional Development: Cases and Implications

In this article, we report on an 18-month longmathematics professional development projectwith elementary school teachers. Using a modelwe developed, three participant case studieswere analyzed with respect to not only theprofessional development milieu, but also howthese teachers interacted with the professionaldevelopment experience. In particular we foundthat having teachers reflect on new, authenticreform-oriented mathematics learningexperiences leads some teachers to take aninquiry stance concerning their own teaching,resulting in self-sustaining changes in theirmathematics instructional practices. Thisimplies that professional development forelementary mathematics teachers should includechallenging mathematics learning experiencescomplete with opportunities to reflect on personal and professional implications.