Fifteen pupils’ positive approach to primary school science: when does it decline?

The decline in secondary school pupils’ attitudes towards science is well documented. However, recent research has shown that pupils’ attitudes to science appear to become fixed during their primary school years. This study investigated end of Key Stage 1 (Yr 2 (ages six to seven years)) and end of Key Stage 2 (Yr 6 (ages 10–11 years)) pupils’ attitudes to science, using Klopfer’s themes (1971 Klopfer, L.E. 1971. “Evaluation of learning in science”. In Handbook on summative and formative evaluation of student learning, Edited by: Bloom, B.S., Hastings, J.T. and Madaus, G.F. 559–641. New York: McGraw‐Hill.  [Google Scholar]), through a paired activity and interview for Yr 2 pupils and a pre‐ and post‐Test of Science‐Related Attitudes questionnaire (adapted) for Yr 6 pupils. The questionnaire was analysed using the mean and chi square values and Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to test reliability. The results revealed that while Yr 2 pupils exhibit a thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for science, Yr 6 pupils’ attitudes over the period of one academic year did not change: their attitude towards science was fixed. This insight raises some implications and responsibilities for primary school teachers.     

Aggressively Helpful: A Case Study of Innovative Outreach to Special Library Patrons

This article is written by Kris Turner is the Associate Director of Public Services at the University of Wisconsin Law Library. He holds a MLS from the University of Wisconsin. He is currently attending University of Wisconsin Law School part-time and expects to receive his JD in 2020. Special libraries must effectively communicate value to prove the library’s worth to stakeholders making budgetary decisions. The University of Wisconsin Law Library embarked on a campaign of aggressive helpfulness to better serve existing patrons and reach under-served populations. The library implemented a three-pronged strategy that used formal workshops, informal events, and social media to emphasize the value the library provides. This article discusses the techniques used by the law library to better communicate value through aggressive helpfulness and provides tips on how other special libraries can successfully implement their own proactive outreach.     

Emotion Work Revealed by Job Loss Discourse: Backgrounding-Foregrounding of Feelings, Construction of Normalcy, and (Re)instituting of Traditional Masculinities

Three emotion work themes were displayed in the discourse of individuals who lost their jobs and of their family members. Foregrounding-backgrounding of emotions indicated not only how some individuals and family members exerted effort to express positive emotions, but also why they would do so (for deep authenticity). In the construction of normalcy, respondents made an effort to portray and enact their lives as similar to the way things were before the job loss. By (re)instituting traditional masculinities, the men who lost their jobs were able to be "real" men in an emasculating situation. Taken together, these findings offer possibilities for further theoretical development and for communication interventions that can be applied by human resource professionals, career and outplacement counselors, family members, friends, and the individuals themselves.     

Personal Development and the Self in Work Experience

Abstract

This article explores the experience of a group of young people who experienced difficulty attending school. Young people's reasons for not attending school and the support provided for them by their teachers are examined. Finally, an analysis based on a shift in identity from school refuser to effective learner is offered as an explanation for the students' success in coping with school. The authors draw on Paul Klee's metaphor of art as a development that can go forwards, backward, up and down as similar to the processes of working with such young people. They argue that to expect linear progress is both unrealistic and sets unfair expectations on students and their teachers.     

The somatic marker as a “short cut” to verbal immediacy

This study examined the relationships between the somatic‐marker hypothesis, developed by Damasio (1994) as it relates to homophily and verbal immediacy in the classroom. Damasio has hypothesized that when particular events occur in one's life, there is a “memory” of that event in the brain. As a result, when a similar event occurs, the somatic marker recreates that first event. Students were provided three different scenarios about the first day of a communication class. In the scenarios, the instructor presented information about himself. One instructor provided only autobiographical, demographic data (the control). Another provided information hozu he had had difficulty with public speaking (the selfish marker). The third provided information about how the instructor had helped someone else who had difficulty in public speaking (the altruistic marker). The results indicated that while homophily differences were not significant, there was a significant difference between the control group and the altruistic marker.     

冠心病人康复训练后有氧工作能力和心肌供氧的变化

目的：探讨康复训练后冠心病人进行定量负荷运动时有氧工作能力和心肌供氧的变化，以此为康复效果的评估提供依据。方法：25名男性冠心病人参加了12周有氧多样化运动康复训练，训练前、后对他们在递增负荷运动中的生理和临床指标进行了测定。结果：1）反映冠脉血流和心肌耗氧量的指标RPP，康复训练前在跑台的V级负荷时已超过200，康复训练后增加幅度则有显著下降（P〈0．01）；2）康复训练前受试者的血乳酸浓度（BL）在Ⅳ级运动负荷之后出现了突增（达到4．6mmol／L），而康复训练后他们运动中的BL增加平缓，始终保持较低水平；3）康复训练前在V级运动负荷时受试者的ST下降达到-0．9mm水平，这已接近心肌缺血的阈值，训练后心肌供血出现了明显的改善。结论：康复训练前冠心病人运动中反映运动系统缺氧的BL突增领先于心肌缺血阈值的到达；与康复训练前相比，康复训练后冠心病人在进行相同负荷运动时显示出有氧工作能力有所增强，心肌供氧状况有所改善。     

'It Would Have Been Bad': The Development of Historical Imagination and Empathy in a Group of Secondary Aged Pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties

Andrew Turner, who teaches in a school for pupils with severe learning difficulties, considers the teaching of history by teachers of such pupils and suggests that the skills of imaginative reconstruction and empathy are relatively neglected areas, particularly when dealing with distant historical periods. Recent research with mainstream primary pupils illustrates the possible parallels and the article gives details of a small-scale study of one group of Key Stage 3 pupils.