Bio-inspired untethered fully soft robots in liquid actuated by induced energy gradients

Soft robotics with new designs, fabrication technologies and control strategies inspired by nature have been totally changing our view on robotics. To fully exploit their potential in practical applications, untethered designs are preferred in implementation. However, hindered by the limited thermal/mechanical performance of soft materials, it has been always challenging for researchers to implement untethered solutions, which generally involve rigid forms of high energy-density power sources or high energy-density processes. A number of insects in nature, such as rove beetles, can gain a burst of kinetic energy from the induced surface-energy gradient on water to return to their familiar habitats, which is generally known as Marangoni propulsion. Inspired by such a behavior, we report the agile untethered mobility of a fully soft robot in liquid based on induced energy gradients and also develop corresponding fabrication and maneuvering strategies. The robot can reach a speed of 5.5 body lengths per second, which is 7-fold more than the best reported, 0.69 (body length per second), in the previous work on untethered soft robots in liquid by far. Further controlling the robots, we demonstrate a soft-robot swarm that can approach a target simultaneously to assure a hit with high accuracy. Without employing any high energy-density power sources or processes, our robot exhibits many attractive merits, such as quietness, no mechanical wear, no thermal fatigue, invisibility and ease of robot fabrication, which may potentially impact many fields in the future.     

Teaching Young Children Science: Three Key Points

Many early childhood teachers report lacking confidence to teach science. Today, science education is defined as “doing science”, as opposed to memorization of facts (Seefeldt & Galper, 2002). This paper discusses developmentally appropriate practices in the context of teaching science. Knowledge of child development, individual differences and the role of children’s socio-cultural context are explicitly discussed. The use of questioning and the 5 Es (engaging, exploring, explaining, elaborating, evaluating) instructional model are also discussed. A sample science lesson is provided to model the use of 5 Es and questioning strategies.     

Examining barriers in technology-enhanced problem-based learning: Using a performance support systems approach

This study focused on the barriers that middle school teachers faced when implementing technology-enhanced problem-based learning (PBL) in their classrooms. Using a human performance-based model, we interviewed teachers, administrators, university faculty and technical support staff to determine the perceived importance of multiple barriers to the implementation of technology-enhanced PBL. Twenty-one teachers, two school administrators and a project manager, two faculty members, and two technical support staff participated in the study. Interview data were supported by surveys, classroom observations and researchers' reflective journals. Results suggested that lack of a clear, shared vision was the primary barrier. Additional barriers included lack of knowledge and skills, unclear expectations and insufficient feedback. Recommendations to support teachers' efforts to integrate technology-enhanced problem-based learning are presented.     

Exploring the Use of Cases and Case Methods in Influencing Elementary Preservice Science Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs

In this study, we hypothesize that cases demonstrating exemplary practice in the science classroom can be used as a source for learning content and pedagogical skills that will improve teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. Twelve preservice elementary science teachers are followed as they participate in a case and case method activity illustrating the Grade 7 topic of robotics and fluids. While there was little evidence to show improvements in content knowledge, results indicate that the case acted as a boundary object for brokering between individual experiences and those found in the science teaching community by scaffolding for multiple points of entry, bridging the theory practice gap and offering beginning teachers more immediate access to the community of already practicing teachers.

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The Development and Design of a Framework to Match Mentees and Mentors Through a Systematic Review andThematic Analysis of Mentoring Programs Between 2000 and 2015

ABSTRACT

The need for longitudinal and holistic support of medical students throughout their training has led to the development of formal mentoring programs. Whilst success of formal mentoring programs has been attributed to (a) pairing mentees with trained and experienced mentors (matching), (b) the quality of mentoring interactions and (c) the presence of a nurturing environment, little attention has been attributed to establishing an effective matching process in medical school. We sought, in this review, to redress this gap within the context of matching medical students for mentoring. Modified PRISMA guidelines were followed to guide the review process. PubMed, ERIC, Cochrane Database, OVID and ScienceDirect databases were searched for articles on matching in medical schools and in allied health specialities published between 2000 and 2015.     

Deconstructing the genealogy of family-centredness in early childhood intervention using a poststructuralist lens / Deconstrucción de la genealogía del enfoque centrado en la familia en las intervenciones de atención temprana,desde un punto de vista post-estructuralista

This paper aims to examine the genealogy of family-centredness in early childhood intervention. In particular, it deconstructs the procedural requirements, such as the completion of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), which has operated to serve the notion of family-centredness. Employing a poststructuralist lens, the paper contends that the current knowledge/belief is constructed and institutionalized by the dominant groups, such as policymakers and professionals, and their discourse. Families are normalized with discursive practices to believe that their participation perfects the rules set by powered social institutions with knowledge and power; hence, they are at the centre in the practice of services and provisions. Blinded by the normalized discipline, the historically absented position of families in the construction of social structures has perpetuated through the existing practices. Thus, this paper offers a critical reflection on the understanding of multiple discourses. In particular, both service providers and families should be able to question the process of service provisioning, when necessary. By critically viewing the current case, the development of quality early childhood intervention programmes and family-centred practices might be purported across countries.     

School Choice Policies Shaping Neighborhoods,School Locations,and Destinies

ABSTRACT

In this article, we introduce a special collection of research articles that consider the processes and consequences of school choice across different social and spatial contexts in order to better understand the relationship between school choice and stratification in educational opportunity. This special issue presents a wide range of studies that examine geographical configurations, locations, scales, and relationships, all of which shape and are shaped by school choice. We summarize the diverse theoretical perspectives and themes. We also highlight the articles’ key results and new contributions related to issues such as inter-district school choice, open enrollment school choice programs, diversification of curricular-related activities among EMO-operated schools, and geographic variation in achievement of the charter school sector     

Testing Factorial Invariance With Unbalanced Samples

In testing the factorial invariance of a measure across groups, the groups are often of different sizes. Large imbalances in group size might affect the results of factorial invariance studies and lead to incorrect conclusions of invariance because the fit function in multiple-group factor analysis includes a weighting by group sample size. The implication is that violations of invariance might not be detected if the sample sizes of the 2 groups are severely unbalanced. In this study, we examined the effects of group size differences on results of factorial invariance tests, proposed a subsampling method to address unbalanced sample size issue in factorial invariance studies, and evaluated the proposed approach in various simulation conditions. Our findings confirm that violations of invariance might be masked in the case of severely unbalanced group size conditions and support the use of the proposed subsampling method to obtain accurate results for invariance studies.