Interactions of Economics of Science and Science Education: Investigating the Implications for Science Teaching and Learning

In recent years, there has been upsurge of interest in the applications of interdisciplinary perspectives on science in science education. Within this framework, the implications of the so-called “economics of science” is virtually an uncharted territory. In this paper, we trace a set of arguments that provide a dialectic engagement with two conflicting agendas: (a) the broadening of science education to include the contextual positioning of science including economical dimensions of science, and (b) the guarding of the proliferation and reinforcement of those aspects of economics of science such as commodification of scientific knowledge that embraces inequity and restricted access to the products of the scientific enterprise. Our aim is broadly to engage, as science education researchers, in the debates in economics of science so as to investigate the reciprocal interactions that might exist with science education. In so doing, we draw out some recommendations whereby the goals of science education might provide as much input into the intellectual debates within philosophy of science on issues related to the commercialisation and commodification of scientific knowledge. We explore some implications of commodification of science in the context of modelling and argumentation in science education.     

Collaborative handheld gaming in education

This project describes the trialling of a new form of cooperative learning strategy, in the form of a game known as EcoRangers. EcoRangers is a multi‐player game designed to run on mobile phones, written specifically for education. EcoRangers is one of the first, if not the world's first, instances of this totally new genre of pedagogical tools (i.e. collaborative handheld educational games). In its current iteration EcoRangers is designed to help students practise skills of relevance to the social studies syllabus for Grades 9 and 10 in Singapore's education system, specifically through the pedagogical strategy known as the ‘structured academic controversy’, in which learners debate an open‐ended problem from a variety of perspectives. The trialling was done in three secondary schools, among 50 Grade 9 students. These students were taken through two distinct fieldwork tasks in March–July 2004, with the game being introduced as part of a post‐fieldwork activity.

Jeux collaboratifs sur portables en éducation

Ce projet décrit l'expérimentation d'une nouvelle forme de stratégie d'apprentissage coopératif sous la forme d'un jeu connu sous le nom d'EcoRangers.EcoRangers se joue à plusieurs.Il a été conçu pour fonctionner sur les téléphones portables et composé spécialement pour L'éducation. EcoRangers est un des premiers sinon le premier exemple au monde de cette catégorie d'outils pédagogiques (celle des jeux éducatifs collaboratifs portables) totalement nouvelle. Sous sa forme actuelle EcoRangers a été conçu pour aider les élèves à pratiquer des savoir faire correspondant au cursus de sciences sociales pour les classes 9 et 10 du système Singapourien(13‐14 ans) et plus particulièrement la stratégie connue sous le nom de « controverse académique structurée » au cours de laquelle les apprenants débatent d'un problème ouvert en partant de perspectives différentes.L'expérience a été menée dans trois écoles secondaires avec 50 élèves de 9^e.Ces élèves ont participé à deux tâches « de terrain » distinctes entre mars et juillet 2004,le jeu étant présenté comme faisant partie d'une activité « d'après‐terrain ».

Gemeinschafliches Spielen auf Handhelds oder Handys als Unterricht

Das Projekt beschreibt den Versuch, eine neue Art von Gruppenlernen zu testen, die auf ein Spiel zurück greift, das EcoRangers genannt wird. Dies ist ein Spiel für mehrere Spieler, das auf Handys abläuft und ein Lernspiel ist. EcoRangers ist eines der ersten, wenn nicht sogar das erste Spiel in der Welt, dieser Art. In seiner gegenwärtigen Fassung hilft EcoRangers den Schuelern, Fertigkeiten im Bereich der Social Studies (Gemeinschaftskunde) einzuueben (Lehrplan für Stufe 9 und 10 in Singapur), insbesondere dadurch, dass die Strategie der ‘strukturierten, akademischen Diskussion’ angewendet wird, bei der die Schueler ein offenes Problem aus sehr unterschiedlichen Perspektiven besprechen. Der Versuch wurde in drei Schulen (Sek.II) durchgeführt, wobei 50 Schueler aus Stufe 9 waren. Diese wurden im Rahmen eines Aufenthalts im Gelaende (Maerz–Juli 2004) mit dem Spiel konfrontiert, das als eine Tätigkeit nach dem Arbeiten im Gelände eingefuehrt wurde.     

What are we trying to understand and improve? Educational research as Leerlaufreaktion. 1

The problems that educational research are supposed to solve have been poorly analyzed and the basic phenomena that we are trying to understand have not been clearly described. Educational experimenters often resemble Leerlaufreaktionen in lower animals, i.e., complex, highly integrated activities that take place despite the absence of an appropriate environmental occasion.

We have tended to forget the practical origins of science and have allowed ourselves to be dominated by overly abstract ideas that betray our goals. Experimenters require tangible events to think and wonder about in order to improve their intuitions and in order to generate and test ideas that will deepen our understanding of nature and make a real difference in the practical world. Better observations of what actually goes on in instructional situations are therefore needed and more detailed records of teaching and learning must be kept. An instructional record‐keeping system called a course memory is described.     

Letters to the editor

This study examines editorial photography in nine major erotica magazines to determine how pictures vary as a function of the social class, gender and sexual preference of the intended readership. The analysis reveals that upwardly‐mobile, heterosexual men are treated to idealized images, whereas working‐class, heterosexual men are presented with more mundane yet highly‐sexualized images. Heterosexual women are provided with photographs of nude males in a low‐sexual context. Magazines for homosexual men present images, except for gender, very similar to those created for upwardly‐mobile, heterosexual men. These patterns are discussed from a functionalist perspective to show how erotica magazines contribute to social‐order maintenance.     

Primary school children's health-enhancing physical activity patterns: the school as a significant environment?

The moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of 70 children (age 8.6 years; 40 boys) was measured and gender and age differences were compared. Boys spent 28 minutes per day more than girls in MVPA (p=0.02, d=0.54), and younger children accumulated 24 minutes more MVPA than older peers (p=0.0001, d=0.91). Similar gender and age-related trends were apparent during segmented periods of the day. The majority of daily MVPA was accrued during school-related time (56.4±9.1%; p=0.0001, d=1.57). The findings reinforce the significance of schools as key environments for MVPA participation and promotion.     

Comparing Numerical Methods to Estimate Vertical Jump Height Using a Force Platform

ABSTRACT

Males (n = 29) and females (n = 34) performed vertical jumps. Jump height was estimated from force platform data using five numerical methods and compared using intraclass correlation (ρ), and linear and rank regression standard error of estimate (SEE). Take-off velocity plus center of mass height at take-off and mechanical work methods were identical (ρ = 1.000) with small linear (SEE < 0.0001 cm) and rank order (SEE = 0) error. Integrating acceleration to displacement was nearly identical (ρ > 0.999), with small linear (SEE = 0.1 cm) and rank order (SEE < 1) errors compared to the above methods. Take-off velocity (ρ = 0.517) and flight time (ρ = 0.573) estimates were less than all other methods and had large linear (SEE ≥ 2.1 cm) and rank order (SEE > 4) errors. Take-off velocity and flight time methods should be avoided due to systematic and random error.