Water Babies: an evolutionary parable

The nineteenth-century Anglican theologian Charles Kingsley was immediately impressed by Darwin's Origin of Species. Whilst many in Victorian Britain reacted against the idea of natural selection, Kingsley saw in the contingency of selection a divinely ordained imperative for human endeavour, not least the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Here, Kingsley believed, was a crucial insight into the seemingly indifferent laws of nature, one that humankind could use to elevate themselves to ever-greater heights. Kingsley chose to teach these lessons about the moral nature of evolution through 'Water Babies', one of the most charming and enduring of children's fairy tales.     

Factors that Affect Science and Mathematics Teachers’ Initial Implementation of Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment Using a Classroom Response System

The purpose of this study is to uncover and understand the factors that affect secondary science and mathematics teachers?? initial implementation of Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment (TEFA), a pedagogy developed for teaching with classroom response system (CRS) technology. We sought to identify the most common and strongest factors, and to understand the general process of how teachers adopt TEFA. We identified ten main hindering factors reported by teachers, and found that time limitations and question development difficulties are reported as the most problematic. In this paper we provide five vignettes of teachers?? initial implementation experiences, illustrating different courses that TEFA adoption can follow. We classify our ten factors into four groups: contextual factors that directly hinder teachers?? attempts to implement TEFA (extrinsic type I); circumstances that affect teachers?? teaching in general (extrinsic type 0); gaps that teachers have in the knowledge and skills they need to adopt TEFA (intrinsic type I); and ways of being a teacher that describe teachers?? deeper perspectives and beliefs, which may be consonant or dissonant with TEFA (intrinsic type II). Finally, we identify four general categories that describe the teachers?? initial TEFA implementation.     

The interactive effects of touch and touch avoidance on interpersonal evaluations

The importance and complexity of tactile communication in a variety of interpersonal contexts is underscored in the nonverbal communication literature. However, whether touch produces positive or negative effects on interpersonal relationships may depend upon the coactants’ levels of touch avoidance. The present experimental study examined the interactive effects of touch and touch avoidance on interpersonal attraction and perceived homophily. The results of a MANOVA and follow‐up univariate tests demonstrated that interpersonal attraction and perceived homophily are dependent, in part, on the receiver's level of touch avoidance. Touch avoiders rated confederates who touched them lower in attraction and homophily than did touch approachers who were touched. A gender of confederate effect was also observed. These findings are consistent with the extant literature.