Rights-based education and conflict: a cross-national study of rights discourse in textbooks

This paper investigates the extent to which rights-based education is utilised in textbooks from conflict-affected countries. Drawing on a unique dataset of 528 secondary social science textbooks from 71 countries from 1966 to 2008, we analyse factors that predict a rights discourse in texts. We find that textbooks from conflict-affected nations are significantly less likely to emphasise a rights-based discourse, while more recently published textbooks from more democratic countries are more likely to emphasise a rights discourse. Our findings have ramifications for curricular reform and rights-based education in conflict-affected nations.     

A comparison of students' conceptual understanding of electric circuits in simulation only and simulation‐laboratory contexts

The aim of this experimental study was to compare learning outcomes of students using a simulation alone (simulation environment) with outcomes of those using a simulation in parallel with real circuits (combination environment) in the domain of electricity, and to explore how learning outcomes in these environments are mediated by implicit (only procedural guidance) and explicit (more structure and guidance for the discovery process) instruction. Matched‐quartets were created based on the pre‐test results of 50 elementary school students and divided randomly into a simulation implicit (SI), simulation explicit (SE), combination implicit (CI) and combination explicit (CE) conditions. The results demonstrated that the instructional support had an expected effect on students' understanding of electric circuits when they used the simulation alone; pure procedural guidance (SI) was insufficient to promote conceptual understanding, but when the students were given more guidance for the discovery process (SE) they were able to gain significant amount of subject knowledge. A surprising finding was that when the students used the simulation and the real circuits in parallel, the explicit instruction (CE) did not seem to elicit much additional gain for their understanding of electric circuits compared to the implicit instruction (CI). Instead, the explicit instruction slowed down the inquiry process substantially in the combination environment (CE). Although the explicit instruction was able to improve students' conceptual understanding of electrical circuits considerably in the simulation environment, their understanding did not reach the level of the students in the combination environment. These results suggest that when teaching students about electricity, the students can gain better understanding when they have an opportunity to use the simulation and the real circuits in parallel than if they have only a computer simulation available, even when the use of the simulation is supported with the explicit instruction. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 71–93, 2011     

Faculty as Mentors in Undergraduate Research,Scholarship, and Creative Work: Motivating and Inhibiting Factors

In this study, we sought to contribute to research about the high-impact practice of undergraduate research from the understudied faculty perspective. We relied on focus group data from faculty members (N = 41) across five institutions to better understand the supporting and inhibiting factors that contribute to faculty members’ engagement in mentoring undergraduate research. We offer implications for research and practice.     

Clear Mentoring: Contributing to Mentees’ Professional Self-confidence and Intention to Stay in their Job

Researchers have highlighted developmental mentoring as being beneficial and judgmental mentoring as hampering the potential positive outcomes of mentoring. We introduce the construct clear mentoring as a beneficial form of mentoring. The findings suggest that newly qualified teachers who perceive higher levels of mentoring characterized by mentees’ opportunities to reflect upon their own practice, openness to different approaches to being a teacher, and an atmosphere of relational trust are more likely to report lower levels of self-efficacy. In contrast, mentees who perceive higher levels of mentoring characterized by clear communication of feedback and advice are more likely to report higher levels of self-efficacy and lower levels of intention to quit. This study contributes to the field of mentoring by illuminating how mentors’ communication of evaluations, advice, and feedback can positively affect mentees, and how mentoring dominated by mentees’ perspectives can negatively affects mentees.     

Cardiopulmonary loading in motocross riding

The present study was designed to examine physiological responses during motocross riding. Nine Finnish A-level motocross riders performed a 15-min ride at a motocross track and a test of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in the laboratory. Cardiopulmonary strain was measured continuously during the ride as well as in the VO2max test. During the ride, mean VO2 was 32 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) (s = 4), which was 71% (s = 12) of maximum, while ventilation (V(E)) was 73% (s = 15) of its maximum. The relative VO2 and V(E) values during the riding correlated with successful riding performance (r = 0.80, P < 0.01 and r = 0.79, P < 0.01, respectively). Mean heart rate was maintained at 95% (s = 7) of its maximum. Mean blood lactate concentration was 5.0 mmol x l(-1) (s = 2.0) after the ride. A reduction of 16% (P < 0.001) in maximal isometric handgrip force was observed. In conclusion, motocross causes riders great physical stress. Both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism is required for the isometric and dynamic muscle actions experienced during a ride.     

Improving rational number knowledge using the NanoRoboMath digital game

Educational Studies in Mathematics - Rational number knowledge is a crucial feature of primary school mathematics that predicts students’ later mathematics achievement. Many students struggle...     

Learning environment of a distance and partly-distance postgraduate coursework programs

Learning Environments Research - To provide ongoing learning for busy professionals, universities are increasingly offering postgraduate opportunities by distance and online. This research examined...     

Development of Mobile Communications in Slovenia: Looking to the Future Global Information (Mobile/Internet) Society

This paper discusses the planing and provision of mobile communications in Slovenia. It suggests the areas that will be developed in the future and how they might be achieved.

Le développement des communications mobiles en Slovénie: recherche d'une prochaine société d'information globale (Mobile/Internet).

Cet article discute de la planification et de la possibilité de communication en Slovénie. Il suggère les domaines qui seront explorés dans l'avenir et les moyens d'y arriver.

Die Entwicklung von mobiler Kommunikation in Slowenien: In Erwartung der zukünftigen globalen Informationsgesellschaft (mobil/Internet).

Dieses Papier behandelt die Planung und Versorgung der mobilen Kommunikationen in Slowenien. Es weist auf die Bereiche hin, die sich zukünftig entwickeln werden und wie das verwirklicht werden könnte.     

Documenting the Aspiration Gap in Institutional Language About Undergraduate Research,Scholarship, and Creative Work

We conducted a content-analysis of the websites of 100 institutional members of the Council of Undergraduate Research in order to examine the relationship between messages communicated on websites as compared to messages expressed within institutional procedures and policies. Findings show that public research institutions were more likely than baccalaureate institutions to have an Office of Undergraduate Research. Further incentives and supports provided by such offices are predominantly directed to students. Lastly, our analysis of promotion and tenure policies reveals that only 14 institutions out of the 100 in our sample explicitly mentioned mentoring undergraduate researchers in the evaluation criteria for faculty members. We offer implications for research and practice.