Structured Collaboration versus Individual Learning in Solving Physics Problems

The research issue in this study is how to structure collaborative learning so that it improves solving physics problems more than individual learning. Structured collaborative learning has been compared with individual learning environments with Schoenfeld’s problem‐solving episodes. Students took a pre‐test and a post‐test and had the opportunity to solve six physics problems. Ninety‐nine students from a secondary school in Shanghai participated in the study. Students who learnt to solve problems in collaboration and students who learnt to solve problems individually with hints improved their problem‐solving skills compared with those who learnt to solve the problems individually without hints. However, it was hard to discern an extra effect for students working collaboratively with hints—although we observed these students working in a more structured way than those in the other groups. We discuss ways to further investigate effective collaborative processes for solving physics problems.     

Modifying the farmer field school method to support on-farm adaptation of complex rice systems

Purpose: Complex rice systems (CRSs) are polycultures of plants and animals that enhance ecological processes contributing to sustainable and profitable farming systems. However, the contextual management complexity can hamper adoption, despite the large long-term benefits that CRSs offer. This paper aimed to provide a method that encourages active farmer involvement and integrates farmer’s feedback to deliver timely adaptations to CRS management.

Design/methodology/approach: FFSs that are commonly used in guiding rural development processes involve a long process of preparation, weekly meetings and dissemination of new technologies with a greater knowledge flows from researchers or institutions to farmers than contrariwise. We have simplified FFS components and modified its curriculum focusing on extracting and integrating farmers’ feedback into adaptation measures. Surveys were conducted and their results were validated through focus group discussions, which provided an adequate database to simplify the steps in the FFS approach.

Findings: Only four meetings for agroecosystems analysis that emphasised an analytical and reflective learning cycle generated suitable adaptation measures selected from farmers’ feedback. Repetition of the shortened FFS over several rice cropping cycles proved more effective than the frequent meetings within one cropping cycle.

Practical implications: The modified FFS could be considered as a promising approach to training farmers, whilst simultaneously identifying and discovering adaptations of agricultural innovations and monitoring the evolution of complex polycultures like CRSs, under diverse conditions.

Theoretical implications: The modified FFS provides participants additional time to reflect on the training topics, resulting in a significant improvement in their knowledge and the performance of the CRS.

Originality/value: The modified FFS approach is focused on reflexive learning cycles and adaptation of innovations. Therefore, it is highly suitable for management of complex polycultures such as CRSs.     

Academic and Social Benefits of a Co-enrollment Model of Inclusive Education for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) students are traditionally educated within self-contained programs at residential or special day schools, within self-contained or resource classrooms in public schools, or within regular education classrooms with support provided by an itinerant teacher. The co-enrollment model offers a promising alternative in which these students are educated within a regular education classroom composed of both d/hh and hearing students and team-taught by a teacher of the deaf and a regular education teacher. This article examines the development of one such program and the social and academic performance of the d/hh students within the program. Data on social interaction between d/hh and hearing classmates suggest that specific instructional strategies that promoted students' sign language development, identified d/hh students as "sign language specialists" and grouped d/hh and hearing students during academic activities resulted in increased interaction between these two groups of students. Stanford Achievement Test scores in the areas of reading vocabulary, reading comprehension, mathematical problem solving and procedures indicate that although d/hh students scored below the national normative hearing group, reading comprehension levels exceeded the national normative sample of d/hh students during both years two and three of the program. We discuss the challenges of implementing a co-enrollment program.     

区域高技术产业知识供应链效率的分类评价

客观评估知识供应链效率状态,有利于促进区域高技术产业持续健康发展。借鉴知识供应链理论、DEA模型和聚类分析法,构建了一套较为系统的区域高技术产业知识供应链效率的分类评价体系;以中国高技术产业统计年鉴(2013-2014年)的相关数据为基础,从投入产出两个维度,给出了我国31省市区域高技术产业知识供应链效率的分类评估结果和优化对策。研究表明:我国高技术产业知识供应链效率总体较好,不同类型省市的知识供应链的投入产出规模差距悬殊;消除投入资源浪费,提升有效发明专利数和新产品销售收入,是相对落后省市改进高技术产业知识供应链效率的主要着力点。本研究成果为我国不同类别省市优化高技术产业知识供应链效率提供了实践启示。     

Contours of the emergent knowledge society: Theoretical debate and implications for higher education research

The idea of the knowledge society is becoming increasingly dominant in various public and scholarly writings. Several governments have reacted by advocating a further expansion of higher education in order to provide a highly skilled workforce. This seems at odds with views regarding the underutilisation of skills of employed graduates. This paper sketches some major characteristics of the emergent knowledge society from sociological, epistemological and economic viewpoints. Next, it discusses current research on the incidence of overeducation. It is pointed out that measures on overeducation are inaccurate and do not take into account changes in the emergent knowledge societies. The paper concludes with implications for future research on the nature and change of knowledge-based occupations.     

A macro-analysis of quality assessment in higher education

In most West European countries a quality control system for higher education is in a process of development. This article examines some general characteristics of the emerging structures, how quality is defined and what impact this definition has on internal evaluation.On the basis of a more substantive conceptualization of the term quality, the current trend of a quality control system in which quality is predominantly defined from one central power centre is questioned. Important methodological and substantive weaknesses inherent in this centralist model will be discussed.In the final section a shift towards a quality control system is advocated in which other interests and perspectives are taken into account.     

A randomised trial comparing the efficacy and safety of topical ketoprofen in Transfersome® gel (IDEA-033) with oral ketoprofen and drug-free ultra-deformable Sequessome™ vesicles (TDT 064) for the treatment of muscle soreness following exercise

We compared the effectiveness of topical ketoprofen in Transfersome^® gel (IDEA-033) with oral ketoprofen and drug-free Sequessome? vesicles (FLEXISEQ^® Sport; TDT 064) in reducing calf muscle soreness. One hundred and sixty eight healthy individuals with a pain score ≥3 (10-point scale) 12–16 h post-exercise (walking down stairs with an altitude of 300–400 m) were randomised to receive IDEA-033 plus oral placebo (two dose groups), oral ketoprofen plus TDT 064, or TDT 064 plus oral placebo. The primary endpoint was muscle soreness reduction from pre-dosing to Day 7. Higher pain scores were recorded with oral ketoprofen plus TDT 064 (mean ± s 462.4 ± 160.4) versus IDEA-033 plus oral placebo (434.7 ± 190.8; P = 0.2931) or TDT 064 plus oral placebo (376.2 ± 159.1; P = 0.0240) in the 7 days post-exercise. Recovery from muscle soreness was longer with oral ketoprofen plus TDT 064 (mean 91.0 ± 19.5 h) versus IDEA-033 plus placebo (mean 81.4 ± 22.9 h; P = 0.5964) or TDT 064 plus placebo (mean 78.9 ± 22.8 h; P = 0.0262). In conclusion, ultradeformable phospholipid vesicles ± ketoprofen did not retard recovery from muscle soreness. TDT 064 improves osteoarthritis-related pain and could be of interest as a treatment for joint pain during and post-exercise.     

Pressures and prospects facing the academic profession in the Netherlands

The nature of the academic profession has changed considerably, due to a shift toward a private sector model and changes in the management of teaching and research. Increasingly, universities are able to employ and manage their own staff. Methods are explored that allow for flexibility in appointments and for individual, subject, or market differences.     

基于学科交叉与目标一致性的重大研究计划资助绩效评价

国家自然科学基金委重大研究计划拟通过整合与集成不同学科背景、不同学术思路和不同层次的项目群,促进学科交叉融合,提高各研究领域协同合作能力,推进重大难点科学问题的解决。本文利用Web of Science平台中的论文数据,从学科交叉、研究内容与资助目标一致性两个维度对重大研究计划资助绩效进行了评价研究。研究结果表明;(1)重大研究计划的实施有效推动了学科的交叉融合,提高了协同合作能力,但不同计划间的学科交叉情况存在较大差异,数理科学部牵头实施计划的学科集成程度相对较高,管理科学部则涉及的学科范围最广;(2)不同计划资助论文的研究内容与资助目标的一致性存在较大差异,研究主题与研究目标相关性较强,但聚焦程度相对较差。总体上,重大研究计划的学科交叉程度还有较大提升空间,在研究内容与资助目标一致性方面还有待提高。