Risk in Science Instruction

Risk is always present in people’s lives: diseases, new technologies, socio-scientific issues (SSIs) such as climate change, and advances in medicine—to name just a few examples—all carry risks. To be able to navigate risks in everyday life, as well as to participate in social debate on risk-related issues, students need to develop risk competence. Science education can be a powerful tool in supporting students’ risk competence, which is an important component of scientific literacy. As there are different definitions of risk within the scientific community, the aims of this article are (1) to review the literature on two major theoretical frameworks for conceptualising risk, the realist, and the constructivist paradigms of risk and (2) to connect both in order to suggest a working definition of what can be understood as risk competence in science instruction.     

There’s more to the multimedia effect than meets the eye: is seeing pictures believing?

Textbooks in applied mathematics often use graphs to explain the meaning of formulae, even though their benefit is still not fully explored. To test processes underlying this assumed multimedia effect we collected performance scores, eye movements, and think-aloud protocols from students solving problems in vector calculus with and without graphs. Results showed no overall multimedia effect, but instead an effect to confirm statements that were accompanied by graphs, irrespective of whether these statements were true or false. Eye movement and verbal data shed light on this surprising finding. Students looked proportionally less at the text and the problem statement when a graph was present. Moreover, they experienced more mental effort with the graph, as indicated by more silent pauses in thinking aloud. Hence, students actively processed the graphs. This, however, was not sufficient. Further analysis revealed that the more students looked at the statement, the better they performed. Thus, in the multimedia condition the graph drew students’ attention and cognitive capacities away from focusing on the statement. A good alternative strategy in the multimedia condition was to frequently look between graph and problem statement, and thus to integrate their information. In conclusion, graphs influence where students look and what they process, and may even mislead them into believing accompanying information. Thus, teachers and textbook designers should be very critical on when to use graphs and carefully consider how the graphs are integrated with other parts of the problem.     

Effect of physiological harvest stages on the composition of bioactive compounds in Cavendish bananas

The combined influence of maturation, ripening, and climate on the profile of bioactive compounds was studied in banana (Musa acuminata, AAA, Cavendish, cv. Grande Naine). Their bioactive compounds were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and high-performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method. The polyphenol content of bananas harvested after 400 degree days remained unchanged during ripening, while bananas harvested after 600 and 900 degree days exhibited a significant polyphenol increase. Although dopamine was the polyphenol with the highest concentration in banana peels during the green developmental stage and ripening, its kinetics differed from the total polyphenol profile. Our results showed that this matrix of choice (maturation, ripening, and climate) may allow selection of the banana (M. acuminata, AAA, Cavendish, cv. Grande Naine) status that will produce optimal concentrations of identified compounds with human health relevance.     

Watch Out for Relatives

In pedagogical literature, asynchronous, computer-mediated courses have been promoted as an interactive mode of course delivery. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of different teaching strategies in this medium. In this paper, I describe the development of my asynchronous course and outline the fundamental dilemmas in attempting to achieve interactivity in this medium of course delivery. I discuss issues of pacing the course, grading, monitoring discussions, and incorporating Internet-based material into the course. Each of these considerations should be addressed in future research on asynchronous courses.     

Jogging the Jargon

Abstract

The results of a two-year study indicate that collaborative testing is a valuable pedagogical strategy that can both assess and enhance student learning. After finishing their first attempt at each exam, students were given a second attempt either working collaboratively in small groups or individually with open books and notes. Collaborative testing consistently produced significantly higher test scores. In addition, students' retention of course content is shown to be improved when collaborative testing is used. Concerns about grade inflation are alleviated through the use of proportionally weighted grading.     

Uses of computer‐mediated political communication in the 1992 presidential campaign: A content analysis of the Bush,Clinton and Perot computer lists

This article presents a content analysis of three computer‐mediated communication (CMC) networks used for political discussion during the 1992 Presidential election campaign. Data indicate that the main use of computer networks in the campaign was to assert personal opinions about the candidates, issues, and the election. Other uses were talking about one's own life and experiences, telling others what they should be doing, and posting information for others to read. Significant differences were found between the three campaigns for uses of these computer networks. The Clinton network was used more than the other two for posting information. The Perot network was used more than the others for asserting opinions. This study indicates that voters have specific functions for the use of computer networks as new channels of political communication. Future research should examine what groups of voters use these networks the most and how such use affects candidate image formation. Suggestions are offered for the study of campaign computer lists in the upcoming presidential election of 1996.     

Media Production

Peter Utz' Video User's Handbook (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980--- $12.95 in paper with a hardback available as well).

Martin Maloney and Paul Max Rubenstein's Writing for the Media (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980---$14.95).

Betsy P. Graham's Magazine Article Writing: Substance and Style (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1980---$10.95, paper)

Michael L. Kleper's How to Build a Basic Typesetting System (1979---$10.00, paper)

Martin L. Gibson's Editing in the Electronic Era (Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1980---$15.50).     

Electronic Media

TELEVANGELISM: THE MARKETING OF POPULAR RELIGION by Razelle Frankl (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1986--$19.95)

BROADCAST AND CABLE MANAGEMENT by Norman Marcus (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986--price not given)

NORMAN CORWIN AND RADIO: THE GOLDEN YEARS by R. LeRoy Bannerman (University: Univ. of Alabama Press, 1986---$28.50)

AMERICAN TELEVISION DRAMA: THE EXPERIMENTAL YEARS by William Hawes (University: University of Alabama Press, 1986--$29.95)

PRODUCERS ON PRODUCING: THE MAKING OF FILM AND TELEVISION edited by Iry Broughton (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1986---$29.95)

OFF CAMERA: CONVERSATIONS WITH. THE MAKERS OF PRIME-TIME TELEVISION by Richard Levinson and William Link (New York: New American Library/Plume, 1986---$8.95, paper)

CABLE ADVERTISER'S HANDBOOK by Ronald Kaatz (Lincolnwood, IL: Crain Books, 1985---$19.95)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES AND PUBLIC BROADCASTING 1986 by John Carey (Washington, DC: Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1986---$5.00, paper)     

Observed characteristics and teacher quality: Impacts of sample selection on a value added model

We measure the impact of observed teacher characteristics on student math and reading proficiency using a rich dataset from Florida. We expand upon prior work by accounting directly for nonrandom attrition of teachers from the classroom in a sample selection framework. We find evidence that sample selection is present in the estimation of the influence of teacher characteristics, but that failure to account for it does not appear to substantially bias estimation. Further, our procedure produces some evidence that more effective teachers are more likely to exit the classroom.