Science related attitudes amongst Victorian catholic primary school teachers

Conclusion This study is preliminary in nature, and the instrument will require some modification to reduce its length and to further increase the reliability of the attitude scale. None-the-less, in addition to replicating some important aspects of previous studies, and introducing a measurement of primary school teachers' science related attitudes, it does provide valuable data prior to the introduction of the new course guides. When used in conjunction with the findings of a similar survey which is to be conducted in 1983, these data will help to assess the impact of the introductory phase of the course in Victorian Schools.     

Measuring Graph Comprehension,Critique, and Construction in Science

Interpreting and creating graphs plays a critical role in scientific practice. The K-12 Next Generation Science Standards call for students to use graphs for scientific modeling, reasoning, and communication. To measure progress on this dimension, we need valid and reliable measures of graph understanding in science. In this research, we designed items to measure graph comprehension, critique, and construction and developed scoring rubrics based on the knowledge integration (KI) framework. We administered the items to over 460 middle school students. We found that the items formed a coherent scale and had good reliability using both item response theory and classical test theory. The KI scoring rubric showed that most students had difficulty linking graphs features to science concepts, especially when asked to critique or construct graphs. In addition, students with limited access to computers as well as those who speak a language other than English at home have less integrated understanding than others. These findings point to the need to increase the integration of graphing into science instruction. The results suggest directions for further research leading to comprehensive assessments of graph understanding.     

Defining attitude for science educators

A distinct and complex definition of attitude is evolving within the literature. A mental readiness to respond and a correlational consistency between attitude and behavior—although controversial and in need of further study and analysis—remain viable subcomponents within the definition. Most agree that evaluation is the heartbeat of attitude. The impact of social influence on attitudes is becoming increasingly important. Attitudes are learned and not inherited.     

Student outcomes with rotation of teachers in secondary biology

Look carefully at outcomes in the affective domain before exchanging a classroom with a rotating staff for the conventional one teacher design.     

Transfer of facilitation in the rat

In two experiments, rats solved two concurrent discrimination problems in which one stimulus (i.e., a facilitator) signaled the reinforcement of another stimulus (i.e., a target). Then a transfer test assessed the capacity of facilitators trained in one problem to promote responding to targets trained in the other. Experiment 1 found that a facilitator promoted as much responding to such a transfer target as to the target with which it was originally trained. Transfer was not obtained with a pseudofacilitator that was uninformative, in training, about the reinforcement of its target. Experiment 2 manipulated the stimulus modality of the targets and facilitators. Its results indicated that transfer performance was not due to generalization between training and transfer targets or facilitators. These results parallel those from comparable autoshaping paradigms with pigeons, and they agree with the view that facilitators promote responding by lowering the threshold for activation of the US representation.     

Perception and practice of writing for publication by faculty at a doctoral-granting university

Of a faculty of 685 at a doctoral-granting university, 400 completed a questionnaire (the Writing Habits Survey) indicating the patterns and conditions under which they write for publication, the techniques they employ to facilitate their writing, and the factors that inhibit their writing. Overall, faculty seemed to devote substantial efforts to writing, they reported using rather unsystematic methods of writing, and they cited a lack of time as the chief constraint on their writing. The most productive writers seemed to work at writing in a regular (as opposed to sporadic) fashion, to have little anxiety about writing, and to minimize negative attitudes about the editorial process.     

A review of recent research in the area of initial fraction concepts

This paper reviews recent research in the area of initial fraction concepts. The common goal of the empirical studies which are represented in this analysis was to assist children develop a meaningful understanding of the rational number construct, founded on durable fraction concepts. Two interpretations of findings were derived from the research. One group of researchers identified initial fraction concepts emerging from the application of intuitive mechanisms, in particular partitioning in either continuous or discrete contexts, and leading to unit identification and iteration of the unit. The other group of researchers identified ideas of ratio and proportion present in young children's early thoughts about fractions.By generating links between studies, integrated research is created and consensus regarding critical problems and future directions is reached. Concluding remarks pose questions for further investigation.     

Adult-Child Relationship Processes and Early Schooling

This paper highlights the importance of social processes in early school outcomes. Child-adult relationships are a social context with particular salience for the development of a number of social and academic outcomes in early childhood. Research on both child-parent and child-teacher relationships is reviewed. Measurement technologies are described and conceptual perspectives based on dyadic systems models are advanced as heuristics for future research. Practice implications are drawn with respect to assessment of relationships and implications for conceptualization of early childhood outcomes.