Tables of contextual cognition: a proposal for intercultural research in science education

The goal of this paper is to propose tables of contextual cognition as a tool for research and a model to facilitate the intercultural dialogue on science education in schools. The proposal arose from a qualitative case study, involving the use of tables of compared cognition in biology classes in a Brazilian public school. The results indicate that these tables helped students to understand relationships of similarities and differences between their previous knowledge and scientific knowledge and, equally, to delimit the original context and applicability of each of these ways of knowing. However, I perceived the need to expand these tables to gain a new meaning for the practical purposes of research and culturally sensitive science teaching. Finally, tables of contextual cognition considering these changes are proposed and I discuss the possible implications for teaching and research in science education.     

Engineering learning objectives and computer assisted tools

ABSTRACT

The different technology fields have increased in complexity, especially during the last two decades, giving place to the concept of Complex Technology. An example is Electronics also characterised as a horizontal technology being incorporated in many products and processes of other technological areas. Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives and the revised version of Bloom disciples, which have been used by several experts in pedagogy, suffers from a generalist character and are not adapted to technology learning. In this article an engineering learning taxonomy is presented. Also a computer learning assisted tool called ISETL (Integrated System for Electronics Technology Learning) has been developed to facilitate the Electronics fundamentals understanding. ISETL has been evaluated taking into account not only the results of the theoretical assessments but also through the results obtained in the laboratory. These results demonstrate the advantages of this approach and can be depicted by the progressive improvements registered in student performance.     

Regulation and Quality Assurance in Transnational Education

A huge array of new providers oftransnational higher education is proliferatingaround the world, almost outside any forms ofregulation or quality control, raising manyconcerns on consumer protection. The paperprovides a conceptual framework regarding basicdefinitions and a mapping of developments inEurope concerning the situation and trends oftransnational education, the regulatorymechanisms in place or under consideration, theproblems arising and examples of good practicein dealing with them. In particular, thecrucial issues of regulation, quality assuranceand recognition of transnational education areaddressed, and some basis for an action planare recommended.     

Re-signifying participatory action research (PAR) in higher education: what does ‘P’ stand for in PAR?

While carrying out a study aimed at understanding the contribution of participatory action research (PAR) to the political realm in contemporary higher education, a problematic situation was found when doing a literature review in the field of action research. This problem concerns the intermittent appearance of the ‘participatory’ component (P) in the acronyms used by PAR practitioners. To flag this problem, a decision was made to use the parentheses around the ‘P’ in PAR; that is, (P)AR. This intermittent appearance of (P) in the literature of action research is linked to one of the main findings in the study; namely, the existence of contested views of ‘action’ and ‘politics’ in action research. In order to address the concept of ‘participatory’ in PAR, and drawing from Hannah Arendt’s notion of ‘natality’, it is suggested that the participatory aspect of PAR (i.e. the ‘P’) be re-signified on the basis of six imbricated ‘P’ notions: people, plurality, publicity, participation, power and politics. The objective of this article is to present how this theoretical resource was utilised to re-signify the ‘participatory’ component of PAR. It is discussed that this re-signification of participation (the P), together with the re-signification of the action (‘A’) and the research (‘R’) components of PAR, constitutes one of the implications to contribute to the re-humanisation of contemporary higher education.     

Reading in examination‐type situations: the effects of text layout on performance

Examinations are conventionally used to measure candidates' achievement in a limited time period. However, the influence of text layout on performance may compromise the construct validity of the examination. An experimental study looked at the effects of the text layout on the speed and accuracy of a reading task in an examination‐type situation. A survey of the reading strategies used in examinations was conducted to help in defining the reading context in which text layout may have an effect. A set of guidelines was also derived from research on typographic features of text and these were used to select three text layouts (intended to be more or less legible) from the layouts used in English language reading examinations. Results of the experiment showed that task time was significantly shorter and the number of correct answers per second was significantly higher with the layout conforming to legibility guidelines. Participants' judgements indicated that this layout was also the easiest in which to find answers and the most attractive. The main conclusion of the study is that text layout affects performance in a task that involves reading text to search for specific information in order to answer questions on it under time pressure. Consequently, the construct validity of examinations may be compromised by confounding legibility with reading skills.     

Students in Higher Education Governance: The Portuguese case

This article aims at analysing and discussing student participation in Portuguese higher education institutions and, specifically, in university governance. In a first moment, it describes this participation under both the previous (1988–2007) and the new legal frameworks (since 2007). A discussion of the changes introduced by this last framework and the extent to which it has contributed to the erosion of student participation in governance is undertaken. Next, the article deals with the ways students are involved in quality assessment at both its systemic and institutional levels. The case of a specific Portuguese university is used as an example of how this involvement takes place. The article concludes with a discussion on the main features of Portuguese student participation in governance, focusing on its effectiveness and suggesting measures for improvement.

     

Comparison of different regression models to fit the force–velocity relationship of a knee extension exercise

The aims of this study were to compare the goodness of fit and the concurrent validity of three regression models of the force–velocity relationship in a unilateral knee extension exercise. The force–velocity relationship and the one-repetition-maximum load in the dominant and non-dominant leg were obtained in 24 male sports sciences students by a progressive protocol. Additionally, the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the knee extensor muscles was recorded. Individual force–velocity relationships were obtained by the linear, quadratic polynomial and exponential regression models. Although the adjusted coefficients of determination of all three models were high, the polynomial model’s coefficient was slightly but significantly higher than the rest of the models (p < 0.05), while the standard error of estimate was slightly higher for the linear than for polynomial model (p = 0.001). MVC was underestimated by F ₀ calculated from the linear and polynomial models, while the maximum power was accurately estimated by the linear model. In summary, while the polynomial model revealed somewhat better fit, the linear model more accurately estimates the maximum power and provides the parameters of apparent physiological meaning. Therefore, we recommend using the linear model in research and routine testing of mechanical capacities of knee extensors.     

The improvement in walking speed induced by resistance training is associated with increased muscular strength but not skeletal muscle mass in older women

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to analyze whether improvements in fast walking speed induced by resistance training (RT) are associated with changes in body composition, muscle quality, and muscular strength in older women. Methods: Twenty-three healthy older women (69.6?±?6.4 years, 64.95?±?12.9?kg, 1.55?±?0.07?m, 27.06?±?4.6?kg/m²) performed a RT program for 8 weeks consisting of 8 exercises for the whole body, 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions maximum, 3 times a week. Anthropometric, body composition (fat-free mass [FFM], skeletal muscle mass [SMM], legs lean soft tissue [LLST], fat mass), knee extension muscular strength (KE1RM), muscle quality index (MQI [KE1RM/LLST]), and 10-meter walking test (10-MWT) were performed before and after the intervention. Results: Significant (P?<?.05) changes were observed from pre- to post-training for FFM (+1.6%), MQI (+7.2%), SMM (+2.4%), LLST (+1.8%), KE1RM (+8.6%), fat mass (?1.4%), and time to perform 10-MWT (?3.7%). The percentage change in 10-MWT was significantly associated with percentage change in MQI (r?=??0.46, P?=?.04) and KE1RM (r?=??0.45, P?=?.04), however not associated percentage of changes in SMM (r?=?0.01, P?=?.97), LLST (r?=??0.22, P?=?.33), and body fat (r?=?0.10, P?=?.66). Conclusion: We conclude that the improvement in the 10-MWT after an 8-week RT program is associated with increases in lower limb muscular strength and muscle quality, but not with muscle mass or body fat changes in older women.