Developing an Instrument to Examine Preservice Teachers’ Pedagogical Development

National and international reform documents have forged blueprints for advancing science education. Coursework for preservice teachers needs to correspond to these documents by providing learning experiences that develop preservice teachers’ capabilities to plan and implement reform measures. Using a pretest–posttest design, responses from 59 2nd-year preservice teachers from the same university were compared after involvement in an elementary science pedagogy coursework. The survey, which was linked to the course outcomes (constructs) and multiple indicators, measured the preservice teachers’ perceptions of their development towards becoming elementary science teachers. A pretest–posttest survey linked to course outcomes can be employed to assess perceived pedagogical development of preservice teachers, which can inform further teaching practices for implementing science education reform agendas.     

Students of color helping others stay in college: A grassroots effort

College students have a long and rich tradition of working on the front lines to effect change. Activist students of color have turned their attention to other students in need of personal, communal, and academic support. New research chronicles this powerful approach.     

Genotype-environment correlations for language-related abilities: implications for typical and atypical learners

Recent behavioral genetic research has shown that genetic propensities are associated with individual differences in experiences, and thus, what may appear to be environmental effects can reflect genetic influence. This study examines passive genotype-environment correlations (GECs) for language-related abilities by comparing environment-child language associations in adoptive and nonadoptive families. The results provide evidence for the genetic mediation of the association between home environmental variables, such as the provision of toys and games, maternal involvement, and degree of intellectual/cultural orientation with children's language-related abilities. Developmental changes in passive GECs are considered, and the implications for typical and atypical learners are discussed.     

蠕变条件下完整岩石的起裂和扩展准则

The mechanism and criterion of crack initiation and propagation of rocks were investigated by many researchers,And the creep behaviour of rocks was also theoretically and experimentally studied by some scientists and engineers.The characteristics of crack initation and propagation of rocks under creep condition.however,are very improtant for rock engineering and still not paid enough attention by researchers,In this paper,the criterion and mechanism of crack initiation and propagation under creep condition were investigated using specimens collected from sandstone rock formations outcropping in the Emei Mountain,the Sichuan Province of China.Cuboid specimens under three point bending were used in this investigation.All specimens were classified into four sorts and used for Mode-I fracutre of creep frcture tests.The experimental result shows that due to creep deformation.rock crack will inevitably initialt and propagate under a load of KI,which is less than fracture toughness KIC but not less than a constant(marked as KIC2),KIC2 indicates the ability of rock to resist crack initiation and propagation under creep conditions and is less than fracture tough ness KIC.defined as creep fracture toughness in this paper,KIC2 should be considered as an importnat parameter on design and computation of rock engineering.The microstructureal mechanism for crack initiation and propagation of rock materials under creep condition was introduced based on competitive model between softening effect and hardening effect,and the validity of test result was explained.The test result was also verified in rheological theory.When KI is more than KIC2 but less than KIC,rock crack will initiate and propagate after a time interval of sustained loading under creep condition.In order to find the relation between duration of sustained lading.which can lead to crack initiation and propagation,and the initial stress intensity factor KI,an unequal0interval time sequence forecasting and predicting model was introduced,and the relation was obtained for homogeneous and isotropic fine-grained red sandstone.Finally a modified fracture toughness formula was given,in which the influence of fracture process zone(FPZ) was fully considered.     

Engineering design as an intellectual problem

Engineering education has recently been going through a process of internal fighting between the tendency to introduce more and more information and skills in the fields of computerization and mathematics (mathematics for engineers), on the one hand, and the need to provide the student with pure empirical technical and design knowledge and experience, on the other hand. In most mechanical engineering departments, the outcome of this competition has been a reduction in the time allotted to teaching the empirical part of engineering information: there is often a psychological barrier to understanding the importance of this group of subjects, and the computer- and mathematics-associated subjects usually win out. As a result, the new graduate usually knows how to fight the computation struggle but he/she is not able to formulate his/her final engineering goal. This paper focuses on various aspects of this situation. In particular, we set out to defend the need for serious and in-depth teaching of the empirical information required in engineering design work.     

解读教育装备

什么是教育装备?这个问题看似简单,却并不是那么容易回答.教育装备的使用者,制造者及其相关人员都有着见仁见智的想法.如何看待这一问题,无论对于企业还是教师、学生都有重要的意义.教育界的专家与教育装备有着亲密接触,下面就来听听他们的声音吧.     

An Outreach Support Group for International Students

International students often face challenges in adjusting to their new environment without the use of local supports such as counseling. This article suggests how universities can form an outreach support group that encourages the participation of international students by minimizing the stigma associated with using mental health services and by addressing relevant practical and emotional issues that international students face.