How cells communicate: the system used by slime moulds

The way in which cells in multicellular organisms communicate and inform each other of their presence and relative position is an intriguing but mysterious problem. The form of communication used during the phase of aggregation in the cellular slime moulds represents a particularly amenable system for study. When these organisms run short of nutrients, some of the cells of the amoebal population emit rhythmic pulses of cyclic adenosine monophosphate. These chemical signals are slowly relayed to all the other amoebae within range and bring about an ordered migration of them towards the pulsating centre and the triggering of cellular development.     

Understanding Learning Culturally: Overcoming the Dualism Between Social and Individual Views of Learning

This paper identifies limitations within the current literature on understanding learning. Overcoming these limitations entails replacing dualist views of learning as either individual or social, by using a theory of learning cultures and a cultural theory of learning, which articulate with each other. To do this, we argue that it is possible and indeed necessary to combine major elements of participatory or situated views of learning with elements of Deweyan embodied construction. Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field are used to achieve this purpose, together with the use of ‘becoming’ as a metaphor to help understand learning more holistically. This theorizing has a predominantly heuristic purpose, and we argue that it enables researchers to better explain data. We also suggest that a cultural approach of the sort proposed here leads toward the asking of better questions about learning and its improvement and has high practical significance.

The expansion of English-medium instruction in the Nordic countries: Can top-down university language policies encourage bottom-up disciplinary literacy goals?

Recently, in the wake of the Bologna Declaration and similar international initiatives, there has been a rapid increase in the number of university courses and programmes taught through the medium of English. Surveys have consistently shown the Nordic countries to be at the forefront of this trend towards English-medium instruction (EMI). In this paper, we discuss the introduction of EMI in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). We present the educational setting and the EMI debate in each of these countries and summarize relevant research findings. We then make some tentative suggestions for the introduction of EMI in higher education in other countries. In particular, we are interested in university language policies and their relevance for the day-to-day work of faculty. We problematize one-size-fits-all university language policies, suggesting that in order for policies to be seen as relevant they need to be flexible enough to take into account disciplinary differences. In this respect, we make some specific suggestions about the content of university language policies and EMI course syllabuses. Here we recommend that university language policies should encourage the discussion of disciplinary literacy goals and require course syllabuses to detail disciplinary-specific language-learning outcomes.     

Making a class act: as seen in one Year 8 English lesson

This article reports on active teaching and learning approaches taken by one English teacher and a secondary PGCE student‐teacher to bring about changes to the work culture in a Year 8 mixed‐ability class. It is written by the PGCE tutor, student‐teacher, class teacher and external examiner, following an observation of one lesson, in a series of lessons, given by the student‐teacher. This lesson is analysed through its motivating content, approach to critical reading, inherent creativity and active approaches to learning. It indicates how a challenging class has been changed by approaches that provide alternatives to currently advocated objectives‐driven and direct instructional approaches.     

The Role of the Secondary School Subject Mentor: an evaluation of the UWIC experience

Since the publication of circular 9/92 the responsibilities of school mentors have been considerably increased. In this article an account is given of the role of the subject mentor within the secondary school partnership operated by the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff as it has evolved over the past five years. An evaluation of the extent to which teachers at 90 schools have been able to meet all the expectations of this role reveals a number of important constraints, especially time, resources and lack of training for staff newly appointed to the post. In the light of these findings some suggestions are offered for future policy.     

Foreign and International Communication

Approaches to Communication Planning edited by John Middleton (1980, 300 pp.)

Communication Planning for Development: An Operational Framework by Alan Hancock (1981, 198 pp.)

Impact of Modern Communication Technology I: Australia, by Chris Duke (n.d., 122 pp.)

Impact of Modern Communication Technology II: Indonesia (n.d., 72 pp)

Flow of News in the Gulf, by Phil Harris, et al. (n.d., 70 pp.)

Protection of Journalists (no author, n.d., but 142 pp.)

82. The Book in Multilingual Countries by Abul Masan (1978, 40 pp.)

83. National Communication Polic Councils: Principles and Experiences by M.A. Rodrigues Dias, et al. (1979. 44 pp.)

84. Mass Media: The Image, Role, and Social Conditions of Women: A Collection and Analysis of Research Materials (1979, 78 pp.)

85. News Values and Principles of Cross-Cultural Communication (1980, 51 pp.)

(86) Special Issue: Mass Media Codes of Ethics and Councils: A Comprehensive International Study on Professional Standards by J. Clement Jones (1980, 80 pp.)

87. Communication in the Community (this title not yet seen)

88. Rural Journalism in Africa by Paul Ansah, et al. (1981, 35 pp.)

89. The SACl/EXERN Project in Brazil: An Analytical Case Study by Emile G. Mc- Anany et al. (1981, 46 pp.)

90. Community Communications: The Role of Community Media in Development by Frances Berrigan (1981, 50 pp.)

1. Historical Development of Media Systems–Japan by Shinichi Ito, et al. (1979, 69 pp.)

2. Historical Development of Media Systems–German Democratic Republic by Emil Dusiska (1979, 35 pp.)

3. Communication Indicators I: Communication Indicators and Indicators of Socio-Economic Development by Rita Cruise O'Brien, et al. (1979, 96 pp.)

4. Communication Indicators II: 100 Years of Mass Communication in Germany by Anton Galli, et al. (1979, 28 pp.)

5. Sccio-Economic and CommunicatioA Indicators in Development Planning: A Case Study of Iran by Majid Tehranian (n.d., 126 pp.)

6. Communication Methods to Promote Grass-Roots Participation by Jeremiah O'Sullivan-Ryan (n.d., 155 pp.)

7. Importation of Films for Cinema and Television in Egypt by Gehan Rachty (n.d., 77 pp.)

Reporting of International News and Roles of the Gatekeepers (1980) is a summary of two late 1979 meetings on the subject in Paris. (18 pp.)

Intergovernmental Conference on Communication Policies in Africa (1981, 81 pp. plus 47 page working paper for same meeting)

Intergovernmental Conference for Co-operation on Activities, Needs and Programmes for Communication Development (1980, 65 pp. plus 32 page working paper)

List of Documents and Publications in the Field of Mass Communication 1979 (no. 5 in the series, 1980, 187 pp.)

Mass Media and the Transnational Corporation by Basskaran Nair (Singapore: Singapore University Press, 1980—$12.50/7.50)

Mass Media and National Cultures, by the International Association for Mass Communication Research (Leicester, U.K.: Adam Bros., and Shardlow Ltd., 1980—price not known, paper)

Organisations Internationales et Regionales de Journalistes [International and Regional Organizations of Journalists] (Prague: International Organization of Journalists, 1980—price, if any, not given, paper)

Bruce L. Cook, Understanding Pictures in Papua New Guinea (David C. Cook Foundation, Cook Square, Elgin, Ill. 60120—$8.95, paper)

Paul Lendvai, The Bureaucracy of Truth: How Communist Governments Manage the News (Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1981—$24.75)     

Developing a framework for responsible innovation

The governance of emerging science and innovation is a major challenge for contemporary democracies. In this paper we present a framework for understanding and supporting efforts aimed at ‘responsible innovation’. The framework was developed in part through work with one of the first major research projects in the controversial area of geoengineering, funded by the UK Research Councils. We describe this case study, and how this became a location to articulate and explore four integrated dimensions of responsible innovation: anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion and responsiveness. Although the framework for responsible innovation was designed for use by the UK Research Councils and the scientific communities they support, we argue that it has more general application and relevance.