‘An experiment is when you try it and see if it works’: a study of grade 7 students’ understanding of the construction of scientific knowledge

The research reported here focuses on grade 7 (12‐year‐old) students’ epistomological views prior to and after exposure to a teaching unit especially developed to introduce the constructivist view of science. A clinical interview was used to assess students’ understanding about the nature of scientific knowledge and inquiry. Students’ initial epistemological stance is that scientific knowledge is a passively acquired, faithful copy of the world, and that scientific inquiry is limited solely to observing rather than constructing explanations about nature. We found that it is possible to move students beyond this initial view.     

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a group of bacteria that enhances plant growth and yield via various plant growth promoting substances as well as biofertilizers. Given the negative environmental impact of artificial fertilizers and their increasing costs, the use of beneficial soil microorganisms such as PGPR for sustainable and safe agriculture has increased globally during the last couple of decades. PGPR as biofertilizers are well recognized as efficient soil microbes for sustainable agriculture and hold great promise in the improvement of agriculture yields.     

Interrogative strategies and information exchange in computer‐mediated communication

The explosive growth of Internet and E‐mail use has provided exceptional opportunities for humans to mediate their communication and thus their relationships in new ways. This study reports on a content analysis of interrogative strategies used in E‐mail messages exchanged over six months between intergenerational sets of senior citizens and youngsters. A great deal of relationship development is facilitated by the use of questions which are a core aspect of uncertainty reduction processes. While Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) has been a predominant theoretical position for examining face‐to‐face initial interaction, its utility for examining communication in an asynchronous, computer‐mediated environment was only partially effective. Data analyses focused on politeness of questions, types of questions, and, temporal effects. Results suggest that the interrogative strategies we engage in to achieve interpersonal connectedness are sometimes different in computer‐mediated communication (CMC) and a new standard for transacting relational message exhange may be emerging.     

Styles of parenting among parents of young gifted children

Elementary students in programs for gifted and highly gifted students were tested using the Stanford‐Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5). Students’ scores on the SB5 were significantly lower than their scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children— Third Edition (WISC‐III). In addition, rank order was not well preserved between the SB5, WISC‐III scores, and determination of giftedness. While the cause of these findings is unclear, caution should be used when utilizing the SB5 for determinations of gifted status.     

‘Think of others’ in knowledge management: making culture work for you

Knowledge management has an important role to play in both organizational and national cultures. In order to have a paradigm shift from a knowledge hoarding to a more knowledge-sharing culture, knowledge management should be used as part of the human capital strategy for the organization. The impact of culture on knowledge management has been studied widely, but little has been written on how knowledge management can affect organizational culture. This paper provides a thought-piece on addressing this overlooked area.     

Finding our way

Conclusion The guidelines presented here are based on my experience as a classroom teacher and a staff development coordinator for technology, and upon my study of the literature regarding the use of technology for instruction. I do not present these guidelines as a recipe for success in integrating the use of computers into instruction, nor as an exhaustive list of what must be done for integration to occur. To do so would be an oversimplification of a complex issue. There are many difficult decisions that schools need to make, and I offer these guidelines as a means for drawing upon the experience of those of us who are in the process of integrating technology into instruction. Even those of us who are heavily involved in this work feel as though we are just finding our way. I hope that what I have shared in this article will help others to find their way as well. He has taught math, science, and computer programming at the secondary level in the North Syracuse (New York) School District for the past nine years. During 1999–2000 school year, he coordinated the district’s staff development program for technology in addition to his teaching duties