‘I don’t Study Physics Anymore’: a Cross-Institutional Australian Study on Factors Impacting the Persistence of Undergraduate Science Students

Research in Science Education - University is a critical timepoint for students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathway. Gender differences in the persistence...     

A critical review of Laurillard's classification of educational media

In Rethinking University Teaching Diana Laurillard classifies educational media, including the various uses of computers in education, into four categories: discursive, adaptive, interactive and reflective. This review discusses the consistency and usefulness of the classification. After summarising her development of a model of the teaching and learning processes in Higher Education, the relationship of the classification to the model is examined. First, the classification is mapped to the twelve processes in the model. Then, the described uses of various media for supporting these processes are correlated with their place in the classification. In this test of consistency with the model the classification is found to be only partly accurate. The shortcomings are discussed. Finally, other classifications are briefly considered and a framework for a pedagogically useful classification is described.     

Are online communities for young people an issue for education researchers? A literature review of Swedish and international studies within the educational field

Issues concerning children and young people are of interest for the educational field as question about fostering, up-bringing, learning and socialisation are core topics for academic researchers in education. Today many young people in Sweden and around the world spend an increasing amount of their time in online communities or social networking sites. This article aims to investigate whether it also is highlighted by the education researchers. Is it an area to which educational researchers currently contribute? The goal for this article is to present research that is done regarding these issues. My findings show that few academic studies deal with youth and their online environments. Foremost is the research about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in formal learning situations: in higher education, in schools and classrooms, among professional groups such as teachers and about more general computer use rather than on questions about the fostering or up-bringing of children online. This study implies that online activities for children and young people is a topic currently lying outside the educational research field, resulting in a discussion on why that can be. My work consisted of three parts: a manual search in Swedish research journals at a university library and by searching one Swedish (Libris) and one international (ISI Web of Science) online database. This activity took place in 2009 and covered research conducted between 2003 and 2008. I conclude that this area is one where educational expertise is lacking; hence further research is strongly required.     

The Electronic Cataloging in Publication Cataloging Partnership Program: A Model for Cooperative Cataloging for the Twenty-First Century

The Library of Congress’ Cataloging in Publication (CIP) Program has been in existence for forty years. During this time, the CIP Program has moved from a model where the Library of Congress created all pre-publication metadata for publishers to a partnership where other libraries share in the creation of metadata. This article documents the evolution of the Electronic Cataloging in Publication (ECIP) Cataloging Partnership Program. The ECIP Cataloging Partnership Program can be used as a model to leverage limited resources across libraries to the benefit of library users nationwide.     

Identifying ECIP Partner Needs: Survey Results on ECIP Set-Up

Abstract

The Electronic Cataloging in Publication (ECIP) Cataloging Partnership Program began in 2004. It is a collaboration between the Library of Congress (LC) Cataloging in Publication (CIP) Program, publishers, and libraries across the United States. System set-up for the program proved challenging for library partners. A survey was conducted during February 8–March 6, 2018 to learn about ECIP partners’ ECIP set-up experience. The findings show that communication and training documentation are two key elements for the program to be effective and successful. The survey results helped the LC CIP program develop a new and improved ECIP system.     

Three Conceptions of Thermodynamics: Technical Matrices in Science and Engineering

Introductory thermodynamics is a topic which is covered in a wide variety of science and engineering educations. However, very different teaching traditions have evolved within different scientific specialties. In this study we examine three courses in introductory thermodynamics within three different scientific specialties: physics, chemical engineering and mechanical engineering. Based on a generalization of Kuhn’s theory of disciplinary matrix, and the idea of boundary objects we analyse how basic thermodynamics theory is conceived in the different scientific specialties. The study is based on interviews with teachers and analysis of the different textbook traditions. It is concluded that teachers need to take into account how subject matter is conceived in other related scientific specialties when designing courses. Two examples demonstrating how this may be done are given.

Assessment practices in model early childhood special education programs

Examination of assessment practices in 54 model programs for early education of handicapped children revealed extreme variability. Only 19 tests were used by at least five programs; only one device was used by over half of the responding programs. Most tests were listed as being used for more than one purpose, but some tests appeared to be used more exclusively than others for a particular purpose. Although the technical adequacy, in terms of norms, validit, and reliability, was reportedly an important factor influencing selection and continued use of tests, analysis of the 19 most commonly used devices revealed that only three were technically adequate. Other methods of assessment also were examined. Implications for model practice are discussed.     

Microliter-bioreactor array with buoyancy-driven stirring for human hematopoietic stem cell culture

This work presents the development of an array of bioreactors where finely controlled stirring is provided at the microliter scale (100–300 μl). The microliter-bioreactor array is useful for performing protocol optimization in up to 96 parallel experiments of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) cultures. Exploring a wide range of experimental conditions at the microliter scale minimizes cost and labor. Once the cell culture protocol is optimized, it can be applied to large-scale bioreactors for stem cell production at the clinical level. The controlled stirring inside the wells of a standard 96-well plate is provided by buoyancy-driven thermoconvection. The temperature and velocity fields within the culture volume are determined with numerical simulations. The numerical results are verified with experimental velocity measurements using microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) and are used to define feasible experimental conditions for stem cell cultures. To test the bioreactor array’s functionality, human umbilical cord blood-derived CD34⁺ cells were cultured for 7 days at five different stirring conditions (0.24–0.58 μm∕s) in six repeated experiments. Cells were characterized in terms of proliferation, and flow cytometry measurements of viability and CD34 expression. The microliter-bioreactor array demonstrates its ability to support HSC cultures under stirred conditions without adversely affecting the cell behavior. Because of the highly controlled operative conditions, it can be used to explore culture conditions where the mass transport of endogenous and exogenous growth factors is selectively enhanced, and cell suspension provided. While the bioreactor array was developed for culturing HSCs, its application can be extended to other cell types.