Using Bogner and Wiseman’s Model of Ecological Values to measure the impact of an earth education programme on children’s environmental perceptions

Investigating the effects of educational programmes on children’s environmental perceptions has been hampered by the lack of good theoretical models and valid instruments. In the present study, Bogner and Wiseman’s Model of Ecological Values provided a well‐developed theoretical model. A validated instrument based on Bogner’s Environmental Perception (ENV) scale was used to examine the effects of the Sunship Earth programme on the environmental perceptions of fifth and sixth grade students in the US. Paired sample t‐tests showed a statistically significant change toward more pro‐environmental perceptions for all factors described in the model for children who participated in Sunship Earth but not for a control group. Additionally, perceptions were shown to be stable over time for a smaller sample of students.     

Epistemic beliefs and prior knowledge as predictors of the construction of different types of arguments on socioscientific issues

This study investigates whether university students’ epistemic beliefs and prior knowledge about controversial socioscientific issues (SSIs) can predict the different types of arguments that students construct. Two hundred forty-three university students were asked to construct different types of supportive arguments—social, ethical, economic, scientific, ecological—as well as counterarguments and rebuttals after they had read a scenario on a SSI. Participants’ epistemic beliefs and prior knowledge were assessed separately. Results showed that students’ epistemic beliefs and prior knowledge predicted the quantity, quality, and diversity of the different types of arguments the students constructed. In particular, students who held sophisticated epistemic beliefs about the structure of knowledge and exhibited relatively more robust prior knowledge scores, produced arguments of greater quantity, better quality, and higher diversity than students with less sophisticated epistemic beliefs and low prior knowledge scores. Educational implications are discussed.     

Regulating off-centering distortion maximizes photoluminescence in halide perovskites

Metal halide perovskites possess unique atomic and electronic configurations that endow them with high defect tolerance and enable high-performance photovoltaics and optoelectronics. Perovskite light-emitting diodes have achieved an external quantum efficiency of over 20%. Despite tremendous progress, fundamental questions remain, such as how structural distortion affects the optical properties. Addressing their relationships is considerably challenging due to the scarcity of effective diagnostic tools during structural and property tuning as well as the limited tunability achievable by conventional methods. Here, using pressure and chemical methods to regulate the metal off-centering distortion, we demonstrate the giant tunability of photoluminescence (PL) in both the intensity (>20 times) and wavelength (>180 nm/GPa) in the highly distorted halide perovskites [CH₃NH₃GeI₃, HC(NH₂)₂GeI₃, and CsGeI₃]. Using advanced in situ high-pressure probes and first-principles calculations, we quantitatively reveal a universal relationship whereby regulating the level of off-centering distortion towards 0.2 leads to the best PL performance in the halide perovskites. By applying this principle, intense PL can still be induced by substituting CH₃NH₃⁺ with Cs⁺ to control the distortion in (CH₃NH₃)_1-xCs_xGeI₃, where the chemical substitution plays a similar role as external pressure. The compression of a fully substituted sample of CsGeI₃ further tunes the distortion to the optimal value at 0.7 GPa, which maximizes the emission with a 10-fold enhancement. This work not only demonstrates a quantitative relationship between structural distortion and PL property of the halide perovskites but also illustrates the use of knowledge gained from high-pressure research to achieve the desired properties by ambient methods.     

The influence of a hurdle target point on the kinematics of the handspring vault approach run during training

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate if a visible target for the hurdle take-off would influence the onset of visual regulation and hurdle kinematics during the approach run. Ten elite male gymnasts (age 23.4 ± 4.9 years, height 1.68 ± 0.06 m, mass 63.3 ± 6.2 kg) performed six handspring vaults with a full approach run under two controlled conditions: (a) with a 5-cm white tape on the runway marking the last touchdown of the approach run and the commencement of the hurdle (tape condition—T) and (b) under the standard vaulting regulations (non-tape condition—NT). Spatiotemporal data of the approach run and the hurdle were collected by four stationary and one panning cameras (sampling rate 300 fps). Eight out of 10 gymnasts commenced regulation earlier under T than under NT. Under T condition, horizontal velocity (Vx _to = 9.06 ± 0.41 m/s) and vertical velocity (V _to = 9.35 ± 0.37 m/s) was significantly faster than under NT condition (Vx _to = 8.85 ± 0.49 m/s; V _to = 9.11 ± 0.47 m/s). Introducing a target for the hurdle facilitates an early onset of step regulation and significantly improves the kinematics of the hurdle.     

The integration of biodiversity education in the initial education of primary school teachers: four comparative case studies from Europe

In this article, we present results from an international research study on biodiversity education in pre‐service education of primary school teachers. The study was carried out between 2004–2006 in four teacher education institutions in Cyprus, England, Switzerland and Germany. We used document analyses and in‐depth interviews with 27 teacher educators and 22 student teachers to examine the integration of biodiversity into the pre‐service teacher education programmes, and the student teachers’ satisfaction with their respective education. In all teacher education institutions, aspects of biodiversity education were integrated mostly in the natural science modules which provided students at least with some information on the scientific aspects of biodiversity. Few modules included aspects of the controversial nature of biodiversity conservation in relation to economics, ethics, social and political concerns, and methodological approaches on how to deal with this. In the institutions in Cyprus, England and Germany the teaching focus was content‐oriented, whereas in Switzerland a situated method‐oriented approach was used. The student teachers in Switzerland felt more confident to teach about biodiversity in school. All interviewees thought it necessary to prepare primary school student teachers on how to address biodiversity in schools, and strategies on how best to achieve this are critically discussed.     

Perceptions of future and cur rent teachers on the organization of elementary schools: a dissonance approach to the investigation of job satisfaction

The study compares the satisfaction ratings of future and current elementary school teachers with respect to the main aspects of school organization and administration. Data were collected from 66 in-service teachers and 79 preservice teachers in Cyprus. The application of factor analysis on the data resulted in the identification of the following main dimensions of school organization: headmaster's role, school organization, school climate, teacher incentives/work conditions, inspector's role and teachers' role. The comparison of the satisfaction ratings of future and current teachers on the above factors produced the following findings: first, the ratings of the two groups differed significantly for the first four factors. Secondly, future teachers reported lower satisfaction ratings than their in-service counterparts in the headmaster's role, school organization and school climate factors and higher ratings on the teacher incentives/work conditions factor.These discrepancies are considered to constitute causes of concern for educational policy-makers. The high expectations of future teachers on the teacher incentives/work conditions factor are viewed as a probable subsequent cause of cognitive dissonance and job dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the low expectations of future teachers with respect to three factors (headmaster's role, school organization, school climate) are likely to reduce their initial enthusiasm for their job. The implications of the findings for teacher training programmes are discussed, and suggestions are made on ways of reducing discrepancies between the expectations of future teachers and the realities of the workplace.     

Understanding Sleep Disorders in a College Student Population

College students' sleep habits are changing dramatically, and related sleep problems are increasing. The author reviews the current literature on sleep problems, focusing on the college student population. An explanation of the basics of sleep is provided as a base for understanding sleep disorders. The unique challenges of college settings are discussed as they apply to understanding sleep problems, and suggestions are made for professionals who work with college students.