Teaching the design and interpretation of graphs through computer-aided graphical data analysis

Graphs are one of the primary means of exploration and communication in the practice of science, but students in science laboratories are customarily taught only the low-level mechanics of constructing a single kind of graph when given a table of information. The use of a microcomputer can relieve the drudgery of plotting, allowing students to pursue higher-level issues in the design and interpretation of graphs through repeated “thought experiments.” We introduced computer-assisted graphical data analysis to inner-city high school students with weak math and science backgrounds, emphasizing the dynamic manipulation of various kinds of graphs to answer specific questions. Drawing on extensive recordings and classroom observations, we describe examples of the performance of these students on open-ended problem-solving tasks in which graphs can be used to arrive at meaningful answers to applied data analysis problems.     

College and university requirements for teachers of the deaf at the undergraduate level: a twenty-year comparison

College and university requirements for undergraduate deaf education teacher preparation programs from 1986 and 2006 were compared. Thirty percent fewer undergraduate programs were in existence in 2006 than in 1986. Compared to programs in the 1986-1987 academic year, programs in 2006-2007 placed less emphasis on course work related to speech and hearing and more emphasis on the development of sign language skills. These findings are discussed in relation to the increasing probability that future employment for program graduates will be in itinerant and resource placements within public schools with children whose hearing losses are less severe than those of children in the past.     

The relationship of role expectations to faculty behavior

This study examines sources of influence over 290 faculty members of a large public university. The role expectations a faculty member has for himself and the role expectations of the employing organization both predict positively and significantly the role behaviors of the respondents. The departmental colleagues' expectations predict significantly role behaviors for the research role only. In addition, the degree of person—role conflict a faculty member is exposed to is related to his productivity (research) but not to his satisfaction. The implications of the results are explored for both role theory and for the understanding of faculty behavior.     

Moving to a Global Stage: A Media View

The Times Higher Education Supplement was the first newspaper to publish an international ranking of universities in November 2004 Jobbins, D. 2002. “The Times/The Times Higher Education Supplement – League Tables in Britain: An Insider's View”. Higher Education in Europe, 27(4): 383–389. [Taylor & Francis Online] [Google Scholar]. This article describes the evolution of the international rankings from their origin in a limited peer review exercise through the gradual refinement of a national ranking based on, as far as possible, publicly available, verifiable, and accepted data. The author describes the methodology of the international ranking and presents the case for the integrity of commercially produced rankings, national and international, which can be as objective, robust, and transparent as initiatives from within the university community itself.     

Using multidimensional scaling for curricular goal analysis

Multidimensional sealing and related analytic procedures were used to estimate the accuracy of a set of goals used to pattern the design of a graduate curriculum. The analysis suggests that this goal set faithfully represents the essential elements within the area of professional practice to be taught. The procedures described have utility for a wide range of goal-focused analyses.     

Mental toughness and transitions to high school and to undergraduate study

Mental toughness can be conceptualised as a set of attributes that allow people to deal effectively with challenges, stressors and pressure. Recent work has suggested that it may be a valuable construct to consider within educational settings. The current studies explored the associations between mental toughness and educational transitions. Study 1 examined the relationships between mental toughness and concerns about moving to a new school in 105 children aged 12–13 years of age. The results revealed significant relationships between several aspects of mental toughness, but particularly confidence in abilities, and children’s concerns. Study 2 examined the relationships between mental toughness and adjustment to university in 200 undergraduate students at various stages of their course. The results revealed a role for several aspects of mental toughness; commitment, control of life, control of emotion, confidence in abilities and interpersonal confidence. The results are discussed in terms of implications for educational practice. It is suggested that measures of mental toughness could be used to identify individuals who may benefit from additional support during transition to a new school or to university, and that future research should explore the potential benefits of mental toughness training.     

新疆西准噶尔地区塔斯特岩体锆石LA-ICPMS年龄及其意义

西准噶尔萨吾尔地区地处新疆阿勒泰地区吉木乃县及塔城地区和丰县。酸性侵入岩在区内较发育，其研究对于准噶尔地区后碰撞构造一岩浆演化时限的厘定具有重要的意义。塔斯特岩体是萨吾尔地区重要的复式花岗岩体，与区内铜、金矿化关系密切。塔斯特岩体锆石LA-ICPMS年龄为337±4Ma（1δ），形成于早石炭世。结合已有的地球化学特征研究，这一年龄显示西准噶尔地区在早石炭世已处于后碰撞环境。本文获得的塔斯特岩体成岩年龄是目前在准噶尔地区获得的最老的后碰撞花岗岩锆石U-Pb年龄之一，为准噶尔地区后碰撞构造-岩浆演化时限的厘定提供了新的证据。     

Factors influencing the incidence of utilization deficiencies and other patterns of recall/strategy-use relations in a strategic memory task

Factors that influence the incidence of utilization deficiencies and other recall/strategy-use patterns on a strategic memory task were evaluated in two hundred and fourteen 7- and 9-year-old children. Both utilization deficiencies and the incidence of children showing increases in both recall and strategy use over phases were more likely to be observed on phase transitions involving prompting or when different lists of items were included on consecutive trials; in contrast, increases in recall in the absence of increases in strategy use were more likely to be found between trials consisting of the same stimulus items. This research clearly indicates that patterns of recall/strategy-use relations, including utilization deficiencies, vary meaningfully with the age of the child and a variety of contextual factors.