Enhancing Scientific Communication Skills: a Real-World Simulation in a Tertiary-Level Life Science Class Using E-Learning Technology in Biomedical Literature Perception,Reflective Review Writing on a Clinical Issue,and Self and Peer Assessments

Research in Science Education - This educational study aimed to explore the feasibility and acceptance of a literacy exercise adopted from the realworld of scientific publishing in a cell and...     

The flow of technological innovation in an R & D department

The flow of technological information, in particular the type of sources and transfer channels for technological information has been a focus of research interest since the very first studies concerning management of research and development. However, the results of these empirical studies, although encouraging and useful to managers, leave several questions unanswered, and even worse, contain some contradictions.In this paper we will try to explain some of these contradictions using the technology characteristics as an contingency factor. The model, which we will present has been tested in a twofold way: questionnaires were used to provide insight into the importance of some sources, while interviews on the basis of standardized problems led us to a better insight into sources and channels.     

The Draw-a-Scientist Test in an African context: comparing students’ (stereotypical) images of scientists across university faculties

Background: People’s perceptions of scientists have repeatedly been investigated using the Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST). The test is used to identify people’s (stereotypical) images of scientists, which might affect attitudes towards science and science-related career choices.

Purpose: The current study has two goals. (1) Applying the DAST at a university in South Africa, the study will add to the existing research literature through its Southern African context. (2) The study will also look more closely at the link between (stereotypical) images of scientists and science-related career choices.

Sample: The DAST was applied to first-year students (n = 445) across different faculties at a South African university. If the assumption that young people’s perceptions of scientists influence their career choice is correct, one would expect differences in the drawings made by students who have opted for different fields of study.

Design and methods: The DAST was administered during orientation week of the first-year students in January 2017. Students were provided with a prepared blank sheet of paper and asked to draw a scientist and to fill in further information on the back of the paper. A content analysis applying the DAST checklist was used to analyse the images.

Results: The findings show that South African students use about four stereotypical indicators when drawing a scientist, and social science students drew stereotypical attributes more frequently when compared to students from other faculties. A typical scientist – as depicted in this study – is a man of uncertain age, who wears eyeglasses and a lab coat, and is surrounded by laboratory equipment.

Conclusions: Findings are largely in line with the international research literature. To challenge gender stereotypes, more contact between students and female role models might be essential. If (stereotypical) images really affect science-related career choices deserves further attention in future research studies.     

The Impact of Inclusion on Children's Lives: Multiple outcomes,and friendship in particular

This paper describes the work of a Consortium for Collaborative Research on the Social Relationships of Children and Youth with Diverse Abilities. The Consortium was a 5 year research institute funded by the US Department of Education, carrying out research in the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento areas of California; the Seattle and rural-suburban regions of Washington State; New York State including New York City, Syracuse and rural regions; and Maryland. The work was undertaken in rural, urban, and suburban school districts, with a demographically diverse population, and also directly with families. This paper shares the results of research findings on children's social lives in inclusive settings, while weaving a theme throughout the presentation of how this research was done. The focus was upon the role research should play and was directed toward closing the gap between research and practice.     

Cortisol in Neonatal Mother's Milk Predicts Later Infant Social and Cognitive Functioning in Rhesus Monkeys

Milk provides not only the building blocks for somatic development but also the hormonal signals that contribute to the biopsychological organization of the infant. Among mammals, glucocorticoids (GCs) in mother's milk have been associated with infant temperament. This study extended prior work to investigate rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) mother–infant dyads (N = 34) from birth through 8 months postpartum. Regression analysis revealed that cortisol concentrations in milk during the neonatal period predicted impulsivity on a cognitive task, but not global social behaviors, months later. During this time period, sex‐differentiated social behavior emerged. For female infants, milk cortisol concentrations predicted total frequency of play. Collectively, these findings support and extend the “lactational programming” hypothesis on the impact of maternal‐origin hormones ingested via milk.     

关于制定我国国家质量教育标准的几点思考——基于美国波多里奇国家质量奖教育标准的比较研究

国家质量教育标准是用以衡量教育组织达到某种程度或水平的质量或数量要求的规定,主要是质量管理方面的要求或优质的规定,具有标志、导向、甄别、激励、促进等功能。制定国家质量教育标准,是一个国家教育质量管理机制健全和完善的主要标志之一,也体现了国家整体的竞争力,目的是为了促进教育组织提高管理效率和绩效。美国在这方面的实践颇具特色,值得借鉴。     

浅谈成人小提琴教学

小提琴课是中学音乐教师培训中的一门比较重要的课程。根据成人学生的特点,让他们在掌握小提琴演奏基本技术要点的同时,更好地掌握教学法,使他们毕业后能胜任中小学音乐课教学及课外活动的辅导,是一项难度较大的教学工作。必须找出成人学生在学习中存在的困难和问题,运用正确的教学方法加以解决。     

Longitudinal course of rapid naming in disabled and nondisabled readers

The Rapid Automatized Naming Test (Denckla and Rudel 1974) was studied cross-sectionally in an sample of kindergartners (n=342) at-risk for reading disability (Study 1), and longitudinally in an n=160 epidemiological normal sample of children tested in first, third, fifth, and eighth grades (Study 2). Study 1 showed faster absolute naming speeds for those with near perfect untimed alphabet recitation, but the stronger and more orderly relation (at r=.31, p<.0001) was between three levels of alphabet recitation accuracy and the relative number/letter naming speed advantage (ratio of mean number/letter naming speed minus mean color/object naming speed over mean color/object naming speed). In Study 2, the number/letter advantage was already strongly present by first grade, and did not increase significantly thereafter, but absolute naming times improved steadily across grades in an exponential decay function. In this sample, the relative number/letter advantage was not related to reading level. However, the absolute color/object naming speed was strongly related to reading level and vocabulary across grades. Norms for the Rapid Automatized Naming Test based on the epidemiological normal sample tested in Grades 1, 3, 5, and 8 are presented in the appendix.     

The Library as Service-Learning Partner: A Win–Win Collaboration with Students and Faculty

ABSTRACT

This case study of a quarter-long collaborative service-learning project, repeated over several quarters, involves technical communication students and librarians at Eastern Washington University. The librarians needed to promote RefWorks, while the technical communication faculty needed a client with a computer-based tool for students to learn and then teach to others. Working in teams, fifty-eight students planned and executed fifteen RefWorks workshops for students. The majority of students liked using RefWorks and gave successful presentations to their peers. This project increased awareness and usage of RefWorks while also affording librarians a student-centered perspective on teaching and using this tool. In this win–win collaboration, students learned useful skills in addition to developing a sense of community with the library.     

Does local dynamic stability of kayak paddling technique affect the sports performance? A pilot study

During competition, kayak athletes must optimally adapt to environmental factors (e.g. wind, waves) to achieve peak performance. However, the ability to adapt to such perturbations has never been assessed in kayak paddling. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the local dynamic stability in sports technique of youth sprint kayak athletes. In a cross-sectional study, 14 healthy male athletes were recruited from an elite youth sprint kayak squad. During an incremental kayak ergometer test, mean power, heart rates and local dynamic technique stability of hands, arms, trunk and paddle were registered and the association with the athletes 2000?m free-water times were estimated using mixed models. The 2000?m free-water performance significantly predicted the paddles (p?=?.037) local dynamic stability whereas no association was found for the trunk or the upper extremity kinematics. In conclusion, kayak athletes with high-performance capability over 2000?m paddling depict high local dynamic technique stability. This emphasizes the importance of a stable technique for advanced kayak skills, especially regarding paddling movements.