Influence of problem familiarity on learning in a problem-based course

The results of an experimental study investigating the influence of problem familiarity on learning in a problem-based psychology course are presented. Participants worked with either a familiar or an unfamiliar version of the same problem. The following measurements were taken (1) a measure of problem quality as perceived by students, (2) number of explanations of the problem put forward by the students while discussing it, (3) quality of learning issues derived from the discussion, (4) amount of time spent on self-study, and (5) the amount of knowledge acquired as indicated by a test. The results demonstrate that participants in the familiar problem condition perceived the problem to be of higher quality than the participants in the unfamiliar problem condition. No significant differences in learning were found. The findings do suggest, however, that problems may be improved by making them more relevant to the everyday experience of students.     

Origin (?) of the Universe

The expansion of the universe was established based on observations made in the 1920’s, of the Doppler shift of light from galaxies. The proportionality between velocity and distance is the famous Hubble Law. Simplified mathematical models of the universe are based on the idea, which is supported by observations, that there are no preferred locations or directions in space.     

Origin(?) of the universe

In this part of the series we discuss the standard cosmological model valid close to the big bang epoch. The origin of light nuclei is believed to have taken place within the first three minutes or so when the universe was very hot and dominated by radiation. Subsequently, it cooled down and today we should see radiation decoupled from matter but spread almost homogeneously all over the universe with a black body spectrum. This expectation has been realized by the discovery of the microwave background in 1965. Jayant V Narlikar Director, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, works on action at a distance in physics, new theories of gravitation and new models of the universe. He has made strong efforts to promete taaching and research in astronomy in the universities and also writes extensively in English and Marathi for a wider audience on science and other topics.     

Does Physics Teaching Affect Gender-Based Science Anxiety?

We present the results of a study designed to measure the level of science anxiety in students enrolled in physics courses at Loyola University Chicago. We undertook this study with two objectives: (1) to determine the factors contributing to science anxiety; in particular, to ascertain whether the leading factors identified in an earlier study have remained constant over time, and (2) to investigate whether science anxiety was affected by a semester of introductory physics. This is the first study of its kind, analyzing science anxiety in pre- and posttests of a cohort composed entirely of students taking physics courses. We find that the leading factors contributing to science anxiety are nonscience anxiety, gender, and to a much lesser degree, course of study (major), in agreement with earlier results. In general, males start and end the course with somewhat less science anxiety (and nonscience anxiety) than females. Post-course responses indicated some improvement in nonscience anxiety and in science anxiety for both genders. Acute levels of science anxiety were somewhat decreased by exposure to a physics course. Different pedagogies and gender role models may correlate with anxiety reduction.     

Introspection Plays an Early Role in Children's Explicit Theory of Mind Development

This study assessed children's (N = 236) ability to introspect the mental states of seeing and knowing relative to their ability to attribute each state to others. Children could introspect seeing 10 months before they could introspect knowing. Two‐ and 3‐year‐olds correctly reported their own seeing states, whereas 3‐ and 4‐year‐olds correctly reported their own knowing states. For each mental state, there was a 7‐month difference before children could correctly attribute that state to another. These findings indicate that knowing is more difficult to introspect than seeing and that the ability to introspect each mental state emerges prior to the ability to correctly attribute them to others. Theoretical implications for self–other differences in theory‐of‐mind development are considered.