Walter Berka zum 60. Geburtstag

Herr o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Walter Berka feierte in diesen Tagen seinen 60. Geburtstag. Dies darf zum Anlass genommen werden, um den hochaktiven wissenschaftlichen Lehrer und Forscher, der seit der Gründung der "Zeitschrift für Hochschulrecht, Hochschulmanagement und Hochschulpolitik" dieser durch sein Wirken als Beiratsmitglied verbunden ist, zu würdigen.     

Ultrasonic phased array technology for the non-destructive testing of marble sculptures

The medical ultrasonic phased array technology was modified for the non-destructive testing of marble sculptures and the feasibility of the approach was evaluated. For this purpose, 1?MHz, 64-channel phased array electronic and phased array transducers were developed. The specifications of the electronics and the transducers are presented and discussed. Ultrasound images of inner structures of a marble sculpture are presented. The problem of the acoustic matching layers for different states of deterioration is discussed and the developments in view of a suitable matching layer solution are presented. This matching layer is combined with a new coupling technique that protects the marble surface. The results of experiments on ultrasound phantoms and on a marble sculpture are presented.     

Memory interval distribution effects in pigeons

Pigeons were trained with two concurrent delayed conditional discriminations that involved different distributions of memory intervals, namely 1 and 5 sec in the “short” and 5 and 10 sec in the “long” distribution. Memory for the initial stimulus was much better after 5 sec in the short distribution than in the long one. The memory functions between the intervals within each distribution were essentially flat. These findings were replicated in a second study that involved differential outcomes; this procedure enhanced memory generally within trials so that memory intervals of 1, 9, and 19 sec could be used, with 9 sec serving as the common memory interval. The findings are interpreted on the basis of the subject’s expectation of the likely duration of the upcoming memory interval and the associated delay of reinforcement.     

Levels of indicator development for education for sustainable development

The article summarizes some considerations about the development of indicators for education for sustainable development (ESD). It reflects the present state of discussion, especially from a German perspective, and includes present developments in the area of quality criteria and standards for ESD. These discussion threads only denote the beginning of a discourse that will eventually lead to a practicable instrument for estimating the progress of ESD. This article shall give suggestions for the systematic development of an indicator system for ESD linking three dimensions: levels of educational systems, key functions of indicators, and key aspects of indicator development.     

The Institute for Science Education (Institut für Didaktik der Naturwissenschaften) in Austria

English

Cognitive Preference (CP) studies in science education have been met with several criticisms. One of these relates to response‐format i.e. the ipsative nature of the scores, another to linguistic factors, in particular the possible causing of preferences for the Q(uestioning)‐mode by matters unrelated to test modes as operationally defined. The present study used a horizontally split‐half method of testing, converting the first half of the 40‐item CP into an all‐Q format, and leaving the other half in its traditional form (recall, principles, questioning and application). Intercorrelations between both parts were thus non‐ipsative. Comparing subjects’ CP‐scores, mode‐intensities and within‐format correlations little or no differences were found. Moreover within and between‐format correlations turned out to be essentially identical. Factor‐ and SSA‐analyses confirmed the identical structures of both formats. It was concluded that ipsativity does not distort CP‐data unduly, neither does the particular linguistic format of Q‐statements cause substantial deviations from CP‐patterns.     

Sicherheit in der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik

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