Consensus formation in science modeled by aggregated bibliographic coupling

The level of consensus in science has traditionally been measured by a number of different methods. The variety is important as each method measures different aspects of science and consensus. Citation analytical studies have previously measured the level of consensus using the scientific journal as their unit of analysis. To produce a more fine grained citation analysis one needs to study consensus formation on an even more detailed level – i.e. the scientific document or article. To do so, we have developed a new technique that measures consensus by aggregated bibliographic couplings (ABC) between documents. The advantages of the ABC-technique are demonstrated in a study of two selected disciplines in which the levels of consensus are measured using the proposed technique.     

The Working Situation of Elementary School Teachers Explored Through Diaries

Elklit, A. & Friis, T. 1979. The Working Situation of Elementary School Teachers Explored through Diaries. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 23, 65‐77. In this pilot study the daily work flows of Danish elementary school teachers were examined through regularly made self‐registrations with diaries. Although rarely used, this method seems to be very reliable in giving exact information concerning work conditions and priorities. The workload of the teachers was found to be considerable, and the working situation was characterized by many adjustments to qualitatively new conditions. Regular teaching and planning alone were the most extensive activities, while activities central in the new curriculum ‐ social‐emotional development, counselling, planning with pupils ‐ had a modest position. The co‐operation with other resource persons connected with the schools was sporadic. A remarkable difference in total worktime between teachers from different schools suggests the importance of local organizational conditions.     

The effects of open access on un-published documents: A case study of economics working papers

The use of scholarly publications that have not been formally published in e.g. journals is widespread in some fields. In the past they have been disseminated through various channels of informal communication. However, the Internet has enabled dissemination of these un-published and often unrefereed publications to a much wider audience. This is particularly interesting seen in relation to the highly disputed open access advantage as the potential advantage for low visibility publications has not been given much attention in the literature. The present study examines the role of working papers in economics during a 10-year period (1996–2005). It shows that working papers are increasingly becoming visible in the field specific databases. The impact of working papers is relatively low; however, high impact working paper series have citation rate levels similar to the low impact journals in the field. There is no tendency to an increase in impact during the 10 years which is the case for the high impact journals. Consequently, the result of this study does not provide evidence of an open access advantage for working papers in economics.     

FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS: CENSORSHIP AND THE THIRD-PERSON EFFECT

The third person effect hypothesis, which states that individualsexposed to a mass media messaage will expect the communicationto have a greater effect on others than on themselves, may helpto explain the growing trend in support of media censorship.It is suggested here that overestimating the effect of mediaon others may play an important role in the forces underlyinga willingness to restrict various types of communication. Toexamine this relationship, this study focused on the discrepancybetween perceived media effects on others and self, and itsrelation to pro-censorship attitudes within three major topics:the media in general, violence on television, and pornography.The results of this study support the existence of the third-personeffect in mass communication. The findings also indicate thatas the gap between perceived firstand third-person effects increases,individuals are more likely to manifest pro-censorship attitudes.This relationship remained for all three topics even when avariety of potentially confounding demographic, media use, andattitudinal variables were controlled. The data also suggestthat for pornography the effects gap is related to a willingnessto act in favor of censoring.     

Reflection as a core student learning activity in higher education - Insights from nearly two decades of academic development

ABSTRACT

Experiential learning (EL) has great potential to prepare students to work on interdisciplinary and global challenges across traditional boundaries, as well as support them in the development of reflective skills. In this study, we explore reflection as a central element for EL in the university wide interdisciplinary course Experts in Teamwork (EiT). Based upon 17 years of experience with the development of EiT, perspectives from the literature, and critically analyzing current practices, we describe two key findings from this ongoing exploration: the need to develop a framework for such a course and the need for training of teaching staff.     

When precedence sets a bad example for reform: conceptions and reliability of a questionable high stakes assessment practice in Norwegian universities

The validity of the Norwegian university grading standard has been called into serious question. The implicit standards used for assessing exams and the reliability of that understanding among examiners and psychology students were investigated in three studies. Studies 1 and 2 investigated the implicit standards that examiners used when assessing exams and the implicit standards that students presume examiners use in that process. Study 3 investigated how reliable expert examiners’ assessments actually are. The validity of the grading standards is challenged by findings that indicate that examiners and students shared similar but not identical conceptions of them, and tests of grader reliability revealed significant variance at critical thresholds. The findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to educational reforms currently going on in Norwegian higher education. The human cost of not completely reforming past practices is highlighted, and six concrete improvements are suggested.     

Differentiated instruction in a data-based decision-making context

In this study, the relationship between differentiated instruction, as an element of data-based decision making, and student achievement was examined. Classroom observations (n = 144) were used to measure teachers’ differentiated instruction practices and to predict the mathematical achievement of 2nd- and 5th-grade students (n = 953). The analysis of classroom observation data was based on a combination of generalizability theory and item response theory, and student achievement effects were determined by means of multilevel analysis. No significant positive effects were found for differentiated instruction practices. Furthermore, findings showed that students in low-ability groups profited less from differentiated instruction than students in average or high-ability groups. Nevertheless, the findings, data collection, and data-analysis procedures of this study contribute to the study of classroom observation and the measurement of differentiated instruction.     

Minority workers or minority human beings? A European dilemma

European identities may be politonymic, toponymic, ethnomyic or linguonymic (Bromley 1984). Each dimension may affect whether migrant minorities are treated as European, and influence their schooling, integration and rights. Treatment and terminology vary in different states and periods of migration. However, the position for immigrated minorities is that they are still largely seen as workers rather than human beings with equal rights. Lack of success in schools is blamed on the migrants themselves rather than the educational system. This construction of migrants as being deficient is parallel to educational practice which falls within a UN definition of linguistic genocide, and contributes to mis-education. If current efforts in international bodies to codify educational linguistic human rights were to lead to greater support for minorities, this could assist in a redefinition of national identities and a reduction of racism and conflict.

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Zusammenfassung Europäische Identitäten können politonym, toponym, ethnonym oder linguonym sein (Bromely 1984). Jede Gruppe kann darauf Einfluß haben, ob Migrantenminderheiten als Europäer behandelt werden und Schulwesen, Integration und Rechte respektiert werden. Noch werden immigrierte Minderheiten jedoch weitgehend als Arbeiter und nicht als Menschen mit gleichen Rechten angesehen. Schulische Mißerfolge werden eher ihnen selbst als dem Bildungssystem angelastet. Diese Darstellung von Migranten als defizitär entspricht derjenigen Handlungsweise im Bildungsbereich, welche unter die Kategorie des linguistischen Genozids definiert wird und welche zu einer mis-education beiträgt. Wenn gegenwärtige Bemühungen internationaler Gremien um die Kodifizierung der Rechte der Menschen auf ihre Sprache Minderheiten unterstützen, könnte dies zu einer Umdefinition nationaler Identitäten und einer Reduzierung von Rassismus und Konflikten führen.

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Resumen Las identidades de los Europeos pueden ser politonímicas, toponímicas, etnomímicas o linguonímicas (Bromley 1984). Cada una de estas dimensiones puede influir en que minorías de inmigrantes scan tratadas de Europeos y con ello en su educación escolar, en su integración y en sus derechos. El tratamiento y la terminología varían conforme a los períodos y las circunstancias de la inmigración. No obstante, la posición que se adopta frente a las minorías inmigrantes es la de considerarlos en gran medida como trabajadores y no tanto como seres humanos de iguales derechos. La falta de éxito en los estudios se atribuye a los inmigrantes mismos, más que al sistema de educación. Esta consideración de los inmigrantes como inferiores es paralela a una práctica de la educación que cae bajo una definición de la Naciones Unidas de genocidio lingüístico y contribuye a la educación deficiente. Si los esfuerzos actuales que las organizaciones internacionales ponen en codificar los derechos humanos lingüísticos de la educación estuvieran destinados a brindar un mayor apoyo a las minorías, esto podría ayudar a definir con mayor precisión las identidades nacionales y a reducir el racismo y los conflictos.

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Résumé Les identités européennes peuvent être politonymiques, toponymiques, ethnonymiques ou linguonymiques (Bromley 1984). Selon leurs affinités avec chacun de ces domaines, les personnes appartenant aux minorités migrantes sont considérées ou non comme européennes, et cela influence leur scolarité, leur intégration et leurs droits. La façon dont ces personnes sont traitées et la terminologie évoluent selon les différentes étapes et périodes de migration. Mais le plus souvent, les minorités immigrantes sont encore davantage considérées comme des travailleurs que comme des personnes bénéficiant des mêmes droits. Les échecs scolaires sont mis sur le compte des migrants eux-mêmes et non sur celui du système éducatif. Le fait que l'on considère les migrants comme inférieurs se reflète dans une pratique éducative que les Nations Unies appellent génocide linguistique et se traduit par une éducation inadéquate. Si les efforts actuels de la part des institutions internationales pour codifier les droits de l'homme en matière de pédagogie linguistique apportaient un plus grand soutien aux minorités, cela contribuerait à donner une rédéfinition des identités nationales et à réduire le racisme et les conflits.

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Dewey and mathematical practice: revisiting the distinction between procedural and conceptual knowledge

We identify a recent trend in school mathematics as well as in some of the research literature in mathematics education: an emphasis on the practical uses of mathematics and an increased emphasis on verbalizations as opposed to numerical and computational skills. With tools provided by John Dewey, an early advocate of contextual and practical knowledge, we analyse the common research framework for discussing mathematical knowledge in terms of the procedural and the conceptual. We argue that procedural and conceptual knowledge should not be seen as opposites, and that the tendency to treat them as such might be avoided by emphasising the notion of operational skill. We argue that this is important in order for the students to gain both the contextual knowledge and the computational skill entailed in mathematical knowledge.