¿Es posible entrenar la memoria de trabajo?: un programa para niños de 7–8 años

Resumen

Este estudio analiza si es posible entrenar la memoria de trabajo en niños, puesto que tendría importantes aplicaciones en el rendimiento escolar. En la primera fase se administraron nueve pruebas de memoria de trabajo a una muestra de 50 niños de 7–8 años. En la segunda fase la muestra se dividió en dos subgrupos de 25 niños: el grupo experimental recibió un programa de entrenamiento, y el resto formaron el grupo control. Al finalizar se administraron de nuevo las nueve pruebas a todos los niños. Los resultados indican que aunque todos mejoran su memoria de trabajo, los niños del grupo experimental presentan incrementos estadísticamente significativos. Estos resultados permiten concluir que es posible entrenar este sistema de memoria en niños.     

Why Is Performance on Multiple‐Choice Tests and Constructed‐Response Tests Not More Closely Related? Theory and an Empirical Test*

Both professional certification and academic tests rely heavily on multiple‐choice questions, despite the widespread belief that alternate, constructed‐response questions are superior measures of a test taker's understanding of the underlying material. Empirically, the search for a link between these two assessment metrics has met with limited success, leading some researchers to conclude that the relationship is close and others to conclude that no relationship exists at all. The authors suggest that “knowledge level” may play a key role in explaining this disparity in findings. This article outlines the theory for such a concept, and investigates the possibility using 172 carefully constructed tests in several entry‐level programming classes. The article also discusses several caveats that suggest the usefulness of yet further research in the area.     

应试教育的危害、风源、及其治理思路

教育问题与农业问题同样重要与严峻,教育问题的重要性和严重性丝毫不亚于农业,教育不仅关乎千家万户,而且关乎国家的命运与前途。当前基础教育存在的突出问题是:学生负担过重,为升学而竞争,素质教育难以推行,应试教育愈演愈烈且危害甚大。究其原因固然是多方面的,其中高考指挥棒造成的负面影响是应试教育盛行的根源。为解决以上问题,提出一些思路与建议。     

试论女性意识在近三十年汉语女性诗歌中的嬗变

从上世纪70年代末文学的"新崛起"到今天,中国的女性诗歌在数量和质量上都发生了巨大的变化。以20世纪90年代为界,将女性诗歌分前、后两个时期,通过对每个时期汉语女性诗歌的个案细读来阐述女性意识在女性诗歌中的演变过程以及女性意识作为一种意识形态是如何影响着女性诗歌的写作意识和语言策略。     

PISA非连续性文本阅读题对中高考同类试题设计的启示

中高考语文试卷中的“图文组合材料”题是常见的非连续性文本阅读题,这类试题的命题思路和命题技术已相对成熟,但也存在明显不足。本文以PISA阅读测试和中高考卷中的非连续性文本阅读题为例,剖析其异同,探讨PISA试题对中高考非连续性文本阅读题设计的启示。     

An analytical study of polypropylene as a support for paint layers. From concept to material in contemporary art

The artist Jordi Teixidor is one of the leading exponents of twentieth century Spanish abstract art. In recent years, he has used a synthetic polymer as a support for his art work, namely polypropylene. The behaviour of this material in combination with layers of oil paint has not been studied until now. One of the objectives of this study was to chemically characterise the material present in Jordi Teixidor's work, using FT-IR spectroscopy, in order to be able to examine the behaviour of this set of materials after undergoing cycles of accelerated aging. After subjecting the samples to temperature and relative humidity cycles and ultraviolet radiation, their physico-mechanical behaviour was determined via tensile and bend tests, with the results being processed further by means of spectroscopic techniques and colour measurements. It was found that the possible migration of the additives present in the PP support and the gradual degradation of the materials could affect the adherence between the paint layers in the future.     

‘Absent fathers’, and children’s social and emotional learning: an exploration of the perceptions of ‘positive male role models’ in the primary school sector

This paper focuses on the testimonies of three male primary school staff members who utilised social and emotional learning (SEL) in their everyday practice within their respective schools. The data, collected through individual interviews, illustrate how these three men interpreted SEL, and their role in the development of children’s social, emotional and behavioural (SEB) skills, in response to their perceptions of pupils’ home-life. In particular, the sample identified the children’s fathers’ perceived ability/inability as a main cause of pupils’ SEB deficiencies. Consequently, the three male staff members maintained that in order to advocate and encourage alternative, appropriate behaviours, they should act as ‘replacement fathers’ and become ‘role models’. The findings contribute to existing debates relating to the notion of ‘positive male role models’ in primary schools and the propensity for staff to engage in parental blame. The implications of these findings are discussed, and suggestions that call for a more democratic and cooperative exchange of knowledge between parents and teachers are made.     

The meaning of pain during the process of embodiment: a case study of trainee modern dancers' experiences of pain

A large number of sociologists have adopted the notion of the embodied subject to escape the trappings of the rational choice theory in sociological analysis. From a phenomenological perspective, the notion of an embodied subject refers to a subject who is in unity with the world. In this paper, I will present my ethnographic study of a group of trainee dancers preparing to embody the world of modern dance. I will present my study of their training experiences as a case of subjects striving to embody a world other than the one they already embody. I observed that pain formed the core part of trainee dancers’ daily experiences. Following Leder's theory of the ‘absent body’ and Bourdieu's conception of the ‘modern social world’, I interpreted trainee dancers’ experiences of pain with respect to the historically shaped collective expectations of the world of modern dance. I argue that their experiences of pain indicate how far along they are in the process of their embodiment of the world of modern dance. As they experience a decrease in the intensity of pain during their training, trainees become closer to embodying the world of modern dance.     

Statistical methods for analysing discrete and categorical data recorded in performance analysis

In this paper, we identify appropriate statistical methods for analysing categorical differences in discrete variables or 'performance indicators' resulting from performance analysis. The random mechanisms associated with discrete events do not follow a normal distribution; that is, the normal distribution is a continuous not a discrete probability distribution. We propose appropriate statistical methods based on two key discrete probability distributions, the Poisson and binomial distributions. Two approaches are proposed and compared using examples from notational analysis. The first approach is based on the classic chi-square test of significance (both the goodness-of-fit test and the test of independence). The second approach adopts a more contemporary method based on log-linear and logit models fitted using the statistical software GLIM. Provided relatively simple one-way and two-way comparisons in categorical data are required, both of these approaches result in very similar conclusions. However, as soon as more complex models or higher-order comparisons are required, the approach based on log-linear and logit models is shown to be more effective. Indeed, when investigating those factors and categorical differences associated with binomial or binary response variables, such as the proportion of winners when attempting decisive shots in squash or the proportion of goals scored from all shots in association football, logit models become the only realistic method available. By applying log-linear and logit models to discrete events resulting from notational analysis, greater insight into the underlying mechanisms associated with sport performance can be achieved.     

“测验连接”概念框架演变述评

测验连接是心理与教育测量研究中一个重要的领域,是通过统计方法将一个测验的分数以另一个测验的分数单位表示,或者将两个测验的分数表示在共同的分数量尺上。虽然测验连接有较长的研究历史,但是不同学者对其有不同分类。其中有些分类术语别无二致,但其定义却大相径庭,这使研究者和实践者产生了极大混乱。鉴于此,有必要从历史的角度梳理连接的概念框架及其变化,以便更好地理解和应用测验连接。