Concreteness fading in learning secondary school physics concepts

Concreteness fading has been proposed as a general instructional approach to support learning of abstract mathematics and science concepts. Accordingly, organizing external knowledge representations in a three-step concrete-to-idealized sequence should be more beneficial than the reverse, concreteness introduction, sequence. So far, evidence for the benefits of concreteness fading come mainly from studies investigating learning of basic mathematics concepts. Studies on learning natural science concepts are scarce and have not implemented the full three-step-sequence. In an experimental classroom study (N = 70), we compared concreteness fading and concreteness introduction in high school science education about electromagnetic induction using a detailed assessment. Furthermore, we explored whether these sequences differentially affect the use of the different representations during instruction. Both sequences were equally effective and there were no differences in using the representations. We discuss why our results question the proposed advantages of concreteness fading and highlight conceptual differences and learning goals across domains.     

A mixed-methods evaluation of the experience of emerging young adult care partners

There is limited literature on emerging young adult (EYA) care partners, despite a recent rise in interest in this group. The purpose of this study is to compare EYA care partners and their non-care partner peers in the domains of academic achievement and engagement, employment, health-related behaviors and self-care, and mental health and respite, as well as to assess EYA care partners’ burden and potential for positive psychosocial sequelae and life changes as a result of their role. Further, within EYA care partners, we examine the relationship between mental health variables and care partner-relevant variables. Two hundred undergraduates (100 care partners and 100 non-care partners) completed measures of academic achievement and engagement (grade point average and credit load), employment (number of paid positions held and number of hours worked per week), health-related behavior/self-care (visits to the dentist, primary care physician, optometrist, diet healthfulness, exercise, cigarette smoking, and drinks per week) and mental health/respite (depression, anxiety, loneliness, drinking, social support, peer pressure, vacation recency, and frequency). Care partners completed measures of spiritual well-being, burden, meaning, and benefit-finding, as well as provided qualitative feedback on how caregiving changed their lives. EYA care partners and non-care partners did not differ on any variables examined except for the number of jobs held, as EYA care partners held more paid jobs than EYA non-care partners. EYA care partners showed moderate burden and high levels of finding meaning/benefit, the latter of which was supported by the themes that emerged from their qualitative data. Within EYA care partners, we found that depression and anxiety (mental health variables) were significantly related to spiritual well-being, burden, benefit finding, and finding meaning through caregiving (care partner-relevant variables). It is encouraging that the care partner and non-care partner groups were similar in domains critical for this age group, such as academic achievement and engagement.     

多传感器融合定位技术研究进展分析

随着GNSS及计算机技术的不断发展,人们对室内外位置服务的需求不断增加。学校、医院、展厅、写字楼等都需要使用准确的室内外定位信息,特别是在应对紧急情况时,室内定位信息显得尤为重要。本文分析了多传感器融合的室内外定位技术研究进展,提出了基于数据融合的多传感器融合定位平台,以GPS技术为主导,结合WIFI、航位推算等定位技术的方法,通过一定的数据融合算法,增强室内外定位的完备性,为进一步实现室内外无缝定位、智慧地球等提供了参考。     

Natural surface design for sliding mode control with multiple discontinuous inputs

It is well known that sliding mode control is based on the definition of an invariant manifold, where the system dynamics are forced to in a finite time. Such a manifold is somewhat arbitrarily defined, as long as the system dynamics are stable on it. Computational and control effort may vary depending on selected manifold. Obviously, if a system has naturally acceptable stable dynamics around a desired equilibrium point, no control is needed unless uncertainties or disturbances are present. It would be desirable that if such a system had uncertainties or disturbances, the control effort be designed only to overcome the effect of such factors. For a system with first order dynamics and affine control input, designing a sliding mode control overcoming only such uncertainties or disturbances is a trivial task. When a higher order dynamics system is involved, unit control may be used, where the input control signals are not discontinuous, but when only discontinuous control inputs are available, a design approach is not readily available. In this paper, taking advantage of the natural stable dynamics of a system, a sliding mode control approach is introduced for designing multiple discontinuous control inputs, where the control effort overcomes only uncertainties, disturbances or unstable dynamics. Two illustrative examples are given in order to show the feasibility of the method.     

基于多重螺旋协同创新理论的DEA评价模型——以皖江城市带为例

根据三螺旋模型的基本框架、产学研理论和系统动力学构建I-U-G-R-U多螺旋协同创新模型,基于该模型内嵌两阶段链DEA模型和多重螺旋协同创新评价指标体系,并以皖江城市带为例进行科技创新能力评价的实证分析。实证结果表明:I-U-G-R-U多螺旋协同创新模型的测度结果较好;皖江城市带存在显著的科技梯度现象,科技创新没能实现承续性以及存在各要素投入存在不合理等现象。从区域内科技创新来看,皖江城市带内部科技创新效率差异大;从分阶段科技创新来看,皖江城市带将科技创新成果转化为经济产出的效率明显高于将科技创新所需资源利用并转化为科技创新成果的效率。     

How to conduct External Quality Assessment Schemes for the pre-analytical phase?

In laboratory medicine, several studies have described the most frequent errors in the different phases of the total testing process, and a large proportion of these errors occur in the pre-analytical phase. Schemes for registration of errors and subsequent feedback to the participants have been conducted for decades concerning the analytical phase by External Quality Assessment (EQA) organizations operating in most countries. The aim of the paper is to present an overview of different types of EQA schemes for the pre-analytical phase, and give examples of some existing schemes. So far, very few EQA organizations have focused on the pre-analytical phase, and most EQA organizations do not offer pre-analytical EQA schemes (EQAS). It is more difficult to perform and standardize pre-analytical EQAS and also, accreditation bodies do not ask the laboratories for results from such schemes. However, some ongoing EQA programs for the pre-analytical phase do exist, and some examples are given in this paper. The methods used can be divided into three different types; collecting information about pre-analytical laboratory procedures, circulating real samples to collect information about interferences that might affect the measurement procedure, or register actual laboratory errors and relate these to quality indicators. These three types have different focus and different challenges regarding implementation, and a combination of the three is probably necessary to be able to detect and monitor the wide range of errors occurring in the pre-analytical phase.     

Why would medical publishers not incorporate core bioethical values into their Ethics Guidelines?

It is quite universally acknowledged by bioethicists, at least in the western world, that respect for the patients’ autonomy, non-malevolence, beneficence, and justice (also called equity) are four core ethical values in medicine. The Ethics Guidelines of key journals in laboratory medicine are not explicit about the first three of these values, and even implicitly, they seem to miss values of justice. Health equity being one of the main objectives of public health policy across the world, we suggest that values of equity explicitly become part of the Ethics Guidelines of laboratory medicine journals. Biochemia Medica could show the way to other medical publishers by incorporating into its Ethics Guidelines these very important core bioethical values.     

以生为本是开启后进生心灵之门的金钥匙

由于学校比较重视学生的智力发展而忽略了素质教育,导致后进生逐年增多,严重制约着教育教学质量的提高。因此,是否能有效地转化后进生是保证和提高教育教学质量的关键,是学校德育工作的重中之重,这也已成为广大教育工作者的共识。     

人文关怀视野下大学语文课程改革与综合素养的提升

社会经济的高速发展与大学教育的普及化浪潮巩固了大学应用型、实用型学科课程教学的中心地位,而作为人文科学基础学科的大学语文课却没有得到应有的重视。语文课程是当代大学生内在精神发展的动力,也是提升大学生综合素养的基础所在。鉴于人文关怀的缺失是目前大学课程设置中普遍存在的问题,大学语文课程的改革应当立足于学科的人文性目标定位,通过“知、情、行”三者的有机结合,构建充满人文关怀的语文教学模式。     

Implementing the Generalist Model in Practice

Abstract

Through a study of field tasks performed by MSW foundation students, the authors show an empirical relationship to the Gener-alist model of practice. Secondarily, the paper explores whether practice under managed care should be used to inform curriculum or whether standards embedded in curriculum should be used to influence current practice. Implications for student learning in field and classroom are discussed.