Teaching one thing at a time or several things together? – teachers changing their way of handling the object of learning by being engaged in a theory-based professional learning community in mathematics and science

Twelve lower secondary schoolteachers in mathematics and science were asked to teach a topic of their choice during a lesson that was video-recorded. We were able to analyse 10 of the cases and we found that all of them were similar in one respect: concepts and principles were introduced one at a time, each one followed by examples of the concept or principle in question, apparently to highlight its essential meaning. All the teachers participated in three modified lesson studies with three cycles in four different groups during three semesters. The modified lesson studies were built on a theoretical idea supported by a large number of recent studies. The theory states that new meanings (of concepts and principles, for instance) are learned through engaging with instances of contrasting concepts and principles. The core idea is that new meanings derive from differences, not from sameness. After the three modified lesson studies, the teachers were asked to once again teach the same topic as in the recorded lessons before the lesson studies. The new lessons were also recorded and the analysis showed that there was one thing in common in all cases: all of the 10 teachers dealt with the relevant concepts and principles in relation to each other (i.e. simultaneously) and not one at a time. By thus bringing out the differences between them, their meaning was made possible to grasp for the students. The study lends support to the conjecture that the modified lesson study is a powerful tool for enabling teachers to structure the content of their teaching in accordance with a principle that is more powerful in making learning possible, even if this contradicts their taken-for-granted practice.     

“港式中文”与语言变体

"港式中文",是社会变体、地域变体和功能变体的综合体.它以标准汉语为基础,同时又长期而且多方位地受到粤方言、英语和文言文的影响,具有鲜明的香港特色,是属于一种过渡性质的中间书面语.讨论"港式中文"形成的原因、性质和特点,对探索共同语、方言以及外语的交融和影响,探索口语对书面语的影响和渗透,探索语言变体的形成,都具有重要的意义.     

Origins of the Gender Gap: Pre-College and College Influences on Differences Between Men and Women

This study examines differences between women and men on 19 outcomes of college and assesses the extent to which those differences are attributable to gender gaps that existed prior to college or to men’s and women’s differential college experiences. The data are drawn from a national longitudinal sample of students (N = 17,637) attending 204 four-year colleges and universities who were surveyed upon entry to college in 1994 and four years later in 1998. Among the 19 outcomes, 5 revealed gender differences that could be accounted for by pre-college variables alone, 2 demonstrated gender differences that were attributable to a combination of pre-college and college variables, and 12 produced gender gaps that were significant despite all control variables. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Institutional Research, San Diego, CA, May 2005.     

Gender ratios in high school science departments: The effect of percent female faculty on multiple dimensions of students' science identities

To examine how school characteristics are tied to science and engineering views and aspirations of students who are underrepresented in science and engineering fields, this mixed‐methods study explores relationships between aspects of students' science identities, and the representation of women among high school science teachers. Quantitative analyses tested the hypothesis that percent female faculty would have a positive effect on girls' science interests, and perceptions in particular, given the potentially greater availability of women role models. Findings indicate that percent female science faculty does not have an effect on a range of science measures for both male and female students, including the ways in which they understand scientific practice, their science self‐concept, and their interest in science‐related college majors. As qualitative data demonstrate, this could reflect practical constraints at schools where female faculty are concentrated and narrow perceptions of science teachers and “real” science. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 980–1009, 2007     

An Australian study of graduate outcomes for disadvantaged students

Whether or not disadvantaged students are realising the same benefits from higher education as their peers is of fundamental importance to equity practitioners and policymakers. Despite this, equity policy has focused on access to higher education and little attention has been paid to graduate outcomes. The Australian study reported here used national data to investigate relationships between disadvantage and graduate outcomes. The study provides critical insights into how access to higher education does, or does not, lead to improvements in post-graduation equity. The study reveals that outcomes are not equal for all students and that higher education disadvantage persists for many students after they have completed their studies. Whilst the specific findings relate to the Australian university sector the broader discussion of the article is relevant to higher education policy more generally, especially in terms of how governments align institutional processes to measure and scrutinise achievement in relation to public policy objectives.     

基于技能大赛的会计专业职业能力培养成效省际差异研究

依据历届全国职业院校技能大赛会计技能大赛奖项的省际分布结果,分析我国会计专业职业能力培养成效的省际差异,发现我国高职院校会计专业职业能力培养成效省际不均衡特征十分明显,呈现明显的“东中部强、西北部弱”的特征,同时居于头部的省份间竞争十分激烈;省内院校间的不均衡性更加严峻,绝大多数省份长期由一所院校独占鳌头。据此提出要充分发挥会计技能大赛“以赛促教”“以赛促学”“以赛提效”的职能,通过“师资交流”“教学示范”“经验分享”等手段,最终实现全省到全国的所有职业院校职业能力培养成效的整体提升。     

Trajectories of self-perceived math ability,utility value and interest across middle school as predictors of high school math performance

Although many studies have documented developmental change in mathematics motivation, little is known about how these trends predict math performance. A sample of 288 participants from the United States reported their perceived math ability, math utility value and math interest in 5th, 7th and 9th grades. Latent growth curve models estimated developmental trajectories in each of these constructs. Mathematics interest and utility value decreased across time, but there was no significant change in self-perceived math ability. Slopes and intercepts of all mathematics motivation variables correlated with one another. Even when controlling for prior mathematics performance, students who self-reported high math ability in 5th grade had higher standardised test scores than their peers in high school five years later. Neither math utility value nor math interest intercepts or slopes predicted later performance. Understanding the predictors of math performance is important for supporting students’ success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.     

注入男/女主体性灵的并蒂莲--杨骚、白薇剧作审美内涵的性别差异

在20世纪20、30年代中国文坛上，杨骚和白薇是一对卓有成就的情侣剧作家。他们的剧作有着惊人的相似。但由于他们的整个创作中潜藏着一股充满性别差异的强烈的情绪流，他们剧作的审美内涵呈现出迥异的特点。杨骚和白薇剧作的审美内涵的衍变，蕴含了一个重要的命题，给整个现代戏剧史乃至现代文学史提供了不可多得的“个案”。     

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.     

高职院校女性课程建设及其对女大学生成才的特殊意义

在高等学校的教育教学实践中，贯彻“因性施教”的原则，是培养和造就高质量、高素质女性人才的重要课题。文章结合高职院校的实际，论述了女性教育特色课程的结构及内容，探究了女性课程建设的途径和方法，并着重从五个方面评析了女性课程建设对女大学生成长成才及未来职业生涯的特殊意义。