Perceptions and Practices: Biology graduate teaching assistants’ framing of a controversial socioscientific issue

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are gaining increasing responsibility for the instruction of undergraduate science students, yet little is known about their beliefs about science pedagogy or subsequent classroom practices. This study looked at six GTAs who were primary instructors in an introductory biology laboratory course. Teaching assistants taught a lesson about the potential social, health, and environmental impacts of genetically modified crops. Through classroom observations and in‐depth interviews, the researchers examined how instructors chose to frame their lessons and what GTAs perceived as important for students to know about this particular socioscientific issue (SSI). Results showed a disconnect between the relatively mature conceptualizations of effective SSI instruction that emerged during interviews and classroom practice.     

Group composition and National Curriculum assessment at seven years

This paper presents the initial findings of a long-term study to examine whether the introduction of compulsory school science for pupils in UK schools in 1991 is effective in raising the general level of scientific literacy. The use of the term 'scientific literacy' in the literature is considered and a definition of the term as it is applied in this study is offered. The scientific literacy level of two groups of initial teacher training studentswith contrasting experiences of school sciencewas compared. Students completed a simple science test that had been originally written for 11-year-old children. The average test score of students who had experienced compulsory school science from the ages of 11 to 16 was found to be significantly higher (p = 0.014) than that of students for whom school science was optional at secondary level. The study also highlights specific areas of conceptual difficulty in basic science experienced by almost all of the students tested. Test questions relating to the circulatory system, light and sound produced very low scores from almost all students, regardless of their science background. The paper considers the implications of these findings for science teachers and policymakers in both the primary and secondary sectors.     

Relationships between student scientific epistemological beliefs and perceptions of constructivist learning environments

This study was conducted to explore the interplay between students’ scientific epistemological beliefs and their perceptions of constructivist learning environments. Through analysing 1,176 Taiwanese tenth-graders’ (16-year-olds) questionnaire responses, this study found that students tended to perceive that actual learning environments were less constructivist orientated than what they preferred. Students having epistemological beliefs more orientated to constructivist views of science (as opposed to empiricist views about science) tended to have a view that actual learning environments did not provide sufficient opportunities for social negotiations (p < 0.01) and prior knowledge integration (p < 0.01); and moreover, they show significantly stronger preferences to learn in the constructivist learning environments where they could (1) interact and negotiate meanings with others (p < 0.001), (2) integrate their prior knowledge and experiences with newly constructed knowledge (p < 0.001) and (3) meaningfully control their learning activities (p < 0.001). The main thrust of the findings drawn from this study indicates that teachers need to be very aware of students’ epistemological orientation towards scientific knowledge, and to complement these preferences when designing learning experiences, especially to provide constructivist-based lessons to enhance science learning for students who are epistemologically constructivist orientated.     

侨批元数据方案的设计和实现

侨批是一种特殊的文献类型,其元数据规范的制定是侨批数据库建设的基础。制定侨批元数据规范的总体思路是基于DC核心元数据,并考虑到侨批自身的特点和读者检索习惯。本规范的制定是在专门元数据规范制定的原则基础上,经过侨批文献分析、属性特征提炼、规范控制、著录实践等一系列过程,除根据侨批自身特点扩展个性元素外,还对复用的部分DC元数据进行一些特殊的处理。     

面向知识评价的规范文档建设方法

学术论文是主要的知识载体之一,通过对评价要素和角度的分析,提出知识评价对学术论文数据的著录要求;对比资源组织工作,提出面向知识评价的规范文档的独特性;介绍中国科技信息研究所在此方面的实践探索,给出规范文档建设的实例;最后预测规范文档的建设和应用前景。     

论李先念对科学发展观的理论贡献

李先念在参与、领导社会主义建设和改革开放实践中,提出了以人民的利益为根本出发点、国民经济协调发展、重视农业、立足自力更生,搞好对外开放、控制人口、节约资源、保护环境等理论观点,为科学发展观的形成作出了卓越的贡献。     

创新是保持高职院校协调可持续发展的基础

经济和社会发展模式的转型对高职院校提出了新的要求,创新是保持高职院校可持续协调发展的主要途径。观念、体制和机制以及方法和技术上的创新是高职院校创新工作的主要内容,环境和政策支持是创新成功的保障。     

科学发展观与成人教育创新

教育创新是我国成人教育推动经济社会发展最核心的实践活动。在新形势下,成人教育要实现以“全面发展的人”促进“人的全面发展”,进而推进社会经济全面发展的改革目标,最根本的途径就是把“科学发展观”这个具有突破性的发展理念贯穿于教育创新实践全过程,落实到教育创新实践的各个环节之中,全面提高成人教育创新能力。     

科技期刊广告经营的认识误区——以《食品与机械》为例

广告经营已成为众多科技期刊的日常工作重心。结合《食品与机械》杂志的广告经营实践,指出科技期刊广告经营的误区,指出应如何正确认识科技期刊广告经营工作及值得注意的几个问题。     

高校科学发展中的几个重大问题

贯彻落实科学发展观,推进高校科学发展,需要深入研究办学理念、高校意识形态工作、跨越式发展、创新人才培养、高等教育质量、人才队伍、现代大学制度、服务社会、高校德育创新、高等职业教育,坚持质量优先,以内涵发展为主,把工作重点放在提高教学科研水平上,着力打造高校核心竞争力。