Big Ideas: A review of astronomy education research 1974–2008

This paper reviews astronomy education research carried out among school students, teachers, and museum visitors over a 35‐year period from 1974 until 2008. One hundred and three peer‐reviewed journal articles were examined, the majority of whose research dealt with conceptions of astronomical phenomena with 40% investigating intervention activities. We used a conceptual framework of “big ideas” in astronomy, five of which accounted for over 80% of the studies: conceptions of the Earth, gravity, the day–night cycle, the seasons, and the Earth–Sun–Moon system. Most of the remaining studies were of stars, the solar system, and the concepts of size and distance. The findings of the review have implications for the future teaching of, and research in, the discipline. Conceptions of the Earth and the day–night cycle are relatively well‐understood, especially by older students, while the Moon phases, the seasons, and gravity are concepts that most people find difficult both to understand and explain. Thoroughly planned interventions are likely to be the most effective way of implementing conceptual change, and such studies have been well‐researched in the past 15 years. Much of this recent research has worked with constructivist theories resulting in methodological and theoretical insights of value to researchers and practitioners in the field. It is recommended that future research should work across the disciplinary boundaries of astronomy education at school and teacher education levels, and aim to disseminate findings more effectively within the education systems.     

Metaphors we’re colonised by? The case of data-driven educational technologies in Brazil

ABSTRACT

This article discusses issues concerning the spread of data-driven educational technologies in Brazil. Here, as elsewhere, educational technology continues to be promoted optimistically as the bearer of a panacea for historically-rooted social problems. Whilst some of these technologies have indeed contributed to important widening-participation programmes in the last two decades, widespread advocacy of technological ‘solutionism’, reflected in gradually stronger policy demands for efficiencies to be improved through ‘innovation’, has supported a relentless marketisation of the country’s educational systems. As transnational corporations position themselves to take control of key areas of these systems, threatening to restructure the whole sector, data-driven educational technologies provide the latest example in a series of ‘new’ ideas offered in an ever-expanding market. Based on the notion of ‘conceptual metaphors’, which encapsulate specific ways of perceiving, thinking and relating with the world, this article examines key metaphors underpinning discourses surrounding data-driven educational technologies in Brazil. In particular, the article analyses ways in which these specific metaphors may be promoting perspectives that ignore difference and obscure broader questions concerning education, thus contributing to the reproduction of previously existing problems and supporting new forms of colonisation.     

两型社会建设中长株潭区域工业旅游发展策略研究

长株潭工业旅游发展是区域两型社会建设的题中之义,然而发展现状并不理想。通过调查分析,长株潭工业旅游资源丰富,但是吸引力不足;市场需求潜力大,但是存在严重的信息不对称;产品开发不足,缺乏品牌形象。针对现状,建议创新长株潭区域工业旅游产品开发,提升游客体验感,推出拳头产品;保证客源信息畅通,为本地游客和外地游客开辟便捷进入通道;区域联动通力展开营销工作,建立长株潭工业旅游网站等。     

先经济、后社会:“温州模式”的另一面

经济先于社会发展,是经济与社会发展的不平衡规律所致,是正常现象。但经济先于社会发展决不是经济的单兵挺进,经济与社会应该相偕而行,社会的发展应与经济的发展相适应,只有实现了这样的适应,经济和社会才能获得再发展。如果不适应,则必定既阻碍经济的发展,也阻碍社会的发展。     

欠发达地区社区教育发展问题探析

随着学习型社区,学习化社会的构建,社区教育越来越受到社会各界的关注,欠发达地区的社区虽然发展的不完善,但也在探索中前进。本文从当下的时代背景出发,研究与探索欠发达地区社区教育发展的时代诉求,发掘欠发达地区社区教育的个性特征,并且针对当下欠发达地区社区教育发展的趋势尝试性提出几点对策建议。     

探析纳博科夫的现实观——以《洛丽塔》为例

纳博科夫是一位独创性的作家,他阐述并践行了一套极具个人特色的现实观：一方面,他坚信“没有事实不成艺术”,同时他又强调“艺术创造着自身的现实”,文学作品是客观现实和主观现实的统一体。作为作家最为钟爱的作品,《洛丽塔》完美阐释了这一现实观：小说描绘并讽刺了以汽车旅馆和消费文化为代表的美国当代社会,也通过想象、文字游戏、戏仿等陌生化手段重构了主观现实,增加了审美快感。     

民办高校服务地方经济社会发展的研究

经过三十多年的发展,我国民办高校已经成为高等教育事业的重要力量。虽然我国高等教育的格局是公办教育与民办教育并存,但是相对于公办高校,民办高校地位低,影响力差。同时,快速变化的社会环境、日趋激烈的高校竞争、高校毕业生的供需错位、生源下降的威胁,都使民办高校面临巨大的挑战。对民办高校而言,树立依托于地方、服务于地方的发展理念,从服务地方经济社会的角度出发,发挥优势,正视不足,根据地方产业、行业的特点进行针对性的人才培养,构建完善的服务地方的理念、机制和措施,才能在激烈的竞争中独树一帜,可持续发展。     

MOOC对高等教育教学模式的影响

大数据时代的到来,为各领域带来了新的数据研究方法,人们开始将数据作为一种基础性资源并注重研究其潜在价值,引导研究从单纯关注因果关系向关注相关关系转变。教育领域大规模开放网络课程的诞生及发展,在产生的海量学习数据的同时,为学习分析及教育数据挖掘提供了研究基础。作为一种新型在线课程资源,MOOC使开放教育从单纯的资源共享转变到课程与教学模式的革新,通过对学习者在线学习过程的追踪和实时分析,实现个体层面的课程定制,对我国高校教学模式改革提供了一定启示。     

运用Big6指导综合实践活动开展中师生的角色分析

随着国内对Big6的介绍逐渐增多，不少教学工作者都在尝试着运用Big6指导具体教学。笔者曾结合实例探讨过运用Big6指导综合实践活动开展的依据、意义及其具体的过程，在此基础上本文对运用Big6指导综合实践活动开展中教师和学生的角色做了较为深入的分析，以供相关教学工作者参考。     

近代中国教育团体与收回教育权运动

以中华教育改进社等三大教育团体在1924年至1927年中国教育界以反对教会教育、收回反国教会学校为主要内容的收回教育权运动中起了积极的作用,对促进当时中国政府制定有关收回外国教会学校的政策直接产生了推动作用。