Models and Paradigms in Kuhn and Halloun

In Modeling Theory in Science Education, Halloun (2004) adopts the word ‘paradigm’, but his use of the term is radically different from that of Kuhn. In this paper, I explore some of the differences between Kuhn’s paradigms and Halloun’s paradigms. Where Kuhn’s paradigms are public, community-defining exemplars of practice, Halloun’s paradigms are private, individualized ways of thinking. Where Kuhn writes of the paradigm shift as a revolutionary, vision-altering conversion experience, Halloun writes of a gradual evolution from one way of thinking to another and an easy back-and-forth switch between paradigms. Since Kuhn’s paradigms are self-enclosed and incommensurable, there is no objective standard by which one paradigm can be shown to be superior to the other. But Halloun uses ‘viability’ as a standard for paradigm choice. Underlying all of this is the more basic question of whether the history of science is an appropriate metaphor for student progress in the classroom. I conclude with some brief thoughts on this question.     

An efficient method for tracing planar implicit curves

INTRODUCTION Tracing a planar implicit curve f(x, y)=0 on a rectangular region [xl, xr]×[yb, yt] is of great interest in Computer-Aided Design and Computer Graphics. While parametric curves are easy to plot, plotting implicit curves is a challenging problem. Planar im- plicit curve plotting method can be classified into two categories (Shou et al., 2005; Martin et al., 2002; Lopes et al., 2002). In the first category are subdivi- sion methods (Shou et al., 2005; Martin et al., 2002) …     

电流变液阻尼器密封装置的设计

电流变液阻尼器的密封是阻尼器设计中的关键技术,该文利用在流体机械中的应用较多的螺旋密封,并对其作用原理和设计方法进行研究和论证;通过Matlab优化工具箱软件进行参数的最优化,从而得到一种对各种参数均进行优化的完整方案。     

催化剂研究中的分散阈值参数

分散阈值的大小与活性组分和载体相互作用有关，是催化剂研究中的一个重要实验参数，分散阈值的测定不仅为单层分散原理广泛的应用奠定了实验基础，亦为催化剂的研制提供一种定量研究手段     

The Misspecification of the Covariance Structures in Multilevel Models for Single-Case Data: A Monte Carlo Simulation Study

The impact of misspecifying covariance matrices at the second and third levels of the three-level model is evaluated. Results indicate that ignoring existing covariance has no effect on the treatment effect estimate. In addition, the between-case variance estimates are unbiased when covariance is either modeled or ignored. If the research interest lies in the between-study variance estimate, including at least 30 studies is warranted. Modeling covariance does not result in less biased between-study variance estimates as the between-study covariance estimate is biased. When the research interest lies in the between-case covariance, the model including covariance results in unbiased between-case variance estimates. The three-level model appears to be less appropriate for estimating between-study variance if fewer than 30 studies are included.     

Crossbreeding parameters for fertility traits in a rotational crossbreeding between Landrace and Piétrain pigs

The reproduction characteristics of 343 sows in six different breeding groups were analyzed to estimate the crossbreeding parameters. The results indicated that the ovulation rate and the weights of uterus and ovary are mainly determined by the additive genetic effects while the nonadditive genetic effects play an important role in embryonal traits and litter performance. The heterosis effects in the first litter are larger than those in the second litter because of heterosis x environment interaction. The results also showed the existence of a highly significant maternal heterosis effect on the fertility traits of sows.     

Comparing Student Performance and Growth in 2- and 4-Year Institutions

This study examines the organizational characteristics of 51 higher education institutions in relationship to student performance and growth. The study first finds that organizational measures of mission, size, wealth, complexity, and selectivity are statistically represented by the 2-year versus 4-year college mission. Findings indicate that 2-year and 4-year campuses indeed do exert significantly different influences on undergraduate GPA and self-reported intellectual growth. Next, the study uses both OLS regression and HLM to examine these influences. High school percentile rank and college classroom experiences are better predictors of Cum GPA at 4-year institutions, while student effort is a better predictor of GPA at 2-year institutions. Whereas the most important predictors of Cum GPA include precollege measures such as high school percentile rank and SAT score, the most influential predictors of student intellectual growth are campus experiences including classroom vitality, peer support, student effort, commitment, and involvement. Controlling for all other variables, students at 2-year institutions receive higher grades, and students at 4-year campuses experience more growth.     

Modeling the influences of upper-elementary school students’ digital reading literacy,socioeconomic factors,and self-regulated learning strategies

Background: Reading is an interactive and constructive process of making meaning by engaging a variety of materials and sources and by participating in reading communities at school or in daily life.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors affecting digital reading literacy among upper-elementary school students.

Method: A 3-stage stratified cluster sampling was implemented that resulted in a sample of 592 upper-elementary students from 29 classes in 7 schools. Self-Regulated Learning Strategies Assessment (S-RLSA), Digital Reading Literacy Assessment (DRLA), and student reports of their parents’ education backgrounds were used to collect data on the outcome and predictor variables. Interpretation of these data involved two highly regarded statistical techniques. First, structural equation modeling was used to explore relationships amongst the constructs. Second, multi-group invariance (MI) analyses were used to assess the influence of parental education and self-regulated learning strategies on students’ digital reading literacy.

Results: Enriching students’ family learning resources and strengthening their self-regulated learning abilities could have very important influences on promoting upper-elementary school students' digital reading literacy -webpage information retrieval, reading and communication abilities.

Conclusions: This study also provides information on how teachers can address student resources to improve digital reading literacy and self-regulated strategies.     

Boundary control of a linear distributed parameter bioprocess

This paper is concerned with boundary control of a linear distributed parameter bioprocess. Huang's result (Ann. Differential Equations 1(1) (1985) 43) on the spectrum determined growth assumption is applied to prove that the closed-loop system becomes exponentially stable under a certain condition with respect to the feedback gain. Moreover, it is shown that the decay rate of the open-loop system is given by letting the feedback gain tend to zero.     

BIM在建设工程项目中的创新价值初探

对BIM国际前沿文献进行跟踪研究,梳理BIM在建设工程项目中的主要应用模式。在分析建设工程创新特性的基础上,指出BIM为建设工程项目各参与组织构建了合作创新的工作环境。依据建设工程创新类别,分析BIM应用模式的创新定位,探索BIM在建设工程创新中的价值。