The effects of different types of text and individual differences on view complexity about genetically modified organisms

ABSTRACT

View change about socio-scientific issues has been well studied in the literature, but the change in the complexity of those views has not. In the current study, the change in the complexity of views about a specific scientific topic (i.e. genetically modified organisms; GMOs) and use of evidence in explaining those views was examined in relation to individual factors and type of text (informational, persuasive, or narrative). Undergraduate students completed measures of their prior views about GMOs their epistemic beliefs about the nature of science, and activities related to food consumption. Participants then read either an informational, persuasive, or narrative passage about GMOs and again answered a question related to their views about GMOs. Participants who read the persuasive passage decreased in the complexity of their views, while those who read the narrative and expository passage increased in the complexity of their views. Additionally, while cultural activities related to the complexity of individuals’ views during the pretest, these significant differences were not evident at posttest after the text intervention. These findings can be used to help scientists and teachers better understand how to communicate information critical to understanding complex science and environmental issues to the public and their students.     

Representational Classroom Practices that Contribute to Students’ Conceptual and Representational Understanding of Chemical Bonding

Understanding bonding is fundamental to success in chemistry. A number of alternative conceptions related to chemical bonding have been reported in the literature. Research suggests that many alternative conceptions held by chemistry students result from previous teaching; if teachers are explicit in the use of representations and explain their content-specific forms and functions, this might be avoided. The development of an understanding of and ability to use multiple representations is crucial to students’ understanding of chemical bonding. This paper draws on data from a larger study involving two Year 11 chemistry classes (n = 27, n = 22). It explores the contribution of explicit instruction about multiple representations to students’ understanding and representation of chemical bonding. The instructional strategies were documented using audio-recordings and the teacher-researcher’s reflection journal. Pre-test–post-test comparisons showed an improvement in conceptual understanding and representational competence. Analysis of the students’ texts provided further evidence of the students’ ability to use multiple representations to explain macroscopic phenomena on the molecular level. The findings suggest that explicit instruction about representational form and function contributes to the enhancement of representational competence and conceptual understanding of bonding in chemistry. However, the scaffolding strategies employed by the teacher play an important role in the learning process. This research has implications for professional development enhancing teachers’ approaches to these aspects of instruction around chemical bonding.     

Exploring the policy implementation paradox: using the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (fCUBE) policy in Ghana as an exemplar

This paper uses the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (fCUBE) policy implementation in Ghana as an exemplar to explore the apparent disjuncture between policy intentions in theory and outcomes of implementation tasks in practice. Through the critical discourse analysis of a range of policy documents complemented by the analysis of interviews with Ghanaian education officials, the paper investigates the extent to which the ‘free’, ‘compulsory’, ‘universal’ and ‘basic education’ components claimed in the fCUBE policy title are reflected in the implementation process. Owing to its commitment to enhancing the educational opportunities and outcomes of the educationally disadvantaged, the fCUBE policy is viewed as a ‘rights-based policy’ deeply rooted in social democratic values. However, the advent of neo-liberal ideological rhetoric of ‘skills for the world of work’ has triggered the neutralisation of these progressive ideals. This, the paper argues, has led to a significant discursive shift in policy direction and language of implementing the policy.     

Characteristics of the Effective Teacher based on Pupil Evaluations

This research compared high-load and low-load versions of a text by manipulating text presentation, text organization, and example context on measures of fact and concept learning. The low-load text presentation variable enhanced fact and concept learning and post-reading ease of comprehension ratings. The low-load text organization variable led to higher post-reading ease of comprehension ratings. Ease of comprehension was related significantly to fact and concept learning. These findings are supported by cognitive load theory and extend the research to include variables that influence text processing.     

An Eye-Tracking Study of Learning From Science Text With Concrete and Abstract Illustrations

This study investigated the online process of reading and the offline learning from an illustrated science text. The authors examined the effects of using a concrete or abstract picture to illustrate a text and adopted eye-tracking methodology to trace text and picture processing. They randomly assigned 59 eleventh-grade students to 3 reading conditions: (a) text only; (b) text with a concrete illustration; and (c) text with an abstract illustration in a pretest, immediate, and delayed posttest design. Results showed that the text illustrated by either the concrete or the abstract picture led to better learning than did the text alone. Eye-fixation data revealed that the abstract illustration promoted more efficient processing of the text. Analyses of the gaze shifts between the 2 types of external representation indicated that the readers of the text with the abstract illustration made a greater effort to integrate verbal and pictorial information. Furthermore, relations between online and offline measures emerged.     

Beneath the patchwork quilt: unravelling assessment

The role of assessment is constantly evolving and systematically scrutinised within the realm of higher education. It is often argued that students learn faster and more effectively when they have a clear sense of how they are doing and how they can improve through the use of consistent and timely feedback. This paper presents research with a group of second-year undergraduates, using an adapted patchwork text assessment method to explore wider issues of the ethical environment within which assessment takes place.     

试论蒙古族史诗的文学禳灾功能

蒙古族史诗的禳灾功能是其多元价值中的一个重要组成。蒙古族史诗的文本就可以概括为对一个民族消除灾祸的诗意表达,包括英雄不败的母题,以及大量的祝赞词都对现实生活具有鲜明的禳灾意义。而讲唱史诗的过程则完成了一个禳灾仪式,但为了保持史诗消灾的神力也在讲唱过程中伴随着诸多的禁忌。     

以课文为依托的话题式词汇教学研究

针对学生词汇能力低下,影响阅读、表达、写作等语言输出问题,提出以课文为基础的“话题式”英语词汇教学法。通过“话题-词汇－语块－输出”设计,围绕着课文的相关话题展开听、说、读、写、译等各种活动,使学生在活动中体验、学习和巩固词汇知识、提高词汇能力。     

改进TF-IDF算法的文本特征项权值计算方法

首先,从特征项重要性和类别区分能力的角度出发,通过分析传统的权重函数TF-IDF(term frequency-inverse document frequency)及其相关改进算法,研究文本分类中向量化时的特征权重计算,构建权重修正函数TW。其次,通过对特征词的卡方分布和TW作对比实验,验证TW能提高类别中专有词汇的权值,降低常见但对分类不重要的特征的权值。最后,将TW与TF-IDF结合作为新的特征权重算法,通过在中文分类语料库上的实际分类实验,与其他权重算法比较,验证此种算法的有效性。     

基于闭频繁项集挖掘的技术演化研究方法

本文以专利中的技术术语作为事务、以术语中的词汇作为项,通过闭频繁项集挖掘方法,对专利文献中的技术术语的结构变化情况进行时序分析,以从新的角度来研究技术演化趋势,之后以硬盘驱动器磁头技术为例进行实证分析,实证结果表明,该方法能够对技术演化过程中所产生的技术变化进行有效识别。