Patterns of interaction between a mother and her Down's syndrome child: A single case ethological study

The study reports the analysis of a mother/child interaction sequence. Its focus is on the mother's teaching strategies. The child was presented with two tasks. The first task was new and not previously experienced by the child; the second task was one that had been experienced. The mother's teaching of the tasks was videotaped and analysed. The material was analysed according to ‘on task’ behaviours. The results indicated that:

1. (a) both the mother and child were able to maintain a continuous communication sequence;

2. (b) the mother structured both tasks, but structured the new task more, and allowed some flexibility in the old task;

3. (c) the language used by the mother was ‘restricted';

4. (d) in responding to her child's behaviour, the mother made more use of verbal cues and used fewer non‐verbal cues

     

Analysis of an instructional unit for level of cognitive demand

A section of the secondary chemistry curriculum was analyzed to determine the level of cognitive demand of the various aspects of the selected topic. Piagetian levels of thinking of 71 pupils were initially assessed by two group tests, a unit on the mole was taught, and guidelines were used to estimate the level of cognitive operations required by each concept and problem type in the unit. Results of a 23-item test were used to compare the estimated level of cognitive demand of each test item with the Piagetian cognitive level of pupils who were able to answer the item correctly. It was found that pupil cognitive level was positively associated with overall unit test score and with percent success on all test items. Predicted levels of cognitive demand were confirmed for eight items and were within one level for nine additional items.     

Contrasting roles: Eastern and Western European womenRoles en contrast: Femme d'Europe de l'est et de l'ouestRoles contrastantes: Las mujeres orientales y occidentales

The article presents an overview of the status of women in Western and Eastern Europe during the last decade. Relevant research in English is reviewed. Four indicators of women's status are treated: (1) equality before the law, (2) educational opportunities for women, (3) position in the labor force, and (4) level of leadership in social institutions. Successes and shortcomings in each division are cited; problem areas with presently incomplete information are indicated. The paper makes several recommendations for further research and better dissemination of information.     

Kaleidoscoping public understanding of science on hygiene, health and plague: a survey in the aftermath of a plague epidemic in India

In September 1994 a plague epidemic hit a number of cities in India. Though the spread of the disease was controlled within a short period of about one month, its influences on various channels of information, on the functioning of government departments (especially health and sanitation), on the scientific community and on people's scientific information level were remarkable. This paper analyzes the responses of 1127 individuals interviewed in December 1994. The data indicates high levels of informedness about health, hygiene and plague, with little reference to extra-scientific explanations of the causes of the epidemic. Respondents expressed a high degree of confidence in the modern system of medicine. From this analysis we also infer that the public could not be described as 'superstitious', 'unscientific' or 'unhygienic': only when denied access to information and civic amenities did they show extra-scientific thinking or 'unhygienic' behaviour.     

Contrasting roles: Eastern and Western European women

The article presents an overview of the status of women in Western and Eastern Europe during the last decade. Relevant research in English is reviewed. Four indicators of women's status are treated: (1) equality before the law, (2) educational opportunities for women, (3) position in the labor force, and (4) level of leadership in social institutions. Successes and shortcomings in each division are cited; problem areas with presently incomplete information are indicated. The paper makes several recommendations for further research and better dissemination of information.     

解释学与解构论的相遇——H.-G.伽达默尔与卡斯腾·杜特对谈录

20世纪 60年代以来 ,哲学解释学和解构论的各自发展及其相互诘难构成了欧陆最有意味的理论景观。本文采用哲学解释学所倡导的对话形式 ,由其标志性理论家伽达默尔在对谈者杜特的问辩下清理了解释学与解构论的错综复杂。其中关于意义、真理、古典以及艺术体验中驻留、返回的讨论读来备感亲切和启迪 ,因为 ,这些也是存在于我们古老传统且至今仍纠缠着我们的理论难题     

Pharmacokinetic Models for Active Learning of Differential Equations

Abstract

We present adaptable activities for models of drug movement in the human body – pharmacokinetics – that motivate the learning of ordinary differential equations with an interdisciplinary topic. Specifically, we model aspirin, caffeine, and digoxin. We discuss the pedagogy of guiding students to understand, develop, and analyze models, progressing in complexity to a system of differential equations. We investigate the effects of parameter values that distinguish various health levels, and dosing that may have toxic effects. Our assignments include modeling in a student-centered, active, and increasingly inquiry-oriented setting through which the mathematics and biology inform and reinforce each other. We include supplemental information regarding inquiry methods, student learning outcomes, a student’s commentary about our activities, and support through mathematical communities such as POGIL and SIMIODE.     

On the approximate discrete KLT of fractional Brownian motion and applications

This paper establishes connection between discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the discrete-time fractional Brownian motion process (dfBm). It is proved that the eigenvectors of the auto-covariance matrix of a dfBm can be approximated by DCT basis vectors in the asymptotic sense. This shows that DCT basis acts as discrete Karhunen–Loève transform (DKLT) for these processes in the approximate sense. Analytic perturbation theory of linear operators is used to prove this result. This result will be of great practical significance in applications where one is looking for an appropriate basis to work with signals that can perhaps be modeled as belonging to fBm processes. The utility of the proposed work has been illustrated with two real-life data (a) on compressive sampling based reconstruction of financial time-series and (b) in denoising gravitational wave event GW150914 data obtained from a binary black hole merger.     

Using concrete materials and peer interaction to enhance learning in chemistry

A teaching strategy based on the use of manipulative materials as models and analogs of chemical entities, combined with structured peer interaction, was found to enhance learning of two chemistry concepts for both formal and nonformal operational students. Instruction in the control class was based on lectures, CHEM Study laboratories, and individual work. Both cognitive and affective outcomes were more positive in the experimental class.