DULL AND BACKWARD CHILDREN: POST‐WAR THEORY AND PRACTICE

A survey of mathematics teaching practices in the first four years of the primary school examines teaching methods in relation to patterns of teaching behaviour. It shows how methods combine, how both the use of methods and teaching behaviour vary with school year and pupil ability, and how one method changed over a period of five years. Implications for method‐evaluation and observations on the teacher's reaction to age and ability differences are offered.     

Geriatric Training Needs of Nursing-Home Physicians

Medical care in nursing homes is not provided by board-licensed geriatricians; it mainly comes from physicians in need of educational programs in the field of geriatrics. Such programs, based on curriculum guidelines, should be developed. The purpose of this study was to seek input from nursing home physicians on their perceived needs for training in geriatrics. A mail questionnaire survey was sent to nursing home physicians regarding their opinion on the most needed subjects and preferred training methods. Of the 210 surveys mailed, 132 (63%) were returned. More than a quarter of the respondents had not had any kind of geriatric medical education. A desire for geriatric training was evident, preferably in the form of courses and periodic seminars. Use of medications, infectious diseases, depression, dementia and cardiac disorders were the most important topics indicated by the respondents. These data can be of help in preparing the curriculum for a continuous medical education program in geriatrics, preferably in the form of courses and periodic seminars.     

Informatik-Patente

Informatik-Patente

Informatik-Patente     

“I want to find out how the sun works!” children's sociodramatic play and its potential role in the early learning of physical science

Our interest in a potential place for sociodramatic play in the early learning of physical science was activated while interviewing two six year old girls after the classroom phase of our research study had ended. During spontaneous play, these girls initiated inquiry into questions that had remained unanswered for them at the end of the teaching about Light. Specializations: children's learning in science and technology, inclusion, contexts, teaching models.     

Challenging student teachers' conceptions of science and technology education

To address expected negative attitudes to studying science and technology held by primary school student teachers, we devised a learning model which combined cooperative group strategies with a learners' questions approach in a context which allowed for pluralism in methodology and epistemology. The model was used in a teacher education elective subject studied by final year Diploma of Teaching students at the University of Technology, Sydney. We found that some students were inexperienced in participating in the planning and design of their learning and that for many students, being responsible for their learning in a science and technology context aroused reactions of alarm and determined avoidance so that alternative pathways for achievement in the subject had to be offered. Some students reported feelings of satisfaction in their successful learning despite initial anxiety, low confidence or indifference. Specializations: children's learning in science and technology; inclusion; contexts, teaching models.     

Just pretending

The appeal of fantasy is universal. Adults as well as children enjoy escaping the bonds of reality. For us as adults these flights of fantasy are usually short-lived, but for young children they are a way of life. This article focuses on structured activities for the classroom with ways to help children grow through imaginative play.This article is excerpted from the bookJust Pretending available from Mailman Family Press, 707 Westchester Ave., White Plains, NY 10604.     

Through the ‘I’ of the beholder: A rationale for physicalization in performance of narratives

This article presents a rationale for physicalization in performance of narrative prose based on the literary convention of “point of view.” It explores a variety of narrative voices and attempts to illustrate, through example, how narrators rely on both imitation and narration to present story to audience.     

ATTITUDES ABOUT AGING AND GENDER AMONG YOUNG,MIDDLE AGE,AND OLDER COLLEGE-BASED STUDENTS

Using an updated version of the Aging Semantic Differential, 534 younger, middle age, and older participants from a college community rated female and male targets categorized as ages 21–34 and 75–85. Participants also provided views about their own aging. Repeated measures of analysis of variance examined attitudinal differences by age and gender of targets, and by participant age and gender. Female targets were viewed more positively than males by most rater groups. Older targets were viewed more positively by older participants than by other age groups. Older participants had more positive views about their own aging than did participants of younger or middle ages.