论哈萨克族民俗文化中的上盘习俗

随着经济全球化,城市化进程的不断加快,哈萨克族的生活方式发生了重大的变化,哈萨克族传统的待客习俗同样遭受到强势文化的冲击,面临失传的威胁.哈萨克族传统的上盘习俗,是哈萨克饮食文化的重要组成部分.根据年龄、身份、辈份、亲属关系等区别,哈萨克族的食盘有上等盘、中等盘、末等盘、亲家盘、女婿盘、女儿盘、儿媳盘等类型,各种盘中所摆放的肉食其部位、数量都有严格的规定.了解、掌握上盘习俗,对于继承和发扬尊老爱幼的传统美德,建设和谐社会都有积极的意义.     

Prospective chemistry teachers' conceptions of the conservation of matter and related concepts

This study investigated the quality and extent of understanding of certain well-known theoretical concepts which prospective teachers of chemistry in Yemen possess. In addition to the concepts of the conservation of atoms and mass, and the mole, the concepts of atomic mass and balancing chemical equations were chosen for this study. An instrument was built first, then administered to 173 junior and senior prospective chemistry teachers. The results showed that the prospective teachers' understandings of most of the concepts ranged from a partial understanding with specific misconception to no understanding. Only on balancing chemical equations did the prospective teachers show good understanding. The results showed that most prospective teachers depended on mere memorization of the concepts without meaningful understanding. It also found that the prospective teachers' knowledge about the concepts was fragmented and not correlated. The study attributed the prospective teachers' misconceptions to defective instruction. Finally, the study concluded that more effective teaching methods are needed to ensure a sound understanding of these concepts. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 34: 181–197, 1997.     

Emirates secondary school science teachers' perspectives on the nexus between modern science and arab culture

During the 1999/2000 school year, 286 secondary school science teachers, from the seven Emirates that constitute the UAE, participated in the study. Teachers responded to an instrument composed of 52 items. Results indicated that Emirates secondary school science teachers did not view modern science as only a sub-culture of the Western culture. They disagreed that Western beliefs, values and conventions are implicit aspects of science. Teachers indicated that there are no differences between modern science and Arab culture. It seems that teachers lacked an understanding of the social component of science. The study suggests that Emirates secondary school science teachers should be informed about the social component of science. It is argued that when discussing culturally critical scientific issues, Emirates science teachers should assume the role of cultural brokers to facilitate students' understanding of science.     

Arab prospective science teachers’ world view: presuppositions towards nature

This study investigated the nature of Arab prospective science teachers’ world view presuppositions towards nature. An instrument was developed and administered to 117 prospective science teachers. The instrument covers four world view presuppositions in a bipolar form. They are safety and fear, order and chaos, aesthetic and materialistic, special and mundane. The results showed that the prospective teachers mostly felt safe towards nature. They considered nature orderly, beautiful and special. More importantly, their presuppositions were mostly religious. Although many of them would be science teachers within a few months they lacked the usual scientific presuppositions. The study concludes that science education programmes in the Arab culture should be culturally sensitive.     

Emirates pre-service and in-service teachers' views about the nature of science

This study investigated Emirates pre-service and in-service teachers' views about the nature of science. A questionnaire was developed and administered to 31 female pre-service science teachers, and 224 inservice chemistry teachers. The questionnaire covered five aspects of the nature of science identified by Palmquist and Finley (1997). These are: scientific theories and models; role of a scientist; scientific knowledge; scientific method; and scientific laws. The results indicated that Emirates teachers' views are neither clearly traditional nor clearly constructivist - they held mixed views about the nature of science. The study attributed the existence of the traditional views to historical reasons and the educational system. The presence of constructivist views was attributed to religious factors, where some of students' religious beliefs agree with some constructivist views. The study argued that the traditional view about the nature of science is in conflict with the teachers' religious beliefs. Teaching science in the Arab culture using the traditional view about science creates what Tobin (1996) called 'symbolic violence'. The study concluded that introducing science from the constructivist point of view and using what Jegede (1996) called 'collateral learning' would help to diminish such violence.     

Professors' Views on the Influence of Arab Society on Science and Technology

This study investigated types of societal agents and the nature of their influence on Science and Technology (S&T) from Arab University professors' standpoint. Thirteen items from VOSTS instrument, developed by Aikenhead, Ryan, and Fleming (1989), were modified and used in this study. Five more items were developed by the researcher to meet the purpose of the study. The instrument was administered to 64 university professors at the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Education. The results showed that out of the four societal agents (government, the private sector, the public at large, and culture) identified by McGinn (1991) the first and the last have the most potent influence on S&T in the Arab world. The study also found that the influences of the Arab culture on S&T have positive and negative nature. Positive influences are cultural, political or economic. Positive cultural influences are: the promising role in reviving ijtihad ³ to encourage researchers to study and understand nature, the placed emphasis by Islam on the importance of pursuing knowledge, and international competition. Political and economic positive influences are the Arab people's intent to be in position equivalent to developed cultures regarding S&T and Arab states efforts in preparing researchers in different areas. Negative influences are also cultural, political, or economic. For example, forcing taqlid ⁴ in different aspect of life is a damaging cultural influence. Political and economic negative influences include little or no research funding, bureaucracy, heavy dependence on imported scientific and technological products, and brain drain. The study recommended the following: (1) to revive the concept of ijtihad to encourage developments in S&T; (2) to provide children with adequate conditions and resources to acquire good background in S&T in a way that considers students' world view; (3) to ensure enough financial resources for instituting S&T; (4) to empower Arab universities to participate effectively in instituting S&T; and (5) to unify Arab states efforts to establish a strategic plan for instituting S&T.     

An outcome-based assessment process for accrediting computing programmes

The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a well-regarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that responsibilities associated with the goals are being carried out. Assessment leaders face various challenges including process design and implementation, faculty buy-in, and resources availability. This paper presents an outcome-based assessment approach that facilitates faculty participation while simplifying the assessment and reporting processes through effective and meaningful visualisation. The proposed approach has been implemented and used for the successful ABET accreditation of a computer science programme, and can be easily adapted to any higher education programme.     

Arab Perspective About the Application of Information Technology in Science Education

This paper discusses influences and concerns of the application of information technology (IT) in the Arab World. The paper argues that IT can influence the four elements of curriculum. Goals that are related to higher order thinking and problem solving abilities will gain much significance, while goals that are related to lower order thinking will gain much less significance. Science education goals will have to contain a goal that indicates the importance of preparing scientifically and technologically literate citizens. Content will have to match changes in goals. Rather than enforcing heavy content, more emphasis will be given to IT skills as well as to integrating technology in the science laboratory. Pedagogy will be more student-centered. Students will be held responsible for their own learning. Assessment will be facilitated by technology, where both process and content will be equally important. This paper discusses several concerns that are related to the application of IT in science education in the Arab World. Some of these concerns are: ignorance of incorporating the positive aspects of the Arab culture; Arab World view; language difficulties; high cost of IT hardware and software; and the use of IT to find information rather than make meaning (education). This paper recommends that successful implementation of IT in science education is a major professional challenge to Arab science educators. To meet this challenge effectively in science education, both of its promises and our concerns should be taken into consideration.     

A comparison of applied and theoretical knowledge of concepts based on the particulate nature of matter

This study compares 183 high school chemistry students' applied and theoretical knowledge of selected concepts based on the particulate theory. The concepts are dissolution, diffusion, effusion, and states of matter. A two-form instrument called the Physical Changes Concepts Test (PCCT) was developed for this study. The application form measures students' knowlege using everyday language. The theoretical form measures students' knowledge using scientific language. Students' formal reasoning ability was measured using the Test Of Logical Thinking (TOLT). The overall results of the two forms of the PCCT indicate that more than 40% of the students displayed alternative conceptions (ACs) of the concepts covered in the PCCT. The study found that students' formal reasoning ability and their preexisting knowledge are associated with their conceptions and use of the particulate theory. The analysis of the nature of students' ACs and their use of the particulate theory revealed a significant difference between students' applied and theoretical knowledge.