GCSE coursework assessment: a year of problem solving

Some advice on coursework assessment for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is given. At present this internal assessment forms 20 per cent of all GCSE courses in Biology; it is suggested that this should be raised to 50 per cent, considering the time taken by teachers in assessing their pupils.     

Plasmolysis experiments with Cladophora

This paper reports on a recent survey carried out by the Education Division of the Institute of Biology. Data were collected, by means of a questionnaire circulated in the Institute's members' journal, on teachers' views as to the effect on their A-level Biology students of the recent changes from GCE O-level and CSE to GCSE and from separate to ‘balanced’ science courses.     

Which way the future?

Just as the principle of uniformitarianism is a fundamental tenet of science, the past experiences of the Field Studies Council provide an insight, and possibly a signpost, to the future. During the last thirty years, there have been significant changes in the numbers and categories of visitor attending the residential Centres. Expansion between 1956 and 1976 was almost entirely due to A-level courses in biology and geography but in the last ten years there has been considerable diversification. Adult amateur naturalists and younger, pre-A-level, school pupils are the obvious growth categories now. In the GCSE examination syllabuses, more than ever before, there is a commitment to ecology and to fieldwork (with the latter compulsory in all Geography syllabuses). Against such a background one might expect an optimistic prediction for the FSC's future. Unfortunately, and for a variety of reasons, many educationalists promote the view that ecology can be taught in the classroom and that first-hand observations of animals and plants in an aquarium provide sufficient practical work. There is a growing need for those who believe in the necessity for genuine field observation of the environment, in the environment, to voice their concern at the acceptance of any such alternatives/substitutes. Although environmental awareness has been heightened in recent years one might question whether there has been a concommitant raising of environmental understanding. It is increasingly important that, as the scale and scope of decisions about the environment expand, the level of understanding of those who make decisions (and of those who elect them) should also be raised. It is no longer politic nor wise to accept Montaigne's assertion, “that men are most apt to believe what they least understand”. I suggest that our target for the future be “Breadth with Excellence”. If the FSC can move toward that goal it can face the daunting task of trying to achieve “Environmental Understanding for AH”.     

Opinion building on a socio-scientific issue: the case of genetically modified plants

This paper presents results from a study with the following research questions: (a) are pupils' opinions on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) influenced by biology teaching; and (b) what is important for the opinion pupils hold and how does knowledge work together with other parameters such as values? 64 pupils in an upper secondary school answered questionnaires, in which they expressed opinions and gave arguments on applications of GMOs, before and after biology courses. The pupils' knowledge of genetics and GMOs was also investigated. Eleven pupils were then in-terviewed to examine their reasoning in more depth. More pupils were positive about genetically modified tomatoes after the courses. Males were more positive than females. No correlation was found between knowledge of basic genetics and opinion. Most of the pupils could express arguments for and against the applications but they built their personal opinion on different arguments. An important concern was potential risks. Depending on risk judgement and/or how they trusted scientists, the pupils came to different conclusions. Few had any idea of how the different applications are risk assessed or how scientists work. Other important factors for decision-making were the purpose of the application, the time perspective and feelings.     

Strong Genetic Influence on a UK Nationwide Test of Educational Achievement at the End of Compulsory Education at Age 16

We have previously shown that individual differences in educational achievement are highly heritable in the early and middle school years in the UK. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether similarly high heritability is found at the end of compulsory education (age 16) for the UK-wide examination, called the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). In a national twin sample of 11,117 16-year-olds, heritability was substantial for overall GCSE performance for compulsory core subjects (58%) as well as for each of them individually: English (52%), mathematics (55%) and science (58%). In contrast, the overall effects of shared environment, which includes all family and school influences shared by members of twin pairs growing up in the same family and attending the same school, accounts for about 36% of the variance of mean GCSE scores. The significance of these findings is that individual differences in educational achievement at the end of compulsory education are not primarily an index of the quality of teachers or schools: much more of the variance of GCSE scores can be attributed to genetics than to school or family environment. We suggest a model of education that recognizes the important role of genetics. Rather than a passive model of schooling as instruction (instruere, ‘to build in’), we propose an active model of education (educare, ‘to bring out’) in which children create their own educational experiences in part on the basis of their genetic propensities, which supports the trend towards personalized learning.     

Biological education—the end of the dinosaur era?

Biology courses in schools have proliferated in recent years but now the climate has changed and it is important to consider the biological education component of a science programme for all pupils. This paper identifies the constraints -which have shaped existing biology courses and discusses objectives and content for future biological education.     

Understanding the mental health needs of secondary school children in Manchester

Background In a time of limited resources and the need for cohesive services, understanding levels of need and prevalence is key. Manchester has a diverse range of cultures and socio-economic groups; national data is valuable but not always representative of local need.Aim To assess the prevalence of mental health needs in secondary school pupils in Manchester.Method Parents and teachers in three secondary schools were invited to complete the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a tool examining unmet needs.Results Initially, 560 pupils were chosen. Having excluded families that opted out, 503 questionnaires were distributed. Teachers returned 200 questionnaires and parents returned 127. Higher than average levels of need were identified with teachers reporting that 18% of pupils scored abnormally on the SDQ. Parent rates were also higher than the national average at 13.4%.Discussion Parents and teachers wanted children to be seen at home and at school, the need for consultation and outreach from mental health into schools is emphasised.     

Biotechnology training at California State University, Hayward: a model program

The Biotechnology Certificate Program (BCP) at California State University, Hayward was initiated in 1986 in response to industry demands for qualified employees in the molecular life sciences. This 9-month post-baccalaureate program includes laboratory courses in recombinant DNA techniques, protein chemistry, PCR, DNA sequencing, animal cell culture as well as two lecture courses in molecular biology. Rigorous selection at both entry and exit stages of the program ensures knowledgeable graduates with a greater than 90% employment placement. Corporate participation has been a cornerstone of the BCP and we anticipate continued cooperation in the future as the program evolves to meet the expanding needs of the biotechnology industry. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 364–366. Received 19 April 1999/ Accepted in revised form 09 November 1999     

Training Leaders for Vocational Counseling Games

Educators and practicing psychologists are showing considerable interest in the use of games in vocational counseling. On the one hand, this interest is due to the necessity of stimulating subjects (pupils choosing a profession) to make an independent and conscious decision. On the other hand, the inadequate methodological foundation of vocational counseling literally forces specialists to be constantly on the lookout for something new and promising, in particular, for vocational counseling games, the effectiveness of which has already been demonstrated by a number of authors (Mikhailova, 1986; Neverkovich & Samoukina, 1990; Priazhnikov, 1987).     

Heterozygotes for cystic fibrosis: models for study of airway and autonomic reactivity

Airway reactivity to cold air and methacholine, alpha-adrenergic and cholinergic reactivity measured as pupillary responses to phenylephrine and carbachol, respectively, and beta-adrenergic reactivity assessed by lymphocyte adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) response to isoproterenol were compared in 108 parents of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and 133 healthy adult controls. No differences were found between CF parents and controls in airway response to cold air or methacholine or in lymphocyte cAMP response to isoproterenol. Significant differences were found, however, in the response of the pupils to both phenylephrine and carbachol. Heterozygotes for CF have more reactive pupils; i.e., they require smaller doses of agonist for a 10% change in pupil size. In control subjects, the response of the pupils to phenylephrine and carbachol is highly correlated (r = 0.45, P less than 0.001), whereas in CF heterozygotes, the correlation is not significantly different from zero (r = -0.02). In controls, the pupil response to carbachol has a significant negative correlation with cold air response (r = 0.39, P less than 0.05), indicating that those whose pupils were most sensitive to carbachol had the greatest airway reactivity to cold air, but in CF heterozygotes the correlation is not significant (r = 0.10). A significant correlation exists between lymphocyte cAMP response and airway cold air response in CF heterozygotes (r = -0.32, P less than 0.05) (those whose beta-adrenergic responsiveness is low have greater airway reactivity), but not in controls. The CF parents with the most reactive airways tend to have lower beta-adrenergic responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Teaching in nature? Naturally!

Elementary school children spend less and less time outdoors in nature. In this way they will neither become familiar with plants and animals in their environment, nor will their environmental awareness develop. The solution for them would be to spend more quality time outdoors. In this work 170 teachers from Hungary and 170 teachers from Serbia shared their experiences and opinions about outdoor education. The aim was to determine whether they thought that outdoor classes were an effective method to bring pupils closer to nature. The research showed that teachers from both countries found teaching in a real environment vital but could not always implement it. They need help in the form of ideas, teaching programs and professional development courses to be confident and motivated to hold more outdoor classes.     

Perception of canine rabies among pupils under 15 years in Kwara State,North Central Nigeria

Rabies is an endemic, highly fatal, and vaccine-preventable disease with severe socio-economic implications. Most (99%) human rabies cases are transmitted through dog bites. Children under 15 years account for 40% of all dog bite victims and 35–50% of all rabies deaths. Rabies awareness among this vulnerable group is critical to rabies prevention. However, there is a paucity of data on rabies awareness among pupils under 15. Hence, this study assessed the awareness and attitude of pupils under 15 years towards canine rabies in Kwara state in Nigeria. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey of 1,388 pupils across the state using a structured questionnaire that was administered as a one-on-one interview using the Open Data Kit on Android phones in December 2019. Of the 1388 pupils included in this study, only 21.7% (n = 301) of them were aware of rabies. The mean rabies score was 1.7±0.8 and only 29.2% (n = 88/301) of the pupils had adequate knowledge of canine rabies. The dog ownership rate was 18.7% (n = 259) with an average of 1.93 dogs per household. Approximately 5% (n = 66) of the pupils have been previously bitten by a dog. One-third of the dog bite victims (35%, n = 23/66) were managed and treated at home and only 12% (n = 8/66) were treated in a health facility. The result of the multivariable logistic regression showed that students aged between 13–15 years were more likely (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 0.72–3.01; p < 0.001) to have adequate knowledge of rabies than the younger pupils. Similarly, pupils that have dogs in their households (OR: 2.09; 95%CI: 1.49–2.75; p < 0.001) and those that reside in Kwara South (OR:1.78 95% CI:1.29, 2.44; p < 0.001) were more likely to be aware and have adequate knowledge of canine rabies respectively. Finally, Pupils from non-dog-owning households were more likely (OR:2.2; 95% CI: 1.45, 4.42; p < 0.001) to have been bitten by dogs than those from dog-owning households. The awareness and attitude of pupils under 15 to canine rabies was poor. We advocate the introduction of rabies lessons into the school curriculum in Kwara State to reduce the incidence of dog bites and prevent dog-mediated human rabies.     

Evaluation of equivalent body burden in the thyroid for the people of Poland on results of 131I absorption after the disaster in Czernobyl. Determination of thyroid blockade with potassium iodide]

An assessment of effectiveness of the administering of single dose of stable iodine in Poland on the reduction of 131I doses in thyroid has been performed. 5-compartment model of metabolism of iodine developed by Johnson has been used to evaluate predicted levels of stable iodine and 131I content in thyroid and commitment dose equivalent H50 for different doses of stable iodine and various age and sex group population. The measured values of 131I concentration in air and in milk and standard values for milk and food consumption and inhalation rate as well as metabolic parameters were used. Theoretical calculations showed that administering of stable iodine on 1986-04-28, 1986-04-29, 1986-04-30 and 1986-05-01 could have reduced committed dose equivalent H50 form ingestion with inhalation pathway by about 44%, 40%, 26%, 12% respectively. On the basis of measured 131I activity in the thyroid for inhabitants from different districts in Poland (1400 measurement) committed dose equivalents were determined and analysis of radiation hazard from 131I were performed. In the most contaminated regions of Poland average H50 doses for children 1-5 and 5-10 years old are close to 50 mSv (permissible level for population) and maximal doses exceed this limit four times. These maximal doses occurred for about from 5% inhabitants from these area. In the moderate and low contaminated regions of Poland the average doses are fivefold and tenfold less respectively.     

Population biology of the rare military orchid (Orchis militaris L.) at an established site in Suffolk, England

In Britain, where it reaches the north-westerly limit of its European distribution, Orchis militaris L. is extremely rare. Well-established and persistent populations of O. militaris are known to exist at only two sites. The largest extant population of O. militaris occurs in a disused chalk pit in Suffolk. A preliminary demographic analysis of this population, covering the period 1975 to 1991, along with estimates of key life stage transition probabilities are presented here. From 1975 to 1986 the number of separate identifiable plants in the population declined substantially. Until 1986 recruitment of rosettes was poor. The largest cohort of new plants, recorded in 1976, was 35. Approximately 48% of new individuals recruited between 1976 and 1985 failed to flower. Of those flowering, approximately 55% flowered during their first year above ground. Of the original population recorded in 1975, 67.8% flowered at least once during the study. The reproductive performance, i.e. the frequency of flowering and the period between episodes of flowering, varied considerably between individuals. Some plants flowered every year while others only flowered once during the study. Few plants remained below ground for more than one year, while several apparently persisted below ground for more than 6 successive years. Although the number of plants that can be identified as separate individuals has declined, the total number of rosettes in the population has, from 1986, increased dramatically. Because of the dense clumping of these recruits it is not possible to determine whether they are derived from seed or vegetative propagation. When post 1986 recruitment is combined with the number of plants that established before 1986 and survive, the apparent number of plants present at the site has more than doubled between 1975 and1991.     

Biospecific Interaction in Electrophoresis

Aspects of practical assessment such as question design and management of the assessment are discussed. Reference is made to some of the problems and to the possibilities for innovation which are possible as a result of implementing practical assessment of the kind required by the GCSE examining groups.     

Family doctors and change in practice strategy since 1986.

OBJECTIVES--To investigate the changes in practice strategy that have taken place since 1986. DESIGN--Comparison of practices in 1986 and 1992. SETTING--93% of group practices (26 practices) in a single family health services authority. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Changes in staffing, premises, equipment, clinic services, and incomes between 1986 and 1992. RESULTS--In 1986, 28% of practices employed a nurse; in 1992, 92% did so. Between 1986 and 1992, 14 cost-rent schemes costing more than 10,000 pounds had been started. Certain practices, designated innovators, were more likely to possess specified items of equipment than other practices. Computer ownership was widespread: 77% of practices had a computer, compared with 36% in 1986. In 1992, 16 practices had a manager, compared with 10 in 1986. Clinic services provided by more than half of practices were well established services (antenatal, for example), new services for which a payment had been introduced (such as diabetes, asthma, minor surgery), or the more readily provided "new" clinic services (diet, smoking cessation). Gross income increased, but so did practice costs, especially for innovators. Practices in the more affluent area of the family health services authority were still more likely to invest in their premises and staff, and to provide more services than those in the declining area. In the more affluent area, practices had higher costs but also higher incomes. CONCLUSION--Between 1986 and 1992, practices in this area invested heavily in equipment and services, but differences remain, depending on the location of the practice. Investment has increased, particularly in the more deprived part of the area, so that the inconsistency in standards has been much reduced. Practice incomes have risen, but so also have workload and costs.     

Cognitive achievements in identification skills

Species identification tasks are generally accepted as fundamental aspects of biodiversity education. Our educational training unit, therefore, focused on identification skills by introducing stuffed specimens in combination with identification books and preparation booklets.We limited the number of bird species to six. 492 secondary school pupils (163 from 8th grade [high stratification level] and 329 from 9th grade [medium stratification level]) participated in the study. Instruction-1 pupils received a hands-on lesson about the natural history of six bird species, while Instruction-2 pupils were taught in a conventional teacher-centred manner. Pupils from the hands-on classes achieved significantly better grades in two follow-up tests. The measure of well-being was significantly enhanced by the teaching technique, while interest, anxiety and boredom were not affected. Additionally, pupils appreciated the opportunity of self-regulation. In general, a shift from the unspecific to the specific was observed: for instance, from duck and gull to mallard and black-headed gull. A reduction in the number of species presented to pupils within a lesson seems to enhance learning and retention effects.     

Trends in Developed Land Cover Adjacent to Habitat for Threatened Salmon in Puget Sound,Washington, U.S.A.

For widely distributed species at risk, such as Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), habitat monitoring is both essential and challenging. Only recently have widespread monitoring programs been implemented for salmon habitat in the Pacific Northwest. Remote sensing data, such as Landsat images, are therefore a useful way to evaluate trends prior to the advent of species-specific habitat monitoring programs. We used annual (1986-2008) land cover maps created from Landsat images via automated algorithms (LandTrendr) to evaluate trends in developed (50-100% impervious) land cover in areas adjacent to five types of habitat utilized by Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, U.S.A. For the region as a whole, we found significant increases in developed land cover adjacent to each of the habitat types evaluated (nearshore, estuary, mainstem channel, tributary channel, and floodplain), but the increases were small (<1% total increase from 1986 to 2008). For each habitat type, the increasing trend changed during the time series. In nearshore, mainstem, and floodplain areas, the rate of increase in developed land cover slowed in the latter portion of the time series, while the opposite occurred in estuary and tributary areas. Watersheds that were already highly developed in 1986 tended to have higher rates of development than initially less developed watersheds. Overall, our results suggest that developed land cover in areas adjacent to Puget Sound salmon habitat has increased only slightly since 1986 and that the rate of change has slowed near some key habitat types, although this has occurred within the context of a degraded baseline condition.     

Assessing loss of coral cover on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef over two decades, with implications for longer-term trends

While coral reefs in many parts of the world are in decline as a direct consequence of human pressures, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is unusual in that direct human pressures are low and the entire system of ~2,900 reefs has been managed as a marine park since the 1980s. In spite of these advantages, standard annual surveys of a large number of reefs showed that from 1986 to 2004, average live coral cover across the GBR declined from 28 to 22%. This overall decline was mainly due to large losses in six (21%) of 29 subregions. Declines in live coral cover on reefs in two inshore subregions coincided with thermal bleaching in 1998, while declines in four mid-self subregions were due to outbreaks of predatory starfish. Otherwise, living coral cover increased in one subregion (3%) and 22 subregions (76%) showed no substantial change. Reefs in the great majority of subregions showed cycles of decline and recovery over the survey period, but with little synchrony among subregions. Two previous studies examined long-term changes in live coral cover on GBR reefs using meta-analyses including historical data from before the mid-1980s. Both found greater rates of loss of coral and recorded a marked decrease in living coral cover on the GBR in 1986, coinciding exactly with the start of large-scale monitoring. We argue that much of the apparent long-term decrease results from combining data from selective, sparse, small-scale studies before 1986 with data from both small-scale studies and large-scale monitoring surveys after that date. The GBR has clearly been changed by human activities and live coral cover has declined overall, but losses of coral in the past 40–50 years have probably been overestimated.     

Special features of age development of the brain in children living in the north

Special features of morphological functional age development of the brain in children living in difficult climatic-geographical and social-economical conditions of the North (Archangelsk region) were studied. It was found that among 62 examined pupils of middle country school only in 10 persons (16%) amplitude-frequency and temporal-spatial EEG parameters are in accordance with passport age (European standards). 38 pupils (61%) have insignificant deviations such as insufficient regularity of EEG spatial-temporal pattern in frontal and temporal parts of the brain, increased theta- and delta-rhythms, absence of distinct "functional nuclear" in alpha range. In remaining 14 pupils (23%) EEG parameters suggest a more expressed retardation of mental development coupled with problems in the learning and inadequate behavior. Retardation of terms of morphological functional development of the brain in children--northerners equals 1.5 - 2 years, which is in accordance with terms of hormonal and physical development' retardation, described by different authors.