Reform of the school system as an anthropological problem--an example from the history education

The article is a longitudinal review of experimental research of high didactic systems effects in history teaching over the last 30 years. The aims of research are to evaluate: 1. position of adolescent, especially neurotic pupils in the teaching process; 2. possibilities to enhance the level of restructured matter (historical anthropology) in programmed and problem-solving teaching; 3. influence on the anxiety, attitudes and success of pupils with changes in the teaching process. Authors conclude, that the teaching process can influence the emotional state of the neurotic pupil. Higher didactic systems in a short time can influence the enhanced level of knowledge in relation to the traditional teaching systems. In the new systems, the attitudes of the pupils towards the teaching can change positively. Experiments carried out point to the possibility of changes of national identity and the necessity of an anthropological approach to reform the educational system.     

Using immersive healthcare simulation for physiology education: initial experience in high school, college, and graduate school curricula

In the natural world, learning emerges from the joy of play, experimentation, and inquiry as part of everyday life. However, this kind of informal learning is often difficult to integrate within structured educational curricula. This report describes an educational program that embeds naturalistic learning into formal high school, college, and graduate school science class work. Our experience is based on work with hundreds of high school, college, and graduate students enrolled in traditional science classes in which mannequin simulators were used to teach physiological principles. Specific case scenarios were integrated into the curriculum as problem-solving exercises chosen to accentuate the basic science objectives of the course. This report also highlights the historic and theoretical basis for the use of mannequin simulators as an important physiology education tool and outlines how the authors' experience in healthcare education has been effectively translated to nonclinical student populations. Particular areas of focus include critical-thinking and problem-solving behaviors and student reflections on the impact of the teaching approach.     

“四部曲式”趣味课堂提高生物化学教学质量

生物化学是很多高校的专业基础课程,具有概念多、代谢途径复杂等特点。传统的灌输式教学模式下,学生的学习难度很大,容易产生畏学情绪,导致学习效果不佳。通过开展课堂教学改革,构建问题导入、趣味讲解、技巧记忆、前沿拓展"四部曲式"趣味生化课堂:通过问题导入充分调动学生的好奇心和求知欲,通过趣味讲解和技巧记忆降低学习难度,通过前沿拓展加深对知识的理解,并锻炼学生的逻辑思维和应用知识解决问题的能力。在此基础上利用超星学习通等移动教学软件,通过签到、随机选人、讨论词云等活动活跃课堂气氛。以上举措可以将沉闷的生化课堂变得生动有趣,从而提高教学效果。     

Introductory biology courses: a framework to support active learning in large enrollment introductory science courses

Active learning and research-oriented activities have been increasingly used in smaller, specialized science courses. Application of this type of scientific teaching to large enrollment introductory courses has been, however, a major challenge. The general microbiology lecture/laboratory course described has been designed to incorporate published active-learning methods. Three major case studies are used as platforms for active learning. Themes from case studies are integrated into lectures and laboratory experiments, and in class and online discussions and assignments. Students are stimulated to apply facts to problem-solving and to learn research skills such as data analysis, writing, and working in teams. This course is feasible only because of its organizational framework that makes use of teaching teams (made up of faculty, graduate assistants, and undergraduate assistants) and Web-based technology. Technology is a mode of communication, but also a system of course management. The relevance of this model to other biology courses led to assessment and evaluation, including an analysis of student responses to the new course, class performance, a university course evaluation, and retention of course learning. The results are indicative of an increase in student engagement in research-oriented activities and an appreciation of real-world context by students.     

Procedural understanding in biology: the ‘thinking behind the doing’

Several developments in science education aim to improve pupils' ability to ‘think scientifically’. This paper argues for the explicit teaching of the ideas that pupils need to ‘think about’ to do this; ideas related to the design of investigations and the collection, presentation, analysis, and evaluation of the resulting evidence — ideas which are important both for pupils who continue to study or work with biology and for all pupils to become biologically literate. This paper considers some of the concepts of evidence which are particularly important to biology, and discusses how and why the ideas could be taught.     

Biology in the secondary science curriculum

The search for a model of balanced science has not so far been based on a detailed analysis of the nature and effects of the science curriculum. The present paper attempts to begin to fill the gap, from the perspective of biology, using data from the Assessment of Perform-ance Unit (APU). It is shown that, in England, the uptake of the subject as an option outstrips that of the other sciences, with pupils quoting its intrinsic interest as their motivation. Biology serves to attract to science pupils of all abilities and girls in particular. The other sciences are not so successful in this sphere. However, performance data show that the study of biology is not as effective in enhancing science performance as are the physical sciences.     

LBL联合PBL教学法在临床医学专业药理学教学中的应用

LBL联合PBL的教学模式是一种"教为主导,学为主体,教与学并重"的综合教学方法。在临床医学专业的药理学教学中合理应用LBL联合PBL教学法,即采用LBL教学法讲授完理论知识后开设PBL病例讨论课。选取2011级五年制临床医学专业的学生为实验组,采用LBL联合PBL教学模式,2010级五年制临床医学专业的学生为对照组,采用传统LBL教学模式,对两组进行教学效果评估比较。结果显示与传统LBL教学法相比较,LBL联合PBL的教学法能显著提高学生的学习成绩,问卷调查分析结果显示LBL联合PBL的教学法能明显提高学生的综合能力。药理学授课中应用LBL联合PBL教学法充分调动了学生的积极性,培养了学生自主学习能力,分析问题、解决问题的能力和临床思维能力,对培养创新型医学人才具有重要意义。     

Leaf-mining and gall-forming insects: tools for teaching population ecology

Groups of Israeli and Australian science educationists, practising secondary school science teachers, practising scientists, and science graduates preparing to become science teachers were questioned as to the suitability of teleologically and anthropomorphically formulated statements for inclusion in fourth/fifth-form (14–16 year olds) level study material. Respondents' awareness of the dangers involved (i.e. literal acceptance by pupils of such statements) was acute in the science educationist group, but progressively less so with the teachers, the scientists, and the prospective teachers. It was recommended that all persons connected with science teaching become more aware of the problem, in particular persons engaged in teacher training, and those responsible for preparing texts.     

Introducing an inquiry-based experiment-integrated science game for elementary students: the shadow races game

Abstract

This article introduces a science game which can be used for innovative teaching and as an assessment tool. The Shadow Races Game is designed for first and second grade students to learn the phenomenon of shadow through inquiry-based activities and questions that require the children to apply inferences from those activities. In this amusing board game, students will discover the relationship between light, objects and shadows using familiar objects.     

生物技术专业《生命科学进展》双语教学初探

为提高学生的外语水平,适应社会经济高速发展对人才的更高要求,通过对《生命科学进展》课程进行了双语教学的实践探索,探讨了教学手段和方法的改革,教学效果调查评估结果显示,认为课程总评及满意程度达良好及以上等级的学生占94%,表明开展的《生命科学进展》双语教学活动所采用的教学方法和手段基本适合学生目前的英语和专业知识水平,《生命科学进展》双语教学改革实践是成功的。     

A review of the use of the brine shrimp,Artemia spp,for teaching practical biology in schools and colleges

Brine shrimps are salt water Crustacea that are cheaply, easily, and rapidly reared in schools. In several studies they have proved to be attractive to pupils and valuable for teaching ecology and animal behaviour. Using simple and inexpensive apparatus such as plastic bottles, pipettes, sieves, and magnifiers pupils may investigate their feeding, growth, and development, observe reproductive behaviour and, by means of planned investigations, learn important lessons in animal ecology. Brine shrimps have a demonstrated usefulness for teaching and learning at every level of education — from primary, through secondary science, to undergraduate biology project work. In school, brine shrimps present fewer ethical problems than those posed by the keeping of many other laboratory animals, yet at the same time give opportunity for ethical discussion. The extensive utilitarian use of brine shrimps in research and fisheries may provide a technical and commercial link to classroom science.     

Learning biology and geology through a participative teaching approach: the effect on student attitudes towards science and academic performance

ABSTRACT

The investigation has demonstrated that the science teaching strategy employed moderates the interest of students in learning the subject, along with academic achievement. In this article we used a mixed method design in a sample of secondary education students (n = 57) to examine the effect of the participative teaching approach in attitudes towards science and student academic performance in the Biology and Geology subject. We also analysed the influence of student learning styles in their academic performance. The statistical results show that the participative methodology has a positive effect on attitude towards student attitudes towards science and academic performance; this finding has been triangulated with class observations and the vision of the teacher participating in the experience. Furthermore, we identified different significances between boys and girls in pre-test academic performance, which disappeared post-test. Despite this, in both measurements the boys showed greater interest in and enjoyment of science learning than the girls. Finally, we are able to conclude that academic performance is positively related to attitude towards science and with reflexive and theoretical learning styles.     

Enhanced podcasts for teaching biochemistry to veterinary students

The teaching of biochemistry within medical disciplines presents certain challenges; firstly to relay a large body of complex facts and abstract concepts, and secondly to motivate students that this relatively difficult topic is worth their time to study. Here, nutrient biochemistry was taught within a multidisciplinary module as part of an undergraduate veterinary curriculum. The teaching approach was initially focussed on a mixture of didactic lectures and student-centred activities such as directed group/self learning. In subsequent years the core didactic lectures were replaced with enhanced podcasts covering the same material, along with the introduction of student presentations delivered within groups with both peer and facilitator assessment. These changes were accompanied by an increase in the time dedicated to this topic to allow sufficient time for students to work through podcasts and prepare presentations. The combination of these changes resulted in significant improvements in student performance within an in-course biochemistry long essay. These changes in the teaching approach, and particularly the introduction of extensive podcasts, was well received by students who perceived the process of going through the podcasts as time consuming but allowing them flexibility in both the pace that they studied this topic as well as the location and times that they studied it.     

A Competence-based Approach to the Design of a Teaching Sequence about Oral and Dental Health and Hygiene: A Case Study

We present a case study to illustrate the design and implementation of a teaching sequence about oral and dental health and hygiene. This teaching sequence was aimed at year 10 students (age 15–16) and sought to develop their scientific competences. In line with the PISA assessment framework for science and the tenets of a context-based approach to science education, the design of the teaching sequence was based on real-life situations. After setting out these premises the paper describes and illustrates the stages and tasks involved in the teaching sequence, and discusses certain aspects of its implementation. We conclude by considering a number of issues related to the teaching sequence, including its transfer to teachers.     

A study of the hygienic aspects of the pedagogic process

A knowledge of the laws governing changes in the functional state of the organism of pupils during lessons at school is one of the principal bases for solving the hygienic problems of organizing the teaching. The main concern is the dynamics of changes in the actual functional state of the CNS as a result of a whole complex of endogenous and exogenous factors as well as the school work of the pupil itself. Changes in the functional state of the optic and acoustic analysors deserve special attention in this respect because of their great exposure in pedagogical work. The existing interindividual differences in performance and in the work rate of pupils should be solved by an adequate pedagogical approach. Correct use of the principle of differentiated tuition can be a positive contribution to solving some of the topical problems of hygiene of the pedagogical process.     

A pattern-directed approach to flexible manufacturing: A framework for intelligent scheduling,learning, and control

The planning, scheduling, and control of manufacturing systems can all be viewed as problem-solving activities. In flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs), the computer program carrying out these problem-solving activities must additionally be able to handle the shorter lead time, the flexibility of job routing, the multiprocessing environment, the dynamic changing states, and the versatility of machines. This article presents an artificial intelligence (AI) method to perform manufacturing problem solving. Since the method is driven by manufacturing scenarios represented by symbolic patterns, it is referred to as pattern-directed. The method is based on three AI techniques. The first is the pattern-directed inference technique to capture the dynamic nature of FMSs. The second is the nonlinear planning technique to construct schedules and assign resources. The third is the inductive learning method to generate the pattern-directed heuristics. This article focuses on solving the FMS scheduling problem. In addition, this article reports the computation results to evaluate the utility of various heuristic functions, to identify important design parameters, and to analyze the resulting computational performance in using the pattern-directed approach for manufacturing problem-solving tasks such as scheduling.     

The Teaching of Photosynthesis in Secondary School: A History of the Science Approach

In this article we present a synthesis of the research affecting pupils' conceptions of photosynthesis and plant nutrition. The main false conceptions of the pupils identi?ed in this literature review are: that green plants ?nd their food in the soil; that water and mineral salts are suf?cient to the growth of a plant; the role of chlorophyll, where the transformation of luminous energy into chemical energy is never evoked; and air as a source of matter, which is never underlined. Secondly, we are going to see that several of these false conceptions have been developed during history. For example, the famous philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC) thought that plants receive their food from the soil already elaborated. Several centuries later, the physician and chemist Van Helmont (1677–1644) added more precision to Aristotle’s conception while claiming that plants use only water for their growth. Finally, we will see that the analysis of the false theories developed during history will permit in a context of teaching to valorize the false conceptions of the pupils. Indeed, the history of sciences could incite a teacher to valorize his pupils’ false conceptions while considering them as an indication of difficulties that deserve particular pedagogical and didactic tools. The false conceptions constructed by the pupils don’t have to be ignored in a teaching context because they obey particular reasoning rules, sometimes similar to those that once guided some scientific steps. This view, drawing on false conceptions developed during history, gives a dynamic and human picture of the science very distant from the one sometimes carried on by dogmatic teaching.     

Inhibitory Control,but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs

Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject’s level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance.