736,885 research outputs found

    Connecting teachers and students with science and scientists: The science learning hub

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    National and international data is raising concerns about levels of student interest and engagement in science in school and student retention into tertiary study. For today’s students the Internet plays an important role as a source of information and means for communication with peers. This paper reports on a Ministry of Research Technology and Science funded initiative, managed through The University of Waikato, that aims to make New Zealand science research more accessible to New Zealand teachers and students. The New Zealand Science Learning Hub [SLH] illustrates how effective collaboration between research organisations, industries, science educators and teachers has enabled the development of a resource which is dynamic, up-to-date and relevant and that can be used to inform the teaching of science in New Zealand schools. The Science Learning Hub provides teachers with information about current research, which is related to concepts currently taught in year 5-10 classes (8-14 year olds). The site has content arranged in contexts for example, Icy ecosystems, Hidden taonga, Nanoscience, You me and UV, Future fuels, and The see through body. Each context includes text and images describing NZ research, video material such as interviews with scientists and sequences depicting scientists at work, teaching and learning materials, and links to science education literature. A feature is a “connections tool” which allows teachers and students to trace their journey through each context. Initial research indicates that teachers appreciate that this range of information is accessible in one place and has been quality assured. Students are keen to engage with an actively explore the range of media within the SLH contexts

    Who is willing to deliberate, and how? Dissatisfied democrats, stealth democrats and populists in the UK: SEI Working Paper 131

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    This article draws on a new survey of British citizens to test the hypothesis that there are two quite distinctive types of attitude prevalent among those who are ‘disaffected’ with politics, the ‘dissatisfied democratic’ and ‘stealth democratic’ orientations, the former being more widespread in the UK. While neither manifests a high level of trust for the political elite, the dissatisfied democratic citizen is politically interested, efficacious and desires greater political participation, while the contrary is generally true of the stealth democrat. However, although stealth democrats are unwilling to engage in most forms of participation or deliberation, they are ambiguous about direct democracy, which can be attributed to the populist nature of stealth democratic attitudes

    Quality assessment by science teachers: Five focus areas

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    In order to teach science well, science teachers need to know what to focus on in order to ensure their assessment of student learning is meaningful and useful for the students’ on going learning and development. The diversity and range of content and skills within the subject of science mean that the assessment capabilities required by science teachers are wide ranging and complex, requiring specialist knowledge and skills in the assessment of science learning as part of the teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Based on a review of the literature this paper proposes a framework for quality assessment in science which focuses on five areas: teaching, students, evidence of learning, future decision-making and impact. This paper advocates a concurrent consideration of all five areas of the framework to provide a substantial, rich, broad, rigorous quality assessment approach on which teachers and students can base teaching and learning

    Measuring Perceived Effects of Drinking an Extract of Basidiomycetes Agaricus Blazei Murill: A Survey of Japanese Consumers with Cancer

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    BACKGROUND. To survey cancer patients who consume an extract of the Basidiomycetes Agaricus blazei Murill mushroom (Sen-Sei-Ro) to measure their self-assessment of its effects and to develop an instrument for use in future randomized trials. METHODS. We designed, translated and mailed a survey to 2,346 Japanese consumers of Sen-Sei-Ro self-designated as cancer patients. The survey assessed consumer demographics, cancer history, Sen-Sei-Ro consumption, and its perceived effects. We performed exploratory psychometric analyses to identify distinct, multi-item scales that could summarize perceptions of effects. RESULTS. We received completed questionnaires from 782 (33%) of the sampled Sen-Sei-Ro consumers with a cancer history. Respondents represented a broad range of cancer patients familiar with Sen-Sei-Ro. Nearly all had begun consumption after their cancer diagnosis. These consumers expressed consistently positive views, though not extremely so, with more benefit reported for more abstract benefits such as emotional and physical well-being than relief of specific symptoms. We identified two conceptually and empirically distinct and internally consistent summary scales measuring Sen-Sei-Ro consumers' perceptions of its effects, Relief of Symptoms and Functional Well-being (Cronbach's alpha: Relief of Symptoms, α = .74; Functional Well-Being, α = .91). CONCLUSION. Respondents to our survey of Sen-Sei-Ro consumers with cancer reported favorable perceived effects from its use. Our instrument, when further validated, may be a useful outcome in trials assessing this and other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) substances in cancer patients.Kyowa-S.S.I., Tokyo, Japa

    Nanobead-reinforced outmost shell of solid-electrolyte interphase layers for suppressing dendritic growth of lithium metal

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    Department of Energy EngineeringDesign of catalyst support for high durability of oxygen electrocatalystPlating-stripping reversibility of lithium metal was improved by reinforcing the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer by inorganic nanobeads during formation of the SEI layer. The outmost SEI shell (OSS) was clearly identified, which is the SEI layer formed on current collectors (or lithium metal) before the first lithium metal deposition. The OSS was intrinsically brittle and fragile so that the OSS was easily broken by lithium metal dendrites growing along the progress of plating. Lithium metal deposit was not completely stripped back to lithium ions. On the other hand, lithium metal cells containing inorganic nanobeads in electrolyte showed high reversibility between plating and stripping. The nanobeads were incorporated into the OSS during the OSS formation. The nanobead-reinforced OSS having mechanically durable toughness suppressed dendritic growth of lithium metal, not allowing the dendrites to penetrate the OSS. In addition to the mechanical effect of nanobeads, the LiF-rich SEI layer formation was triggered by HF generated by the reaction of the moisture adsorbed on oxide nanobeads with PF6-. The LiF-rich composition was responsible for facile lithium ion transfer through the SEI layer and the OSS in the presence of nanobeads.clos
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