The data hungry home

It's said that the pleasure is in the giving, not the receiving. This belief is validated by how humans interact with their family, friends and society as well as their gardens, homes, and pets. Yet for ubiquitous devices, this dynamic is reversed with devices as the donors and owners as the recipients. This paper explores an alternative paradigm where these devices are elevated, becoming members of Data Hungry Homes, allowing us to build relationships with them using the principles that we apply to family, pets or houseplants. These devices are developed to fit into a new concept of the home, can symbiotically interact with us and possess needs and traits that yield unexpected positive or negative outcomes from interacting with them. Such relationships could enrich our lives through our endeavours to “feed” our Data Hungry Homes, possibly leading us to explore new avenues and interactions outside and inside the home

The nature of pre-­‐service science teachers’ argumentation in inquiry-­‐oriented laboratory context

The aim of this study was to investigate the kinds of argumentation schemes generated by pre-service elementary science teachers (PSTs) as they perform inquiry-oriented laboratory tasks, and to explore how argumentation schemes vary by task as well as by experimentation and discussion sessions. The model of argumentative and scientific inquiry was used as a design framework in the present study. According to the model, the inquiry of scientific topics was employed by groups of participants through experimentation and critical discussion sessions. The participants of the study were 35 PSTs, who teach middle school science to sixth through eighth grade students after graduation. The data were collected through video- and audio-recordings of the discussions made by PSTs in six inquiry-oriented laboratory sessions. For the analysis of data, pre-determined argumentation schemes by Walton were employed. The results illustrated that PSTs applied varied premises rather than only observations or reliable sources to ground their claims or to argue for a case or an action. It is also worthy of notice that the construction and evaluation of scientific knowledge claims resulted in different numbers and kinds of arguments. Results of this study suggest that designing inquiry-oriented laboratory environments, which are enriched with critical discussion, provides discourse opportunities that can support argumentation. Moreover, PSTs can be encouraged to support and promote argumentation in their future science classrooms if they engage in argumentation integrated instructional strategies

Mechanical and Superconducting Properties of the Bi1.8Pb0.35Sr1.9Ca2.1Cu3GdxOy System

The influence of the addition of the rare earth ion Gd in Bi1.8Pb0.35Sr1.9Ca2.1 Cu3GdxOy superconductor has been investigated by varying the Gd addition (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5). The samples were prepared by standard solid-state reaction methods. Phase analyses of the samples by X-ray diffraction (XRD), microstructure examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), superconducting properties by dc electrical resistivity, and mechanical properties by static Vickers hardness measurements have been carried out to assess the effects of Gd addition. These measurements indicated that the superconducting transition temperature, Vickers hardness, Young's modulus, yield strength, and fracture toughness values of the samples strongly depend on the Gd addition. The values of T-c, H-v, E, Y, and K-IC of the samples decreased with an increase in the Gd addition. Mechanical properties of the samples are also found to be load dependent. In addition, we have calculated the true (load independent) hardness, Young's modulus, yield strength, and fracture toughness of the samples. From XRD and SEM analyses, the addition to the sample of Gd degrades formation of the high-T-c Bi-2223 phase, the surface morphology, and the grain connectivity in comparison with an undoped sample. The possible reasons for the observed degradation in the superconducting and mechanical properties due to Gd addition were discussed

The pedagogy of argumentation in science education: Science teachers’ instructional practices

Argumentation has been a prominent concern in science education research and a common goal in science curriculum in many countries over the past decade. With reference to this goal, policy documents burden responsibilities on science teachers, such as involving students in dialogues and being guides in students’ spoken or written argumentation. Consequently, teachers’ pedagogical practices regarding argumentation gain importance due to their impact on how they incorporate this practice into their classrooms. In this study, therefore, we investigated the instructional strategies adopted by science teachers for their argumentation-based science teaching. Participants were one elementary science teacher, two chemistry teachers, and four graduate students, who have a background in science education. The study took place during a graduate course, which was aimed at developing science teachers’ theory and pedagogy of argumentation. Data sources included the participants’ video-recorded classroom practices, audio-recorded reflections, post-interviews, and participants’ written materials. The findings revealed three typologies of instructional strategies towards argumentation. They are named as Basic Instructional Strategies for Argumentation, Meta-level Instructional ‌St‌‌rategies for ‌Argumentation, and Meta-strategic Instructional ‌St‌‌rategies for ‌Argumentation. In conclusion, the study provided a detailed coding framework for the exploration of science teachers’ instructional practices while they are implementing argumentation-based lessons

The pedagogy of argumentation in science education: Science teachers’ instructional practices

Argumentation has been a prominent concern in science education research and a common goal in science curriculum in many countries over the past decade. With reference to this goal, policy documents burden responsibilities on science teachers, such as involving students in dialogues and being guides in students’ spoken or written argumentation. Consequently, teachers’ pedagogical practices regarding argumentation gain importance due to their impact on how they incorporate this practice into their classrooms. In this study, therefore, we investigated the instructional strategies adopted by science teachers for their argumentation-based science teaching. Participants were one elementary science teacher, two chemistry teachers, and four graduate students, who have a background in science education. The study took place during a graduate course, which was aimed at developing science teachers’ theory and pedagogy of argumentation. Data sources included the participants’ video-recorded classroom practices, audio-recorded reflections, post-interviews, and participants’ written materials. The findings revealed three typologies of instructional strategies towards argumentation. They are named as Basic Instructional Strategies for Argumentation, Meta-level Instructional ‌St‌‌rategies for ‌Argumentation, and Meta-strategic Instructional ‌St‌‌rategies for ‌Argumentation. In conclusion, the study provided a detailed coding framework for the exploration of science teachers’ instructional practices while they are implementing argumentation-based lessons

The analysis of the factors affecting lumbar spinal stenosis in adult patients

WOS: 000280796800008PubMed: 20162467Background In this study 67 lumbar spinal stenosis in adult patients operated in our clinic in 3 years are aimed to be analysed in terms of clinical and surgical techniques. Methods Diagnoses were made on the basis of patients' histories and their clinical examinations. Results Average age was 52.16 +/- 8.9 (33-64). 70.1% (47) of patients were females and 29.9% (20) were males. The most frequent neurological symptoms were 71.1% lasque (+) and 56.7% sensory loss. The anterior-posterior diameter was below 11.5 mm in 56.7% of the cases. Partial recovery was observed in the early term of 71.6% the cases. 56.7% of the cases were applied total laminectomy. Conclusion Decompressive laminectomy can be performed safely and effectively in patients of with lumbar stenosis