Preliminary Validation of the Spanish Version of the Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (MSTAT-II)

Despite widespread interest in ambiguity tolerance and other informationrelated individual differences, existing measures are conceptually dispersed and psychometrically weak. This paper presents the Spanish version of MSTAT-II, a short, stimulus-oriented, and psychometrically improved measure of an individual’s orientation toward ambiguous stimuli. Results obtained reveal adequate reliability, validity, and temporal stability. These results support the use of MSTAT-II as an adequate measure of ambiguity tolerance.A pesar del amplio interés en la tolerancia a la ambigüedad y a otras diferencias individuales relacionadas con la información, las medidas existentes son conceptualmente dispersas y presentan deficiencias psicométricas. El propósito de este trabajo es presentar la versión española del MSTAT II, un instrumento de medida de las orientaciones de un individuo respecto a estímulos ambiguos con mejoras psicométricas sustanciales, independiente del contexto y suficientemente corto para ser utilizado junto con otras medidas. Los resultados obtenidos en cuanto a consistencia interna, estabilidad temporal y validez son satisfactorios. Estos resultados apoyan el uso del MSTAT-II en su versión española como una medida adecuada de tolerancia a la ambigüedad.Junta de Andalucía proyecto SEJ 267

Educational use of QR Codes.

Quick Response (QR) Codes were developed in 1994 by a company called Denso-Wave looking for an alternative to barcodes for the Toyota motor corporation. They contain significantly more information than barcodes and can be read and decoded by almost any mobile device with a scanner or camera function. In a little over twenty years they have become part of everyday life, from appearing on railway tickets in China, to bank notes in Nigeria and even part of gravestones in Japan! The revolution has not stopped there and they can frequently be seen in classrooms and lecture theatres across continents. This poster draws together the experiences of a significant number of undergraduate trainee teachers in their journey to use and develop QR Codes in classrooms as part of their initial teacher training. Initially based in the secondary education (11 ? 16years old) sector in England, it also looks at the work being undertaken that uses QR Codes to support these trainees whilst they are studying in Higher Education in pursuit of their professional qualification. In summary, the work presented here showcases good practice with real world examples, it highlights the problems and pitfalls and enables the inquisitive educator to begin their journey with QR Codes. At the same time, it offers scope and potential for seasoned users to extend and expand their use in a range of educational contexts and application

Traditional tales and imaginary contexts in primary design and technology: a case study.

Working with contexts is a key component to design and technology activity and education. The most recent iteration of the national curriculum programme of study for design and technology, in England, sets out that children between the ages of 5 and 7 ?should work in a range of relevant contexts? (DfE, 2013: 193); suggested contexts including ?home and school, gardens and playgrounds, the local community, industry and the wider environment?. Whilst these are real world and familiar contexts, fictional contexts also provide opportunities for developing ?creative spaces? in which to speculate and discuss. This intrinsic case study explores the work of two primary teachers? development of a design and technology activity, where traditional tales provide the context. Children explore design problems and opportunities through the eyes of the Billy Goats Gruff, as they seek assistance to cross the river. Data was gathered through semistructured interviews and document analysis of children?s design work. The case study reveals how multidisciplinary and imaginative approaches to teaching and learning in the primary classroom simulate and nurture design thinking, dialogue and critique

Re-designing Design and Technology Education: A living literature review of stakeholder perspectives

Created following the amalgamation of several individual subject disciplines, in England, design and technology is in decline. Debates about its purpose and position have taken place since its inception but arguably these have not transferred into a rigorous research base. There is a growing body of scholars exploring the field, but with the decline of the subject, so the community working and investigating it is also diminished. Without a strong foundation, the actions of the few may not carry sufficient weight to generate full and meaningful debate that would influence those with the power to change policy on curriculum and lead to innovation. If we are to have any hope of reversing the subject’s deterioration, we must do something bold and significant. While an awareness of the subject’s history and its evolution is integral to our understanding of how and why we are where we are, merely reflecting on the past will do little to help the subject move forward. Hence, the principal aim of our research is to explore what a re-designed design and technology could look like. To achieve this, this study draws on different stakeholders’ visions of how they perceive the subject’s future

Ambiguity tolerance in organizations: definitional clarification and perspectives on future research

Ambiguity tolerance is an increasingly popular subject for study in a wide variety of fields. The definition of ambiguity tolerance has changed since its inception, and accompanying that change are changes in measurement and the research questions that interest researchers. There is a wealth of opportunity for research related to ambiguity tolerance and recent advances in neuroscience, measurement, trait research, perception, problem solving, and other fields highlight areas of interest and point to issues that need further attention. The future of ambiguity tolerance research is promising and it is expected that future studies will yield new insights into individual differences in reactions to the complex, unfamiliar, confusing, indeterminate, and incomplete stimuli that fall within the conceptual domain of ambiguity

Humanising the design and technology curriculum: Why technology education makes us human

As practical and creative education in England continues to experience challenges and a relative loss of status, this paper argues for the importance of a broad and balanced curriculum and in particular design and technology (D&T) education. This paper is a position piece and discusses some of the challenges facing D&T. Calling for a reinvigoration of the subject to its original intentions, as the first National Curriculum subject in the programmes of study for England - discussed in the 1980s and enacted in 1990 – we explore how perspectives on education, curriculum and technology are politically informed and constructed. This paper reasserts the fundamentally humanising nature of technology in society. Drawing on ideas from science and education, both within and outside of D&T, the authors explore the cultural aspects of the subject; beyond the technical and economic arguments

Monster Invasion!

This article presents an innovative Key Stage 3 Design and Technology technological Textiles and Electronics project, tried and tested with over five hundred children in schools across the UK