Des polytechniciens en Egypte

Depuis longtemps je m’intéresse aux sciences françaises à l’époque napoléonienne, que l’on peut considérer comme les grands jours des sciences françaises, qui restent cependant assez impressionnantes aujourd’hui. Les gens de cette époque nous passionnent et ce fut pour moi un réel bonheur que d’étudier leur vie et leurs travaux dans la bibliothèque de l’Ecole polytechnique, dès les premiers temps de son installation à Palaiseau. Invité à prononcer une conférence dans le cadre du colloque « L..

L’Ecole Polytechnique

L’Ecole polytechnique a été et reste l’une des plus fascinantes créations de l’an III. Son histoire est un puzzle de paradoxes. Fondée selon la pensée de Monge, elle a été bientôt dominée par les Mathématiques de Lagrange et Laplace. Créée pour former des ingénieurs civils et militaires, elle a aussi instruit les fondateurs de la physique mathématique et, un peu plus tard, les protagonistes du mouvement des saint-simoniens. Une fois la première promotion sortie, cette école, conçue en pleine ..

Des polytechniciens en Egypte

Depuis longtemps je m’intéresse aux sciences françaises à l’époque napoléonienne, que l’on peut considérer comme les grands jours des sciences françaises, qui restent cependant assez impressionnantes aujourd’hui. Les gens de cette époque nous passionnent et ce fut pour moi un réel bonheur que d’étudier leur vie et leurs travaux dans la bibliothèque de l’Ecole polytechnique, dès les premiers temps de son installation à Palaiseau. Invité à prononcer une conférence dans le cadre du colloque « L..

Enhancing student explanations of evolution: Comparing elaborating and competing theory prompts

In this study, we explore how two different prompt types within an online computer-based inquiry learning environment enhance 392 7th grade students’ explanations of evolution with three teachers. In the elaborating prompt condition, students are prompted to write explanations that support the accepted theory of evolution. In the competing prompt condition, students are prompted to write explanations that differentiate two views of evolution associated with Darwin and Lamarck. Data sources included a pretest and posttest, an embedded item, observations, logged teacher guidance, and teacher interviews. Findings show similar pretest to posttest gains in students’ understanding of evolution for both conditions, but this pattern was not uniform across all three teachers. For one teacher, students who received competing theory prompts produced significantly higher gains than those who received elaborating theory prompts. A closer look at embedded student work reveals a higher degree of teacher participation (i.e., grading and guidance) than for the other teachers. Our findings illustrate how helping students distinguish between competing scientific claims can support learning in an inquiry unit, but may require a higher degree of teacher participation and reinforcement. We discuss the implications of these findings for enhancing students’ scientific explanations. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 53: 1341–1363, 2016

Science Development

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68479/2/10.1177_107554708500600404.pd

The falling chain of Hopkins, Tait, Steele and Cayley

A uniform, flexible and frictionless chain falling link by link from a heap by the edge of a table falls with an acceleration $g/3$ if the motion is nonconservative, but $g/2$ if the motion is conservative, $g$ being the acceleration due to gravity. Unable to construct such a falling chain, we use instead higher-dimensional versions of it. A home camcorder is used to measure the fall of a three-dimensional version called an $xyz$-slider. After frictional effects are corrected for, its vertical falling acceleration is found to be $a_x/g = 0.328 \pm 0.004$. This result agrees with the theoretical value of $a_x/g = 1/3$ for an ideal energy-conserving $xyz$-slider.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Reaching across continents : engaging students through virtual collaborations

Business schools have the responsibility of preparing students for work in multicultural organizations and global markets. This paper examines a situated learning experience for undergraduates through a virtual collaboration between a UK university and a Brazilian university. This facilitated remote communication using social media and smart devices, allowing students from both institutions to enhance their cross-cultural management competencies. A qualitative approach was used for the research, drawing on the reflections of the tutors from both institutions, and feedback received from students in the UK and Brazil. This paper provides empirical observations regarding the use of this innovative pedagogic approach, generating discussion of the implications for teaching, thus contributing to the literature on international collaborations in cross-cultural management education