Do tablets cure the pedagogy headache?

Tablet devices have made a huge impact in schools and in 2015 they were predicted to outsell personal computers (Gartner, 2014). 70 per cent of UK schools are estimated to be using tablets (BBC, online) and across Europe, “laptops, tablets and net-books are becoming pervasive” (EU schoolnet, 2014). As these devices become established in schools they both support and develop existing practice (Burden, Hopkins, Male, Martin and Trala, 2012; Baran, 2014), but are also starting to challenge some existing models of thinking and pedagogy (Fullan and Langworth, 2014; Kearney, Schuck, Burden and Aubusson, 2012) and also teachers’ attitudes towards learning and teaching (Ertmer, 1999; Burden and Hopkins, 2015). In offering opportunities for learning to become more authentic, personal and collaborative (Kearney et al., 2012) there are opportunities for teachers to start to redesign the ways in which learning is taking place (Puentedura, 2010; McCormick and Scrimshaw, 2001). Traxler defines mobile learning as “an educational process, in which handheld devices or palmtops are the only or dominant used technology tools” (2007: 2) and Kearney et al. (2012) argue that it has the potential to revolutionise the learning process in allowing individuals to determine their own independent paradigms and frameworks of learning. These devices are also sophisticated producers of digital artefacts and children and teachers are capable of being co-producers of learning materials

First-order layering and critical wetting transitions in non-additive hard sphere mixtures

Using fundamental-measure density functional theory we investigate entropic wetting in an asymmetric binary mixture of hard spheres with positive non-additivity. We consider a general planar hard wall, where preferential adsorption is induced by a difference in closest approach of the different species and the wall. Close to bulk fluid-fluid coexistence the phase rich in the minority component adsorbs either through a series of first-order layering transitions, where an increasing number of liquid layers adsorbs sequentially, or via a critical wetting transition, where a thick film grows continuously.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

An assessment of the impact of majority political groups on overview and scrutiny in local government

This thesis is a comparative analysis across five Overview and Scrutiny systems within Local Authorities in the North of England. Its aim was to assess the impact and role of the majority political group on the overall system of Scrutiny. The research found that the role of the majority group was the single largest determining influence on the success of Overview and Scrutiny. From the five case study Authorities, it was clear that barring exceptional circumstances (that facilitated an open and amenable attitude towards an independent Scrutiny process) majority groups sought to channel the process and control Scrutiny as much as possible. Majority political groups appeared to be unwilling to allow the process to scrutinise their actions, for a multitude of different reasons. They also resented somewhat an independent process that could forward recommendations onto a policy agenda they felt they had a right to control. Therefore, they used their power as the major group to filter the process so that only outcomes they found acceptable came to be accepted as part of Council policy. In other cases, they sought to ensure that minimal outcomes emerged from the Scrutiny process. With a majority, they were under no obligation to consider its views anymore than they felt necessary and consequently it led to much dissatisfaction amongst members within the process, particularly those from opposition groups. At the crux of the issue appeared to be many experienced leading members who wished to retain as much control and power as possible. They appeared uneasy with allowing an independent process of any kind within the Authority, particularly one with the capacities and potential role that Scrutiny possesses. Devoid of a leadership perspective that understood and accepted the role of Scrutiny, it was only when a system was accustomed to a collaborative approach or was heavily populated with one particular perspective did the leading group appear willing to allow Scrutiny to remain completely independent. The process of Scrutiny unquestionably benefits when an opposition perspective is allowed to lead Scrutiny. The research demonstrated how a process that moved from majority group to opposition group control improved significantly in terms of independence and in terms of its outcomes. However, this practice appeared limited across Local Authorities, with the fear of majority groups greatly limiting the development of strong and independent Scrutiny processes

Teacher perspectives of the use of student performance data in teacher evaluations

The purpose of this study was to determine how K-12 public school teachers perceive the use of student performance data in teacher evaluations. The proprietary, utility, feasibility, and accuracy standards created by the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation (JCSEE) served as a framework for the study. An online survey was deployed to a random stratified sample of teachers across the United States. Participants responded to thirty statements using a four-point Likert Scale that ranged from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. Participants were also provided an opportunity to list and describe additional items that they favored and feared with respect to using student performance data in teacher evaluations. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to determine the level of teacher agreement on statements. Responses were further analyzed to determine the impact that the following demographic factors had on perceptions: (a) years of teaching experience, (b) teaching in a union and non-union states, (c) teaching a tested and non-tested grades and courses, and (d) teaching in elementary, middle, and high schools. Results indicated a strong level of agreement among teachers on the positive impact that the use of student performance data will have on improving teacher evaluations. Further results indicated that demographic factors played a minimal role in influencing participants\u27 perceptions

Lagrangian Mechanics in the High School Environment

In this experiment, we explore the potential of high school students to learn and apply more advanced material in the field of physics. Using a self-designed experimental five-day curriculum, four high schools totaling 185 students took part in the study, in which we discover the students\u27 capabilities in advanced mathematics and physics, as well as an interesting correlation between their predicted MCAS scores against their resultant scores in the experiment