Integrating Computer Technology in Early Childhood Education Environments: Issues Raised by Early Childhood Educators

The purpose of this study was to assess the educators’ perspectives on the introduction of computer technology in the early childhood education environment. Fifty early childhood educators completed a survey and participated in focus groups. Parallels existed between the individually completed survey data and the focus group discussions. The qualitative data provided a richer understanding of the issues faced by these educators. Thematic analyses of the focus group discussions revealed that many of the educators’ concerns involved the effect of technology on the educators themselves, with secondary emphasis on how computers affected the students and parents. Although educators generally supported the integration of computers, they also identified critical concerns and limitations. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer les points de vue des éducateurs relatifs à l’introduction de la technologie informatique dans un milieu d’éducation des jeunes enfants. Cinquante éducateurs de la petite enfance ont complété une enquête et ont participé aux sessions de groupes de discussion. La recherche a trouvé des correspondances entre les données des enquêtes individuelles et les discussions de groupe. Les données qualitatives ont permis une meilleure connaissance des enjeux auxquels sont confrontés ces éducateurs. Des analyses thématiques des discussions de groupe ont révélé que plusieurs des préoccupations des éducateurs portaient sur l’effet de la technologie sur les éducateurs eux-mêmes et, en deuxième lieu, sur l’influence des ordinateurs sur les élèves et les parents. Tout en indiquant qu’ils appuyaient globalement l’intégration des ordinateurs, les éducateurs ont également identifié des préoccupations et des limites importantes

Critical Analysis of Problems Encountered in Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge in Science Teaching by Primary School Teachers in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe the need to incorporate indigenous knowledge in science education to reflect local cultural settings cannot be overemphasized. Current policies on science are situated in Western cultural definitions, thus marginalizing indigenous knowledge, which is misconceived as irrational and illogical. This study used qualitative research methods. Ten teachers were purposively selected and interviewed to gain their insights into problems faced in incorporating indigenous knowledge into science teaching. The study found that the problems were attitudinal, institutional, and systemic. Teachers were found to be conservative “gatekeepers” who exhibited negative attitudes toward indigenous science and supported maintaining the teaching of Western science. The study suggests reforming and transforming science curriculum, policymaking, and teacher education to promote cross-cultural science in Zimbabwean primary schools

Best Simultaneous Diophantine Approximations under a Constraint on the Denominator

We investigate the problem of best simultaneous Diophantine approximation under a constraint on the denominator, as proposed by Jurkat. New lower estimates for optimal approximation constants are given in terms of critical determinants of suitable star bodies. Tools are results on simultaneous Diophantine approximation of rationals by rationals with smaller denominator. Finally, the approximation results are applied to the decomposition of integer vectors.Comment: 17 pages, corrected typo

Earth Potential Electrodes in Permafrost and Tundra

Introduction : During the past two years, the authors installed a number of electrodes in the permafrost and tundra area of Point Barrow to obtain earth potential data. As ground temperatures decreased during the winter, the resistances of the first set of electrodes increased by several orders of magnitude and thus became useless. A second set of electrodes, with sodium chloride incorporated in the fill, proved entirely adequate for recording earth potentials. The installations and procedure for determining electrode resistances are described herein. Electrode resistance data versus time and ground temperatures are also presented.Ye

Diagonal recurrence relations for the Stirling numbers of the first kind

In the paper, the author presents diagonal recurrence relations for the Stirling numbers of the first kind. As by-products, the author also recovers three explicit formulas for special values of the Bell polynomials of the second kind.Comment: 7 page

Construction of a 3-Dimensional MDS code

In this paper, we describe a procedure for constructing $q$--ary $[N,3,N-2]$--MDS codes, of length $N\leq q+1$ (for $q$ odd) or $N\leq q+2$ (for $q$ even), using a set of non--degenerate Hermitian forms in $PG(2,q^2)$.Comment: 8 Pages Minor typesetting changes; dedicatio