Learning Electricity with NIELS: Thinking with Electrons and Thinking in Levels

Electricity is regarded as one of the most challenging topics for students of all ages. Several researchers have suggested that na?ve misconceptions about electricity stem from a deep incommensurability (Slotta and Chi 2006; Chi 2005) or incompatibility (Chi et al. 1994) between na?ve and expert knowledge structures. In this paper we argue that adopting an emergent levels-based perspective as proposed by Wilensky and Resnick (1999), allows us to reconceive commonly noted misconceptions in electricity as behavioral evidences of “slippage between levels,” i.e., these misconceptions appear when otherwise productive knowledge elements are sometimes activated inappropriately due to certain macro-level phenomenological cues only. We then introduce NIELS (NetLogo Investigations In Electromagnetism), a curriculum of emergent multi-agent-based computational models. NIELS models represent phenomena such as electric current and resistance as emergent from simple, body-syntonic interactions between electrons and other charges in a circuit. We discuss results from a pilot implementation of NIELS in an undergraduate physics course, that highlight the ability of an emergent levels-based approach to provide students with a deep, expert-like understanding of the relevant phenomena by bootstrapping, rather than discarding their existing repertoire of intuitive knowledge.

The importance of systems thinking in ethical and sustainable decision-making

Ethical values beyond the satisfaction of basic human needs are specific to each society at a given time. Modern societies are confronted to the challenges of disappearing natural resources, fierce competition on global markets, and climate change. In this paper we define ‘good’, and at the same time ‘ethical‘ decisions in the 21st century as being in accordance with the principles of Sustainable Development. Operations Research can assist sustainable decision-making in two ways: (1) through the tools of systems thinking, in particular system dynamics and soft system modelling, to provide insight into the way complex non-linear living systems and human societies function, and help making sustainable decisions, and (2) through educating and training young people in systems thinking. The paper presents examples of simple models that could serve in classrooms.     

Optimal investments for universal primary education

This paper describes the application of the discrete maximum principle to the problem of the introduction of universal primary education.The author is most indebted to the Ford Foundation for their financial support during most of the research reported here, under the Pakistan-Berkeley Project in Educational Planning.     

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探讨了创造力培养的策略以及在力学教学过程中,教师创造师生之间、生生之间互动的宽松环境,适当举例和设问以激发学生求知的好奇心,利用学生已有的基础知识一步一步引导学牛进入问题的本质,从而达到解决问题的目的.学生在学习过程中,创造力渐渐地就增强了.     

Students encountering obstacles using a CAS

The paper describes a pilot study on the use of computer algebra at upper secondary level. A symbolic calculator was introduced in a pre-examination class studying for advanced pre-university mathematics. With the theoretical framework of Realistic Mathematics Education and Developmental Research as a background, the study focused on the identification of obstacles that students encountered while using computer algebra. Five obstacles were identified that have both a technical and a mathematical character. It is the author's belief that taking these barriers seriously is important in developing useful pedagogical strategies.This revised version was published online in September 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Green analytical chemistry as an integral part of sustainable education development

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The SEXTANT software: A tool for automating the comparative analysis of mental models of dynamic systems

The comparison of mental models of dynamic systems improves our understanding of how people comprehend, interpret, and subsequently influence dynamic management tasks. Approaches to comparing mental models currently used in managerial and organizational cognition research, especially the distance-ratio and the closeness-approaches, have been criticized for not considering essential characteristics of dynamic managerial situations. This paper builds on a recent analysis method developed to compare mental models of dynamics systems, and introduces this mathematical approach to management and organizational researchers by means of the SEXTANT software. It presents the process of mental model elicitation, analysis, comparison, and interpretation. An example with four elicited mental models illustrates the software’s features to analyze and present the results. Then, the software is compared with existing software to map and compare mental models. Our conclusion is that SEXTANT marks a significant step in enabling large-scale studies about mental models of dynamic systems.     

跟踪高分子学科发展前沿，建设高分子物理国家精品课程

为建设高分子物理精品课程,近年来我们关注和跟踪高分子科学发展前沿,开设了"高分子材料流变学"、"高分子凝聚态物理"等新课,编著出版新教材。这些课程和教材的一个显著特点是不失时机地将学科发展的新动态、新成果引入研究生、本科生教学,提升高分子物理课教学质量。在编著新教材中,除介绍大量新知识、新思想外,还探索性地构建起新课程的理论体系和框架。     

国外配位化学主题教学案例研究——Journalof Chemical Education近十年的载文分析

选取Journal of Chemical Education近十年来有关“配位化学”主题教学的载文,从文献栏目分布、关键词分析、教学案例类型的不同视角分析该主题的发文情况,并基于趣味活动、生产生活、模型教学、信息技术等4个维度介绍了具有代表性的教学案例。最后提出促进“配位化学”主题有效教学的研究建议,为我国“配位化学”主题教学研究及教师教学实践提供借鉴和参考。