Recent work demonstrates that learning to understand noise-vocoded (NV) speech alters sublexical perceptual processes but is enhanced by the simultaneous provision of higher-level, phonological, but not lexical content (Hervais-Adelman, Davis, Johnsrude, & Carlyon, 2008), consistent with top-down learning (Davis, Johnsrude, Hervais-Adelman,…

Chia seeds will sprout on almost any moist surface, and they respond quickly to experimental variables. Furthermore, the newly recognized nutritional value and rich cultural history of chia seeds offer the possibility of highly motivating and educational interdisciplinary extensions, especially appropriate to students in the middle grades.…

An essential part of understanding number words (e.g., "eight") is understanding that all number words refer to the dimension of experience we call numerosity. Knowledge of this general principle may be separable from knowledge of individual number word meanings. That is, children may learn the meanings of at least a few individual number words…

Institutions of higher education rely on student surveys for a number of purposes, including planning, assessment, and research. Web surveys are especially prevalent given their ease of use and low-cost; yet, obtaining a high response rate is a challenge. Although researchers have investigated the use of incentives in traditional mail surveys,…

Introduction: A way to find out how scientific thinking in children develops is to focus on the processes that are involved. As such, scientific thinking can be seen as a particular form of problem solving in which the problem solver selects a strategy from the space of possible experiments that can reveal the cause of an event. Notwithstanding…

This paper deals with subtleties and misunderstandings regarding the Clausius relation. We start by demonstrating the relation in a new and simple way, explaining clearly the assumptions made and the extent of its validity. Then follows a detailed discussion of some confusions and mistakes often found in the literature. The addressed points…

In this paper we present an experimental strategy to measure the micro power dissipation due to Foucault "eddy" currents in a copper cylinder rolling on two parallel conductive rails in the presence of a magnetic field. Foucault power dissipation is obtained from kinematical measurements carried out by using a common PC webcam and video analysis…

The diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectra of sand samples exhibit features reflecting their composition. Basic multivariate analysis (MVA) can be used to effectively sort subsets of homogeneous specimens collected from nearby locations, as well as pointing out similarities in composition among sands of different origins.…

An inquiry-based laboratory activity to determine the chemical composition of a component in alkaline detergents, sodium sesquicarbonate (SSC), is proposed. On the basis of introductory demonstrations by the instructor on the chemical properties and reactions of SSC, students propose the hypothetical composition of SSC and possible quantitative…

In this article, the authors discuss how acknowledging and embracing that the sample space is one of many ways to partition the set of all possible outcomes impacts the teaching and learning of sample space and probability. After recounting an exchange surrounding two viable answers to a probability question, the authors detail how developments…

This article outlines the reasons why practical work is declining in schools. Microscale chemistry is put forward as a sustainable way of remedying this. The advantages of its use are outlined, including a description of some practical techniques that can be used to illustrate these advantages. There is also a description of how you can make the…

A compact, rugged, and portable fluorimeter was designed and constructed using a 460 nm light-emitting diode for the excitation and a silicon photodiode for detection. The total cost of such an instrument is less than $110, thus allowing for deployment of multiple instruments at low cost. The fluorimeter is easy to operate and has been…

Forgetting functions were generated for pigeons in a delayed matching-to-sample task, in which accuracy decreased with increasing retention-interval duration. In baseline training with dark retention intervals, accuracy was high overall. Illumination of the experimental chamber by a houselight during the retention interval impaired performance…

In this article, we describe a test of the active time model for concurrent variable interval (VI) choice. The active time model (ATM) suggests that the time since the most recent response is one of the variables controlling choice in concurrent VI VI schedules of reinforcement. In our experiment, pigeons were trained in a multiple concurrent…

The primary objective of this research was to compare procedure-based task performance using three common mobile screen sizes: ultra mobile personal computer (7 in./17.8 cm), personal data assistant (3.5 in./8.9 cm), and SmartPhone (2.8 in./7.1 cm). Subjects used these three screen sizes to view and execute a computer maintenance procedure.…