This paper presents a study concerning Greek primary school teachers' (n = 162) ideas about the particulate nature of matter and their explanations of physical phenomena. The study took place during an in-service training course where the effectiveness of a specially designed intervention was tested. A key feature was an approach based on the…

Myth-busting, in which a so-called myth is presented and dispelled by facts, is used in suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings such as QPR. Evidence from other areas of public health shows this technique leads to memory for myths and not facts. An internet survey was used to determine if the "myths" and "facts" presented in QPR are endorsed as…

It was not until the 1980s, more than half a century after modern dance became the centre of university dance programmes, that dance educators began writing about diversity issues. While some authors have addressed the importance of diversifying curricula and others have written specifically about classes they re-visioned in a more multicultural…

A physical theory is said to be covariant with respect to a certain class of transformations when its basic equations retain their "form" under those transformations. It is one of the basic notions encountered in physics, particularly in the domain of relativity. In this paper we study in some detail how students deal with this notion in different…

Menstruation is a normal physiological process that is managed differently according to various social and cultural understandings. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the menstrual practices among 1275 female adolescents of urban Karachi, Pakistan from April to October 2006 by using interviews. Data was entered and…

In this paper, I argue that many recent interpretations of John Dewey's vision of democracy distort that vision by filtering it through the prism of contemporary deliberative democratic theories. An earlier attempt to defend Dewey's theory of moral deliberation is instructive for understanding the nature and function of this filter. In James…

In this article, some classroom experiments are described for correcting the common misconception that the operation of a siphon depends on atmospheric pressure. One experiment makes use of a chain model of a siphon and another demonstrates that flow rate is dependent on the height difference between the inflow and outflow of a siphon and not…

In the context of existing "quantitative"/"qualitative" schisms, this paper briefly reminds readers of the current practice of testing for statistical significance in social science research. This practice is based on a widespread confusion between two conditional probabilities. A worked example and other elements of logical argument demonstrate…

This is a case study of an undergraduate calculus student's nonstandard conceptions of the real number line. Interviews with the student reveal robust conceptions of the real number line that include infinitesimal and infinite quantities and distances. Similarities between these conceptions and those of G. W. Leibniz are discussed and illuminated…

A new 12 item research questionnaire was developed specifically to assess collegiate mathematics students' concept image of domain and zeros of rational functions. The study was designed to validate Tall and Vinner's (1981) cognitive model. Support was found for the hypothesis that students' mathematical experience influences their growth, with…

They are found at picnics and family outings, apparently attracted by the food provided at these events. Large populations in fast food establishments further support their association with food. Yet little is known about the biology of "Utensilus plastica" (common name: plastic eating utensil). The authors have conducted an in-depth study of this…

Comments on an article by J. J. Arnett regarding the assertion that American psychology focuses too narrowly on Americans while neglecting the other 95% of the world's population. The authors challenge Arnett's methodology in his research and question the ways in which he drew his conclusions. They claim that a major weakness of Arnett's…

In this article, the author answers Mark Holmes's comments on his article "Imagined Evidence and False Imperatives." Certainly, readers can see in Holmes's comment the prevailing disagreement about the importance of existing data sets to an assessment of the effects of competition and other aspects of genuine markets. Holmes acknowledges the…

In this interview, creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for creativity as the crucial 21st-century skill. Genuine creative processes involve critical thinking as well as imaginative insights and fresh ideas. Also, creativity is a process, not a single event, one that requires continual evaluation. It's about everyone, it's a function…

The onset of injury and disability can have a significant negative effect on individuals' social, interpersonal and vocational participation. This in turn impacts on individuals' current and future earning capacity. An objective assessment of post-injury work capacity is often sought through legal processes to determine the extent of this…