Towards a transformative epistemology of technology education

Technology Education offers an authentic and invaluable range of skills, knowledge, capabilities, contexts and ways of thinking for learners in the 21st century. However, it is recognised that it occupies a comparatively less defined and more fragile curricular position than associated, but longer established, subjects such as Mathematics and Science. While recognising that no single factor lies behind such a condition, this paper draws upon thinking in the philosophy of technology, technology education and the ontology of artefacts to argue that transformation may be considered as an epistemic source for technology in a similar way to ‘proof’ within Mathematics and ‘interpretation’ within Science. Encapsulating technology's intimate relationship with materials, it is ultimately argued that the transformation of a technical artefact from an ill-defined into a well-defined ontological state constitutes a prime source of technological knowledge for pupils. Moreover, it provides an alternative route into further consideration about the nature of the domain, epistemology and curricular identity of the subject

The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in diverse geographical and ethnocultural regions: The COSMIC Collaboration

Background Changes in criteria and differences in populations studied and methodology have produced a wide range of prevalence estimates for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods Uniform criteria were applied to harmonized data from 11 studies from USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, and MCI prevalence estimates determined using three separate definitions of cognitive impairment. Results The published range of MCI prevalence estimates was 5.0%-36.7%. This was reduced with all cognitive impairment definitions: performance in the bottom 6.681% (3.2%-10.8%); Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5 (1.8%-14.9%); Mini-Mental State Examination score of 24-27 (2.1%-20.7%). Prevalences using the first definition were 5.9% overall, and increased with age (P < .001) but were unaffected by sex or the main races/ethnicities investigated (Whites and Chinese). Not completing high school increased the likelihood of MCI (P = .01). Conclusion Applying uniform criteria to harmonized data greatly reduced the variation in MCI prevalence internationally

Emotion recognition in mild cognitive impairment

Empirical thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology), Macquarie University, 2012.Thesis by publication.Includes bibliographical references.1. Dementia and the concept of mild cognitive impairment -- 2. Literature review: emotion recognition and mild cognitive impairment -- 3. Mild cognitive impairment and emotion recognition: research aims and hypotheses -- 4. Study 1 -- 5. Study 2 -- 6. Discussion.The aims of this research were firstly, to investigate whether emotion recognition abilities differ amongst Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) subtypes and secondly, to explore the real-life implications of emotion recognition deficits in MCI patients. In Study 1, 19 MCI patients with predominantly impaired memory (i.e., amnestic MCI; aMCI), 18 MCI patients with non-memory deficits (i.e., non-amnestic MCI; naMCI) and 19 age- and education-matched healthy control subjects were assessed with three emotion recognition tests differing in task demands (i.e., the provision of response prompts, facial or bodily displays of affect). Emotion recognition deficits were shown for aMCI, but not naMCI, patients regardless of task demands, with anger recognition selectively impaired. In Study 2, the emotion recognition abilities of 29 aMCI patients, 27 naMCI patients, and 22 control subjects were assessed. Self-report measures assessed subject functional disability, whilst informants rated caregiver burden. An emotion recognition deficit for anger was evident again for the amnestic subtype. Whilst patient groups reported greater social dysfunction than control subjects, a relationship between social functioning and anger recognition was evident only for naMCI patients. Caregiver burden and anger recognition were significantly associated for aMCI patients. Results suggest that impaired emotion recognition abilities are differentially affected in MCI subtypes potentially reflecting diverse degeneration of brain structures modulating emotional processing. Screening to detect emotion recognition impairment in MCI patients and interventions targeted at patients and caregivers is warranted.Mode of access: World Wide Web.1 online resource (xii, 214 pages

Projecting acceptance into Millersville University's Department of Industry and Technology using high school rank, social capital, SAT scores, sex, age, and race

The National Council for Accrediting of Teacher Education (NCATE) revised its standards in 1986. Included in this revision was a new entrance criterion for teacher education units: a 2.5 grade point average (GPA). Research indicated that GPA was not a good measure of aptitude or achievement when it was used to compare students. The large error variance involved in using GPA as a measure of aptitude could eliminate many capable teacher candidates. The researcher determined to create a system which would identify students who would not be likely to achieve the 2.5 GPA and which would also suggest methods for motivated students to increase their chances of achieving the 2.5 GPA. A sample was identified: industry and technology students at Millersville University who were sophomores from the fall of 1981 to the fall of 1986. This sample was randomly divided into two groups for the purpose of cross-validation. Multiple regression was used for both the overall group and the two subgroups to create equations which predicted sophomore GPA, using the following independent variables: SAT scores, high school rank, age, sex, race and human social capital. Students who were over 23 years old when they entered the program were eliminated from the study because SAT scores or high school ranks were not available for most of them. Predictors with a significance level of 0.05 had the following squared correlations to sophomore GPA: 1) high school rank: 0.2098, 2) SAT-math: 0.1960, 3) SAT-verbal: 0.1385, 4) special entrance: 0.0566, 5) admission age: 0.0298. Predictors which remained significant when loaded into a multiple prediction equation are listed in order of predictive power with their incremental squared correlation coefficients: 1) high school class rank: 0.2098, 2) SAT-math: 0.0969, 3)admission age: 0.0421, 4) SAT- verbal: 0.0188. The total squared multiple correlation coefficient for the prediction equation was 0.3676. The equation correctly predicted 71.4% of the admission decisions (based on a 2.5 sophomore GPA). Double cross-validation resulted in an average acceptance prediction accuracy of 72.2%. The prediction equation reduced the error of prediction and was recommended for use.Ph. D

Journal of Technology Education

Published versio

Journal of Technology Education

Published versio