Science Unit Research Articles

Television and the Origins of Visual Pattern Recognition AI in Japan: a ‘Quest for a Seeing Machine’

Abstract This article traces the genealogy of contemporary data-driven computer vision to developments at the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) in the 1960s. Specifically, it examines NHK’s Visual and Auditory Information Science Unit and its role in the invention of the world’s first deep convolutional neural network. The use of television to collect viewer behaviour data enabled modelling of eye-brain information processing, in particular mechanisms of feature extraction. This, in turn, linked Fukushima Kunihiko’s formative work on signal compression to the development of a pattern recognition machine, resulting in the creation of the world’s first convolutional neural network. Recovering this history is important for two reasons. First, it helps counter a trend of ‘digital universalism’ that covertly homogenizes local differences into a single culture of artificial intelligence in the Cold-War-era US. Second, it reveals the largely ignored role of television in the genesis of digital image technologies and AI more broadly.

AI, Reconciliation, and Settler Teachers’ Mediated Morality

This case study addresses the integration of generative AI (GenAI) within educational practices, particularly in the context of reconciliation and decolonization of curriculum in Canadian schools. The case focuses on a teacher using ChatGPT to generate Cree star stories for a grade 4/5 science unit, aiming to fulfill the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's (TRC) educational calls to action. The study explores the ethical implications of using AI to include diverse knowledge traditions, questioning the potential harms and benefits, and highlighting the challenges of ensuring AI aligns with Indigenous epistemologies. Normative ethical theories and the TechnoEthical Framework for Teachers (TEFT) are employed to examine how AI technologies shape and mediate teacher practices and pedagogical responsibilities.

Evaluation of students’ digital literacy through an immersive university-high school collaboration

IntroductionRecent efforts including the U.S. Department of Education’s Raise the Bar: STEM Excellence for All Students, designed to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, typify the development of effective outreach programs implemented in high school settings to increase STEM achievement and literacy and to promote future careers in STEM. Specifically, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are topics of great importance and interest but are often reserved for higher-level education. Introductions of complex subjects in high school promotes student efficacy, enthusiasm, and skill-development for STEM careers. Establishing strong partnerships between universities and high schools is mutually beneficial for the professional development of students, teachers, and professors. In this paper, we detail immersive outreach efforts and their effectiveness in a high school setting.MethodsFrom Spring 2021 to Spring 2024, we conducted eight data-science and analysis-coding style workshops along with two data science units, with 302 students participating in the data science workshops and 82 students in the data science units. All students who participated in the data science lessons completed a comprehensive final project. Surveys measuring knowledge and appeal to data science and coding were conducted both retrospectively and prospectively, before and after each workshop and the data science units. A 1 year follow up survey was conducted for students in the 2023 data science lessons (n = 23).ResultsOverall, average student interest significantly increased from 2.72 ± 1.08/5.0 (n = 205) to 3.15 ± 1.18/5.0 (n = 181, p = 0.001) during the data science workshops, while 70% of students expressed desire to continue with coding. Interest modestly increased in the data science lessons from 3.15 ± 0.65/4.0 to 3.17 ± 0.77/4.0 (n = 82, p = 0.8571), while knowledge significantly increased from 64.16% to 88.5% (% correct out of six questions) in the 2023 data science lessons and from 52.62% to 60.79% (% correct out of 29 questions) in the 2024 data science lessons.DiscussionIncreasing STEM exposure through outreach programs and a modified curriculum can positively alter students’ career trajectory and prepare them for the evolving technologically advanced world and the careers within it.

Improving pre-exposure prophylaxis service delivery to gay men and other men who have sex with men in South Africa: Generating novel insights with a nudgeathon

“Indlela - Behavioural Insights for Health” a behavioural science unit focused on improving health services in South Africa developed a pragmatic behavioural design framework called N-U-D-G-E. We used the nudgeathon approach to combine our technical expertise with stakeholder knowledge to apply this framework and rapidly co-create behavioural solutions designed to improve PrEP uptake and persistence amongst gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa. Over two days we took 26 stakeholders divided into five teams through the framework and identified 602 solutions which were prioritized into two ideas per team and then pitched to an expert panel. This approach uncovered several high-potential, novel light-touch solutions to some of the challenges hindering PrEP delivery to gay men and other MSM in South Africa. This format is an effective way to engage stakeholders, including policy makers, in the process of both identifying behavioural barriers to optimal health decision making as well as creating novel solutions that can be tested.

Specialists Versus Trainees: Long-Term Secondary Deformity After Unilateral Cleft Lip Repair.

Unilateral cleft lip repair is a common procedure in plastic and reconstructive surgery to restore both function and aesthetics. The long-term outcomes of these surgeries can be influenced by various factors, including the experience and position of the surgeon performing the procedure. This study aims to investigate whether there is a significant difference in long-term secondary deformities based on whether the surgery was performed by a specialist or a trainee. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study among unilateral cleft lip patients based on their data records. The study aims to assess the long-term secondary deformity in relation to the position of the surgeon (specialist or trainee) in patients who underwent unilateral cleft lip repair surgery at the Reconstructive Sciences Unit at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Of the 50 patients, the majority (74%) were operated on by a specialist with more than five years of experience. Only 13 patients (26%) were operated on by trainees in the plastic and reconstructive surgery training program. Long-term secondary deformity had no significant relationship with the surgeon's position (chi-squared (χ2)(1) = 5.89, p = 0.08). Long-term secondary deformities were less likely following unilateral cleft lip repair performed by a specialist or senior surgeon. However, the relationship between these secondary deformities and the surgeon's position (specialist or trainee) was statistically insignificant. Therefore, this study urges trainees to be more involved in simple cleft surgeries to enhance their surgical skills and achieve the best outcomes.

Pre-service Primary School Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Regarding a Science Unit

Pre-service Primary School Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Regarding a Science Unit

Improving Transparency of NHS Trust uses of data for Research Purposes

BackgroundIn 2022, the UK Health Data Research Alliance published a Data Transparency Standards white paper (UK Health Data Research Alliance, 2022). This guideline encourages organisations using health data for research to take an approach which creates increased transparency around how this data is utilised and what the proposed benefits of projects may be. The guidelines are split into six themed standards encouraging organisations to; publish their application forms and application process, have a clearly marked website which considers their target audience and is regularly reviewed, and to publish a register of projects which have used their data. IntroductionMFT CDSU operates a Safe Haven for research using health and social care data which includes a public panel for reviewing project applications. As such, it was felt that adopting the Data Transparency Standards would be a crucial step in furthering our public involvement and transparency of operations within the service. MethodsCDSU and RCD adapted the already existing MFT intranet site to be an outward-facing public website (Figure 1), hosted on the MFT Research and Innovation website and accessible for two main audiences; public citizens and researchers. Existing processes and descriptions were adapted to try and meet the Data Transparency Standards in the best-fit way, working within the constraints of existing Trust site infrastructure and publishing rules, and content was reviewed by the RCD. Agreed content and website structure was then sent to the CDSU Data Access Committee (DAC) for review and approval before publishing on the website. ResultsA public-facing website was published near the end of March 2024 with dedicated sections for CDSU workstreams (Figure 2) of Operational Data Science, Research Data and Clinical Trials Recruitment and a direct means to contact CDSU. The DAC has its own dedicated tab (Figure 3) explaining their role in reviewing projects, listing all projects which have received approvals so far. ConclusionsThe website is published (https://research.cmft.nhs.uk/innovation-at-mft/manchester-clinical-data-science-unit) but will still require some further edits to the content. There is also a planned change for the MFT content management site so there may be some temporary disruption while this move is enabled. There is an existing schedule in place to review the site content for relevance every 6 months. There are constraints on content and structure due to the MFT comms rules on publications and the content management site MFT use. This meant that we are unable to easily meet certain criteria in the Data Transparency Standards, such as structuring the content in a particular way or providing a downloadable copy of files. The CDSU website will be a useful engagement tool, encouraging more interest in the service and types of project undertaken and we are working to make more information available. References UK Health Data Research Alliance (2022), Improving transparency in the use of health data for research: Recommendations for a data use register standard, https://zenodo.org/records/5902743#.ZDgTHcrMKUn MFT Clinical Data Science Unit (2024), https://research.cmft.nhs.uk/innovation-at-mft/manchester-clinical-data-science-unit

Raising the Green Roof: Enhancing Youth Water Literacy through Built Environment Education

Green roofs cool cities, clean the air, provide habitat, and manage stormwater. They are compelling tools to teach interconnected human-ecological systems. This study included the design, pilot, and evaluation of a fourth-grade science unit entitled “Raising the Green Roof”, exploring these connections. Five classrooms in two Midwestern U.S. public elementary schools participated, and 4th-grade students (n = 73) drew systems models at three time points (212 models) and wrote their ideas. Qualitative content analyses of the models showed that learners were increasingly combining social systems (green roof infrastructure) with ecological systems (water cycle) across the unit. Students also increasingly evidenced specific knowledge as they progressed through the unit. The analysis of student models revealed that most student confusion is related to built environment aspects (e.g., how water moves from building roofs to municipal waterways). Results of the study suggest the potential for teaching socio-hydrologic systems thinking at the fourth-grade level. The findings emphasize the need to enhance built environment education for youth in science units that aspire to connect features of the built environment, such as green roofs, with ecology. The study additionally reinforced the effectiveness of place-based units in elementary education that emphasize science practices.

A guide to successful management of collaborative partnerships in quantitative research: An illustration of the science of team science.

Data-intensive research continues to expand with the goal of improving healthcare delivery, clinical decision-making, and patient outcomes. Quantitative scientists, such as biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and informaticists, are tasked with turning data into health knowledge. In academic health centres, quantitative scientists are critical to the missions of biomedical discovery and improvement of health. Many academic health centres have developed centralized Quantitative Science Units which foster dual goals of professional development of quantitative scientists and producing high quality, reproducible domain research. Such units then develop teams of quantitative scientists who can collaborate with researchers. However, existing literature does not provide guidance on how such teams are formed or how to manage and sustain them. Leaders of Quantitative Science Units across six institutions formed a working group to examine common practices and tools that can serve as best practices for Quantitative Science Units that wish to achieve these dual goals through building long-term partnerships with researchers. The results of this working group are presented to provide tools and guidance for Quantitative Science Units challenged with developing, managing, and evaluating Quantitative Science Teams. This guidance aims to help Quantitative Science Units effectively participate in and enhance the research that is conducted throughout the academic health centre-shaping their resources to fit evolving research needs.

The critical factors in producing high quality and policy-relevant research: insights from international behavioural science units

Background: There has been a rapid increase in the number of, and demand for, organisations offering behavioural science advice to government over the last ten years. Yet we know little of the state of science and the experiences of these evidence providers. Aims and objectives: To identify current practice in this emerging field and the factors that impact on the production of high-quality and policy-relevant research. Methods: A qualitative study using one-to-one interviews with representatives from a purposeful sample of 15 units in the vanguard of international behavioural science research in policy. The data were analysed thematically. Findings: Relationships with policymakers were important in the inception of units, research conduct, implementation and dissemination of findings. Knowledge exchange facilitated a shared understanding of policy issues/context, and of behavioural science. Sufficient funding was crucial to maintain critical capacity in the units’ workforces, build a research portfolio beneficial to policymakers and the units, and to ensure full and transparent dissemination. Discussion and conclusion: Findings highlight the positive impact of strong evidence-provider/user relationships and the importance of governments’ commitment to co-produced research programmes to address policy problems and transparency in the dissemination of methods and findings. From the findings we have created a framework, ‘STEPS’ (Sharing, Transparency, Engagement, Partnership, Strong relationships), of five recommendations for units working with policymakers. These findings will be of value to all researchers conducting research on behalf of government.

Radical Spin Polarization and Magnetosensitivity from Reversible Energy Transfer.

Molecular spins provide potential building units for future quantum information science and spintronic technologies. In particular, doublet (S = 1/2) and triplet (S = 1) molecular spin states have the potential for excellent optical and spin properties for these applications if useful photon-spin mechanisms at room temperature can be devised. Here we explore the potential of exploiting reversible energy transfer between triplet and doublet states to establish magnetosensitive luminescence and spin polarization. We investigate the dependence of the photon-spin mechanism on the magnitude and sign of the exchange interaction between the doublet and triplet spin components in amorphous and crystalline model systems. The design of a magnetic field inclination sensor is proposed from understanding the required "structure" (spin interactions) to "function" (magnetosensitivity).

LITERASI KEUANGAN SEBAGAI VARIABEL MODERASI DALAM PENGARUH PERSEPSI KEUANGAN TERHADAP PERENCANAAN KEUANGAN

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the pillars of the Indonesian economy that have experienced rapid growth but still face several obstacles that need to be addressed immediately. Therefore, improving financial literacy for MSMEs in Surakarta is crucial to improving their business performance and sustainability. One way to improve business performance is by increasing financial literacy. Individuals with higher financial literacy tend to have more knowledge about financial management, including business financial planning. This research aims to determine the extent to which the level of financial literacy of MSME actors can strengthen attitudes and risk perceptions in business financial management for making appropriate financial planning decisions. The research approach used is quantitative using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), while the data analysis method used is Partial Least Square (PLS), with research subjects taken from MSME actors under the guidance of the Solo Technopark Science and Technology Regional Technical Service Unit.

First Report of Glochidia (Mollusca: Lamellibranchiata) Infestation in Aquarium Fish (Flowerhorn) from Iran

Glochidia are the larva stage of bivalve mollusks (Lamellibranchiata). These temporary obligate parasites are apparent on the fins and gills and rarely on the surface of fish in spring, summer, and autumn. In spring 2018, a flowerhorn (cichlid) with spots appearing body and gills and white small mobile organisms on the floor of an aquarium were referred to the parasitology laboratory in the School of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Unit, Tehran Islamic Azad University. The organisms were sampled and clear in Potas 10% fixed by Glycerin gelatin and examined with a light microscope; the samples were diagnosed as Glochidia.

The Influence of Utilizing Inquiry-Based Learning Strategy on Science Accomplishment of Primary Students’ Stage

This study examines the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) on the academic performance of third-grade students in the science unit “Materials” from the third-grade science textbook in schools under the Directorate of Education in Irbid, Jordan. A sample of 71 students was selected and separated into two groups: an experimental group of 36 students and a control group of 35 students. The empirical group used IBL, while the reference group was taught using conventional teaching techniques. An achievement test of multiple-choice questions was prepared for the study, comprising 24 items. The test’s content validity was confirmed through expert judgment, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which was found to be 0.83. The test’s content validity was confirmed through expert judgment, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which was found to be 0.83. Data were collected and processed using SPSS software. The findings showed statistically significant differences in the average scores of the study participants on the post-test based on the teaching technique variable, indicating a preference for survey-based learning. Based on these findings, the investigation recommends providing in-service and pre-service training on IBL for science supervisors and teachers at the primary education level.

Why are some students “not into” computational thinking activities embedded within high school science units? Key takeaways from a microethnographic discourse analysis study

AbstractScience educators are integrating more and more computational thinking (CT) activities into their curricula. Proponents of CT offer two motivations: familiarizing students with a realistic depiction of the computational nature of modern scientific practices and encouraging more students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. However, some studies show that increasing exposure to computing may not necessarily translate to the hypothesized gains in participation by female students and students of color. Therefore, paying close attention to students' engagement in computationally intense science activities is important to finding more impactful ways to promote equitable science education. In this paper, we present an in‐depth analysis of the interactions among a small, racially diverse group of high school students during a chemistry unit with tightly integrated CT activities. We find a salient interaction between the students' engagement with the CT activities and their social identification with publicly recognizable categories such as “enjoys coding” or “finds computing boring.” We show that CT activities in science education can lead to numerous rich interactions that could, if leveraged correctly, allow educators to facilitate more inclusive science classrooms. However, we also show that such opportunities would be missed unless teachers are attentive to them. We discuss the implications of our findings on future work to integrate CT across science curricula and teacher education.

Let’s make a game! A case of co-designing with teachers from a research-practice partnership to integrate a virtual reality-enhanced digital game-based learning science unit

This case study analyzed the co-design process of a digital game-based learning (DGBL) unit using a research-practice partnership between a university and a middle school. The study found that the design team paid equal attention to the learning, engagement, and context of the game during the design meetings. The teacher’s role in the game design process was crucial in addressing contextual factors. The R-PP relationship fostered an effective game design process, with both teachers and researchers contributing to the game and DGBL curriculum design. The equal contribution of all team members increased curricular alignment and feasibility in the unit design while providing teachers with a professional development opportunity in DGBL concepts and the design of the DGBL unit itself.

Effectiveness of A Proposed Unit in Science in Light of the Next Generation Scientific Education Standards (NGSS) in Developing Scientific Concepts for Visually Impaired Students in the Preparatory Stage

The current research aimed to know the effectiveness of a proposed unit in science in light of the Next Generation Scientific Education Standards (NGSS) in developing scientific concepts for Visually Impaired Students in the preparatory stage. Remember, understanding and application, the experimental method with a quasi-experimental design was used for one group with a tribal and dimensional measurement, and the research tool was applied before and after and the proposed unit was applied, and the research reached a number of results, including: the scarcity of research in the field of science curricula for the visually impaired in general, and in light of the standards of scientific education For the next generation in particular, and the science curricula for the visually impaired have not received any development to suit the needs of the visually impaired and coincide with modern trends in science curricula, in addition to the effectiveness of the proposed unit in science in light of the Next Generation Scientific Education Standards (NGSS) in developing scientific concepts for students The visually impaired in the preparatory stage, where the study showed that the Z value is statistically significant at the level of 0.05, which indicates There is a difference between the mean scores of the students of the research group in the pre and post applications to test scientific concepts in favor of the post application.

Learning about the Coexistence between Nature and Humans in Elementary Science Education: Developing Lessons Using Folktales That Reflect Ancestors’ Views on Nature

Understanding the coexistence between nature and humans is a basic concept required in modern society. In this study, we verify the effectiveness of folktales as teaching material in science education by incorporating folktales into the fifth-grade elementary school science unit, “Functions of Running Water and Changes in the Land”. We investigate the effects of folktales that express ancestors’ perspectives on nature on pupils’ ideas about the coexistence between nature and humans. Additionally, we explore the possibility of using folktales in science education. In November 2017, an experimental group (74 participants) explored the coexistence between nature and humans through folktales, while a control group (60 participants) explored this coexistence through discussion activities. These experiments were conducted in fifth-grade classrooms at elementary schools in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan. Our results indicate that for some pupils in the experimental group, exposure to their ancestors’ views of nature helped them develop and refine their ideas about their connection to and relationship with the river. Folktales vividly depict the nature of the past in the places where the pupils live, offering a glimpse into their ancestors’ different views on nature that differ from present-day views. It is considered that, by coming into contact with the folktale, pupils were able to enter a situation that transcended time, allowing them to think about and empathize with the people who lived with the river. It is suggested that this connection is related to the results described above.

Desettling science through partnership

In this article, we share how developing and following tikanga was integral to our enactment of mana ōrite in the local curriculum as we (tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti) collaborated on a Year 7 science unit: Plants, Place, and People. Our initial thinking as we approached this unit had been to look for connections between mātauranga Māori, the New Zealand science curriculum, and a prior unit on plants that the lead teacher partner had developed. However, through ongoing conversations with tangata whenua, mana whenua, and kaiako Māori at the outset and throughout this work, we concluded that this approach was misguided. Instead, we recognised that for this unit on plants, it made more sense to start with mātauranga Māori o te ao tūroa—Māori knowledge about the natural world—and then use mātauranga Māori and science as lenses for understanding plants, place, people, and the relationships between them. Findings reveal how this mōhiotanga-enhancing approach created space for students in a superdiverse classroom to share their own narratives and experiences, in a process of “desettling” expectations in science.

An Elementary Teacher’s Development of Using Representations: Comparing 2 Years’ Teaching in Earth Science Unit

ABSTRACT This study explores a third-grade teacher’s (Deb) developing knowledge and practice for incorporating representations into her teaching of science over the course of 2 years. Data was gathered from the same science unit (Rock Formation) over 2 years, and consisted of video of seven lessons, one of which was the same lesson taught over both years. Also collected were artifacts from the lessons, pre (planning) and post (reflection) lesson conversations for each of the seven lessons, and interviews conducted with Deb before and after her teaching of the full unit each year. The results showed Deb’s learning process of using representations was multi-faceted and incremental. Even with using the same representation forms and/or activities, in the second year, Deb was able to 1) incorporate representations on multiple aspects of teaching such as reviewing previous knowledge, introducing new topics, and assessing students thinking; 2) use multiple representations in one aspect of teaching; 3) engage students in higher levels of learning. These changes were related to Deb’s reasoning of selecting representations, which are described further in the paper. This research contributes to an emerging knowledge base on what teachers know and are able to do with incorporating science representations into their practice. It also contributes to the field of science teacher professional development and the need for considering the multi-faceted nature of teacher learning. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.