There is an ancient philosphical-religious divide over questions of infinity. This divide extends over mathematics and we see it in many forms. A perfect example is offered by the twin approaches to analysis: limits and infinitesimals. With Robinson’s discovery of nonstandard analysis, both approaches have achieved legitimacy. Today, there is a new approach, non-nonstandard analysis, which, in ...

It has previously been shown that the effective use of dialogic instruction has a positive impact on student achievement. In this study, we investigate whether linguistic features used to classify properties of classroom discourse generalize across different subpopulations. Results showed that the machine learned models perform equally well when trained and validated on different subpopulations...

Microfluidics, especially droplet microfluidics, attracts more and more researchers from diverse fields, because it requires fewer materials and less time, produces less waste and has the potential of highly integrated and computer-controlled reaction processes for chemistry and biology. Electrorheological fluid, especially giant electrorheological fluid (GERF), which is considered as a kind of...

International comparative assessments of student achievement, such as Trends in Mathematics and Science (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Achievement (PISA) are becoming increasingly important in the development of evidence-based education policy. The potentially far-reaching influence of such studies underscores the need for these assessments to be valid and reliable. In educatio...

As a memorial to Masahiro Wakatani, late professor of plasma physics at Kyoto University, a review is given of his legacy of achievements in scientific research, international collaborations, university administration, student guidance, and personal life.

Sir Busick Harwood was Professor of Anatomy in the University of Cambridge from 1785 to 1814 and simultaneously Downing Professor of Medicine from 1800 to 1814. Some historical accounts suggest that he was not highly regarded either as a scientist or a teacher, and this note attempts to restore his academic reputation and show how his achievements helped to initiate improvements in medical educ...

Geometrical concepts are critical to a host of human cognitive achievements, from maps to measurement to mathematics, and both the development of these concepts, and their variation by gender, have long been studied. Most studies of geometrical reasoning, however, present children with materials containing both geometric and non-geometric information, and with tasks that are open to multiple so...

Culture is central to human sociality. Culture enables humans to coordinate our social actions and to cooperate in large-scale groups in unprecedented ways. To be sure, many species are capable of learning behaviors from other conspecifics; yet the scale and complexity of human culture is unique in the Earth’s biosphere. From the ethnic restaurants in your city to the global conglomerates and i...