Air Quality Survey Carried Out by Schoolchildren: An Innovative Tool for Urban Planning

An educational project on biological monitoring of air quality was launched in 2004 to involve about 650 young students (age 6 to 16) from 21 schools of nine municipalities in Tuscany (Central Italy) in active detection of the crucial pollutant ozone with indicator sensitive tobacco seedlings. Results implied the reading of 9,300 raw biological figures and were fortified by the data captured by six photometric analysers. Under the guidance of their teachers, the students had several opportunities to practice with many basic and applied study areas and were initiated into the scientific method in a simple and absorbing manner. Curiosity and involvement were widespread; a sort of emotional and responsible relationship was developed by several pupils. Though primarily an educational exercise, the survey introduced a research element and the regional picture of air pollution that emerged has increased our knowledge of the air quality situation in the area. Biological monitoring of air quality is a powerful tool to improve the awareness and involvement in key topics of environmental education. In addition, it represents a crucial element for improving the awareness of problems and implies the active participation of citizens in the assessment of several indicators of the state of the environment. Its potential as a robust implement in landscape and urban planning is noteworthy.     

Using citizen science data to identify the sensitivity of species to human land use

Conservation practitioners must contend with an increasing array of threats that affect biodiversity. Citizen scientists can provide timely and expansive information for addressing these threats across large scales, but their data may contain sampling biases. We used randomization procedures to account for possible sampling biases in opportunistically reported citizen science data to identify species’ sensitivities to human land use. We analyzed 21,044 records of 143 native reptile and amphibian species reported to the Carolina Herp Atlas from North Carolina and South Carolina between 1 January 1990 and 12 July 2014. Sensitive species significantly associated with natural landscapes were 3.4 times more likely to be legally protected or treated as of conservation concern by state resource agencies than less sensitive species significantly associated with human‐dominated landscapes. Many of the species significantly associated with natural landscapes occurred primarily in habitats that had been nearly eradicated or otherwise altered in the Carolinas, including isolated wetlands, longleaf pine savannas, and Appalachian forests. Rare species with few reports were more likely to be associated with natural landscapes and 3.2 times more likely to be legally protected or treated as of conservation concern than species with at least 20 reported occurrences. Our results suggest that opportunistically reported citizen science data can be used to identify sensitive species and that species currently restricted primarily to natural landscapes are likely at greatest risk of decline from future losses of natural habitat. Our approach demonstrates the usefulness of citizen science data in prioritizing conservation and in helping practitioners address species declines and extinctions at large extents.     

Evaluating the contribution of zoos and aquariums to Aichi Biodiversity Target 1

The United Nations Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 is a key initiative within global efforts to halt and eventually reverse the loss of biodiversity. The very first target of this plan states that “by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.” Zoos and aquariums worldwide, attracting more than 700 million visits every year, could potentially make a positive contribution to this target. However, a global evaluation of the educational impacts of visits to zoos and aquariums is entirely lacking in the existing literature. To address this gap, we conducted a large‐scale impact evaluation study. We used a pre‐ and postvisit repeated‐measures survey design to evaluate biodiversity literacy—understanding of biodiversity and knowledge of actions to help protect it—of zoo and aquarium visitors worldwide. Ours was the largest and most international study of zoo and aquarium visitors ever conducted. In total, 5661 visitors to 26 zoos and aquariums from 19 countries around the globe participated in the study. Aggregate biodiversity understanding and knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity both significantly increased over the course of zoo and aquarium visits. There was an increase from previsit (69.8%) to postvisit (75.1%) in respondents demonstrating at least some positive evidence of biodiversity understanding. Similarly, there was an increase from previsit (50.5%) to postvisit (58.8%) in respondents who could identify actions to help protect biodiversity that could be achieved at an individual level. Our results are the most compelling evidence to date that zoo and aquarium visits contribute to increasing the number of people who understand biodiversity and know actions they can take to help protect biodiversity. Evaluación de la Contribución de los Acuarios y Zoológicos al Objetivo 1 de Biodiversidad de Aichi     

Designing for interaction in research environments: A case study

Graduate researchers are an essential part of higher education (HE) in terms of its contribution to knowledge and the wider economy, but how the work environment influences behaviour and productivity in this work domain is poorly understood. Nevertheless, building programmes continue with a detectable trend towards more open office designs. Beyond issues of cost-efficiency, this reflects a popular belief in the significance of face-to-face interaction to research productivity. Using a combination of subjective and quantitative methods, this case study investigates the validity of this claim and how a redesigned environment impacts upon work practices and collaboration within a community of researchers. Although the new environment was judged favourably by occupants and managers, analysis suggests a less positive behavioural response. Contrary to expectation, we conclude that providing open plan environments is not sufficient to produce more collaborative practices in HE. We argue that this would require changes in the organisational structure, the reward structure for individual and team-driven tasks, and the firm policing of the management of change.     

公众应急准备素质与能力教育体系研究

公众应急准备素质与能力是有效应对各种突发事件的一个重要因素,关系到国家、社会、公众等多方面的安全与发展.应急教育是培养和提高公众应急准备素质与能力的基本手段.为了提高公众的应急准备素质与能力,该文从应急准备素质与能力的基本含义入手,提出了应急准备素质与能力教育的基本内容、教育重点,分析了我国当前应急准备素质与能力教育中存在的应急教育理念需要更新、应急知识与技能教育欠缺等方面的问题.针对存在的问题,提出公众应急准备素质与能力教育现状和基本途径.即围绕学校、政府、公众三个主体,以学校应急教育为核心,以政府危机管理为关键,以家庭教育、社会教育为支撑,以社区教育、媒体教育为辅助,形成一套完善的应急教育体系.     

Reducing visitors' group size increases the number of birds during educational activities: Implications for management of nature-based recreation

Organized tours to watch wildlife are popular recreational and educational activities, in which the visitor expectative (to observe as many and as diverse animals as possible) runs parallel to conservation purposes. However, the presence of visitors may cause negative impacts on wildlife, which makes recreation difficult to manage. Thus, restricting visitor's load to minimize impacts on fauna may be advisable, but too much restriction may end up disappointing the public. We analysed how visitors' group size influences the number and variety of birds observed during an educational activity directed to scholars, in a forested area where public access is otherwise restricted. We observed fewer birds, but not fewer species, as the size of scholars' groups increased. Such effect was apparently mediated by a few species demonstrating reduced tolerance to increased group size. Our results support the idea that reducing the size of visitors' groups not only helps to minimize the negative impacts on wildlife derived from leisure activities, but also allows visitors to watch more wildlife. Therefore, organizing visitors in small numbers is recommended in the design of activities directed to groups of people visiting natural areas.     

临床药师对临床药学教育的建议的调查研究

目的:了解临床药师对临床药学教育的建议与意见.方法:采用信函邮寄的方式,问卷调查医院临床药学的开展情况、临床药师对临床药学教育的看法和建议,并对结果进行统计分析.结果:42家三级医院及大型综合性医院对问卷作出了应答,他们均开展了临床药学工作,都认为应改变原来偏化学的药学教育模式,加重生物医学和临床药学课程的比例,延长药学实践时间.结论:临床药学教育需进一步改革,以培养能满足临床需求的临床药学人才.     

实践类课程教学改革中多维度考评体系的构建——以应用写作课程为观测点

在应用写作教学改革成果的基础上,探讨该课程教学中多维度考评体系的建立,即通过考核主体的多元化、考核内容的丰富性以及考核方式的多样性,使应用写作的应用功能进一步回归和凸显,激发教师教学的创造性和学生学习的主动性,使学生的应用写作能力和素质得到进一步提高,进而推动整个教学改革的进程,推动应用写作理论研究的发展和深入。     

灾害教育理论研究与实践的初步思考

防灾减灾是可持续发展战略的重大课题,防灾减灾目标的实现在很大程度上依靠灾害教育。在国际灾害教育图景下,结合我国自然灾害多发的地理国情与公民防灾素养不高的实际情况,思考如何进行灾害教育研究与实践,从基本概念入手,提出研究思路,进行国际比较梳理其发展历程,分析灾害教育研究现状与存在问题,提出构建我国灾害教育体系的策略与设想,以促进其发展,确保人民群众生命财产安全。