Information and mechanical models of intelligence: What can we learn from cognitive science?

The impact of new advanced technology on issues that concern meaningful information and its relation to studies of intelligence constitutes the main topic of the present paper. The advantages, disadvantages and implications of the synthetic methodology developed by cognitive scientists, according to which mechanical models of the mind, such as computer simulations or self-organizing robots, may provide good explanatory tools to investigate cognition, are discussed. A difficulty with this methodology is pointed out, namely the use of meaningless information to explain intelligent behavior that incorporates meaningful information. In this context, it is inquired what are the contributions of cognitive science to contemporary studies of intelligent behavior and how technology may play a role in the analysis of the relationships established by organisms in their natural and social environments. © John Benjamins Publishing Company.

VOICES FROM THE SOUTH: DIALOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATION IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

This chapter presents a collaborative experience between two neighbouring countries from South America: Argentina and Brazil. Our purpose is to share a model of international collaboration that we consider to be an alternative to the classical movement of early mathematical and scientific knowledge between East and West and between North and South. We start our chapter with a general discussion about the phenomenon of globalization considering some local examples. We characterize our collaboration exploring the tensions and difficulties we faced along our own professional development at the local as well as the international level. We describe the development of our prior collaborative work that established the foundation for our international collaboration portraying the local mathematics education communities. We refer to some balances that were created among our relationships, the expansion of our collaborative network, and how this particular collaboration allows us to contribute to the regional field and inform the international one. We discuss the way that the search for balance and symmetry, or at least a complementary asymmetry in our collaborative relationships, has led us to generate a genuine and equitable collaboration.

Windows into Elementary Mathematics:Alternate public images of mathematics and mathematicians

Research on students’ (and teachers’) images of mathematics and mathematicians reveals a number of stereotypical images, most of which are negative. In this paper we present an overview of some these images and stereotypes and consider the questions: (1) how might the image of mathematics and mathematicians be a problem in mathematics education, and (2) what can be done to remedy the situation? Also, we consider an outreach project called Windows into Elementary Mathematics. In this project mathematicians are interviewed about their perspectives on elementary mathematics topics and their interviews are videotaped and are posted online, along with supporting images and interactive content. In this context we consider the questions: (3) what is the Windows project about, and (4) how might it offer an alternate (and perhaps better) image of mathematics and mathematicians? Lastly, we share an example where activities from the project were used in a math-for-teachers course.

On the Origin of Cattle: How Aurochs Became Cattle and Colonized the World

Since their domestication in the Neolithic, cattle have belonged to our cultural heritage. The reconstruction of their history is an active field of research 1 that contributes to our understanding of human history. Archeological data are now supplemented by analyses of modern and ancient samples of cattle with DNA markers of maternal, paternal, or autosomal inheritance. The most recent genetic data suggest that maternal lineages of taurine cattle originated in the Fertile Crescent with a possible contribution of South-European wild cattle populations, while zebu cattle originate from the Indus Valley. Subsequently, cattle accompanied human migrations, which led to the dispersal of domestic cattle of taurine, indicine, or mixed origin over Asia, Africa, Europe, and the New World. This has resulted in their adaptation to different environments and considerable variation in appearance and performance. More recently, rational management of breeding led to international movements of sires, which again changed the global patterns of genetic diversity.

Foraging in subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): how do Heterotermes tenuis and Coptotermes gestroi behave when they locate equivalent food resources?

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Um projeto de interação Universidade-Escola como espaço formativo para a docência do professor universitário

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Leituras sobre processo de implantação de uma licenciatura em ciências naturais e matemática por área do conhecimento

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE

A matemática na formação do químico contemporâneo

Pós-graduação em Educação Matemática - IGCE

Facilidades e dificuldades apontadas por professores de matemática ao atingir algumas das boas práticas de ensino

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A aplicação de uma sequencia didática: caixa eletrônico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ocorrência de pesquisas narrativas sobre formação de professores de Ciências e Matemática no Brasil, de 2000 a 2010

In this article, we present results that express the occurrence of narratives researches in the form of theses and dissertations in postgraduate programs in Brazil, from 2000 to 2010 in the Teaching of Science and Mathematics area. We consulted the Student Registration, on the site of the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, through the keywords: narrative research, narrative inquiry and teacher training. Through reading the abstracts, we identified the area of knowledge, the IES and the supervisor. Of the 162 (one hundred, sixty two) academic productions identified, 31 (thirty-one) are in the area of Science and Mathematics teaching. The data obtained point to the existence of groups of studies and research training in the country engaged in narrative research in Mathematics and Science Teaching, in line with teacher training.

Origami e kirigami: arte e cultura como recurso lúdico e educativo

We can know a people through their cultural and artistic assets. One of the many aspects of Japanese culture is origami, a fusion of the verb “oru”, which means folding, with the word “kami” meaning paper. In this communication, we describe the course “Origami and Kirigami: art and culture as a recreational and educational resource”. The course aimed to present these two oriental techniques based on paper and its potential as a source of entertainment and education, at the same time seeking to introduce cultural aspects of these arts of folding and/or cutting paper. This practice is more common than we realize, and is present in our day-to-day life when we perform actions such as folding clothes and papers, and making packages, amongst others. However, few are aware of the benefits that this folding brings to the fields of Arts, Mathematics, and Science, besides its recreational characteristics. Kirigami is a mixed technique that in addition to using folds in the paper (as in origami) also uses cuts (“kiru” – meaning, “cut”). It can be performed with heavier paper than origami, and by introducing some cuts, the paper can be folded to form the desired shape. It is a simple technique, with impressive results. We conducted eight weekly meetings, each lasting four hours, totaling 32 hours of coursework. In addition to the classes, a visit was made to the Okinawa Club in Bauru (São Paulo), where it was possible for the students of the course and the elderly group (fujinkai) of origamists of the club to exchange experiences. Finally, an exhibition was organized to display the artifacts produced by the course participants and disseminate the work of the students.

Uma proposta de formação continuada de professores de ciências e matemática na interface do agir comunicativo e das questões sociocientíficas

The objective of this paper is to present a theoretical proposal for the training of teachers of mathematics and science at the interface of communicative action and socio-scientific issues. In this paper we argue for the need for a continuous training of teachers if we are to be interested in developing the scientific training of students from the public school system. To form communicatively competent students, by the end of schooling, becomes necessary the training of argumentatively competent teachers. Therefore, we believe that the theory of communicative action by Jurgen Habermas, will cooperate to this end.

Turning math attractive to computer science students: an application-to-model approach

This paper describes an innovative approach to develop the understanding about the relevance of mathematics to computer science. The mathematical subjects are introduced through an application-to-model scheme that lead computer science students to a better understanding of why they have to learn math and learn it effectively. Our approach consists of a single one semester course, taught at the first semester of the program, where the students are initially exposed to some typical computer applications. When they recognize the applications' complexity, the instructor gives the mathematical models supporting such applications, even before a formal introduction to the model in a math course. We applied this approach at Unesp (Brazil) and the results include a large reduction in the rate of students that abandon the college and better students in the final years of our program.

The effect of the ocean water immersion and UV ageing on the dynamic mechanical properties of the PPS/glass fiber composites

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)