The Aura of the Trace in One Child’s Projects in the World: Collecting as Rescue, Repetition, Rupture and Refrain

Using one child’s archival collection, found in the Prospect Archive of Children’s Work at the University of Vermont, we consider the methodological complications involved in attempting to analyze material traces of childhood, created by the child. The experimental school where these artworks were originally completed practiced methods of deep observation and descriptive review of materials collected, rather than sending children’s work home. We ponder these pedagogic methods alongside concepts delivered by the German cultural critic Walter Benjamin in order to suggest how the purpose of collecting and presenting traces of childhood can be an act of rescue.

100-years’ story of success: photoelasticity — LSR–MICE – MSUCE

Introduction. The 100-years’ history of MICE – MSUCE is also a history of establishment and flourishing of one of the world’s most powerful experimental school of development and application of the photoelasticity method in the investigation of the stress state of civil and special structures. Reliable forecast of the stress state of buildings and structures under static, thermal and dynamic impacts is an indispensable prerequisite of safe operation provision of civil structures during the construction and the operation. The photoelasticity method, allows, along with the analytical methods of the mechanical science, for continual study of the stress state of the object under test, being an experimental method efficiently used both in “standalone” mode and in conjunction with numerical methods. The goal and the objectives hereof: a retrospective development review of the photoelasticity method, in particular, of the contribution of LSR of MICE, and the assessment of the contemporary state of the method in terms of its actuality, novelty and practical significance of mechanical problem solutions, of stress-strain state studies of structures and buildings. Materials and methods. The subject hereof is the polarized light method or the photoelasticity method: development, problematics, solution methods of mechanical problems and studies of structures, applications. Results. The paper describes solution examples of vital problems by the photoelasticity method: stress analysis in the wedge-shaped notch zone of the area boundary, stress state problem under forced deformation in the block-basement contact area, stress state study of underground hydropower plant tunnel with the weir erected by pinpoint blasting. The performed analysis of the photoelasticity method and its contemporary level illustrates the opportunities provided by the method in solving of mechanical problems and in structural studies. Conclusions. Is the experimental school of the photoelasticity method of LSR–MICE – MSUCE really the sunk Atlantis? The development of the experimental mechanics of deformable solid bodies is characterized by progressive proximity of experimental and numerical analysis research methods. The physical modelling, in particular, the polarized light method, allows for obtaining stress-strain state diagrams of structures, or solutions of mechanical problems, feasible for assessment or for calculation result corrections, that is why the polarized light method retains actuality and practical significance. The development of the deformable solid body mechanics determines the significance of the physical modelling, including the polarized light method. The benefit of the polarized light method is the continuity of mechanical problem solutions which is especially important when local areas with specific features of the stress strain behaviour are considered. Modern technologies of material property studies, invention of new materials lead to creation of new mechanical models, for adequacy assessment of which physical modelling methods are required, in particular, the polarized light method.

How to Use Activities to Realize the Self-Management of Middle School Students?

Cultivating students’ self-management ability is the requirement of social development and the progress of the times to school education, and it is also the need for students’ growth. For middle school students in adolescence and undergoing tremendous changes in their body and mind, its significance is even more prominent. As an element of direct contact with students, activities play an irreplaceable role in cultivating students’ self-management ability. Nanjing Yutong Experimental School has added a self-management course to its teaching plan. Through the development of diversified activities, goals are achieved in specific activities, and the overall development of students has been completed. Taking the school’s practical activities as an example, this paper attempted to use the concept of activity teaching to explain better how the school develops self-management of middle school students based on students’ development and creates activities suitable for students’ growth to realize better students realize self-management in activities.

Formation of an innovation-pedagogical actor in the school environment

Introduction. The need to develop and test a complex of psychological-pedagogical tools for the development of an innovation actor is due to the priorities of the national policy in the field of education, as well as the requirements for the teacher’s competencies in innovation, enshrined in the Professional Standard “Teacher”. Research purpose: the testing of a set of psychological-pedagogical tools for the development of an innovation actor, corresponding to the eco-psychological actor formation model. Materials and methods: during the 2017/2019 academic years, 78 students from schools in the city of Vladimir (Russian Federation) took part in the experimental verification of the eco-psychological model of innovation-pedagogical actor development. On diagnostic sections in the process of tools testing, the following methods were used: a method of determining the degree of manifestation of the organizational-educational models by V.A. Yasvin’s school, A.V. Kaptsov’s method to determine the degree of subjectivity manifestation at each stage of the eco-psychological model, a questionnaire “Personal Characteristics of a Professional” by I.G. Senin and V.E. Oryol, a test “Tolerance to Uncertainty” by D.А. Leontyev, a questionnaire “Creativity” by N.F. Vishnyakova. Research results. The set of psychological-pedagogical tools includes events (workshops, trainings, round tables) aimed at the formation of pedagogical subjectivity in accordance with the staging of the eco-psychological model (from an actor of perceptual activity to an actor of creative self-expression) and the organizational-modular organization of the educational space. The presented results reflect the positive dynamics of manifestation of subjectivity stages: “Master” (p<0.05), “Creator” (p<0.01) in the experimental sample, as well as a change in the manifestation of the innovation-modular organizational-educational model of the experimental school (U(26.40)=336.0, p=0.016). Differences (p<0.05) were found in favor of the experimental school in terms of parameters characterizing creative thinking, open-mindedness, tolerance to uncertainty. It is shown that the eco-psychological model of innovation-pedagogical actor development is effective in the experimental school environment and allows for a systematic analysis of the current state and readiness of an educational organization for innovative changes. The developed set of psychological-pedagogical tools is the basis for the subsequent development of a system of scientific-methodological support of a school team as an innovation-pedagogical group actor.

A Study on the Problems, Countermeasures and Reflections in the Practice of English Teaching in Junior Middle School — Based on the Teaching Practice of Jinfeng Experimental School

In the current junior English teaching practice, there are existing some problems, so this paper is based on the teaching of Jinfeng experimental school, and discusses the problems in junior English teaching practice; designs the investigation report on the factors of middle school students' learning difficulties in the process of English learning; analyzes the investigation results; probes into the corresponding countermeasures, and it also makes some reflections on the English teaching of junior high school.

Promotion of Thriving Among Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents: Evidence From Eight-Wave Data

Objectives: This study evaluated the longitudinal effect of a positive youth development (PYD) program entitled “Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes” (Project P.A.T.H.S.) on perceived thriving among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Method: Individual growth curve modeling analyses were performed using eight waves of data collected over 5 years from 23 experimental schools ( N = 3,607) and 24 control schools ( N = 3,574). Results: Adolescent thriving declined faster among control school students relative to experimental school students. While the two groups did not differ at Wave 1 and Wave 2 on the mean thriving levels, experimental school students showed higher thriving levels at Wave 3 to Wave 7 than did the control group students. Such differences between the two groups were more salient among girls than among boys, suggesting a stronger intervention effect for girls. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that PYD programs can promote thriving in Chinese adolescents.

Sanitary and Epidemiologic Wellbeing and Health of School Children in Modern Conditions

Introduction: Inadequate physical activity, eating disorders, irrational factors of the educational environment and a poor motivation for a healthy lifestyle are often observed among youngsters and act as their health risk factors. At the present stage, they hamper ensuring optimal living conditions and achieving better health of schoolchildren and require a new approach to solving the tasks. The objective of the study was to assess provision of sanitary and epidemiologic wellbeing at schools and health of schoolchildren to substantiate priorities for management decision making. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in two comprehensive schools of the city of Penza and involved 2,672 children and 720 parents. We used sanitary, hygienic, physiological, sociological, and statistical methods of research. Results: The level of sanitary and epidemiologic wellbeing in the experimental school with an up-to-date model of hygienic education and development of a healthy lifestyle integrated in the educational process where students have the opportunity to receive health-improving and rehabilitation medical care, was significantly higher than in the control one. Introduction of the new model of upbringing and functioning of the department for disease prevention and rehabilitation contributed to an increase in students’ motivation for a healthy lifestyle and skill consolidation in the behavior of youngsters as confirmed by a larger proportion of such students in the experimental school compared with the control one (75–89% against 50–74%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Implementation of management decisions including the upgrade of the system of hygiene education, creation of a healthy lifestyle of students, and organization of the department for disease prevention and rehabilitation on the basis of the educational establishment had a positive effect on students’ health.