Over 60 years ago, stone tools and remains of megafauna were discovered on the Southeast Asian islands of Flores, Sulawesi and Luzon, and a Middle Pleistocene colonization by Homo erectus was initially proposed to have occurred on these islands. However, until the discovery of Homo floresiensis in 2003, claims of the presence of archaic hominins on Wallacean islands were hypothetical owing to the absence of in situ fossils and/or stone artefacts that were excavated from well-documented stratigraphic contexts, or because secure numerical dating methods of these sites were lacking. As a consequence, these claims were generally treated with scepticism . Here we describe the results of recent excavations at Kalinga in the Cagayan Valley of northern Luzon in the Philippines that have yielded 57 stone tools associated with an almost-complete disarticulated skeleton of Rhinoceros philippinensis, which shows clear signs of butchery, together with other fossil fauna remains attributed to stegodon, Philippine brown deer, freshwater turtle and monitor lizard. All finds originate from a clay-rich bone bed that was dated to between 777 and 631 thousand years ago using electron-spin resonance methods that were applied to tooth enamel and fluvial quartz. This evidence pushes back the proven period of colonization of the Philippines by hundreds of thousands of years, and furthermore suggests that early overseas dispersal in Island South East Asia by premodern hominins took place several times during the Early and Middle Pleistocene stages. The Philippines therefore may have had a central role in southward movements into Wallacea, not only of Pleistocene megafauna , but also of archaic hominins.
A comparative review of the research literature regarding the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) demonstrates that a range of different factors needs to be present if it is to have impact in the classroom and that short CPD episodes are unlikely to be effective. The Earth Science Education Unit approach to CPD had to be through short-duration workshops as science teachers were unwilling to undertake prolonged CPD in this relatively minor component of the science curriculum. Follow-up research on the Earth Science Education Unit approach, using a variant of the framework developed by Guskey, showed that all of the schools that responded had changed their practice, with changes ranging from significant to modest. Meanwhile, self-reporting evidence showed a highly positive response with increases in knowledge and understanding. The results of the evaluation suggest that short-duration, well-structured CPD episodes, based on practical and interactive science teaching ideas, presented to whole science departments by experienced presenters, can have long-term impact on those involved. IntroductionThe role of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in bringing about change in the classroom has been the subject of increasing scrutiny. Research has focused both on the nature of effective CPD and on how CPD can be evaluated most effectively. Review of the nature of effective CPDEvaluation of the effectiveness of CPD has been approached from different viewpoints within the professional development process, including the 'ingredients' that comprise effective CPD, the outcomes of effective CPD and the needs of teachers which effective CPD meets.The components of effective CPD were tackled systematically by Joyce and Showers (1988). They demonstrated that, for training to impact in the classroom, four components had to be included: exploration of theory, demonstration or modelling, practice under simulated conditions (including 'peer teaching'), and feedback. For that impact to be significant, coaching in the classroom was also necessary. Day (1999) reported seven common ingredients of successful CPD from a study of UK INSET by Steadman et al. (1995): inspiration (sharing visions), exposition (new content and ideas), discussion (and other activities to advance conceptual understanding), opportunities for cross-reference of standards (judging one's own position in relation to others), training in new skills, opportunities to experiment, and coaching (from advisory teachers and/or colleagues).Guskey (2000) recognised four principles common to effective CPD activities: a clear focus on learning and learners, an emphasis on individual and organisational change, small changes guided by a 'grand vision', and ongoing professional development that is procedurally embedded.Adey (2004, p. 194) listed 14 factors necessary for effective professional development, in four categories:1. The Innovation 1a. has an adequate theory-base 1b. introduces methods for which there is evidence of effectiveness 1c....
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