Promoting the development of resilient academic functioning in maltreated children

This study examined (a) the extent of heterogeneity in the patterns of developmental trajectories of language development and academic functioning in children who have experienced maltreatment, (b) how maltreatment type (i.e., neglect or physical abuse) and timing of abuse explained variation in developmental trajectories, and (c) the extent to which individual protective factors (i.e., preschool attendance, prosocial skills), relationship protective factors (i.e., parental warmth, absence of past-year depressive episode, cognitive/verbal responsiveness) and community protective factors (i.e., neighborhood safety) promoted the development of resilient language/academic functioning trajectories. Longitudinal data analyses were conducted using cohort sequential Growth Mixture Model (CS-GMM) with a United States national representative sample of children reported to Child Protective Services (n = 1,776). Five distinct developmental trajectories from birth to age 10 were identified including two resilient groups. Children who were neglected during infancy/toddlerhood or physically abused during preschool age were more likely to be in the poorer language/academic functioning groups (decreasing/recovery/decreasing and high decreasing) than the resilient high stable group. Child prosocial skills, caregiver warmth, and caregiver cognitive stimulation significantly predicted membership in the two resilient academic functioning groups (low increasing and high stable), after controlling for demographics and child physical abuse and neglect. Results suggest that it is possible for a maltreated child to successfully achieve competent academic functioning, despite the early adversity, and identifies three possible avenues of intervention points. This study also makes a significant contribution to the field of child development research through the novel use of CS-GMM, which has implications for future longitudinal data collection methodology.     

中国农业旱灾承灾体脆弱性诊断与区域可持续发展

基于致灾因子和承灾体的区域组合,得到中国旱灾中心与农业承灾体的分布规律;选择雨养农业(兴和)、灌溉农业(邢台)和水田农业(鼎城)为主要承灾体类型(典型区),构建了农业旱灾承灾体脆弱性诊断指标体系;提出脆弱性评价的区域模型,即:雨养农业的易损-适应模型、灌溉农业的生产-生活压力模型和水田农业的需水-灌水模型,并以兴和为例,进行了农业旱灾承灾体脆弱性评价;依据构建的3个典型农业旱灾承灾体脆弱性形成机制和区域可持续发展的模式,提出制定适应降水变化的波动土地利用结构调整区域政策、建立农业生态-生产范式、建立“水银行”管理机制、建立用水效益和开源节流的评估体系以及加强“截水—抽水—控水”为一体的灌溉系统工程建设,提高灌溉应急能力等对策,以期为农业旱灾的防御和减灾决策提供科学依据。     

Investigatory behavior inthe plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) and several additional species

Garter snakes (Thamnophis radix), hognose snakes (Heterodon platyrhinos), and rattlesnakes (Crotalus species) flick their tongues and crawl about in an open field containing no food or sexual (i.e., reproductive) odors. As Experiment I shows, the taxa differ reliably in both rate of tongue flicking and rate of locomotion. In Experiment II, garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) placed into an open field for 5 min showed more tongue flicking than snakes that were handled and placed directly back into their home cages, indicating that the first group was exploring the apparatus rather than responding only to handling. During Minutes 3 through 5 (Experiment III) in the open field, garter snakes emitted fewer tongue flicks than they did during the first minute, and after 20 min, the rate of tongue flicking was virtually zero. However, snakes were capable of responding to presentation of new objects and/or odors, indicating that the previous response decrement was not derived from effector fatigue but rather from some habituatory process. Experiment IV revealed that satiated snakes habituated more rapidly than hungry snakes during exploration of the open field. Hence, exploratory behavior in these snakes is at least partially under the control of the same factors which mediate food-related appetitive activities.     

Specific mentoring: a theory and model for developing primary science teaching practices

The transition from generic mentoring to specific mentoring practices can provide a stronger focus for developing preservice primary teachers (mentees) in subject‐specific areas. Constructivist theory and a five‐factor model towards specific subject mentoring are proposed as ways to develop mentees' teaching practices. Firstly, constructivist theory complements mentoring within field experiences (practicum/internship), as it can be used to build upon prior understandings towards developing the mentee's knowledge and skills for teaching. Secondly, the picture that emerges from the literature shows five factors for mentoring, namely: (i) personal attributes that the mentor needs to exhibit for constructive dialogue; (ii) system requirements that focus on curriculum directives and policies; (iii) pedagogical knowledge for articulating effective teaching practices; (iv) modelling of efficient and effective practice; and (v) feedback for the purposes of reflection for improving practice. It is argued that ‘generalist’ primary teachers in their roles as mentors will require specific mentoring strategies linked to these five factors to enable effective mentoring in specific subject areas.     

A Study of Laterality Characteristics of Retarded Readers and Reading Achievers

Two field observation studies conducted with American and Chinese students, aged 8 to 11, were used to examine developmental and cultural patterns in academic risk-taking (i.e., student selection of academic achievement tasks varying in difficulty) and to formulate hypotheses pertinent to this phenomenon. Data led to the following tentative conclusions: (a) Sex differences in academic risk-taking and failure tolerance are trivial. (b) Failure tolerance decreases with development. (c) Academic risk-taking is low relative to the theoretically optimum risk level of .50. (d) Developmental patterns in academic risk-taking vary with situational factors. (e) Academic risk-taking varies with content. (f) Academic risk-taking tends to be higher for American students than for Chinese students and higher for Chinese students from industrial settings in contrast to government-employment settings. Three hypotheses were formulated to explain the field observations: the variable payoff hypothesis, the accuracy-difficulty judgment hypothesis, and the external constraint hypothesis.     

Development and validation of a preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching questionnaire

Little is known about preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching, in part, because the field lacks valid and reliable measures of these teacher-related factors. To address this need, the current study developed and validated a rating scale (P-TABS) using a statewide sample of Head Start teachers (N = 507). A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Generalizability and invariance of the final factor solution was examined across important subgroups of the standardization sample (i.e., teacher ethnicity, education level, and years of teaching experience). Three distinct factors were identified (Teacher Comfort, Child Benefit, and Challenges), with strong evidence for validity found for the first two factors. The P-TABS expands the availability of reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching and for examining how these teacher-related factors affect classroom practices and student outcomes.     

棉花“3414”回归设计技术参数分析方法的探讨

通过＂3414＂最优回归设计田间试验测得的数据,建立了以皮棉产量为目标函数的N、P、K三因素肥料效应模型.通过模拟仿真因素取值的频率分析,得出皮棉产量1 431.51-1 444.82 kg/hm2的N,P,K最佳施肥量分别为纯N227.92-255.37 kg/hm2,P2O5 161.97-168.94 kg/hm2,K2O327.25-354.04 kg/hm2.并对两因素互作效应及单因素效应进行了剖析.同时,对模型中有关专业技术统计参数的求解进行了讨论.     

Integrating student learning with practitioner experiences via virtual field trips

The challenge of enriching the teaching/learning experience with the voice of practitioners has long been accomplished via field trips. Now, whether students are on another continent or in the presence of a teacher, they can have the field trip experience electronically. Therefore, this paper addresses: (i) the rationale for virtual field trips (VFTs) for a basic public speaking course; (ii) the content and design of the VFTs; (iii) insights gained from assessments of the roles and functions of VFTs over a 3 year period.     

The role of mental health factors and program engagement in the effectiveness of a preventive parenting program for Head Start mothers

Head Start centers were randomly assigned to intervention (parent training) or control conditions, and the role of maternal mental health risk factors on participation in and benefit from parent training was examined. Parenting was measured by parent report and independent observation in 3 domains: harsh/negative, supportive/positive, inconsistent/ineffective parenting. Structural equation modeling showed that parent engagement training was associated with improved parenting in a dose-response fashion. Mothers with mental health risk factors (i.e., depression, anger, history of abuse as a child, and substance abuse) exhibited poorer parenting than mothers without these risk factors. However, mothers with risk factors were engaged in and benefited from the parenting training program at levels that were comparable to mothers without these risk factors.     

A national study examining the impact of SEVIS on international student and scholar advisors

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact that Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is having on the professional worklives of international student and scholar advisors (ISSAs) on U.S. college and university campuses. ISSAs are clearly satisfied with their work and hold their institutions in high regard. However, SEVIS is having a profound effect on their morale, satisfaction, and their likelihood to leave the field. That is, SEVIS (i.e., reporting, training, time) and the quality of worklife (i.e., professional activities and career development, recognition for competence and their expertise, external and intra-department relationships, perceptions of discrimination) are important to ISSAs, and thus have a strong effect on their level of satisfaction and/or morale, and their subsequent intentions to stay or leave their career/profession.     

快速命名与汉语发展性阅读障碍的研究综述

近年来快速命名与发展性阅读障碍的研究,主要讨论了快速命名对发展性阅读障碍产生预测性作用的主要原因:语音能力、正字法能力和任意性的形音联结.虽然鲜有研究涉及任意性的形音联结,但这个因素在形音关系不透明的汉语中,可能与阅读过程和快速命名都存在很大的相关性.今后应设立一个有效的统一的鉴别发展性阅读障碍儿童的标准,逐渐形成中文阅读发展的体系.     

Student teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development: the starting-points of geographers and scientists

Postgraduate student teachers’ conceptions of sustainable development were elicited using a questionnaire completed by the entire cohort of geography (N = 21) and science (N = 40) students starting the University of Oxford Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary course. Responses were analysed in three ways: (i) development of categories to capture features of sustainable development; (ii) scrutiny of individual responses for the presence or absence of key features (specifically environmental, economic and social factors); and (iii) in contrast to these grounded approaches, examination of the responses in light of a pre-specified framework. Notable findings were: (i) the large numbers recognizing the centrality of environmental (87%), economic (69%) and social (49%) factors—about a third highlighted all three factors (the geographers significantly more so than the scientists), while a further third mentioned two of them; (ii) when compared with the pre-specified framework, the aspects of sustainable development largely missing were to do with preservation of diversity, and with uncertainty and precaution in action; (iii) only one response contained an aesthetic element; and (iv) when comparing education for sustainable development with environmental education, the most frequent view identified the former as broader. The findings are related to contemporary literature in the field and some implications for PGCE learning are considered.     

Cadmium accumulation in different pakchoi cultivars and screening for pollution-safe cultivars

The selection and breeding of pollution-safe cultivars (PSCs) is a practicable and cost-effective approach to minimize the influx of heavy metal to the human food chain. In this study, both pot-culture and field experiments were conducted to identify and screen out cadmium pollution-safe cultivars (Cd-PSCs) from 50 pakchoi (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) cultivars for food safety. When treated with 1.0 or 2.5 mg/kg Cd, most of the pakchoi cultivars (>70%) showed greater or similar shoot biomass when compared with the control. This result indicates that pakchoi has a considerable tolerance to soil Cd stress. Cd concentrations in the shoot varied significantly (P<0.05) between cultivars: in two Cd treatments (1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg), the average values were 0.074 and 0.175 mg/kg fresh weight (FW), respectively. Cd concentrations in the shoots of 14 pakchoi cultivars were lower than 0.05 mg/kg FW. In pot-culture experiments, both enrichment factors (EFs) and translocation factors (TFs) of six pakchoi cultivars were lower than 1.0. The field studies further confirmed that the Hangzhouyoudonger, Aijiaoheiye 333, and Zaoshenghuajing cultivars are Cd-PSCs, and are therefore suitable for growth in low Cd-contaminated soils (≤1.2 mg/kg) without any risk to food safety.     

Changes in time-related academic behaviour are associated with contextual motivational shifts

Research in the field of time-related academic behaviour (i.e. procrastination and timely engagement) has traditionally been focused on more stable factors, such as personality. Recent research suggests there may be a motivational component to these behaviours. The present study examines whether time-related academic behaviour is stable across time and context, and the degree to which change is predicted by contextual and motivational factors. The sample was comprised of 453 undergraduate college students at a large public university in the Midwestern US. We found that time-related academic behaviours were not stable, and changes in those behaviours were most closely linked to changes in self-efficacy, self-regulation and mastery-approach achievement goals.     

Age of Entry to Kindergarten and Children's Academic Achievement and Socioemotional Development

Research Findings: Data on more than 900 children participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care were analyzed to examine the effect of age of entry to kindergarten on children's functioning in early elementary school. Children's academic achievement and socioemotional development were measured repeatedly from the age of 54 months through 3rd grade. With family background factors and experience in child care in the first 54 months of life controlled, hierarchical linear modeling (growth curve) analysis revealed that children who entered kindergarten at younger ages had higher (estimated) scores in kindergarten on the Woodcock—Johnson (W-J) Letter-Word Recognition subtest but received lower ratings from kindergarten teachers on Language and Literacy and Mathematical Thinking scales. Furthermore, children who entered kindergarten at older ages evinced greater increases over time on 4 W-J subtests (i.e., Letter-Word Recognition, Applied Problems, Memory for Sentences, Picture Vocabulary) and outperformed children who started kindergarten at younger ages on 2 W-J subtests in 3rd grade (i.e., Applied Problems, Picture Vocabulary). Age of entry proved unrelated to socioemotional functioning.

Practice: The fact that age-of-entry effects were small in magnitude and dwarfed by other aspects of children's family and child care experiences suggests that age at starting school should not be regarded as a major determinant of children's school achievement, but that it may merit consideration in context with other probably more important factors (e.g., child's behavior and abilities).     

智力的培养及其干预实验

我们长期地从事培养智力与能力的干预实验研究。由于智力与能力属于个性心理特征,所以在其培养上,必须要以它的差异作为前提。在具体干预实验中,一是从智力与能力本身入手,即从思维品质培养入手;二是从非智力因素入手。     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel N-Benzoxazolonyluracils as Protox-Inhibitor

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitor has become the focus research field as herbicides.Seven novel N-benzoxazolonyluracils were obtained by cyclization of 6-aminobenzoxazolone derivatives with ethyl 3-dimethylcarbamoylamido-4,4,4-trifluorocrotonate and then methylation or amination, and the reaction yields were between 59%-86%. The chemical structures of the compounds were identified by Elemental Analysis, MS and ^1H NMR. Biological results indicate that some compounds exhibit excellent control of broadleaf weeds at post-emergence by low dosage 18.75 ga.i/ha, but are not effective for grass weeds below dosage 37.5 ga. i/ha. In addition, these compounds show no damage at high-dosage 150 ga. i/ha to wheat and corn, but are unsafe to dicotyledonous plants such as cole, soybean and sorghum even at lower dosage 18.75 ga. i/ha.     

Elementary teachers’ beliefs about multicultural education practices

As the diversity of American schools is increasing, teachers should understand the role culture plays in the classroom and employ teaching practices that accommodate students from diverse cultural backgrounds. However, while more is known about pre-service teachers’ beliefs about multicultural education, less is known about what practices in-service teachers endorse and what factors influence those beliefs about practices. Specifically, the aims of the study were to determine (a) how teachers define culture, (b) what multicultural practices they endorse, and (c) what school-level factors (i.e. racial/ethnic demographics of the school) and teacher-level factors (i.e. multicultural professional development/coursework, grade level taught, comfort level facilitating multicultural discussions, and definitions of culture) are associated with teachers’ endorsement of multicultural practices. A sample of 45 elementary teachers (grades kindergarten to fifth) in three elementary schools completed a custom-developed survey. Findings indicated that teachers defined culture broadly with infrequent mention of specific identities and did not show strong endorsement of recommended multicultural practices. Teachers’ definitions of culture and their school of employment were associated with teachers’ beliefs about practices. Directions for future and implications for targeted professional development will be discussed.     

A concurrent examination of protective factors associated with resilience and posttraumatic growth following childhood victimization

The present study concurrently examined protective factors associated with the adaptive outcomes of resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG; defined as positive psychological change resulting from a life crisis or trauma), after accounting for relevant demographic factors and the impact of circumstances surrounding childhood victimization (i.e., age of first trauma, frequency of victimization, and perception of trauma severity). The protective factors examined in the present study included social support from friends and family, optimism, positive religious coping (i.e., looking to God for support and guidance; forgiveness), and negative religious coping (i.e., feeling abandoned by God; anger towards God). Participants included 161 college students from the US MidSouth, aged 18–24 (M_age = 19.97, SD = 1.86). All participants reported experiencing physical violence and/or sexual abuse during their childhood. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that after accounting for demographics and circumstances surrounding the childhood victimization, higher resilience was associated with greater family support, optimism, and positive religious coping, while higher posttraumatic growth was associated with greater optimism and positive religious coping. These findings underscore the protective role of optimism with respect to both resilience and posttraumatic growth. Additionally, results highlight the importance of examining cognitions related to religious coping rather than simply assessing broadband religiosity, as only positive religious coping was associated with adaptive outcomes. Findings suggest the importance of early intervention to bolster protective factors (i.e., family support, positive thinking, gratitude, and positive religious coping skills) among youth exposed to childhood physical and sexual victimization.