The perceived impact of agricultural advice in Ethiopia

Purpose: We examine the impact of advice given by extension agents to Ethiopian farmers, as perceived by the farmers themselves. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data from 2014, we analyze the perceived impact of advice on farmers’ incomes and crop yields. We use a bootstrapped instrumental variable (IV) estimator and the conditional mixed process estimator. Theoretical implications: The impact of advice will depend upon its relevance and whether and how efficiently it is implemented by the farmer. This in part depends upon the farmer’s ability and on the impact of fully implemented advice on output, which will vary from farm to farm. Findings: There is a positive perceived impact of most advice on both crop yields and income. However, some advice works better in drought-affected areas and other in non-drought-affected areas. Fertilizers have more impact on crop yields than income, possibly reflecting cost factors. There is evidence that the farmers’ ability to implement the advice increases with their level of education and that advice is being tailored to the needs of the individual. Practical implications: Advice has a positive impact on both crop yields and income. However, not all advice is equally effective and effectiveness varies according to farmer and farm characteristics. There is little evidence of credit advice having a positive impact. Originality/value: The paper is one of only a few to analyze farmers’ perceptions of advice impact and, as far as we are aware, is the first to analyze how advice effectiveness varies according to farmer and farm characteristics.     

The impact of computer-mediated and traditional academic task presentation on the performance and behaviour of children with ADHD

This project aimed to examine whether the use of computers could have a positive impact on the performance of academic tasks and their behaviour whilst completing them of children with ADHD. This small exploratory study therefore investigated the impact of the use of a laptop computer, with and without stimulating animations and features incorporated into task presentation, on Key Stage 2 level science tasks. The effects of these different forms of computer presentation were examined in relation to performance on more traditionally presented, pen and paper, tasks. The results of this study revealed that, in contrast to typically developing children, participants with ADHD produced the greatest number of accurate responses on the more basic computerised tasks (presented as simple Microsoft Word documents) and exhibited significantly more on-task activity on animated computerised tasks. In summary, computerised presentation significantly improved the accuracy of responses and the on-task focus of participants with ADHD. These early findings are encouraging and may have wide reaching practical implications in terms of the design and implementation of educational software aimed at promoting improvements for children with ADHD in terms of both their academic performance and, critically, appropriate on-task focus and behaviour in the classroom.     

Effectiveness of relationships and sex education: A systematic review of terminology,content, pedagogy,and outcomes

This paper presents a systematic review on published research on universal school-based relationships and sex education for children aged 4–18 years. The review excludes papers focused solely on targeted cohorts, specific content areas and approaches such as abstinence-only education. Systematic searches were conducted with 5007 papers identified and following three rounds of screening, 134 papers were included in this review. The review sought to identify the terms used to describe sex education, the content included in programs or curriculum, the approaches forming the basis for implementation, the methods used to evaluate programs including the outcomes assessed. We conclude that the terms used in the field are vast, the content varied, approaches were wide-ranging, methods numerous and claims to effectiveness fluctuated and at times contrasted. Future research should seek to identify consistency in terminology and content, identify pedagogical approaches that are fully described building on the field of expertise in education, and engage highly rigorous methods and expertise in evaluation. The field of sex education must be recognized socially and institutionally so that appropriate funding and resources can be distributed to achieve the depth and breadth of knowledge required to progress the field. The implications of this impact on children's access to and ability to develop knowledge, skills, behaviours and critical thinking about themselves and their relationships.     

Empowering early years workers to identify and target areas of difficulty in pre‐school children

This paper reports on a project aimed at providing skills and resources to support nursery staff in identifying areas of strength and need in 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children. The six participating nurseries were all in areas of high socio‐economic disadvantage. Staff were trained to administer, score and interpret a wide‐ranging screening inventory. Following the assessment of children at nursery entry, staff were given support in developing appropriate programmes of activities to address the weaknesses and build on the strengths identified for individual children. All the children were reassessed following a period of six months. Although time was a major issue, staff were generally positive about the screening process and recognised the worth of early identification and intervention. While 46% of 173 children screened at the start of the project had significant difficulties in some area of development, only 6.9% remained at risk on the screening measure following tailored input. Systematic screening was identified as important for alerting staff to difficulties that might otherwise go unnoticed.     

对《物质结构与性质（选修）》高考复习教学的几点建议

与旧教材相比,新课标教材最大的特点是对知识的探究性学习和新知识的出现,如化学平衡常数、电子排布式及σ键和π键等,均为新增内容,且几乎全为抽象概念,这些知识点有可能成为高考中的命题点．就如何组织好《物质结构与性质（选修）》的复习教学,提出设想和建议．     

The influence of on-farm advice on beliefs and motivations for Swiss lowland farmers to implement ecological compensation areas on their farms

Purpose: Farmers hold a key to reaching biodiversity targets, but will only carry out this service to society if they are sufficiently motivated to do so. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of on-farm advice as a tool for motivating farmers to take action to preserve or even to enhance biodiversity on their farms.

Design/methodology/approach: To address this aim, we surveyed 133 farmers (response rate 43.9%), of whom 23 had received on-farm advice about farmland biodiversity conservation over a period of six years.

Findings: The results showed that key beliefs and motivations were positively influenced by farmer advisory services. Farmers who had received advice agreed significantly more strongly in the compatibility of biodiversity conservation and production; that biodiversity is important; and that nature conservation on farms is appreciated by society.

Practical Implications: These results allow the conclusion that on-farm biodiversity advice might be a useful way of positively influencing the beliefs and enhancing motivations of farmers to contribute to biodiversity conservation on their farms.

Theoretical implications: Although several papers have examined the influence of agricultural extension on farmer behaviour, the results of this study contribute to explaining some of the contradictions in the literature about the effectiveness of advisory services. Furthermore, this study addresses [Batary, P., L. V. Dicks, D. Kleijn, and W. J. Sutherland. 2015. “The Role of Agri-Environment Schemes in Conservation and Environmental Management.” Conservation Biology 29: 1006–1016.] challenge that there has been insufficient research on the link between farmer advice and the effectiveness of agri-environmental schemes.

Originality/value: This paper is among the first to address these research gaps and is the first to examine the influence of advice on farmer conservation behaviour in the Swiss context.     

The impact of Specialist School status: a case study of two contrasting mathematics and computing colleges

The research examines the range of effects of obtaining Specialist School status in two contrasting mathematics and computing colleges, concentrating on the mathematics department. The positive impact of a wider range of technology was evident in both schools although the inherent pedagogical perspectives within each mathematics department remained fixed. Some definite tensions were evident in both schools – timetabling difficulties mitigating against maintaining and strengthening partnerships, a growing assumption that, having obtained Specialist School status, all mathematics staff were deemed to be ‘experts’. Key subject personnel in both schools obtained promotion within two years; each left a significant ‘gap’ in provision and development and raised issues of ‘succession management’ which had been unforeseen.     

Four-year longitudinal impact evaluation of the Action for Children UK Neglect Project: Outcomes for the children,families, Action for Children,and the UK

Neglect has a devastating impact on children and is the most pervasive form of child maltreatment in the United Kingdom. The study purpose was to establish outcomes for neglected children following structured assessment and intervention to ascertain what worked and why it worked.     

The cost efficiency impact of the university operation fund on public universities in Taiwan

This study uses the stochastic frontier multiple-product cost function that is modeled after Battese and Coelli [Battese, G. E., & Coelli, T. J. (1995). A model for technical inefficiency effects in a stochastic frontier production for panel data. Empirical Economics 20(2), 325–332.] in order to empirically measure the cost efficiency of the University Operation Fund (UOF) on Taiwan's public universities.The original purpose of the UOF's implementation was to reduce the government's financial burden by increasing cost efficiency in higher education institutions. By nature, the UOF differs from the traditional governmental budget regimes in three major respects. First of all, institutional operations and programs are no longer fully funded by government appropriations. Secondly, the universities can now retain surplus resources. Finally, the regulations on the use of funds raised by each institution itself are now less cumbersome. These differences provide universities with incentives for higher cost-efficiency and more active fund-raising.The empirical results from our study, which are based on panel data gathered from 34 public universities during the academic years 1992–2000, suggest that the adoption of the UOF has had a significantly negative impact on cost efficiency.     

Investigating the impact of at-home learning on secondary school-aged children with ADHD: a qualitative study

Students with ADHD can benefit from at-home learning in terms of managing their symptoms; however, lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic are having negative impacts on the student population. This study was designed to ascertain how students with ADHD have been impacted by at-home learning under lockdown restrictions. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted using semi-structured interviews from students, parents and teaching staff. These interviews were used to identify three main themes (anxiety caused by at-home learning, change in social interaction and academic impact of at-home learning) that best identified the participants' experiences. The results suggested that whilst supportive home environments helped students with ADHD to better manage their symptoms, social anxiety was a significant problem, and not all schools allowed students with ADHD to take full advantage of at-home learning for their students with ADHD.     

The effects of relaxation and biofeedback on attention to task and impulsivity among male hyperactive children

This study examined the effects of relaxation training and biofeedback on attention to task and on impulsivity as measured by the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) among 36 hyperactive male children. Subjects who were identified through teacher ratings on the abbreviated Conners’ Behavior Rating Scale were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The experimental treatment consisted of three sessions (each session consisting of 2 phases) of relaxation training and biofeedback. There were no significant differences on all pretest measures (baseline electromyographic readings, pretest error on attention task, and pretest latency). However, differences on all these measures became statistically significant (p < .01) with the treatment group improving attention to task scores and decreasing impulsivity scores. When all pretest data, posttest error, student's age and teacher's rating were controlled for, analysis of covariance results confirmed the significant differences between both groups. It was concluded that relaxation training and biofeedback warrants inclusion in programs designed for hyperactive male children.     

The influences of methylphenidate on heart rate and behavioral measures of attention in hyperactive children.

Reaction-time performance and heart-rate responses associated with attention were used to assess the hyperactive child's attentional deficit and his response to methylphenidate. Attentional deficits shown by long response latencies were reflected in heart-rate responses theoretically incompatible with sustained attention. Subjects exhibiting the greatest attentional deficit displayed the most favorable response to methylphenidate in both reaction-time performance and physiological measures. However, subjects who showed the greatest improvement in social behavior were those who showed the least improvement in reaction-time performance.     

The impact of a combined cognitive-affective intervention on pre-service teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and anticipated professional behaviors regarding homosexuality and gay and lesbian issues

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a cognitive-affective intervention the attitudes, knowledge, and anticipated professional behaviors regarding homosexuality and gay and lesbian issues of pre-service teachers in the United States. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned either to a control group (n = 34) or an experimental group (n = 33). Pre-test and post-test means were compared using paired-samples t-tests to determine the impact of the intervention. Data analysis revealed significant positive changes in the pre-service teachers’ attitudes and knowledge about homosexuality, as well as their anticipated professional behaviors with respect to homosexual students and their families.     

The effects of physical activity on children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a review

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorder among children. Despite the noted positive aspects of the disorder, it is often associated with a range of negative outcomes for that are detrimental to children's education and wider well-being. This comprehensive scoping review examined empirical literature from seven academic journal databases and specialist journals, published over 10 years, in relation to the benefits of sport/physical activity upon the effects of ADHD. The databases and time frame were chosen to give the ‘ideal [scenario]?…?that could answer the review question’, within the limitations of journal database access and resource available; searches of grey literature were also conducted. Ten articles were included in the final review. Due to the variation of methodological approach, sample size, and, most importantly, the form of physical activity measured, it is difficult to identify the ‘best’ form of physical activity to mediate symptoms of ADHD. However, it can be plausibly claimed that physical activity interventions may provide an alternative, non-pharmaceutical approach to management of ADHD in children.     

教育效能的本质、特征与改进方法论

面对推进教育现代化,建设教育强国,办好人民满意教育的时代使命,教育不仅要有高效率和高质量,更要追求高效能。教育效能是教育主体全面有效实现教育目的,保障师生健康幸福与可持续发展的能量与能力。其本质是教育活动合目的有效性整体,主要表现为合目的有效性的程度(深度、广度和持久度)。教育效能具有合目的性、有效性、整体性、持续性、潜在性与时代性等主要特征。教育效能改进的方法论是整体结构优化。主要包括六个方面:以提升"合目的有效整体性"为核心的整体结构优化;在提高素质的基础上完善人格目标;优化教育保健的教育教学生态;创建师生高效能教学共同体的师生关系;学习先进,科学增效、科技赋能、创造性艺术性改进的教育教学方法;在教育效能改进中创造更先进的富有中国特色与时代风格的现代教育文明的品格与态势。     

The impact of science motivation on cognitive achievement within a 3-lesson unit about renewable energies

Our study analyzed the influence of motivation towards science in relation individual cognitive achievement scores. 232 10th graders of college preparatory school level (‘Gymnasium’) completed a cognitive achievement test three times and a questionnaire quantifying motivation towards science once. A three-lesson module dealt with aspects of the topic renewable energies. The knowledge test was applied one week before (T-0), directly after (T-1) and six weeks after (T-2) participation in the learning module. The questionnaire on science motivation was completed at T-0 in order to receive unaffected data. A test-retest group (acting as control group) of 37 students completed the questionnaires with no intervention. Three motivational groups were selected: highly motivated, intermediate and less motivated. The intervention group showed substantial knowledge gain in short- and in long-term perspectives, almost independently of motivational levels. A positive linear relation between motivation and content knowledge was observable for each test schedule. In particular, intrinsic factors are shown to be responsible for this relationship.We recommend implementing appropriately designed educational settings to promote intrinsic aspects in order to foster performance almost independently of pre-existing knowledge and science motivation We presume pre-existing knowledge as well as learning to be influenced by motivation towards science. Also, pre-existing knowledge may influence individual motivation towards science. Consequently, beyond scientific contents, a focus on motivation of adolescents in science may lead to a synergetic effect for life-long learning.     

The idea of impact and its implications for academic development work

In the current context of higher education, those working in academic development feel the need to demonstrate the impact that their work makes on achieving desired institutional outcomes. In this paper, we examine the concept of impact, consider the various meanings of impact and review ways that the term has been used rhetorically and conceptually in relation to academic development. We explore our experience of working in an academic development unit (ADU) and what role impact may have played in our motivations and outcomes. Specifically, we document the changes in the focus, format and language of the ADU's annual reports over three years and reflect on what these revealed to us about our approach to academic development work and the idea of impact.

Dans le contexte actuel de l'enseignement supérieur, ceux qui oeuvrent dans le domaine du développement pédagogique ressentent le besoin de démontrer l'impact de leur travail en relation avec les résultats institutionnels escomptés. Dans cet article, nous examinons la notion d'impact, nous étudions ses diverses significations et nous passons en revue les façons avec lesquelles cette notion a été utilisée aux plans rhétorique et conceptuel en lien avec le développement pédagogique. Nous explorons notre expérience de travail au sein d'une unité de développement pédagogique (ADU) et quel rôle l'impact a pu jouer à l'égard de nos motivations et de nos résultats. De façon plus spécifique, nous documentons les changements de focus, de format ou de langage observés dans les rapports annuels de notre ADU sur une période de trois ans et réfléchissons à ce que cela nous a révélé au sujet de notre approche à l'égard du travail de développement pédagogique et de la notion d'impact.     

The academic impact on children of maternal post-secondary enrollment

Numerous empirical studies have found that maternal educational attainment is correlated positively with desirable outcomes for children, including academic achievement. At the same time, little is known about the effect of the timing of mothers’ schooling on the same set of child outcomes. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), I find a positive effect of full-time maternal post-secondary enrollment on the reading scores of kindergarten students after controlling for child-specific, time-persistent unobserved heterogeneity. This effect is especially strong when the sample is narrowed to children with married mothers or in households where a father is present. No similar effect is found for kindergarten math scores.