A Monte Carlo Study of a Method for Detecting a Change in the Slope of a Single Subject’s Responses

The primary purpose of the present paper is to call attention to Hawkins’ (4) procedure for testing a sequence of observations for a shift in location. Such a procedure could have applicability for assessing change within a single subject. Monte Carlo results are provided which suggest that Hawkins’ procedure is robust with respect to moderate violations of its underlying assumptions of homogeneity of variance and normality. A hypothetical example is also discussed for illustrative purposes.     

Basic Principles in the Education of Environmentalists

Abstract

A computer based simulation model that traces the recreational use patterns within park and wilderness areas has been employed as a teaching tool in a recreation management course at the University of Vermont. Use of the Wilderness Travel Simulation Model in the classroom reduces the complexity of the system under study, allows students to act as managers (devising and testing their own management strategies), and increases the students' exposure to the characteristics of an actual park or wilderness area. The value of the model as a teaching tool was supported by the students' high degree of interest and enthusiasm in the class.     

The effects of exposure to violence and victimization across life domains on adolescent substance use

This study uses longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to examine the effects of exposure to school violence, community violence, child abuse, and parental intimate partner violence (IPV) on youths’ subsequent alcohol and marijuana use. We also examine the cumulative effects of being exposed to violence across these domains. Longitudinal data were obtained from 1,655 adolescents and their primary caregivers participating in the PHDCN. The effects of adolescents’ exposure to various forms of violence across different life domains were examined relative to adolescents’ frequency of alcohol and marijuana use three years later. Multivariate statistical models were employed to control for a range of child, parent, and family risk factors. Exposure to violence in a one-year period increased the frequency of substance use three years later, though the specific relationships between victimization and use varied for alcohol and marijuana use. Community violence and child abuse, but not school violence or exposure to IPV, were predictive of future marijuana use. None of the independent measures of exposure to violence significantly predicted future alcohol use. Finally, the accumulation of exposure to violence across life domains was detrimental to both future alcohol and marijuana use. The findings support prior research indicating that exposure to multiple forms of violence, across multiple domains of life, negatively impacts adolescent outcomes, including substance use. The findings also suggest that the context in which exposure to violence occurs should be considered in future research, since the more domains in which youth are exposed to violence, the fewer “safe havens” they have available. Finally, a better understanding of the types of violence youth encounter and the contexts in which these experiences occur can help inform intervention efforts aimed at reducing victimization and its negative consequences.     

Student Athletes' Perceived Barriers to and Preferences for Seeking Counseling

The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes of intercollegiate student athletes regarding their use of counseling services. The authors assessed student athletes’ perceived barriers to seeking counseling services and their preferred characteristics of a helping professional. Several barriers to counseling were identified. Results suggest student athletes have strong preferences for counselor characteristics, including familiarity with sports, gender, and age. Practical applications of these findings are discussed.     

Female teachers’ coping styles with negative emotions in student aggression

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Current research has focused largely on teachers’ practices in order to promote safe and peaceful classrooms; however, research on how teachers...     

How Important Is Private Higher Education in Europe? A Regional Analysis in Global Context1

The importance of private higher education (PHE) is increasingly clear globally. But does Europe fit the global generalisation? This question can be assessed with reference to two major considerations: the size of PHE and the degree of private-public difference. The growth of PHE in Europe has been delayed and limited compared to that in most of the world, though still significant. For the 27-member European Union, the PHE share is best put at 12%, with a modestly higher share for Europe more broadly defined. Europe's PHE share is thus less than half that of the global share. The regional share is considerably higher in Eastern than in Western Europe. In terms of distinctiveness, European PHE differs from public higher education in important respects that reflect world patterns. Inter-sectoral differences are decisive in finance. Though less quantifiable, they appear fundamental albeit blurred in some but not all aspects of governance and activities. Blurring in activities, governance, and even finance occurs through changes within both sectors, especially through partial privatisation within the public sector. Still, Europe's private sector is far from simply isomorphic to the public sector. Considering together size and distinctiveness, a reasonable assessment is that PHE has moderate and increased importance in Europe.     

‘You have to understand words … but not read them’: young children becoming readers in a digital age

Given that many young children now enter their early years in education as competent and frequent users of digital technology, this paper examines how this experience influences children's perceptions of reading. Drawing from research conducted with 12 young children (aged 3–6) this paper reports on the ways in which these children were interacting with screen texts and using them to develop strategies to make sense of a whole variety of symbolic representations, including print. It is argued that the medium of computer technology in particular was seen to encourage young children to develop both understandings about texts and the skills needed to read them. This included specific aspects of print awareness as well as a general confidence in handling print. However, this confidence appeared to diminish as the children encountered ‘schooled’ approaches to print literacy. It is therefore concluded that schools need to find ways in which to capitalise on the use of multimedia in order to promote confidence and skills in young readers today.