Predicting the Growth of Early Spelling Skills: Are There Heterogeneous Developmental Trajectories?

We examined the growth of spelling skills in a large sample of Norwegian children (N = 228) over the first 3 years in school. The roles of phoneme awareness, letter knowledge, rapid automatized naming (RAN), visual–verbal paired-associate learning, and verbal short-term memory as predictors of later spelling skills were examined. Phoneme awareness and letter knowledge together with nonalphanumeric RAN and verbal short-term memory were independent longitudinal predictors of both word and nonword spelling. In addition growth mixture modeling suggested that individual variations in the growth of word spelling were best characterized as variations around a single trajectory, whereas growth in nonword spelling was better characterized as variations around two distinct trajectories. The results are related to current theories about the cognitive and linguistic foundations of spelling.     

Glimpses of dialogue: transitional practices in digitalised classrooms

This socio-culturally informed qualitative study examines digitalised classrooms in Norwegian secondary schools, with a focus on the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) and dialogic aspects of literacy practices. In the article, we foreground two cases: one on the use of digital mind maps and one on a writing process with online response. These cases display productive results of the tensions between old practices and new technology in that they open up spaces for dialogic interaction. This experience calls for a deeper historical contextualisation, and in the article we refer to different time scales: First, the restricted time scale of practices observed in the local school contexts over an academic year; second, the somewhat wider perspective of 20–30 years of educational research addressing technological innovation; and third, the extensive time scale of cultural history, with an analogy to the slow move from orality to literacy in ancient Greece. On this basis we suggest the term ‘transitional practices’ as an appropriate reference to all of these three time scales. Against this background, the glimpses of dialogue observed are seen as promising precursors of future development, but also as vulnerable plant shoots that may very well shrivel and die if they are not supported.     

“Macro-structure” of developmental participation histories and “micro-structure” of practice of German female world-class and national-class football players

The study examined the “micro-structure” of football practice and the “macro-structure” of participation history of female professional football players. Participants were 29 German 1st league (Bundesliga) players, 14 of whom played on the senior national team (Olympic Champion in 2016). A questionnaire recorded the players’ positions, proportions of physical conditioning, drill-type skill exercises and playing forms within coach-led football practice, and the volume of coach-led practice and peer-led play, in both football and other sports, from childhood to adulthood. Analyses revealed that most athletes played various attacker and defender positions during development. National team players differed from their Bundesliga peers by less physical conditioning and greater proportions of playing forms within football practice. National team players also accumulated less total football practice until age 18 years, but more peer-led football and coach-led practice in other sports compared to their Bundesliga counterparts. Based on these variables, a binary logistic regression classified 93% of the national team and Bundesliga players correctly. Conclusion: A combination of long-term coach-led football practice involving a relatively large proportion of playing forms with considerable childhood/adolescent peer-led football play and coach-led practice in other sports may have facilitated adult performance among German female world-class football players.     

Outdoor adventures and adolescents’ mental health: daily screen time as a moderator of changes

Research provided ample evidence that excessive screen time (ST) in adolescence has detrimental effects on psychosocial health. This paper argues that structured outdoor programs can serve as an antidote to negative health impacts of exaggerated ST. For youth with a high level of regular ST, outdoor adventures imply a break with their ‘normal’ (mediatized) lifestyle, so that greater progress in mental health can potentially arise. This hypothesis is tested in a sample of adolescents, who took part in a 10-day outdoor program. Pre-to-post program mean comparisons for stress, hedonic balance and life satisfaction show significant positive changes. However, benefits of the program are markedly greater among youths with a high level of daily ST compared to youths with low-to-moderate levels.     

FORSKNING OCH MORAL

Gjesme, Torgrim (1971). Motive to Achieve Success and Motive to Avoid Failure in Relation to School Performance for Pupils of Different Ability Levels. Scand. J. educ. Res. 00, 81‐99. Subjective probability of success (P_s) has been a neglected factor in studies regarding the relationships between achievement‐related motives and performance. Taking this factor into account, we expected that in a traditional classroom in which ability is heterogeneous, only pupils of average ability would have their achievement‐related motives aroused. The very bright pupil would not have his motives aroused, while the dull one would have his motive to avoid failure (Mf) aroused, but not his motive to achieve success (M,). The pattern of our results was in consonance with the hypotheses for boys in 7th grade.

     

Pediatricians and speech disorders

The authors present the results of personal interviews with several practicing pediatricians relative to their information about speech disorders and their disposition of speech defective children presented to them.     

Telecommunications Management

DISASTER RECOVERY PLANNING FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS by Leo A. Wrobel (Boston: Artech House, 1990—price not given, ISBN 0-89006-460-1,112 pp.)

LONG DISTANCE SERVICES: A BUYER'S GUIDE by Daniel D. Briere (Boston: Artech House, 1990—price not given, ISBN 0-89006-439-3,293 pp.)

ADVANCES IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT edited by Jagdish Sheth and Garly Frazier (Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1990—$63.50 each, ISBN as listed below)

MANAGING THE R&D/MARKETING INTERFACE FOR PRODUCT SUCCESS: THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOCUS edited by Massoud Saghafi and Ashok K. Gupta (1990—ISBN 1-55938-144-2,218 pp.)

PURCHASING IN THE 1990S: THE EVOLUTION OF PROCUREMENT IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY edited by Wesley J. Johnston (1990—ISBN 1-55938-145-0,257 pp.)     

Redefining User Involvement in Digital News Media

This article provides insight into the strategic priority of various approaches towards user involvement and how these are changing over time. A longitudinal series of surveys studying prioritizations among editorial staff identify a redefinition of user involvement in digital media: from 2012 to 2015 the role of users has been reframed from co-producers to distributors. This indicates that promotion and business development gain prominence at the expense of the traditional focus on user participation to ensure media’s social role. At the same time, the approaches increasing in importance are those least likely to challenge the traditional understanding of journalists’ professional role.     

Kompetenzerwerb und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung im Freiwilligen Sozialen Jahr – Ein Vergleich vier sozialer Tätigkeitsbereiche

Voluntary work is regarded as a learning environment which facilitates character development and skills acquisition in adolescents. Based on a sample of young adults who completed a year of voluntary work in the social sector, this study investigates whether a volunteer service is accompanied by personality development, networking opportunities as well as amplified cognitive, social, and personal competencies. It is further investigated to what extent the potential for learning and personality development is shaped by the field of activity in which subjects are involved. To this end, this study analyzes retrospective self-ratings of volunteers. The findings indicate that voluntary work is linked to a variety of positively evaluated developmental changes regarding personality and skills. Moreover, the results reveal pronounced differences between different fields of activity. Four domains within the non-profit sector are described and analyzed, with each domain relating to a distinct horizon of experience and unique learning opportunity. These four domains are care and ministration, ambulance and rescue service, education and culture, and sport and exercise.