ASSESSING NEEDS FOR POSTSECONDARY VOCATIONAL HOME ECONOMICS INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA AND MATERIALS IN TEXAS

The Education Amendments of 1976 (PL 94‐482) provided funds for states to develop postsecondary vocational home economics instructional materials. To date, most states have not developed instructional materials designed for use at the postsecondary level. This report summarizes a needs assessment project designed to identify the specific needs instructors perceived for instructional materials in their subject area, as well as student characteristics and present use of instructional media and materials in Texas programs. The activities of the project included a nationwide search for existing materials suitable for use at the post‐secondary level; the preparation of four annotated bibliographies; and the development and statewide administration of a survey instrument. The survey revealed that the students of postsecondary vocational home economics were varied in characteristics; instructors used discussion, questioning, and lecture as the main teaching techniques; instructors would increase use of most types of instructional media and materials if more or better quality materials were available. Needs were perceived in each of the program areas: child development, food service/dietetics, fashion design/tailoring, and interior design.     

Effects of social psychological phenomena on school psychologists’ ethical decision-making: a preliminary empirical analysis

This preliminary, exploratory study examines the impact of select social psychological phenomena on school-based ethical decision-making of school psychologists. Responses to vignettes and hypothetical statements reflecting several social psychological phenomena were collected from 106 practicing school psychologists. Participants were asked to respond by indicating the degree to which their actions in such a scenario would be influenced by the particular phenomenon being represented. Results indicate that some of these social psychological influences are present in the daily work of the school psychologist.     

Ankle Accelerometry for Assessing Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls: Threshold Determination,Validity, Reliability,and Feasibility

Purpose: Ankle accelerometry allows for 24-hr data collection and improves data volume/integrity versus hip accelerometry. Using Actical ankle accelerometry, the purpose of this study was to (a) develop sensitive/specific thresholds, (b) examine validity/reliability, (c) compare new thresholds with those of the manufacturer, and (d) examine feasibility in a community sample (low-income, urban adolescent girls). Method: Two studies were conducted with 6th- through 7th-grade girls (aged 10–14 years old): First was a laboratory study (n = 24), in which 2 Actical accelerometers were placed on the ankle and worn while measuring energy expenditure (Cosmed K4b2, metabolic equivalents [METs]) during 10 prescribed activities. Analyses included device equivalence reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], activity counts of 2 Acticals), criterion-related validity (correlation, activity counts and METs), and calculations of sensitivity, specificity, kappa, and receiver-operating characteristic curves for thresholds. The second was a free-living study (n = 459), in which an Actical was worn for more than 7 days on the ankle (full 24-hr days retained). Analyses included feasibility (frequencies, missing data) and paired t tests (new thresholds vs. those of the manufacturer). Results: In the laboratory study, the Actical demonstrated reliability (ICC = .92) and validity (r = .81). Thresholds demonstrated sensitivity (91%), specificity (84%), kappa = .73 (p = .043), area under curve range = .81–.97. In the free-living study, 99.6% of participants wore the accelerometer; 84.1% had complete/valid data (mean = 5.7 days). Primary reasons for missing/invalid data included: improper programming/documentation (5.2%), failure to return device (5.0%), and wear-time ≤ 2 days (2.8%). The moderate-to-vigorous physical activity threshold (> 3,200 counts/minute) yielded 37.2 min/day, 2 to 4.5 times lower than that of the manufacturer's software (effect size = 0.74–4.05). Conclusions: Validity, reliability, and feasibility evidences support Actical ankle accelerometry to assess physical activity in community studies of adolescent girls. When comparing manufacturers' software versus new thresholds, a major difference was observed.     

Persistence and Fadeout in the Impacts of Child and Adolescent Interventions

Many interventions targeting cognitive skills or socioemotional skills and behaviors demonstrate initially promising but then quickly disappearing impacts. Our article seeks to identify the key features of interventions, as well as the characteristics and environments of the children and adolescents who participate in them, that can be expected to sustain persistently beneficial program impacts. We describe three such processes: skill-building, foot-in-the-door and sustaining environments. We argue that skill-building interventions should target “trifecta” skills—ones that are malleable, fundamental, and would not have developed eventually in the absence of the intervention. Successful foot-in-the-door interventions equip a child with the right skills or capacities at the right time to avoid imminent risks (e.g., grade failure or teen drinking) or seize emerging opportunities (e.g., entry into honors classes). The sustaining environments perspective views high quality of environments subsequent to the completion of the intervention as crucial for sustaining earlier skill gains. These three perspectives generate both complementary and competing hypotheses regarding the nature, timing, and targeting of interventions that generate enduring impacts.     

Bookstores of Chicago

Les Brown, Television: The Business Behind the Box (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Javanovich, 1971—$8.95)

Arnold Passman's The Deejays (New York: Macmillan, 1971— $7.95)

Allan Jefferys and Bill Owen's DJ (New York: Ashley Books, 1971—$7.95)

Harvey F. Swearer Commercial FCC License Handbook (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1971—$8.95/5.95)

Dick Perry's Not Just a Sound: The Story of WLW (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1971—$6.95)     

Students’ choices and achievement in large undergraduate classes using a novel flexible assessment approach

A flexible approach to assessment may promote students’ engagement and academic achievement by allowing them to personalise their learning experience, even in the context of large undergraduate classes. However, studies reporting flexible assessment strategies and their impact are limited. In this paper, I present a feasible and effective approach to flexible assessment, describe choices made by 2016 students in 12 sections of two different courses using this approach, and explore associations between students’ choices and academic achievement. Students decided at the beginning of the term whether they would use the assessment scheme proposed by the instructor or modify it by selecting (from within ranges provided) which assessments they would complete and the value of each in calculating their final grade. Most students (62%) made some change, but many (38%) opted to use the suggested values. Students did not choose to minimise their workload by selecting the fewest assessments possible. Opting out of a large assignment was the most common change, but the majority (69%) completed the assignment and almost all (95%) included quizzes based on readings. Different choices were not associated with notable differences in achievement: midterm score was the most important predictor of performance on a cumulative final examination.     

The power of open: benefits,barriers, and strategies for integration of open educational resources

ABSTRACT

Open Educational Resources (OER) are becoming a significant, mission-driven trend within educational literature. To help address rising costs, instructors and designers are looking to OER to effectively replace traditional instructional content, which requires more than just identify and replace. Drawing from 51 OER studies conducted in countries across the five continents, this systematic literature review explored the empirical themes evident in the current research on a global scale. This review found (1) discoverability, sustainability, and remixing are significant barriers that stand in the way of OER disrupting traditional textbook models; (2) there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when instructors incorporate OER; and (3) implementation of OER as instructional strategies is challenging but can be effective in supporting positive learning outcomes when properly designed. The paper concludes with a discussion of gaps in the literature, considerations for implementation and further directions for future research.     

Computer-assisted career guidance: Improving the design and use of systems

This paper presents and analyzes recommendations developed by system developers, policy makers, researchers/evaluators, and practitioners for improving the design and use of computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) systems.