Early Mathematics in the Home and Out-of-Home Contexts

The investigation to be reported here is part of a wider, multi-method and longitudinal study that has tracked early mathematics in the home of nine young children from between one and two years of age through to school age. The paper focuses on the mathematical development of two of the children, providing an in-depth analysis of observation and discourse in the home and considering the possible impact of this on later attitudes to learning. Clark (2001) has argued that it is possible to pin-point contexts in homes and pre-school settings from research evidence that are most likely to stimulate learning in young children and to lay an effective foundation for literacy and numeracy. This paper concludes that early pedagogical strategies may vary in the manner in which they pave the way not only for the later development, but also foster expectations for and attitudes towards future learning. L'investigation ici rapporte´e fait partie d'une e´tude de type multi-me´thode et longitudinal plus comple ¤ te, qui traque l'usage des mathe´matiques au premier age dans la maison par neuf jeunes enfants, a ¤ partir de l'age d'entre un et deux ans au passage a ¤ la scolarite´ formelle. Cet essai se concentre sur le de´veloppement mathe´matique de deux des enfants, fournissant une analyse approfondie de la observation et du discours dans la maison et conside ¤ re l'impact possible de ceci sur l'accomplissement et les attitudes a ¤ l'apprentissage poste´rieurs. Clark (2001) a soutenu que c'est possible de pre´ciser contextes spe´cifiques dans le cadre du foyer et dans les cadres pre´scolaires en e´manant de l'e´vidence de la recherche qui vont plus probablement stimuler l'apprentissage dans les jeunes enfants et placer une fondation efficace pour l'alphabe´tisation et l'aptitude au calcul. Cet essai conclut qu'une strate´gie parentale efficace est caracte´rise´e par sa direction de l'attention de l'enfant aux relations dans l'espace, le temps, la quantite´ et l'e´tendue, qui peuvent etre perc¸ues au cours de la manipulation d'objets dans les actions qui sont en cours de realisation et qui ont e´te´ introduites par l'enfant meme. La conscience de ces relations est e´tablie par la pe´riode d'acquisition de langue pendant que l'enfant reconna L t, arrange et manipule des relations qui peuvent etre perc¸ues dans les objets de jeu. L' appui par l'adulte de la coordination de l'enfant dans ces relations dans le contexte d'activite´s verbales et pratiques semble paver la voie non seulement pour le de´veloppement poste´rieur de principes cognitifs mais aussi d'espe´rances positives pour et des attitudes vers l'apprentissage futur. La investigacio´n que se relata aqu L ´´ forma parte de un estudio multime´todo y longitudinal ma´s amplio, que rastrea el uso de las matema´ticas en la primera edad en la casa de nueve nin ¨ os, de la edad de entre uno y dos an ¨ os al pasaje a la educacio´n formal. Este ensayo hace enfoque en el desarrollo matema´tico de dos de los nin ¨ os, proporcionando un ana´lisis a fondo de observacio´n y discurso en el hogar y considerando el impacto posible de e´ste sobre el logro posterior y las actitudes para el estudio. Clark (2001) ha argumentado que es posible sen ¨ alar los contextos en el hogar y en los ambientes preescolares (basandose en evidencia emergente de investigaciones previas) que ma´s probablemente estimulan el estudio en los nin ¨ os y que proporcionan una base eficaz para el alfabetismo y la aptitud al ca´lculo. Este ensayo concluye que una estrategia eficaz de parte de los padres es caracterizada por su dirigimiento de la atencio´n del nin ¨ o hacia las relaciones de espacio, de tiempo, de cantidad y grado, que puede ser percibido en el curso de la manipulacio´n de objetos en acciones continuas iniciadas por nin ¨ o. El conocimiento de estas relaciones se establece en el per L ´´odo de la adquisicio´n del lenguaje a medida que el nin ¨ o reconoce, pone en orden y manipula las relaciones que se pueden percibir en los objetos de juego. El apoyo de la coordinacio´n del nin ¨ o en estas relaciones por el adulto en el contexto de actividades verbales y pra´cticas parece preparar el terreno no so´lo para el desarrollo posterior de principios cognoscitivos pero tambie´n para las esperanzas positivas y para las actitudes hacia el aprendizaje futuro.     

Developing Performance Indicators for Assessing Classroom Teaching Practices and Student Learning

Several states are requiring institutions to document changes in student outcomes. Regional and specialized accrediting agencies are also changing their review criteria from measuring inputs to assessing indicators of student learning. This article describes the results of an evaluation project that sought to develop performance indicators of learning gains for undergraduate engineering students. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between classroom practices and students' gains in professional competencies. More than 1,250 students from 7 universities participated. Findings show that the instructional practices of Instructor Interaction and Feedback, Collaborative Learning, and Clarity and Organization are significantly and positively associated with gains in students' self-reported gains in problem-solving skills, group skills, and understanding of engineering as an occupation. The indicators meet several conditions recommended by the assessment literature. They are (1) meaningful to the user, (2) reliable and valid, and (3) index observable behaviors rather than subjective impressions.     

Gender and culture: Reported problems,coping strategies and selected helpers of male and female adolescents in 17 countries

This is the second report of a multinational project undertaken in 1988 by the International Round Table for the Advancement of Counseling that sought, among other things, to compare and contrast the reported problems, coping strategies, and help-seeking behavior of 2129 male and 2307 female adolescents from a total of three different socioeconomic backgrounds in each of 16 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan Kuwait, the Netherlands, the Philippines, China, Puerto Rico, Turkey, the US, and Venezuela) and from a "classless" background in Russia. The first report described the study and research methodology and cited preliminary findings that 1) problems and coping strategies tended to be universal and age-related; 2) impoverished subjects from Brazil, India, the Philippines, and Venezuela had more problems than any other adolescents; 3) problems were usually related to school, family, and identity rather than to sexuality; and 4) the most common coping strategy was individual problem-solving. This report compares male/female identification of up to three problems that cause worry, response to such problems, and help-seeking behavior. All adolescents cited problems in school, identity, and family. Males and females reported similar coping strategies and showed a strong dependence on individual coping strategies. Both males and females choose personal friends and family members as those most likely to help with problems. Males exhibited a higher percentage of problems related to school and a lower percentage of family problems. Russian adolescents reported more problems relating to altruism than any other group, especially males. These results imply that strong similarities exist for males and females, and the findings are worrisome in that problems related to sexuality were not cited. Counselors should expect the concerns of adolescents to be developmentally related and to overwhelm gender differences.     

Preservice Secondary Education Majors and Visual-Spatial Perception: An Important Cognitive Aptitude in the Teaching of Science and Mathematics

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Changes and challenges in the transition to adulthood: views and experiences of young people with learning disabilities and their families

The transition to adulthood poses one of the most complex challenges for young people with intellectual disabilities. In order to conduct a wide-reaching and in-depth study of this process, we need to know the views of these young people themselves and their families. This article presents research designed to collect the experiences and perceptions of young people with disabilities and their families regarding perceived problems and support in their transition to adulthood in Spain. A qualitative case study method was used to achieve this. Data were collected in three stages on the following topics: educational pathway (primary and secondary school), social support networks and free time, and construction of a personal plan for the future (labour market inclusion and independent living). Various different instruments were used, including interviews, focus groups and visual methods. As for the results, the young people who participated in the study experienced difficulties with both successfully completing secondary education and continuing their education. The families in our study were not very satisfied with the guidance received from professionals upon finishing secondary school. They also complained about the lack of training options available to young people with disabilities. The participants expressed certain fears regarding social inclusion and labour market integration. They are aware that they will need help, and have doubts about whether they will receive the necessary support to progress with their plans for labour market integration and independent living. As a result of the study, we propose several recommendations to improve opportunities for the social inclusion of young people with disabilities in their transition to adulthood.     

Classroom design and impression formation: A new area for research

Recently, educators and psychologists have begun to discuss the messages conveyed by different classroom designs. Although the arguments presented are persuasive, the basic contention—that classroom design influences impression formation—has not been empirically tested. The purpose of this article is to bring to the attention of educational psychologists the possibilities for research in this area. The paper summarizes the findings of some initial investigations and suggests directions for future study.     

Computer-based compensation of adult reading disabilities

We studied the use of computer readers, and especially their speech synthesis component, as a compensatory tool for adults with dyslexia. We first explored the enhancement of reading skills in a group of college students and working adults. Their unaided reading was very slow, and most participants in the study could sustain reading for only short periods. Although their timed comprehension was poor, their untimed comprehension was above average. The computer reader enhanced the reading rate and comprehension of most participants and enabled them to sustain reading longer. The difference between aided and unaided reading rate was inversely proportional to the unaided rate. Slower readers experienced greater enhancement than faster ones. The enhancement of comprehension was also inversely proportional to unaided scores, and good predictions of the enhancement were obtained from multiple regression models that included scores from specific standard tests of auditory and visual cognitive abilities. We also explored the use of computer readers in the workplace and show through case studies that their use can have important positive effects on individual careers and self-confidence when specific conditions exist. Finally, we investigated the use of computer readers to supplement an adult remediation program. The readers allowed and motivated the students to read more and, as a result, to progress more rapidly. Support for this study was provided by Xerox, the Luke B. Hancock Foundation, and the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation.     

Changes in the perceived classroom goal structure and pattern of adaptive learning during early adolescence

Despite a recent increase in research on the associations between classroom goal structures, motivation, affect, and achievement, little is known about the effects of changes in the perceived classroom goal structure as students move from one grade level to another. Comparisons of students who perceived an increase, decrease, or no change in the mastery and performance goal structures of their classrooms during the transition to middle school and across two grades within middle school revealed that changes in the mastery goal structure were more strongly related to changes in cognition, affect, and performance than were changes in the performance goal structure. The most negative pattern of change was associated with a perceived decrease in the mastery goal structure.     

Using curriculum-based measurement to inform reading instruction

The focus of this article is recent CBM work that incorporates diagnostic reading assessment. The goal is to help general and special educators tailor more effective reading instruction for developing readers. The development process for this CBM diagnostic reading assessment is described; the resulting assessment is presented; and preliminary data on its technical features and utility are provided. This research was supported in part by Grant #H324C000022 from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and Core Grant #HD15052 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Vanderbilt University. Statements do not reflect the position or policy.