Prekindergarten Interactive Book Reading Quality and Children’s Language and Literacy Development: Classroom Organization as a Moderator

Research Findings: This study examined the association between interactive book reading quality and prekindergarten children’s gains in language and literacy skills over the course of an academic year for 96 teachers and 417 children across multiple locations in the United States. Two moderators were examined, namely, children’s initial skill level and teachers’ classroom organization during an interactive read-aloud session. In keeping with prior research, interactive book reading quality, measured by examination of teachers’ extratextual talk, was positively and significantly related to children’s development of both language and literacy skills. Interactive book reading quality was not significantly moderated by children’s initial skills, with the exception that interactive book reading quality appeared most beneficial to children’s print knowledge for children entering prekindergarten with relatively low skill. The unique contribution of this study is that the association between interactive book reading quality and children’s expressive vocabulary was dependent on an organized classroom during the book reading session. Practice or Policy: The quality of teachers’ talk during interactive book reading may matter for children’s vocabulary development only when reading sessions are characterized by relatively high classroom organization. Classroom organization should be an important consideration while planning for interactive book reading sessions.     

To trademark or not to trademark: The case of the creative and cultural industries

Research on the use of trademarks by innovating companies is growing. Yet, large research gaps exist in our understanding of the use of trademarks beyond manufacturing and beyond specific service sectors. This study focuses on the creative and cultural industries (CCIs) and argues that these industries represent a salient case to advance research on trademarks. After reviewing the main characteristics of CCIs, a conceptual framework is developed to classify motives to trademark and motives not to trademark for firms in these industries. The paper offers original empirical evidence on the relevance of these motives from survey results on a sample of 486 European firms in five selected CCIs.Results from principal component analysis are used to propose a taxonomy of firms with specific attitudes and strategies towards trademarking. All results are discussed in terms of their implications for using trademarks as the basis for novel economic indicators of product variety and innovation.     

Peer rejection and HPA activity in middle childhood: friendship makes a difference

Exclusion and victimization by classmates were related to levels and diurnal change in cortisol in 97 fourth graders (53% boys, M = 9.3 years). Number and quality of friendships were considered as moderators. Salivary cortisol was collected 5 times daily on 2 school days. Excluded children had elevated cortisol levels at school and a flattened diurnal cortisol curve, suggesting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis dysregulation. This effect was weaker for children with more friends or better friendships. Victimization was not associated with cortisol level or change. The results demonstrate the role of HPA activity in peer group processes and indicate that group and dyadic factors interact in predicting stress in the peer group.     

Learning Metabolism by Problem‐Based Learning Through the Analysis of Health or Nutrition Articles from the Web in Biochemistry

Problem‐based learning using authentic material from the web was used to teach metabolism in a biochemistry course. In place of traditional lectures, students’ analyzed health or nutrition articles from newspapers and magazines, which were debatable from a scientific point of view, following the principles of problem‐based learning. A mixed method was used to assess the students’ perception, use of sources of information and web services while performing the task, and changes in self‐directed learning. Students’ perception was particularly positive. The majority stated that the methodology helped them to apply knowledge to real life and that they learned about the topic analyzed by their group. The perception that problem‐based learning promotes the ability to solve problems, critical thinking, and collaborative work is noteworthy. Tutors considered that teams identified the problem and concluded correctly, noticing students’ enthusiasm and motivation. The methodology also promoted scientific reading. More importantly, a significant improvement in self‐directed learning of the 2014 cohort was detected. This intervention suggests that this methodology is a valuable alternative to motive and promote self‐learning; representing an opportunity to shift the focus of instruction from the teacher to the student. The design of the activity and materials are described in detail. Also, limitations and solutions are discussed.     

The lag effect in secondary school classrooms: Enhancing students’ memory for vocabulary

Educators often face serious time constraints that impede multiple repetition lessons on the same material. Thus, it would be useful to know when to schedule a single repetition unit to maximize memory performance. Laboratory studies revealed that the length of the retention interval (i.e., the time between the last learning session and the final memory test) dictates the optimal lag between two learning sessions. The present study tests the generalizability of this finding to vocabulary learning in secondary school. Sixth-graders were retaught English–German vocabulary after lags of 0, 1, or 10 days and tested 7 or 35 days later. In line with our predictions, we found that the optimal lag depends on the retention interval: Given a 7-day retention interval, students performed best when relearning occurred after 1 day. When vocabulary was tested after 35 days, however, students benefited from lags of both 1 and 10 days. Model-based analyses show that enhanced encoding processes and stronger resistance to forgetting—but not better retrieval processes—underlie the benefits of optimal lag. Our findings have practical implications for classroom instruction and suggest that review units should be planned carefully by taking the time of the final test into consideration.     

The acceptability of lies: A comparison of Ecuadorians and Euro-Americans

This study examined differences between Ecuadorian and Euro-American college students in the perceived acceptability of lies. Six different lie domains were examined: flattery, impression management, conflict avoidance, enhancement of others’ self-esteem, self-aggrandizement, and instrumental lies. Overall, Euro-Americans rated lies as more acceptable than Ecuadorians. In both cultures, lies motivated by a desire to benefit others were considered to be more acceptable than lies that primarily benefited the self. Additionally, lying to the outgroup was perceived as being more acceptable than lying to the ingroup. These results were interpreted in light of the findings that Ecuadorians scored higher on measures of uncertainty avoidance and power distance, whereas Euro-Americans scored higher on levels of independence. The implications of these findings for intercultural relations and future directions for research are discussed.     

Amid Progress and Wilderness: Early Reception of Georges Hébert’s Naturist Ideas in Brazil During the First Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing how Hébert’s naturist ideas were received and assimilated in Brazil based on the perusal of sources such as Azevedo (1915, 1920, 1931), Miranda (1945) as well as some broadsheets and periodicals, for example Correio da Manhã, O Paiz, Gazeta de Noticias, and Fon-Fon! (1913–1928). Furthermore, it investigates by what means Hébert’s conception of nature integrated the mindset of Brazilian sanitarians in the first half of the twentieth century. Evidence suggests that there must have been some intertwinement of points of view that brought together Hebert’s Natural Method and the French Naturist Perspective at the time of the arrival of the latter in Brazil. Hébert’s thoughts on the concept of Nature reached Brazil early in the 1910s, and were incorporated in the shaping of a new approach to therapeutic treatments focused on preserving the patient’s welfare. As a result, this study has enabled us to properly understand the reception of Hébert’s works in Brazil, and come to terms with the historical connection between French gymnastic practices based on the Natural Method and their subsequent acclimatized Brazilian variants.