Book Reviews

Zuckerman: Scientist Extraordinary by Bernard Donovan BioScientifica, Bristol, 2005, 555pp. ISBN 1‐901978249 £24.95 Negotiating licences for digital resources by Fiona Durrant Facet Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1 85604 586 2 Metadata for Information Management and Retrieval By David Haynes Facet Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1 85604 4890     

Learning science through writing: associations with prior conceptions of writing and perceptions of a writing program

Students in a large undergraduate biology course were expected to write a scientific report as a key part of their course design. This study investigates the quality of learning arising from the writing experience and how it relates to the quality of students’ preconceptions of learning through writing and their perceptions of their writing program that led to their report. Closed‐ended questionnaires investigating student conceptions and perceptions of writing, and approaches to writing, were completed by 121 students. Significant associations were found amongst qualitatively different prior and post conceptions of writing, approaches to writing and achievement. The results of the analyses suggest that the effective support of student experiences of writing reports requires teachers to be aware of the type of conceptions that students bring to their course and the perceptions they hold about the purpose of the writing program in which they are engaged.     

Predictors of College Attendance Patterns of Rural Youth

This study investigated patterns of college attendance using data from a nationwide and contemporary sample of 2112 rural youth. We found that more than half of rural youth attended two-year institutions at some point during their college career and about a fourth initially enrolled in a two-year college before enrolling in a four-year college. Results also revealed that parental education, college preparatory track and preparation experiences, and teacher expectations predicted students’ college attendance patterns. Our findings point to the importance of two-year colleges and highlight the influence of family characteristics and students’ schooling experiences in the postsecondary trajectories of rural youth.     

Mothers’ Implicit and Explicit Attitudes and Attributions in Relation to Self-Reported Parenting Behavior

Objective. Parenting behavior is presumed to be related to the thoughts about child behavior that parents report in a controlled and explicit manner and to more implicit parent cognitions that occur outside of conscious awareness and are less accessible to verbal report. Design. We examined mothers’ attitudes toward their children as correlates of self-reported parenting behavior. We used a combination of a self-report questionnaire and a reaction-time method (the Implicit Association Test) to assess explicit and implicit attitudes, respectively. We also assessed mothers’ implicit and explicit attributions for child misbehavior in relation to parenting, using a questionnaire measure of attributions completed under high-cognitive load (implicit attributions) or under low-cognitive load (explicit attributions). Mothers of 124, 6- to 10-year-olds (52% male) participated. Results. Attitudes assessed by self-report questionnaire and the Implicit Association Test were uniquely associated with negative parenting. The cognitive load manipulation moderated associations between attributions and parenting, such that child-blaming attributions were inversely associated with positive parenting only under conditions of high-cognitive load. Conclusions. Compared to traditional self-report questionnaires, methods such as the Implicit Association Test or cognitive load manipulations may more effectively assess implicit parent cognitions.     

An Innovative Course Featuring Action Research Integrated with Unifying Science Themes

In this article, we describe an innovative capstone course for preservice K-8 teachers integrating action research and a unifying theme in science (AAAS in Science for all Americans. Oxford University Press, New York, 1989; NRC in National science education standards. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996). The goals of the capstone course are to increase student knowledge of the unifying theme, improve written communication skills, and introduce students to educational research. We provide evidence that each of these goals is met. Student growth in theme knowledge is demonstrated through concept maps, questionnaires, and previously reported assessments. Improved writing ability is demonstrated using the spelling and grammar checking feature of Microsoft Word. The analysis of action research reports demonstrates that students are able to connect their action research project results to previous research.     

Behavioral synchronization and affiliation: Dogs exhibit human-like skills

Behavioral synchronization is evolutionary adaptive, fostering social cohesion. In humans, affiliation between partners is associated with a high level of behavioral synchronization; people show increased affiliation towards people who synchronize with them. Surprisingly, until recently, little was known about these phenomena at an interspecific level, which is, however, essential to better understand the respective roles of evolution and ontogeny. After presenting why dog–human dyads are a relevant biological model to study this field of social cognition, we review the recent findings about dog–human behavioral synchronization. We summarize recently published findings on behavioral synchronization and affiliation between dogs and humans. We also review results showing that genetic selection modulates behavioral synchronization propensity in dogs, emphasizing the role of genetic selection on dog’s social behaviors towards humans. Finally, we discuss the possible evolutionary influences and proximate mechanisms of this phenomenon. We conclude that, as in humans, behavioral synchronization acts as a social glue between dogs and humans. After dogs’ ability to use human-directional cues or to produce referential cues towards humans, we evidenced a new human-like social process in the dog, at the interspecfic level with humans.     

Cultural interpretations of the visual meaning of icons and images used in North American web design

This study examines cross‐cultural interpretations of icons and images drawn from US academic websites. Participants from Morocco, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the USA responded to an online questionnaire containing 18 icons and images representing online functions and information types common on US academic websites. Participants supplied meanings for icons and images and selected a preferred image to represent each of four specific online functions. From three images of professors, participants chose one with whom they would prefer to study. Data were collected at the University of New Mexico, USA; in Internet cafes in the Middle Atlas region and at Al‐Akhawayn University, Morocco; the Open University of Sri Lanka in Nawala, Nugegoda; and at Anadolu University, Turkey. A qualitative analysis examines participants' perspectives and preferences for specific representations and identifies cultural themes in relation to Hofstede's dimensions. Implications for the design of images for cross‐cultural users are discussed.

L'interprétation culturelle de la signification visuelle des icônes et images utilisées dans la conception de sites Web en Amérique du Nord

La présente étude porte sur les interprétations transculturelles des icônes et des images extraites de sites universitaires américains. Des participants venus du Maroc,du Sri Lanka, de Turquie et des Etats Unis, ont répondu à un questionnaire en ligne contenant 18 icônes et images représentant des fonctions en ligne et des modes d'information que l'on trouve couramment sur les sites universitaires américains. Ces participants ont attribué des significations aux icônes et images et sélectionné l'image qu'ils (elles) préféraient pour représenter chacune des quatre fonctions en ligne proposées. A partir de trois images de professeurs,les participants en ont choisi une, celle avec qui ils (elles) préféreraient étudier. Une étude quantitative examine les perspectives des participants et leurs préférences pour une représentation donnée et elle identifie les thèmes culturels par rapport aux dimensions de Hofstede. On étudie les conséquences que cela peut avoir pour la conception d'images destinées à des utilisateurs interculturels.

Kulturelle Interpretationen der visuellen Bedeutung der Symbole und Bilder, die in Nordamerika Web‐Design benutzt werden

Diese Studie untersucht cross‐kulturelle Interpretationen von Symbolen und Bildern, die in akademischen US‐Websites benutzt werden. Teilnehmer aus Marokko, Sri Lanka, der Türkei und den USA bearbeiteten einen Online‐Fragebogen mit 18 Ikonen und Bildern, die Online‐Funktionen und – Informationen auf akademischen US‐Websites gemeinsamen sind. Die Teilnehmer benannten angenommene Bedeutungen der Symbole und Bilder und wählten ein bevorzugtes Bild für jede der vier spezifischen Online‐Funktionen aus. Aus drei Bildern von Professoren wählten die Teilnehmer eines aus, das denjenigen zeigen sollte, mit dem sie es vorziehen würden zu studieren. Eine qualitative Analyse untersucht Perspektiven und Präferenzen der Teilnehmer für bestimmte Vertretungen und Identitäten kultureller Themen in Bezug auf die von Hofstede aufgestellten Dimensionen. Auswirkungen auf die Gestaltung von Bildern für cross‐kulturelle Nutzer werden diskutiert.

La interpretación cultural del significado visual de iconos y imagenes utilizados en el diseño de sitios Web en América del Norte

Este artículo examina las interpretaciones transculturales de iconos y imágenes procedentes de sitios académicos de los Estados Unidos. Participantes de Marruecos, Sri Lanka, Turquía y los EUA respondierón a un cuestionario en línea conteniendo 18 iconos y imágenes que representan funciones en línea y tipos de información que se encuentran frecuentemente en los sitios académicos de los EUA. Los participantes propusieron significados para los iconos y imágenes y seleccionarón la imágen que les parecía más idónea para representar cada una de cuatros funciones en línea específicas. Entre tres imágenes de profesores, los participantes seleccionarón una, la de la persona con quien les gustaría estudiar. Un análisis cualitativo examina las perspectivas y preferencias de los participantes para tal o tal representación específica y al mismo tiempo se analiza temas culturales en relación con las dimensiones de Hofstede. Se analizan también las consecuencias que esto conlleva para el diseño de imágenes destinadas a usuarios transculturales.     

北京之旅

当你作为外邦人来到一个全新的国度,能让你感到最为兴奋的便是碰触那个国度里最为民生的部分:小景点、繁忙的交通、做运动的老人家、使着各种招揽伎俩的小贩……你见到的一切都那么真实,每个人都在努力地生活着,不知不觉中,你已深深地为这个纯朴而真实的国度所吸引……     

The lived experiences of orphaned learners in South Africa: implications for the provision of quality education

Learners living in impoverished communities and subjected to the kind of disadvantage in operation in their home environment are at risk of receiving education of an inferior quality. The situation is worse for orphans, especially those residing in poor communities in that they bring to school peculiar attributes which poses challenges for the South African government in its endeavour to provide quality education for all. This paper presents constructed narratives of four primary-school learners living in a poor community in South Africa. The narratives are presented from the perspectives of the learners themselves, teachers and caregivers. These narratives reveal that following the death of parents, orphaned learners experience emotional changes, increased responsibilities, safety concerns as well as absence of learning support in the case of sibling-headed households. We argue that the challenges they experience in their home environment impact negatively on learning at school. We, therefore, propose that the extended family and the community serve as resources in providing needed support for promoting positive educational experiences to these learners.