Intramaze cues and “odor trails” fail to direct choice behavior on an elevated maze

The relative importance of intramaze cues and extramaze cues in directing choice behavior on a radial arm maze was examined using a discrimination procedure which selectively rewarded rats for following only one set of cues. Rats in the intramaze group obtained food from a food cup on the end of each arm. Rats in the extramaze group obtained food from a food cup on a small platform just beyond the end of each arm. All rats were first shaped to perform correctly with the maze in a constant position. Then the maze was rotated to a new position after every choice. For rats in the intramaze group, the food moved with the arms, making intramaze cues relevant. For rats in the extramaze group, the food remained on the platforms (in the same position in the room), making extramaze cues relevant. Rats in the extramaze group performed almost perfectly during maze rotation, demonstrating that intramaze cues were not necessary to support accurate choice behavior. Rats in the intramaze group never performed better than chance, demonstrating that intramaze cues (from the rats, the reinforcement, and the apparatus) were not adequate to control choice behavior. The results of the present experiment are compared to those of other experiments describing the influence of “odor trails” or other olfactory stimuli on choice behavior in mazes.     

Diversity around the Profile of the `Good' Candidate within French and German Universities

Diversity may occur amonginstitutions that are considered to be similar.This is one of the arguments developed in thispaper through the empirical analysis of facultyrecruitments in history and mathematics withinGerman and French universities. This studyshows that the definition of what constitutes a`good candidate' varies greatly from onedepartment to another and affects the criteriato be taken into account and their respectiveweight in the decision. These variations are tobe explained by the internal dynamics of theparticular national academic labour market, thespecific situation of the department and alsoby its development strategy.     

Evaluating the Social Validity of Project TEAM: A Problem-Solving Intervention to Teach Transition Age Youth with Developmental Disabilities to Resolve Environmental Barriers

Project TEAM teaches transition-age youth with developmental disabilities (DD) to identify physical and social environmental barriers and supports, generate solutions to barriers, and request modifications to increase participation. Establishing the social validity of this environment focused intervention with youth and their parents is critical, given the significant shift the intervention represents from rehabilitation’s more traditional focus on body structures and function. University researchers and youth research collaborators conducted a participatory evaluation of the purpose, procedures, and perceived benefits of Project TEAM. Youth with DD (n = 42) provided feedback using three methods: activity voting, a survey, and a focus group. Parents (n = 37) also provided feedback. Results suggest that both youth and parents find Project TEAM acceptable and relevant to youth’s current and future lives. The majority of youth and parents felt Project TEAM fostered independence and empowerment, although some youth and parents reported challenges with the unique environment-focused approach.     

Understanding silence: an investigation of the processes of silencing in parent–teacher conferences with Somali diaspora parents in Danish public schools

This article questions the dominant understanding that immigrant and refugee parents in parent–teacher conferences are silent because they come from a culture where one does not question the authority of the teacher. Instead, it is argued that they become silent through certain interactional processes. Building on material from an explorative case study of the home–school relations of Somali diaspora families in Danish public schools, the article argues that while these parents have many opinions about their children’s education that they wish to convey, there are institutional and interactional processes in the parent–teacher conference that systematically silence their voices. The understanding of culture as a stable structure that persons are situated within in a top-down manner is thus challenged, arguing that dynamic here-and-now interactions unfolding in a specific practice result in persons becoming, rather than being, silent.     

A multivariate examination of parent involvement and the social and academic competencies of urban kindergarten children

The primary objective of this study was to obtain a multidimensional picture of parent involvement in kindergarten. Participants in this study were 307 low‐income, ethnic minority children and their primary caregivers in a large, urban school district in the Northeast. Results revealed that kindergarten parent involvement dimensions (i.e., from the Parent Involvement in Children's Education Scale; Fantuzzo, Tighe, McWayne, Davis, & Childs, 2002) were congruent with those established with preschool (Head Start) parents. Multivariate relationships were found between kindergarten parent involvement dimensions and children's social and academic competencies. Parents who actively promote learning in the home, have direct and regular contact with school, and experience fewer barriers to involvement have children who demonstrate positive engagement with their peers, adults, and learning. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 363–377, 2004.     

Reflections on Transformative Experiences with Mathematical Inquiry: The Case of Christine

Abstract

We present a first-hand, longer-term account of one student’s (Christine’s) experiences in and after a mathematics inquiry course. In this course, students actively posed problems, conducted their own mathematical explorations, and wrote journal entries about their experiences. During the course, Christine found that inquiry helped her develop mathematical content knowledge and a deeper understanding of the nature of research. After the course, Christine became a mathematics education faculty member in a mathematics department and reports that the course impacted the way she teaches mathematics. This provides an illustrative case of the potential long-lasting benefits of an inquiry course.     

The relationship between social support and student adjustment: A longitudinal analysis

This study is an examination of the relationship of perceived social support and adolescents' adjustment behaviors over time. The sample (n = 82) included students from two at‐risk urban middle schools. Utilizing two measures, the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS; C. K. Malecki, M. K. Demaray, & S. N. Elliott, 2000) and the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Self Report of Personality (BASC; C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 1998), data were collected at three time points. Results point to a relationship between social support and student adjustment behaviors over time. Specifically, support from parents was related to clinical maladjustment and emotional symptoms one year later. In fact, parent support was still related to clinical maladjustment one year later even after students' earlier levels of clinical maladjustment were taken into account. Parent support was also related to personal adjustment in the short term (6 months). Classmate support was related to students' emotional symptoms one year later. Finally, school support was related to school maladjustment one year later even after students' earlier school maladjustment was taken into account. Implications for school psychologists are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 691–706, 2005.     

Women Students’ Interactions with Faculty and Exposure to Good Teaching at Colleges and Universities with Varying Histories of Admitting Women

This study considers how institutional histories of admitting women are associated with present college experiences, and uses data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education to compare the experiences of women at women’s colleges or former women’s colleges to those of women at former men’s colleges and colleges that have always been coeducational. Results indicate that women attending former men’s colleges and colleges that have always been coeducational seem to experience similar or greater frequency and quality of student–faculty interaction and exposure to good teaching practices, compared to women attending women’s or former women’s colleges. Results also suggest that considering the gender enrollment histories of colleges and universities may provide valuable context for evaluating the experiences of women at women’s colleges and coeducational institutions.