Investigating Neutralization Strategies in Digital Piracy: The Role of Content Preferences and Social Norms

ABSTRACT

Digital piracy is perceived as a victimless crime and therefore still challenges media industries. According to the neutralization theory, criminal behavior is more likely if individuals are able to justify it. As little is known about inhibitors and drivers of these cognitive processes, the current study investigated such preconditions by linking neutralization to social norms and content preferences (movies and series) in order to explain piracy attitudes and behavior. Results of an online survey which adopted a conjoint-task showed that attitudes toward digital piracy mediate neutralization effects on digital piracy behavior. Injunctive norms and the preference for independent movies foster neutralization effects.     

Attitude and passion: becoming a teacher in early childhood education and care

By focusing on a collective aesthetics based on sensation and affect, researchers, especially in Stockholm, Sweden, are exploring a pedagogy that opens up space for assemblages of desire, acknowledging the expressions of children who transform themselves and their milieus into a weave of bodies, spaces, signs and media. By analysing this pedagogy, against the background of the theories of Henri Wallon and Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, I wish to investigate the concept of a ‘thinner skin mentality’. This willingness to transgress one’s own stabilising attitude, to move towards a greater sensitivity to relational and situational affectivity when accompanying the learning of children, may provide a point of reference for a preschool teacher qualification.     

Improving Chilean In-service Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of Nature of Science Using Self-contained NOS and Content-Embedded Mini-Courses

Understanding nature of science (NOS) is considered critical to the development of students’ scientific literacy. However, various studies have shown that a large number of elementary and secondary science teachers do not possess an adequate understanding of NOS. This study investigated how elementary teachers’ understanding of NOS was impacted through a 1-year professional development program in Chile that included NOS instruction as a theme throughout two types of mini-courses in the program. Twelve teachers attended a 1-year development program focused on improving teacher content knowledge and included the instruction of NOS embedded in two self-contained NOS mini-courses (36 h) and two lessons (3 h each) within five science content mini-courses (30 h). The Views of NOS (version D+) questionnaire and interviews were used to assess teachers’ understanding of NOS at the beginning (January) and end of the program (December). Elementary teachers’ understanding of the creative, inferential, and tentative aspect of NOS showed improvement. According to the teachers’ perceptions, the most significant activities for improving their NOS understanding were decontextualized activities in both types of mini-courses (self-contained NOS and science content mini-courses). The implications for professional development programs are also discussed.     

Vocational and psychological characteristics of employed,non-college degreed,incongruent women

Paul R. Salomone is a professor of Counselor Education and of Rehabilitation Counseling at Syracuse University. Claudia Pask-McCartney is a doctoral candidate in the area of Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation at Syracuse University.     

Story problems in the deaf education classroom: frequency and mode of presentation

Over the past decade, curricular reform in mathematics education has emphasized the use of problem solving at all levels of instruction for all students, but adaptations for students with unique needs have not been specified. This study investigated the nature of problem solving in deaf education, focusing in particular on the use of story problems in the primary-level curriculum. Approximately 90% of the K-3 teachers from five schools for the deaf were asked with what frequency and in which communication mode they presented story problems to their students. Most teachers reported presenting story problems 1-3 times per week, and presentation method tended to reflect school communication philosophy. We found trends in story problem presentation in accordance with the mathematics grade level taught. We discuss implications for curricular reform and teacher education.