Increasing Positive Playground Interaction for Kindergarten Students at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Students who experience social withdrawal and anxiety (internalizing difficulties) are often overlooked in schools due to the covert nature of their symptoms. The literature lacks empirically supported preventive approaches for kindergarten students who are socially withdrawn and behind their peers in developing social skills. Furthermore, research suggests that parents often are not adequately involved in interventions during this critical period of social development. In response to this need, a school-based intervention was implemented to increase the positive social interaction of three kindergarten students on the playground. Treatment consisted of (a) social skills training, (b) adult mediation, (c) self-evaluation and reinforcement, and (d) parent involvement through home notes. The effects of this intervention were assessed on the playground during recess using partial interval recording of target students’ positive interactions. During implementation of the intervention, all target students demonstrated improvements in social interaction. Future studies should investigate whether addressing the limitations of this study would yield stronger results with this underserved population.     

A Review of: “NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATION (4th Ed.)By James E. Allen”

The relation of fiction to society may be interpreted from several points of view. As any other medium of mass communication, fiction is a source of information and attitudes, and an indicator of popular perspectives. In addition, fiction responds to its own rules. Necessities and conventions of representation in a particular form lead to certain combinations that are attributable neither to reflections of the situation nor to the intention to influence.

This paper examines the place of the aged in novels published in the United States during the years 1931‐1970. Because of the different ingredients that go into the creation of characters in novels, no simple relationship of contact with social conditions or attempted influence by an author can be discerned. A realistic picture of the presentation cannot concentrate on the status of old heroes and heroines, but on the manner in which old people become part of the general scene or setting within a whole presentation of a novel. One can contrast this approach with that of looking at the traits of the principal characters in novels and other media (Aronoff, 1974; Charles, 1976; Peterson &; Karnes, 1976). The relation of the reader to particular characters is ambiguous, and the influence of clear stereotypes is not clearly understood; one has only to consider the controversy surrounding Archie Bunker. The position of the aged as an integral part of novels may be more enduring because of the less obvious influence on the audience, corresponding to the place of salience in learning and media influence (Krugman, 1965).     

Validation of the audience response system

Audience response systems (ARS) are gaining popularity in multiple areas of education. Although its usefulness has been well reported, no study has investigated the accuracy of the technology. The purpose of this study was to validate ARS by assessing three key aspects: signal transmission from the keypad to the receiver, capture of a proper response by the receiver and association of that response to the proper device. One hundred volunteers were assigned roles of responder or observer. Each responder was given a unique answer combination for a series of five questions. The data was assessed for accuracies and inaccuracies. Average correct response rate was 98% with a confidence interval (CI) ranging from 0.9527 to 0.9928 (CI = 0.95). The 2% incorrect response rate was attributable to failed signal transmission. These failed transmissions originated from different devices. As more institutions utilise ARS and as its use continues to expand into higher calibre arenas, validity of the system becomes of utmost importance. Given the relatively high confidence level of the system function, ARS is a valid and accurate method of response collecting, but one must certainly consider the possible ramifications of failed signal transmission.     

Writing and becoming [a teacher]: Teacher candidates’ literacy narratives over four years

This paper explores narrative inquiry practices in pre-service teacher education program. Written dialogue by teacher candidates provided deep and long term reflection during a 5-year initial teacher education program. This 4-year longitudinal study with 30 teacher candidate participants considers participants’ knowledge formation in becoming teachers, through writing and sharing of letters (with peers) of personal lived educational experiences, and personal stories of theory related to learning, teaching, and teaching practice over a significant period of time. The study discusses letter writing as a narrative inquiry practice in teacher education programs and implications of pre-service letter writing over a significant amount of time.