Temperament and Craniofacial Variation in the First Two Years

High levels of circulating glucocorticoids in fetal animals are associated with inhibited development of the lateral processes of the maxilla, or upper jaw, as these bones grow toward midline union early in gestation. This inhibition can prevent fusion and lead to the formation of cleft palate. Mouse strains are differentially susceptible to this effect. These strains also differ in behavioral and physiological characteristics that are analogous to those we have observed in 2 temperamental groups of children, analogies that prompted the current study. Infant temperament was assessed using behavioral observation at 4 months, and the ratio of upper facial width (bizygomatic breadth across the cheekbones) to height of the head and face was measured at 14 and 21 months. High reactive 4-month-old infants, who are predisposed to becoming timid, inhibited toddlers, had smaller bizygomatic ratios (narrower faces) at both 14 and 21 months compared to their low reactive peers, who are predisposed to becoming outgoing, uninhibited children. Differences in facial width were modest though significant and not attributable to overall stature.     

Maltese primary teachers’ digital competence: implications for continuing professional development

Learning with technology during primary school years will equip students with dispositions to continue learning with evolving technology throughout their lifetime and it is the responsibility of the teacher to develop this digital competence (DC) in the classroom. The aim of this research was to investigate Maltese primary class teachers’ DC and to recommend new training on technology integration in teaching practices. Semi-structured individual interviews with 26 primary teachers (23 females and three males) and the teaching material used in the classroom were the sources of data in this study. Directed content analysis was applied, where a new area in DC, the creation of modes of communication, was revealed. Recommendations for teacher training in the areas of DC are suggested.     

Instructional Videos for Supporting Older Adults Who Use Interactive Systems

The study reported in this paper investigated the usefulness of different instructions for guiding inexperienced older adults through interactive systems. It was designed to compare different media in relation to their social as well as their motivational impact on the elderly during the learning process. Precisely, the video was compared with textual help and the impact of model age (young versus old) on knowledge acquisition was explored. As a research object, a simulated ticket-vending machine was used. Results show that video-supported knowledge acquisition is better than text, but in relation to model age, no significant differences were found.     

International student use of university health and counselling services

A large sample of international students attending an Australian metropolitan university provided data concerning use of university health and counselling services—their perceived need for help, resultant help-seeking, satisfaction with help given, explanations for not seeking help when in need, and variables that predicted help-seeking. Using as criterion the individual’s perceived need for help, we found students were under-utilizing both health and counselling services. Those who did seek help evaluated their experiences positively. The gap between need and action is a concern. Students explained failure to act in terms of insufficient seriousness of problems, lack of information about services and, to a lesser extent, doubts and discomfort about the services. Contrary to views commonly expressed in the literature, student perceptions and responses showed few differences based on cultural background. Within-person variables played a stronger role than culture in accounting for students’ help-seeking decisions.     

A Tale of Two Cities: a comparison of the PGCE Secondary English programmes at the Universities of Bristol and Malta,with particular emphasis on the student teachers' school‐based experience and the role of the mentor

In this article, we compare the Secondary English Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) programme for initial teacher education at the University of Bristol, UK, with that at the University of Malta, with particular attention to the content of the respective programmes and the role of the school‐based mentor. We explore issues raised by the fact that, while Bristol relies on a mentor figure to support all student teachers, the Maltese programme does not yet use this model. Consideration is given to the benefits and challenges of working with mentors and the implications for student teachers and their mentors with the development of the newly‐introduced School Direct programme in England.     

Argument in Reading: what does it involve and how can students become better critical readers?

ABSTRACT

One of the biggest problems in Higher Education, but one which is often not fully recognised by either students or teachers until some way into academic courses, is the problem of reading, perhaps because reading in itself is not assessed. However, the results or output from reading are assessed. Students are often overwhelmed by the quantity of reading required and fail to adequately exploit or benefit from their reading efforts when they themselves write or give presentations. Tutors complain about the lack of critical argument in much student work. This paper takes argument in reading as a central touchstone to academic study, discusses some views of the source of the difficulty and makes some suggestions which have proved to be helpful.     

Forging an identity over the life-course

Using a social constructionist approach, this study explores the self-perceptions of young men who, when at school, were classed as boys with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). The aim is to understand how these perceptions were forged throughout the young men's life-courses resulting in changing self-identities. The study also explores how, through the language that the participants employed, they made it possible for different aspects of their socialization to influence their ability to influence the development of their lives, especially when making decisions such as choosing a particular partner or deciding to stop taking drugs. This study indicates participants acting on their own appraisals of their identity in forging opportunities and highlights their perceptions of the influence of different agents of socialization on how they turned out as adults.