The Politics and Chemistry of Early Intervention

In this paper, questions are raised about the philosophy of early intervention. Empiricist-oriented diagnostic approaches to problem-solving and the viability of short sharp well-timed injections are challenged. It is argued that these approaches may be informed more by political interests geared to preserve status quo than by a genuine interest in the problems of those targeted for intervention. The need for alternative approaches is suggested and some promising strategies are discussed.     

Economic Impact Studies: A Traditional Method and an Expanded Approach

Abstract

Two studies of the economic impact of the college on the community were conducted at two very different colleges in Alabama. The method employed at a private, predominantly black, four-year accredited liberal arts college also included an investigation of the human development impact of the college on the community, which was not investigated at the other college, a public, predominantly white, two-year accredited junior college. The findings from both studies suggest that the most meaningful impact studies should try to measure and consider human as well as economic factors.     

The Development of 8 mm. Film in Education

The world of education is greatly interested in possible ways of application of 8 mm. film.

Many questions will arise, now that we seem to be on the threshold of what might be called 'the 8 mm. era'. The situation with which we see ourselves confronted can be more or less compared with the period in which—next to silent film—sound film found its way into schools.     

THE EFFECT OF SCAFFOLDED VIGNETTE INSTRUCTION ON STUDENT MASTERY OF SUBJECT MATTER

Vignettes have long been used as a tool to model, teach, and research behavior and understanding as well as to stimulate discussion and problem solving in learning situations. The growing body of research on vignettes as an instructional and assessment tool to enhance recognition, recall, and transfer of subject matter knowledge suggests that the effectiveness of vignettes is due in part to its use as a scaffolding tool during instruction. This article summarizes an analysis of the effects of vignette instruction on vignette quiz performance in three sections of a blended graduate educational psychology course. Eight instructional vignettes administered to two sections and eight traditional scaffolding activities completed by the third section represented the only difference in the intervention. Study results suggest that vignette instruction provides efficient near-transfer opportunities and richer scaffolding experiences on student mastery of subject matter than does instruction without vignettes, regardless of whether the scaffolding is conducted in class or online or whether the vignette tasks involve solving a problem or evaluating a solution to a problem in a hypothetical teaching situation.