The Effects of Variety of Activities on the Social Interaction of Preschool Children with Disabilities

Analysis of previous research has indicated that restricting the amount of equipment available may be a practical strategy to facilitate peer interaction in childcare, but a disadvantage is a possible increase in aggressive behaviour. An alternative approach is manipulating the variety of activities while holding the quantity and type of equipment consistent. The effect of such an intervention was examined on social interaction of two children with disabilities including severe language problems. A single case alternating treatment design was used to compare the effectiveness of eight activities, as opposed to four activities with the quantity of equipment doubled. There was no consistent clinically significant difference in social interaction when the variety of activities was varied for the children in this study. It is possible that the language delay of the participants may have attenuated the effect of the intervention, and this possibility warrants further investigation.     

New research paradigms in instructional technology: An inquiry

In this paper, we review the current state of research paradigms in the field of instructional technology from the perspective of research standards and paradigms recommended by Leslie J. Briggs in the early 1980s. Our analysis of articles published in Educational Technology Research and Development from 1992 to 1996 revealed that relatively few research paradigms were used and that studies did not, for the most part, adhere to Briggs's (1984) Culture Four standards. Perhaps the most startling result was that more than half the articles published were not empirical studies at all. We discuss some reasons for these findings and suggest that instructional technology (IT) researchers make a renewed commitment to Briggs's standards. IT researchers can again advance knowledge in the field in significant ways by collaborating with partners in the field and focusing on questions related to instructional design processes, questions that require the use of more developmental research methods. She is President Elect of AECT and will assume the presidency in February 2000.     

Teaching Single-Case Evaluation to Graduate Social Work Students: A Replication

A course teaching graduate social work students to use an evidence-based model and to evaluate their own practice was replicated and evaluated. Students conducted a project in which they reviewed published research to achieve a clinical goal, applied quantitative measures for ongoing assessment, implemented evidence-based interventions, and evaluated effects of their interventions with single-case designs. More than half of the students conducted self-improvement projects monitored with self-report measures, with widely varied goals and interventions. Approximately 48% of the projects showed statistically significant improvements, and an additional 10% showed statistically nonsignificant gains, suggesting the benefits of this instructional format.     

Banking Time in Head Start: Early Efficacy of an Intervention Designed to Promote Supportive Teacher–Child Relationships

Research Findings: This exploratory study encompassed a collaboration to implement and evaluate the early efficacy of Banking Time, a dyadic intervention designed to promote supportive teacher–child relationships. Banking Time is a set of one-on-one meetings between a teacher and a child consisting of child-led play and teacher facilitation techniques. The study examined Banking Time effects in relation to changes in teacher-reported relationship quality, teacher-rated child behavioral outcomes, and observer-rated teacher–child interactions during two 6-week intervention periods. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 study conditions: (a) intervention, (b) within-class control, or (c) wait-list control. The sample consisted of 29 Head Start teachers and 116 children. Teachers completed ratings at pre- and posttest. Teachers and children also participated in pre- and posttest videotaped semistructured interactions that were coded on 6 teacher, child, and dyadic ratings. Overall, there were modest effects associated with the use of Banking Time. Teachers participating in Banking Time consistently reported increased perceptions of closeness with children as well as increased frustration tolerance, task orientation, and competence and decreased conduct problems. Teacher beliefs were associated with ratings of child behavior as well as teacher–child interactions. Practice or Policy: Implications for prevention in classroom settings are discussed.     

Comparison Between Early High-Definition Television Owners and Non-Owners

A national random telephone survey was conducted to profile early high-definition television (HDTV) adopters based on demographics, media use, interpersonal communication, social participation, cosmopoliteness, perceived innovation attributes of new communication technologies, and ownership of communication technologies. Of all respondents, 21% reported owning an HDTV set at home. In the primary logistic regression, Web news reading, religious service attendance, complexity, trialability, and ownership of communication technologies were significant predictors of HDTV adoption.     

Film Industry Studies

Gary Prebula and Mario Berguiristain: INSTRUCTOR'S MANUAL—A COMPLETE COURSE OUTLINE FOR THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER (Hollywood: The Hollywood Reporter, 1983—$10.00).

John P. Driscoll's COMMUNICATING ON FILM (available from Stipes Publishing Company, 10-12 Chester Street, P.O. Box 526, Champaign, Illinois 61820—$4.80, paper).

Peter Von Arx, FILM DESIGN (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1983—$40.50).

Marc Sigoloff's THE FILMS OF THE SEVENTIES: A FILMOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN, BRITISH, AND CANADIAN FILMS 1970-1979 (McFarland & Company, Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640—$29.95).

THE OFFICIAL HOLLYWOOD HANDBOOK (New York: Pocket Books, 1984- $6.95, paper).     

Effects of a diagrammatic display of coordinate concept definitions on concept classification performance

This study investigated the effect of an innovative method for presenting coordinate definitions on learning defined concepts. A text that arranged definitions and examples of seven coordinate concepts in a tree-like diagram was contrasted with a text that arranged these same definitions and examples in a standard textbook format. In addition, this study examined a method of creating concept examples that required different levels of discrimination and generalization, called a rational set generator. Forty-six junior and senior high school physics students participated. Results confirmed the predicted interaction between text method and reading ability, with the lower ability students benefiting more from the diagram method than their counterparts exposed to the textbook format.     

A new model of concept teaching and learning

Current models of instructional design assume that concepts are (a) classifying rules, (b) components of a more complex network or schema in memory, and (c) evaluated/taught by classification performance. Based on current research and theory, however, concepts should be viewed as conceptual tools rather than classification rules. Concepts may be schemas or networks in themselves, as a complex arrangement of declarative, procedural, and inferential knowledge. Concept learning may be measured by concept use and inferences as well as classification and taught via analogies, learning strategies, use/inference practice, and rational-set generators.