Using Peers as Trainers to Increase an Autistic Child's Social Interactions

This report presents a data‐based intervention designed t o increase the social interactions between an autistic boy and his nondisabled peers. A “loose training” prompting tactic was used to teach the child to initiate to the peers. After several training sessions the autistic child increased his spontaneous interactions (a) with the training peers in non‐training, generalizationsessions and (b) with non‐training peersin the generalization sessions. The results show promise for the discovery and implementation of generalization tactics that promote the social integration of disabled and nondisabled children.     

Action research remodelled in a competitive,profit-oriented sector: teachers’ and managers’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

Action research has enjoyed phenomenal growth in the field of education as a catalyst for teacher professional learning with a view to school improvement, but it is commonly remodelled across various local settings. Adopting a Schatzkian perspective, this study investigates the experiences of a range of teachers engaging in an action research program in a competitive, profit-oriented setting – the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector in Australia – to explore how action research has been prefigured and remodelled in this unique context. A qualitative case study approach was adopted and a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers and managers of ELICOS centres. Results of this study indicate that the way action research is understood and practised by teachers and managers in the ELICOS sector has been shaped by the competitive, profit-oriented context in which they function, with an emphasis on ‘winning’ and gaining status through action research.     

Contract cheating in Australian higher education: a comparison of non-university higher education providers and universities

Abstract

This article reports on one aspect of a nationally funded research project on contract cheating in Australian higher education. The project explored students' and educators’ experiences of contract cheating, and the contextual factors that may influence it. This article reports the key findings from non-university higher education providers (NUHEPs). It compares survey responses from 961 students and 91 educators at four NUHEPs with previously reported findings from eight universities (14,086 students and 1,147 staff). NUHEP and university students report engaging in contract cheating in similar ways. However, while NUHEP educators spend more time teaching academic literacies and discussing contract cheating, NUHEP students are 12 times more likely than university students to report use of a professional academic writing service. Both NUHEP and university educators require systematic professional development regarding the relationship between the teaching and learning environment and students’ contract cheating behaviour. NUHEPs need to be cognisant of students’ vulnerability to commercial contract cheating services, and ensure they have access to timely academic and social support.     

Play in the primary school classroom? The experience of teachers supporting children’s learning through a new pedagogy

In Scotland in recent years there has been growing interest in a more play‐based pedagogy commonly described as Active Learning. The research reported in this article is an exploration of moves towards creating an active play‐based learning environment in six Primary 1 classrooms in Scotland and is concerned with (i) the children’s experiences in such a play‐based active learning environment in school and (ii) their teachers’ perspectives on this pedagogical innovation and their roles in supporting the learners. This study examined experiences and perspectives within and across each of the six child‐centred and play‐focused classes. The main findings suggest that the role of the teacher varies between what could be considered as teacher‐intensive and teacher‐initiated activities. ‘Active’ or ‘play‐based’ learning was interpreted differently by teachers; play in some classrooms was peripheral rather than integral to the learning process and curriculum‐embedded.     

Preserving digital scholarship: the future is now

The Cedars project in the UK has been set up to explore some of the issues associated with archiving of digital materials and to make recommendations to libraries about preserving digital materials. Cedars, which is led by the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL), is funded as part of the Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib) by the Joint Information Systems Committee of the Higher Education Funding Councils.     

The impact of rewards within communities of practice: a study of the SAP online global community

This paper explores the effects of introducing rewards within a virtual community of practice: the software vendor SAP (Systems Applications and Products) online global community. The study of postings to the SAP community discussion forums shows that rewards have had a damaging effect on the exchange of knowledge and generalised trust among members within the community. The intrinsic motivation of members to share knowledge was undermined by rewards, with the consequence that the pursuit of rewards became the priority for many, over and above contributing valuable information to the community. Thus, the introduction of rewards devalued the concept of knowledge as a public good, voluntarily shared out of moral obligation and community interest. Instead, knowledge came to be seen as a private good to be shared out of economic self-interest. Following the introduction of rewards, the primary motivation of many members to participate within the community shifted from community interest and moral obligation to that of economic self-interest.     

Ferrography

A new process is described which we have named “Ferrography.” The process enables graphic information to be recorded on magnetic materials and to be reproduced on paper in visual form. Magnetic inks are available in black or colors, enabling monochrome or color reproductions to be made. The magnetic matrix may be used repeatedly so that multiple printing is possible, and the matrix may be stored indefinitely. The process has advantages: economy and speed of operation, permanence of image, and ability to record any information which is available in signal form, such as instrument data, facsimile transmission, or scanned images.     

Feasibility,acceptability, and potential efficacy of a childcare-based intervention to reduce sitting time among pre-schoolers: A pilot randomised controlled trial

The aim of this study was to test the feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of a childcare-based intervention to reduce total and prolonged sitting time in pre-schoolers. Four centres and 115 pre-schoolers (44 % boys; 4.1y) participated in a 3-month, 2-arm pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed through observations and semi-structured interviews. Sitting time, and breaks and bouts of sitting during childcare were assessed using an activPAL accelerometer over a one-week period at pre- and post-test (12wks). EF (inhibition, working memory and shifting) was assessed using the Early Years Toolbox. Intervention fidelity was high for both intervention centres (77 % vs 70 %) and educators reacted positively to the intervention. Proportion of sitting time per day reduced significantly at post-test in both intervention (?5.3%/day,[2.13, 8.50]) and control centres (?6.45 %,[4.20, 8.71]), resulting in a non- significant between-group difference (p = 0.51[2.4, 4.9]). EF scores did not significantly differ between groups (p > 0.05). Modifications to the childcare environment to reducing sitting, particularly the standing workstations, were feasible and acceptable to educators and children. No differences in sitting time between groups were seen; additional changes and longer-term trials are needed to reduce sitting time in pre-schoolers.