Scallywags – an evaluation of a service targeting conduct disorders at school and at home

Conduct disorder (CD) is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Some research has focused on reducing conduct difficulties through parent training programmes. However, there has been limited research focusing on early intervention services that deal with emotional and/or conduct problems in a community setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Scallywags service, a multi‐component, early intervention scheme, offering support in the educational and home setting. A total of 411 children, aged 3 to 7 years, was included in this study. Two behaviour inventories were used as the outcome measures. Parents and teachers completed these pre, post, and six months after the intervention. Results demonstrate significant decreases in child conduct problems after the six months intervention, with this change maintained six months later. This study adds to growing research illustrating the importance of multi‐component, early intervention schemes to reduce child conduct problems.     

Reduction of the non-uniform illumination using nonlocal variational models for document image analysis

In this paper, we investigate two new reflectance and illumination decomposition models based on a nonlocal partial differential equation (PDE) applied to text images. Taking into consideration the higher regularity level of the illumination compared to the reflectance, we propose a nonlocal PDE which deals with repetitive structures and textures that characterize the text image much better compared to the classical local PDEs. The aim of this approach is to use the repetitive features of the reflectance to efficiently extract it from the non-uniform illumination. This idea is motivated by extending the range of application of the nonlocal operators to such a problem. Numerical experiments on both grayscale and color text images show the performance and strength of the proposed nonlocal PDE.     

Early writing development: kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about emergent writing in Qatari preschool settings

Writing often begins during the very early years of childhood; however, some children first learn writing when they begin attending school. Teachers’ beliefs about early writing development can influence when and how children learn to write. The purpose of this study was to determine kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about the development of children’s emergent writing in Qatari preschool settings. A 30-item questionnaire was completed by 93 kindergarten teachers with a range of qualifications, years of teaching experience, areas of specialisation, and preschool teaching level. They were selected from private and government-funded schools in Doha. The questionnaire consisted of four components: mechanisms of writing, concepts of writing, conventions of writing, and composing. The questionnaire responses indicated that teachers hold positive beliefs regarding most emergent writing components, with concepts of writing receiving the highest mean score, followed by mechanisms of writing. The results also revealed statistically significant differences among teachers due to a number of study variables. Based on these findings, the researchers offered a number of suggestions and recommendations aimed at promoting children’s emergent writing in Qatari preschool settings and similar contexts.     

Considering mobile device constraints and context-awareness in adaptive mobile learning for flipped classroom

Today, the mobile technologies and Information and Communication Technology development opened the door on new methods and pedagogies of learning. We are talking here about the mobile learning and the flipped classroom approaches. The flipped classroom means that the activities that have traditionally taken place inside the classroom now take place outside the classroom and vice versa. The mobile learning and as its name suggests is done in a mobile and changeable environment by mobile learners. Therefore, the context notion plays a significant role in this type of learning. Hence, the usefulness of the context-aware mobile learning systems. These systems take into account the different context dimensions to offer to the learners an adapted learning according to their situations. The approach proposed in this paper called Smart Enhanced Context-Aware for Flipped Mobile Learning “SECA-FML” aims to provide learners with an adapted course content format based on their context by taking into account the different context dimensions and especially the mobile device context. The latter has a significant influence on multimedia content in adaptive mobile learning. The contribution was applied in the context of the flipped learning in order to manage the heterogeneity of context imposed by this approach. To validate our contribution, we have developed an Android mobile application. This application has been made available to learners to try and exploit it. At the end of the experimentation phase, the learner is asked to complete a questionnaire. Based on this questionnaire, we measured the reliability and effectiveness of our contribution, as well as the satisfaction of the learners towards the latter. The evaluation results showed that the use of the context dimensions and specifically the device context in adaptive mobile learning is more beneficial for learners especially in the flipped classroom.     

Impact of interactive online units on learning science among students with learning disabilities and English learners

The purpose of this study was to document the design, classroom implementation, and effectiveness of interactive online units to enhance science learning over 3 years among students with learning disabilities, English learners, and general education students. Results of a randomised controlled trial with 2,303 middle school students and 71 teachers across 13 schools in two states indicated that online units effectively deepened science knowledge across all three student groups. Comparing all treatment and control students on pretest-to-posttest improvement on standards-based content-specific assessments, there were statistically significant mean differences (17% improvement treatment vs. 6% control; p?相似文献   

Hands-on engagement online: using a randomised control trial to estimate the impact of an at-home lab kit on student attitudes and achievement in a MOOC

ABSTRACT

A shortcoming of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is the lack of substantive integration of hands-on activities into online classrooms. We conducted a randomised control trial (RCT) in a MOOC where we sent the treatment group at-home lab kits with which they could perform experiments in their own homes. In our intervention research, we found that, at the end of the course, students in the treatment group had significantly higher exam scores and levels of self-efficacy to perform in the topic area than their control group counterparts. Students’ growth in self-concept was not significantly different. Findings have implications for distance courses in engineering and other science, technology, engineering, and math areas that traditionally have laboratory components. Furthermore, our findings illustrate the potential amplifying effect of this learning environment configuration for engineering instructors. Finally, this study illustrates how the dispersed nature of MOOCs facilitates RCTs and a recursive process linking theory and practice.     

Counseling Self-Efficacy and its Relationship to Anxiety and Problem-Solving in United Arab Emirates

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among counseling self-efficacy, problem-solving, and state and trait anxiety. A total sample of one hundred thirteen males and females (females = 105; males = 8) enrolled in the psychology department at the UAE University voluntarily participated in this study. The Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE), Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to collect data from participants. Findings revealed significantly moderate correlations between counseling self-efficacy and both problem-solving and State and trait Anxiety. Findings are discussed within the context of UAE culture and directions for future research are provided.     

Anti-Atherosclerotic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Curcumin on Hypercholesterolemic Male Rabbits

Curcumin has a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may suppress inflammatory component of atherosclerosis. It has been demonstrated that curcumin derivatives can reduce the formation of arterial fatty streaks in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Therefore in this study we evaluated the protective effects of Curcumin on the progression of atherosclerosis. 20 mature rabbits were included for this study; they were randomly divided into four groups each of 5. Group 1: (normal control) were fed corn pellets diet and tab water, group 2: (high cholesterol diet control) were kept on cholesterol rich diet (2% cholesterol) and tab water. Group 3: (cholesterol and rosuvastatin treated group) were kept on cholesterol rich diet (2% cholesterol) and 2.5 mg/kg/day Rosuvastatin dispersed in DW and given orally, group 4: (cholesterol and curcumin treated group) were kept on cholesterol rich diet (2% cholesterol) and 0.2% curcumin added with corn pellets. The study continued for 12 weeks then assessment of serum level of high sensitive C-reactive protein, ICAM1, VCAM1 and PCSK9 was carried out at the end of the study. Total antioxidant activity of curcumin was also determined. Histopathological examination of aortic tissues for atherosclerotic changes was also carried out. Atherogenic (cholesterol rich diet) induced an increment in serum level of TC, LDL, VLDL and TG with concomitant decrement in serum level of HDL and increased atherogenic index. Treatment with curcumin produced substantial reduction in serum TC, LDL, TG with no effect on HDL level thus decreased atherogenic index. Rabbits treated with curcumin showed a significant reduction in the serum level of high sensitive C-reactive protein, ICAM1, VCAM, PCSK9 serum expression and aortic total antioxidant capacity. Curcumin has a potent anti-inflammatory and anti- oxidant effects against atherosclerosis so exerts a protective role by decreasing lipid oxidation and inflammatory markers.