Feedback seeking in children and adolescents: associations with self-perceptions,attachment representations,and depression

Because the feedback children and adolescents receive is important to their development, 2 experimental studies were designed to examine children's (M = 12 years) and adolescents' (M = 17 years) active selection of the quality of feedback they wish to receive. In both studies evidence emerged that participants' self-perceptions influence their feedback seeking. Participants with positive self-perceptions sought more positive feedback than participants with negative self-perceptions and sought more positive feedback than expected by chance. Participants with negative self-perceptions lacked this tendency to seek positive feedback and sometimes sought less positive feedback than expected by chance. As expected, depression and attachment-related measures were also associated with participants' feedback seeking. Contributions of feedback-seeking patterns to stability and change in children's and adolescents' development are discussed.     

What type of teachers do we intend to train? An analysis of teacher profiles in MERCOSUR curricula

Over the last decades, teachers have often been identified as ‘key’ players for the improvement of education systems. The successive waves of reform taking place in Latin America since the 1990s have aimed at initial and continuous teacher training. The main changes intended to improve the quality and lengthen the duration of initial teacher training; additionally, the variety of teacher training courses was widened and diversified. This work focuses on the teacher training curricula currently in force for the MERCOSUR member states (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). Special attention will be paid to the definitions of the profile that is intended for future teachers, as it is believed that this dimension makes it possible to reveal the different types of expected performance, which will allow us to move towards the dimension of the educational practices. The results obtained from the comparative analysis indicate that the abilities/competences put forth by the four countries are relevant and complementary with each other. Studies of this kind are a step forward in the definition of common policies for MERCOSUR countries aimed at strengthening and articulating teacher training and, specifically, at recognizing teacher qualifications and favouring mobility among countries.     

Pre-exercise antioxidant enzyme activities determine the antioxidant enzyme erythrocyte response to exercise

Free radical production increases during exercise and oxidative damage occurs in several tissues. We examined the effects of three different exercise tests on the pattern of change of erythrocyte enzyme antioxidant activities. The tests were a short maximal exercise test, a submaximal prolonged exercise test and a cycling stage during competition. The participants were amateur and professional cyclists with different training statuses and different basal erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities. The maximal test produced no changes in the erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities of amateur sportsmen. The submaximal test, performed at 80% of maximal oxygen uptake, decreased erythrocyte catalase (12%), glutathione peroxidase determined with H₂O₂ (14%) and glutathione reductase (16%); superoxide dismutase activity increased by about 25%. The cycling stage performed by professional cyclists increased erythrocyte catalase (29%) and glutathione reductase (10%) activities. The in vivo changes in glutathione reductase activity were confirmed by in vitro measurements: hydrogen peroxide decreased and the presence of catalase increased the activity of this enzyme. In conclusion, we suggest that the different erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme responses to diverse exercise tests can be explained by the effects of hydrogen peroxide and the superoxide anion on the antioxidant enzyme activities in erythrocytes.     

A Systematic Plan for Managing Physical Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries

To address the lack of space for continued expansion of the collections, the University of Arizona Libraries have developed a systematic process and timeline for the ongoing management of the physical collections of information resources. This article discusses the evaluative criteria and parameters for deselection that were developed and demonstrates how they were integrated into a 5-year plan for managing the collections. The process was designed to have the least negative impact on our customers while allowing for the flexible use of physical space. The article will also highlight the successes and challenges of developing and implementing the plan.     

What are “Complex Case Discussions” and how do they impact on key-workers?

Previous research has not focussed on defining the abstract, transferable processes which make ongoing consultation successful. This study aimed to explore and define the nature and impact of weekly consultations, or “Complex Case Discussions” (CCDs), with key-workers from two family intervention projects which were facilitated by educational psychologists (EPs) within one local authority (LA). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with key-workers. These were first transcribed and then analysed using thematic analysis. The themes identified fell into three overarching themes: “Process”, “People” and “Impact”. CCDs may lead to a quicker turnaround of families and to more sustainable changes. The key, transferable processes which make CCDs successful and valuable were identified as: time, hypothesising, a tailored approach and questioning assumptions. Due to the small-scale nature of this study, future research may look to apply these principles more widely and evaluate the impact of doing so.