Interscorer reliability of the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test-Revised

This study investigated the interscorer reliability between a novice and a professional psychologist for the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test-Revised (MPDT-R). The sample consisted of 30 individuals (18 males and 12 females) who were referred to the Applied Neuroscience Institute of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Results from the study indicated that for three of the four MPDT-R scores there was a significant positive correlation between expert and novice scoring criteria. Implications for the assessment of perceptual-motor problems using the MPDT-R are discussed.     

Learning disabled and emotionally disturbed: Will the labels affect teacher planning?

Teachers' conception and use of the terms “learning disability” and “emotional disturbance” was investigated in two studies to determine the implications for developing educational programs. In Study I, experienced teachers in a special education certification program categorized 106 child characteristics as LD, ED, or both LD and ED. In Study II, in-service teachers specified annual achievement goals and extent of regular class placement for the same child bearing either the LD or ED label. Results from Study I showed that the majority of child characteristics were considered by teachers to be relevant to either LD or ED labels. A subset of 23 characteristics was significantly related to one or the other label—LD characteristics representing academic and health/development areas, and ED characteristics representing psychological and behavioral areas. In Study II, teachers recalled the ED label significantly more often than the LD label, but did not specify significantly different goals or regular class participation for the child under the two labeling conditions. The findings support the conclusion that teachers can treat the LD and ED constructs as mutually exclusive when eligibility for special service is the decision, and as mutually inclusive when program-planning decisions are made.     

Race differences on the developmental test of Visual Motor Integration,the Slosson Intelligence Test,and the ABC Inventory

Preschoolers' scores on the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration (VMI), the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT), and the ABC Inventory (ABCI) were analyzed for race and sex differences. Separate ANOVAs revealed no race effect on the VMI, whereas race differences favoring whites were found for the SIT and ABCI. There were no effects for sex on any measure, nor were there any interactions. Results are discussed in terms of the inconsistent findings for race effects in the perceptual-motor literature.     

说“兵符”

我们都熟悉信陵君“窃符救赵”的故事,其中之符,就是兵符。在我国古代社会,凡调发军队,命官遣使,颁发政令,皆授之以符或节,以为凭据。《周礼·地官·大司徒》记载：“若国有大故,则致万民于王门,令无节者不行于天下。”颜师古说：“节以毛为之,上下相重,取象竹节,因以为名,命将者,持之为信。”古代通信极不发达,封建帝王为了能直接掌控军队,便发明了兵符制度。“虎符”是最早的兵符,出现在春秋战国时期,是古代帝王授予臣僚兵权和调动军队所用的凭证。     

郭洞：钱塘上游的静谧山村

浙江,所谓东南形胜,风雅钱塘,大抵指的是下游一带,那如昆曲般的绮丽华美,直可从《武林旧事》、《陶庵梦忆》一类的笔记中慢慢找寻;而“奇山异水,天下独绝”的中游地区,则像是性灵的诗词,最宜在杂花生树的暮春三月浅斟低唱;唯有上游一带,因地处偏远,支流纵横,山川复杂,犹如众多飘逸的传奇,细说不尽。单说婺江上游,有一武阳川,夹岸多山,不高不低,众山间有一小平原,说是平原,其实也不过是稍为平整的丘陵而已,稻米、茶叶、桑蚕、金针、苎麻、灰鹅,