Children’s Ability to Learn Evolutionary Explanations for Biological Adaptation

Research Findings: Evolution by natural selection is often relegated to the high school curriculum on the assumption that younger students cannot grasp its complexity. We sought to test that assumption by teaching children ages 4–12 (n = 96) a selection-based explanation for biological adaptation and comparing their success to that of adults (n = 30). Participants provided explanations before and after a 10-min, analogy-based tutorial illustrating the principles of variation, differential survival, differential reproduction, inheritance, and population change. Although younger children (ages 4–6) showed minimal evidence of learning these principles, older children (ages 7–12) showed robust evidence of doing so, learning them at rates equivalent to adults. Participants of all ages, however, provided nonevolutionary explanations for biological adaptations (i.e., explanations referencing need, growth, and creation) nearly as often at posttest as they did at pretest. Practice or Policy: These results suggest that older elementary school-age children can be taught evolutionary concepts but that learning such concepts does not lead to the automatic replacement of nonevolutionary views of biological adaptation, which must be addressed separately.     

Statement from Journal’s Editorial Leadership: Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation as an Interdisciplinary Outlet for Transformative Consultation Research From Across the Globe

ABSTRACT

To aid potential authors, this statement is an overview of the core values and editorial goals of the current editorial leadership of Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. The key pillars are that we value research that (a) supports culturally responsive practice and social justice, (b) reflects varied research methodologies and traditions, (c) originates and investigates consultation topics across multiple professional disciplines, and (d) reflects global practice.     

Happy Disney

米老鼠和他的朋友们意外地经历了一天的魔法之旅……米老鼠、米妮、唐老鸭以及高飞在米老鼠的阁楼发现了一本魔法书,书里充满了来自迪士尼经典故事里的戏装、道具以及景片。当魔法书打开发现那些器物和景片是用来推进故事情节的。当米奇     

Girls in primary school science classrooms: theorising beyond dominant discourses of gender

The paper explores the ways girls appropriate gender through actions, gesture and talk to achieve things in primary school science classrooms. It draws on socio-cultural approaches to show that when everyday classroom practices are viewed from multiple planes of analysis, historical, institutional and in the micro dynamics of classroom interaction, gender comes into view in a variety of ways and not only via dominant discourses. Focused observations and interviews were carried out in Year 3 primary school science classrooms in four schools in the UK and the USA (children aged 7 and 8 years). The paper suggests how teachers can work with gender to open up new spaces in primary science classrooms for girls. This remains a priority irrespective of the contemporary anxieties around boys’ achievement if girls are to grow up feeling that science is a legitimate arena in which to participate.     

Development of a computer‐based visualised quantitative learning system for playing violin vibrato

Traditional methods of teaching music are largely subjective, with the lack of objectivity being particularly challenging for violin students learning vibrato because of the existence of conflicting theories. By using a computer‐based analysis method, this study found that maintaining temporal coincidence between the intensity peak and the target frequency is the crucial factor for achieving good intonation when performing vibrato. This finding prompted the development of a computer‐based visualised quantitative vibrato analysis system (VQVA‐Sys) that displays these two parameters in a user‐friendly manner for both musicians and scientists: (1) the type of frequency variation and (2) the corresponding frequencies with the highest intensities during all of the cycles constituting a vibrato note. A follow‐up preliminary experimental investigation compared a moderately expressive vibrato note played by eight experts and eight students, and demonstrated the feasibility and potential usefulness of the VQVA‐Sys as a learning tool.     

Reading speed as a constraint of accuracy of self‐perception of reading skill

We hypothesised that college students take reading speed into consideration when evaluating their own reading skill, even if reading speed does not reliably predict actual reading skill. To test this hypothesis, we measured self‐perception of reading skill, self‐perception of reading speed, actual reading skill and actual reading speed to determine the relations that exist. The results supported our predictions. Primarily, self‐perceived reading speed strongly correlated with self‐perceived reading skill, whereas the correlation between actual reading speed and actual reading skill was low. Next, a multiple regression analysis showed that self‐perception of reading speed significantly predicted self‐perception of reading skill after controlling for actual reading skill. Lastly, how highly correlated reading skill was with self‐perceived reading speed was found to affect how accurately one perceived his or her reading skill. Consequently, the study results suggest a negative impact of self‐perceived reading speed on accuracy of self‐perceived reading skill, as hypothesised.     

Joining together with other associations: Strategies for cooperation

Presidents of professional education associations and parent organizations were surveyed in Mississippi to determine the perceived interests and needs of their members in relation to gifted education. All of the respondents reported interest in gifted education workshops at future state conferences. A mean priority of 3.9 on a scale of 1 to 6 was given to gifted education by the presidents of the surveyed associations. Strategies for working with organizations and associations interested in gaining information on the gifted are discussed.