EFFECTS OF TEACHER–CHILD INTERACTION TRAINING (TCIT) ON TEACHER RATINGS OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE

Problem behaviors in preschool‐aged children negatively affect teacher‐child relationships and children's skill development. In this clinical replication of an initial study, we implemented Teacher–Child Interaction Training (TCIT), a teacher‐delivered, universal intervention designed for early childhood settings. The initial study evaluated the TCIT program in a sample of 4‐ to 5‐year‐old children, whereas the current study focused on 2‐ to 3‐year‐old children. Teacher ratings of children's behavior indicated a significant main effect for time on children's protective factor scores, but not on behavioral concerns. However, for children whose ratings fell in the below‐average range at baseline, significant large effect sizes were obtained for changes over time for both protective factors and behavioral concerns. Higher levels of teacher skill change were significantly associated with overall higher protective factor scores, as well as lower behavioral concern scores for children when baseline levels of behavioral concerns were high. Results provide further support for the effectiveness of TCIT as a universal intervention designed to improve children's behaviors through targeted improvements in teachers’ relationship‐building skills and classroom management strategies.     

Supported or stressed while being assessed? How motivational climates in UK University workplaces promote or inhibit researcher well-being

Academic culture now places high expectations on researchers to demonstrate research productivity alongside teaching, leadership and knowledge exchange. In two studies of researchers across career stages in UK higher education institutions (HEIs), we examined workplace climate within academic departments as (1) supportive of researchers' needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, (2) publish-or-perish focused and (3) hyper-competitive. In Study 1 (multiwave from 2018 to 2020), need support predicted researchers' lower turnover intention 2 years later, even when controlling for concurrent need support, and career and economic conditions. In Study 2, need support correlated with academic well-being (lower job strain and turnover intention, greater job satisfaction) in a nationwide sample of 2951 researchers. Study 2 found that need support related to improved, and a hyper-competitive motivational climate related to undermined, well-being. Results were mixed for publish-or-perish climate. Performative demands can have deleterious effects on researcher well-being.     

Lessons learned from statistical reform efforts in other disciplines

Compelling arguments for reform of statistical practices have been made in many disciplines, in some cases over several decades, but achieving reform has proved difficult. We discuss how reform has progressed—or not progressed—in psychology, medicine, and ecology and describe case studies of attempts by pioneering journal editors to change statistical practices. Lessons for those seeking reform in education include the need to recognize the importance of journal editors and of provision of articles, books, and software that give practical guidance to researchers wishing to use the recommended statistical techniques. Research is required on recommended techniques so that statistical practice can become evidence based. Also, improvement in statistical practice should be encouraged along with improvement in the way a discipline theorizes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 441–449, 2007.     

Poetry – Primary School Pupils’ Knowledge and Attitudes with Specific Reference to Year 5

It is probably true to say that poetry for children is still a fairly neglected area of study. There have been very few studies which have attempted to ascertain what primary pupils prefer in poetry. Such information is vital if teachers are to build upon their pupils’ tastes and experiences. Geoff Fenwick and Denis Burns here discuss the results of a small scale look at children’s poetry preferences. They raise several points which will be of interest to primary teachers interested in using poetry with their classes.     

Co-ordinated detection of microparticles using tunable resistive pulse sensing and fluorescence spectroscopy

Tunable resistive pulse sensing (TRPS) has emerged as a useful tool for particle-by-particle detection and analysis of microparticles and nanoparticles as they pass through a pore in a thin stretchable membrane. We have adapted a TRPS device in order to conduct simultaneous optical measurements of particles passing through the pore. High-resolution fluorescence emission spectra have been recorded for individual 1.9 μm diameter particles at a sampling period of 4.3 ms. These spectra are time-correlated with RPS pulses in a current trace sampled every 20 μs. The flow rate through the pore, controlled by altering the hydrostatic pressure, determines the rate of particle detection. At pressures below 1 kPa, more than 90% of fluorescence and RPS events were matching. At higher pressures, some peaks were missed by the fluorescence technique due to the difference in sampling rates. This technique enhances the particle-by-particle specificity of conventional RPS measurements and could be useful for a range of particle characterization and bioanalysis applications.