Domestic patents and developing countries: arguments for their study and data from Brazil (1980–1995)

This paper presents data from Brazilian Patent Office (Instituto Nacional de Propriedade Industrial, INPI) and compares them with data from the United States Patent Office (USPTO). Developing countries have technological activities that are important locally but not significant at international level (imitation, local learning, adaptation of foreign innovations). These activities might be patentable only at national level. Therefore, the study of domestic patents of developing countries provides a broader picture than USPTO patents. This paper compares 8309 INPI patents with 475 USPTO patents (between 1980 and 1995). Domestic patent data show peculiarities in the Brazilian case, possibly shared with other countries in similar technological level: (a) high share of individual patents; (b) foreign-owned firms with important activities; (c) low firm involvement in R&D activities. Some characteristics are shared with developed countries: (a) domestic firms as the major patentees; (b) according to firm size, there is a U-shaped distribution of patents; (c) evidences of multi-technology large firms; (d) a relatively small share of firms have more than one patent in the whole period. The contrast between USPTO and national patenting statistics shows different rankings according to ownership structure, leading firms, industrial sectors, and international patent classification. These differences highlight sources of international competitiveness and point to weaknesses in Brazilian innovative activities. This paper concludes evaluating the contributions (and weaknesses) of this database for the evaluation of the Brazilian National System of Innovation.     

论小城镇建设在西部大开发中的地位和作用——德江县煎茶镇集镇建设调研启示

作者根据我国城市化道路的基本方针 ,运用社会学的社区研究方法 ,对贵州省德江县煎茶镇集镇建设的情况进行了考察调研 ,通过对煎茶镇集镇建设 1 5年取得的成就分析 ,认为贵州省在西部大开发中 ,只有走小城镇带动战略的振兴之路 ,才能迎头赶上东部地区的发展。同时分析了集贸型小城镇的弱点 ,认为贵州要振兴 ,应该按费孝通教授指出的大力发展庭院经济 ,完成“公司 +基地 +农户”的发展阶段 ,同时要学习借鉴东部城镇建设的经验 ,将集贸型小城镇逐步改造成工业型、贸易型、特色型小城镇 ,大、中、小城镇合理布局 ,协调发展 ,与长江流域、珠江流域的城市群融为一体 ,贵州才能实现全面振兴的目标。     

Home book reading and reading achievement in EU countries: the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2011 (PIRLS)

Home shared book reading during the preschool years is a strong predictor of students’ reading achievement in primary school, and, according to Sénéchal (2012), it can benefit more children from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. This study examines the association between frequency of book reading before the start of compulsory education and the reading achievement of 4th-grade students whose parents have high and low education levels in 22 European countries. Using data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2011), we show that the contribution of shared reading for the achievement of students from distinct SES backgrounds is different in different countries and that shared reading does not always benefit more children from low-SES backgrounds. Results are discussed in light of Sénéchal's home literacy model, the dynamics of cultural capital, and current policy efforts to support children's literacy development in European countries.     

AILEM Programme: a long‐term intervention to promote literacy learning in low‐performing primary schools in Chile

After one year of implementation, this paper describes a programme designed to support literacy learning in low performing schools from poor sectors in Santiago, Chile. School‐based intensive training on theory and practice of a literacy learning framework for classroom instruction and long‐term support were used to impact the achievement of students from disadvantaged families in 16 kindergarten classrooms and 16 1st‐grade classrooms in nine primary schools. Preliminary results showed an improvement in learning achievement positively related to level of implementation of the literacy instruction framework in the classrooms and teachers' perception of an improvement in their knowledge and classroom practices. Although findings from this study cannot support definite conclusions, because of the lack of experimental conditions, they provide relevant information for future experimental studies on how to meet the literacy learning needs of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.     

Analysis of self-regulated learning processing using statistical models for count data

Researchers often use measures of the frequency of self-regulated learning (SRL; Zimmerman, American Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 166–183, 2000) processing as a predictor of learning gains. These frequency data, which are really counts of SRL processing events, are often non-normally distributed, and the accurate analysis of these data requires the use of specialized statistical models. In this study, we demonstrate how to implement and interpret count statistical models in path and latent profile analyses to investigate the role of SRL as a mediator of the relation between pretest and posttest conceptual understanding. Our findings from a sample of 170 college students using a computer to learn about the circulatory system show that SRL does mediate the aforementioned relation, and that count models are a more accurate representation of SRL processing data than standard analysis models based on ordinary least squares estimation. The results of our path analyses revealed which specific SRL processes were related to learning, above and beyond the effect of prior knowledge. Our latent profile analysis revealed two groups of participants, indicative of Brophy’s (2004) model of schematic and aschematic learners. We conclude with implications and future directions for basic and applied SRL research.     

Evaluating the perception of disability and the inclusive education of teachers: the Italian validation of the Sacie-R (Sentiments,Attitudes, and Concerns about Inclusive Education – Revised Scale)

This study aimed to verify the factorial structure, internal validity, reliability, and criterion validity of The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised Scale (SACIE-R) in an Italian sample. The SACIE-R is a useful tool to measure three aspects of teachers’ perceptions about inclusion, which are Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns, providing valuable information to address the needs of teachers working with special students. A measure of this construct is currently not available in Italian, and a validation process is required. In order to provide an initial psychometric evaluation of the Italian adaptation, the SACIE-R was translated for use in Italian-speaking populations. Four hundred Italian teachers enrolled in educational teaching courses completed the SACIE-R. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a good fit to the hypothesised 3-factor model, and adequate internal consistency for the scale was evidenced. A confirmatory factor analysis showed the same factor structural validity as the original instrument (although some items in the original version were deleted). Furthermore, taken together, the results showed a good level of reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. Finally, the Italian version of the SACIE-R has good psychometric characteristics that can make it a useful measure of teacher attitude toward inclusion in the Italian educational context.     

Growth influences biomechanical profile of talented swimmers during the summer break

This study aimed to analyse the effect of growth during a summer break on biomechanical profile of talented swimmers. Twenty-five young swimmers (12 boys and 13 girls) undertook several anthropometric and biomechanical tests at the end of the 2011–2012 season (pre-test) and 10 weeks later at the beginning of the 2012–2013 season (post-test). Height, arm span, hand surface area, and foot surface area were collected as anthropometric parameters, while stroke frequency, stroke length, stroke index, propelling efficiency, active drag, and active drag coefficient were considered as biomechanical variables. The mean swimming velocity during an all-out 25 m front crawl effort was used as the performance outcome. After the 10-week break, the swimmers were taller with an increased arm span, hand, and foot areas. Increases in stroke length, stroke index, propelling efficiency, and performance were also observed. Conversely, the stroke frequency, active drag, and drag coefficient remained unchanged. When controlling the effect of growth, no significant variation was determined on the biomechanical variables. The performance presented high associations with biomechanical and anthropometric parameters at pre-test and post-test, respectively. The results show that young talented swimmers still present biomechanical improvements after a 10-week break, which are mainly explained by their normal growth.