Preparing Native American Counselors for the Chemically Dependent Native American

This article describes a one-year counselor training project conducted by the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the University of Minnesota, Duluth. In the past three years, this program has graduated more than 60 participants, most of whom are now employed as counselors of alcoholics. Factors contributing to the effectiveness of the program are presented, four different classes are described in terms of integrating personal development with specific course content, and program outcome data regarding completion and employment are presented. It is our contention that the key to a successful Native American counseling program is involvement in, and control by, local tribal government and community members.     

Trade-offs in the study of culture and development: theories, methods, and values

The commentators are unanimous in their support for our general orientation to culture and development, and for the pathways we have identified, and they suggest ways to enrich our approach to theory, methods, and values. We view their main suggestions as relating to trade-offs: between theories that highlight generalizations or exceptions; between methods that rely on one-, two-, or multiculture studies; and between values involving individuation or accommodation. Here, we describe ways to find an optimal balance in each instance.     

Complicating methodological transparency

A historical indicator of the quality, validity, and rigor of qualitative research has been the documentation and disclosure of the behind-the-scenes work of the researcher. In this paper, we use what we call methodological data as a tool to complicate the possibility and desirability of such transparency. Specifically, we draw on our disparate attempts to address calls for transparency about methodological processes in our respective dissertation studies in order to examine how novice researchers can explore transparency as a situated, ongoing, and philosophically informed series of decisions about how, when, and if to be transparent about our work. This work contributes to conversations about how qualitative researchers in education can understand, discuss, and teach qualitative inquiry while continuing to push the boundaries of the field.     

Reading disabilities and the effects of colored filters

The efficacy of a controversial treatment, using colored filters to remediate reading disabilities, was measured empirically, with colored overlays placed over reading material on white paper. Irlen's (1983) method is to prescribe specific tinted filters as lenses that she claims filter specific light frequencies and remove a range of perceptual disorders that adversely affect reading and related learning performance. Irlen calls this condition "scotopic sensitivity" and claims it is a significant factor in a high percentage of people with learning disabilities. Ninety-two children with significant reading disabilities were classified as either scotopic or nonscotopic using the Irlen Differential Perceptual Schedule, and were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups using colored or clear overlays. Reading performance (rate, accuracy, and comprehension) as measured by the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (Neale, 1987) and the Formal Reading Inventory (Wiederholt, 1986) improved significantly when the scotopic children read with the preferred colored overlay filter compared to clear or different-colored overlay filters. Nonscotopic children showed no change.     

Exploring the role of logographemes in Chinese handwritten word production

Reading and Writing - Recent research has demonstrated that abstract orthographic representations such as morphemes, syllables, and graphemes, influence handwritten production in languages with...     

The role of perceived classroom goal structures,self-efficacy,and engagement in student science achievement

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the factors related to science achievement. In these studies, the classroom goal structure perceptions, engagement, and self-efficacy of the students have emerged as important factors to be examined in relation to students’ science achievement.

Purpose: This study examines the relationships between classroom goal structure perception variables (motivating tasks, autonomy support, and mastery evaluation), engagement (behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement), self-efficacy, and science achievement.

Sample: The study participants included 744 seventh-grade students from 9 public schools in two districts of Gaziantep in Turkey.

Design and methods: Data were collected through the administration of four instruments: Survey of Classroom Goals Structures, Engagement Questionnaire, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and Science Achievement Test. The obtained data were subjected to path analysis to test the proposed model.

Results: Students’ perceptions of classroom goal structures (i.e. motivating tasks, autonomy support, and mastery evaluation) were found to be significant predictors of their self-efficacy. Autonomy support was observed to be positively linked to all aspects of engagement, while motivating tasks were found to be related only to cognitive engagement. In addition, mastery evaluation was shown to be positively linked to engagement variables, except for cognitive engagement, and self-efficacy and engagement (i.e. behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement) were observed to be significant predictors of science achievement. Finally, results revealed reciprocal relations among engagement variables, except for agentic engagement.

Conclusions: Students who perceive mastery goal structures tend to show higher levels of engagement and self-efficacy in science classes. The study found that students who have high self-efficacy and who are behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively engaged are more successful in science classes. Accordingly, it is recommended that science teachers utilize inquiry-based and hands-on science activities in science classes and focus on the personal improvement of the students. Furthermore, it is also recommended that they provide students with opportunities to make their own choices and decisions and to control their own actions in science classes.     

The acquisition of basic multiplication skills

Children learning the basic multiplications, use knowledge which they acquired in former stages. Certain additions, for instance the doubles, known by heart, can support the learning process for multiplication. It makes a great difference in cognitive achievement whether children know multiplication facts by heart or whether they are able to figure out basic multiplications. If education supports the development of informal thinking strategies, children become so skilled at this, that the border between figuring out and knowing by heart will gradually disappear. By using informal strategies children will acquire a flexible mental structure of multiplication facts instead of a collection of rules.     

Selected characteristics,roles, goals,and satisfactions of department chairmen in state and land-grant institutions

Chairmen at 38 state and land-grant institutions were found to be involved in three major roles: academic, administrative, and leadership. The academic role consists of duties of student involvement and research activities. Chairmen enjoy this role and report high emphasis on concurrent goals but feel frustrated in terms of time to pursue commensurate activities. The administrative role requires the majority of time and also contains some of the less desirable duties. In addition, administrative goals are seen as over-emphasized. The leadership role involves tasks related to academic personnel and program development. It is a major satisfaction realized by accepting the position of chairman. Developing abilities of faculty members and maintaining academic freedom are the two most important goals in this role. The respondents also made suggestions on changes and development programs which would improve their effectiveness.