Profiles of emergent literacy skills among preschool children who are at risk for academic difficulties

The purpose of this study was to explore patterns of within-group variability in the emergent literacy skills of preschoolers who are at risk for academic difficulties. We used the person-centered approach of cluster analysis to identify profiles of emergent literacy skills, taking into account both oral language and code-related skills. Participants were 492 preschoolers (aged 42-60 months) enrolled in needs-based programs. In the fall of the academic year, children were administered eight measures of emergent literacy: four oral language measures (i.e., expressive and receptive grammar, expressive and receptive vocabulary) and four code-related measures (i.e., print concepts, alphabet knowledge, name writing, and rhyme). Controlling for age, hierarchical-agglomerative and K-means cluster analysis procedures were employed. Five psychometrically sound profiles emerged: highest emergent literacy (prevalence = 14%); three profiles with average oral language and differential code-related abilities (16%, 24%; 23%); and lowest oral language with broad code-related weaknesses (23%). Profiles were then compared on midyear teacher ratings of emergent literacy as well as end-of-kindergarten literacy performance; results provided convergent evidence of predictive validity. This study highlights the considerable heterogeneity of emergent literacy abilities within an “at-risk” group. The resulting profiles have theoretical and practical relevance when examining both concurrent relationships between oral language and code-related skills as well as longitudinal relationships between early patterns of performance and later reading achievement.     

Issues in Component Computing: A Synthetic Review

This paper provides a review of the rhetoric behind the component movement in educational software, and a critical analysis and synthesis of issues underlying the movement. We draw on case studies of several significant recent component projects in order to assess claims and to uncover and examine issues that are less often considered. While our empirical base cannot definitively answer all the questions raised, we hope to bring some clarity and some empirically based judgments to bear on how a promising technological innovation can best serve educational ends. Our study led to a focus on three critical issues: (1) the nature of the environment in which components are configured and used; (2) the extent of modifiability that is necessary for effective re-use of components; (3) how the work of designing components and component configurations is distributed among people with different competencies.     

I like to do it, I'm able, and I know I am: longitudinal couplings between domain-specific achievement, self-concept, and interest

The longitudinal development of the intraindividual coupling between academic achievement, interest, and self-concept of ability (SCA) was analyzed in a sample of approximately 1,000 children between grades 1 and 12 (ages 6-17). Across all calculated indexes, the average level of coupling was positive. Individuals generally felt competent and interested in domains where they achieve well, and were interested in domains where they perceive their personal strengths. The degree of coupling was the highest between interest and SCA and the lowest between interest and achievement. For all indexes, evidence for an increase in coupling across time was found. Female gender was related to a lower level of coupling. There was evidence for a positive effect of conscientiousness on the amount of coupling.     

Neutrinos and our Sun — Part 1

The elusive neutrinos have periodically yielded their secrets to man and at each such juncture major advances have been achieved in our understanding of the sub-atomic phenomena. These particles also carry invaluable information about the centre of the Sun where energy is generated through nuclear fusion. In Part I of this article, history of the discovery of neutrinos is traced, their properties and types are described. Also, the Standard Model which forms the basis of the structure of matter and of which massless neutrinos are an integral part, is described. The role of neutrinos in solar energy generation and the great ‘solar neutrino puzzle’ and its solution will be described later in the series.     

From Scribbles to Scrabble: Preschool Children's Developing Knowledge of Written Language

The purpose of this study was to concurrently examine the development of written language across different writing tasks and to investigate how writing features develop in preschool children. Emergent written language knowledge of 372 preschoolers was assessed using numerous writing tasks. The findings from this study indicate that children demonstrate knowledge about writing before beginning school and receiving formal instruction. There was clear evidence to support the claim that universal writing features develop before language-specific features. Children as young as 3 years possess knowledge regarding universal and language-specific writing features. Preschoolers appear to progress along a continuum from scribbling to conventional spelling. Although this progression is sequential, children’s writing proficiency is task dependent. Implications of these findings on writing development are discussed.     

The role of trial tracking in rats’ working memory

The experiments reported in the present study tested whether decreasing intertrial intervals (ITIs) intensifies the disruptive effects of increasing retention intervals (RIs) in a delayed conditional discrimination by decreasing the animal’s trial tracking accuracy (Cohen & Armstrong, 1996; Cohen & Roberts, 1996). Rats responded on a fixed ratio (FR) 1 or fixed interval (FI) 10-sec reinforcement schedule at a second light or tone stimulus, S2, when the first light or tone stimulus, S1, had signaled an FI 10-sec or FR 1 schedule, respectively. RIs between S1 and S2 were increased from 3 to 24 sec and never exceeded ITIs that were reduced from 24 to 6 sec. For some rats, the trials were separated from each other by extending the lever at S1 and retracting it at the end of S2 (ITI lever-retracted group). For other, control rats, the lever remained extended throughout the session (lever-extended group, Experiment 1) or was extended and retracted with the onset and offset of each stimulus (RI/ITI lever-retracted group, Experiment 2). The rats under all trial conditions learned to delay leverpressing on the FI 10-sec schedule. Latency to begin leverpressing on the FI 10-sec schedule declined as RIs were increased, but this effect was attenuated in the ITI lever-retracted groups in both experiments, as would be predicted by thetrial tracking hypothesis. Decreasing ITIs from 24 to 6 sec intensified the disruptive effects of increasing RIs from 3 to 6 sec in the RI/ITI lever-retracted group (Experiment 2), as would be predicted by the trial tracking hypothesis.     

Gödel’s proof

In 1931, the great Austrian mathematician Kurt Gödel proved “all consistent axiomatic formulations of number theory include undecidable propositions”. This discovery of Gödel and its proof had enormous repercussions in mathematics and computer science. The proof hinged upon the writing of a self-referential mathematical statement, in the same way as the liar’s paradox — I am lying — is a self-referential statement. In this three-part article, we describe Gödel’s discovery and his famous proof.     

Negotiating science and engineering: an exploratory case study of a reform-minded science teacher

Engineering has been slowly integrated into K-12 science classrooms in the United States as the result of recent science education reforms. Such changes in science teaching require that a science teacher is confident with and committed to content, practices, language, and cultures related to both science and engineering. However, from the perspective of the science teacher, this would require not only the development of knowledge and pedagogies associated with engineering, but also the construction of new identities operating within the reforms and within the context of their school. In this study, a middle school science teacher was observed and interviewed over a period of nine months to explore his experiences as he adopted new values, discourses, and practices and constructed his identity as a reform-minded science teacher. Our findings revealed that, as the teacher attempted to become a reform-minded science teacher, he constantly negotiated his professional identities – a dynamic process that created conflicts in his classroom practices. Several differences were observed between the teacher’s science and engineering instruction: hands-on activities, depth and detail of content, language use, and the way the teacher positioned himself and his students with respect to science and engineering. Implications for science teacher professional development are discussed.     

Balancing between deaf and hearing worlds: reflections of mainstreamed college students on relationships and social interaction

This qualitative study of the social aspects of mainstreaming from the perspective of deaf college students indicates that for some students, social adjustment to college is complicated by experiences of separation and alienation from both deaf and hearing peers. Data were collected through open-ended interviews with deaf students who had little or no previous experience with or exposure to deaf culture or language before their arrival at a mainstream college environment. Feelings of isolation, loneliness, and resentment were most intense during orientation and first year, when alienation from the deaf student community appeared to be caused by lack of sign language skills, unfamiliarity with norms and values of deaf culture, and perceived hostility from deaf peers. Simultaneous experiences of separation from hearing peers appeared to be caused by physical barriers inherent in the classroom, residence hall, and cafeteria environments, as well as by discrimination from hearing peers, who tended to stereotype deaf students. Findings suggest that those involved in the administration and delivery of postsecondary programs for the deaf should investigate the experiences of students who arrive on campus without knowledge of sign language or familiarity with deaf culture and evaluate currently existing programs and services designed to meet these students' needs.     

Understanding Leadership in Major Sporting Events: The Case of the 2005 World Aquatics Championships

The purpose of this paper was to begin understanding leadership within a major sporting event. A case study of the 2005 Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) World Aquatics Championships was built by means of interviews and archival material, using a multi-stakeholder perspective. Findings highlighted that core elements of upper-management level leadership in events were best described by the multiple-linkage leadership theory, which includes task commitment, ability and role clarity, work organization, cooperation and mutual trust, resources and support, and external coordination as the six intervening variables. While charismatic and transformational leadership styles surfaced as contributing to the overall success of an event, the multiple-linkage leadership theory offered a more comprehensive understanding of leadership in major sporting events from a multi-stakeholder perspective.