Formal structure and pattern length in serial pattern learning by rats

When rats learn to anticipate a sequence of stimulus events, such as a serial pattern of different food quantities, they are sensitive to the rule-based formal structure relating the magnitude of successive stimuli. Earlier research has shown that if formal structure is simple (e.g., if a single “less than” rule relates the size of each successive quantity), patterns are learned faster than if formal structure is complex (e.g., if two or more rules such as “less than” and “greater than” relate successive pattern quantities). Two experiments tested the hypothesis that pattern length modulates the role of pattern complexity. We predicted that pattern length and pattern complexity interact in determining pattern difficulty. That is to say, long complex patterns should be learned more slowly than short complex patterns. However, long simple patterns should be learned faster than short simple patterns. In Experiment 1, rats ran a straight runway to receive repeated sequences of food quantities. The long-monotonic group received a formally simple 18-10-6-3-1-0 pattern, in which each number represents a quantity of food pellets. The long-nonmonotonic group received a formally complex 10-1-3-6-18-0 pattern. Similarly, the short-monotonic and short-nonmonotonic groups received 18-1-0 and 1-18-0 patterns. Pattern tracking—fast and slow running in anticipation of large and small quantities of food, respectively—was taken as an index of pattern learning. In Experiment 2, comparable patterns were used, but rats leverpressed in a discrete-trial procedure; response latencies measured pattern tracking. In both experiments, rats learned formally simple patterns faster than they did formally complex patterns. In Experiments 1 and 2, but less clearly in Experiment 2, the predicted interaction was obtained. The results support and generalize the idea that rats encode and use some representation of the formal rule structure of serial patterns as they learn them.     

Promoting prosocial behaviors through literature

Cathleen looked forward to visiting her older sister's nursery school. During the Thursday morning visit, Cathleen enthusiastically investigated blocks, sand, paints and a basket of toy trucks. As the visit drew to a close Cathleen's mother said: We've had a nice visit and now let's put away these toys, Cathleen. I'll put a truck in the basket and then you put one in. A few minutes later when the cleaning up was completed, Cathleen's mother hugged her and said, You're the best two-and-a-half-year-old helper in the world.Joan S. McMath teaches in the School of Curriculum and Instruction at Ohio University in Athens, OH.     

文化与幼儿教育的澳大利亚视角:多元文化趋势

大多数的澳大利亚儿童在5岁左右进入小学之前，会在幼儿园或学前机构里待上1～2年。30多年前的澳大利亚幼儿园活动，迄今仍能代表澳大利亚学前教育的特点。例如第二次世界大战前，澳洲学前教育的情景是这样的：在家里一个由壁炉、水池、炖锅、刀叉等布置的角落里，儿童摆弄着洋娃娃的小床以及面色粉红的洋娃娃，唱着以袋鼠和树袋熊为主题的歌曲：讲给孩子们的故事大多关于眼前偏远地区的日常生活。二次大战后，政府同意了大约200万人移民澳大利亚，这些新移民大多来自北欧。当时政府对移民采用“同化”政策——将移民融入不列颠澳大利亚化中，于是幼儿园教师最重要的任务是教给儿童足够的英语，以利于这些移民孩子能参与集体活动并在学校生活中充满自信。     

A validational study of the structured interview of symptoms associated with sexual abuse (SASA) using three samples of sexually abused, allegedly abused, and nonabused boys

Objective: With the rapid rise of sexual abuse allegations, there is a growing need to develop instruments to help clinicians determine the likelihood that sexual abuse has occurred.Method: This study evaluated the discriminant validity of a structured parent interview regarding emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms by comparing results among three subsamples of age matched boys: 22 sexually abused boys whose perpetrator confessed, 47 boys evaluated in a sexual abuse clinic but without a history of perpetrator confession and 52 nonabused boys selected after rigorous screening.Results: In comparison with the nonabused (NA) boys, the sexually abused boys were significantly more likely to demonstrate sudden emotional and behavioral changes, frequent stomachaches, more knowledge about sex and sexual activities than expected for age, unusual agressiveness toward playmate or toy's private parts, crying easily, difficulty getting to sleep, and a change to poor school performance. The internal reliability of the SASA was determined to be .83 and scoring of an abbreviated 12-item scale demonstrated a sensitivity of 90.9% and a specificity of 88.5%.Conclusions: The findings suggest that Structured Interview of Symptoms Associated with Sexual Abuse (SASA) is an effective tool which may help in the comprehensive assessment of boys who may have been sexually abused.     

Validity of the comprehensive receptive and expressive vocabulary test in assessment of children with speech and learning problems

The current researchers investigated construct, predictive, and differential validity for the Comprehensive Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (CREVT). Participants were 243 public school students, ages 5.5 to 17.25 years. They represented four primary disabilities: Learning Disability (n = 115), Learning Disability with Speech Impairment (n = 29), Mental Retardation (n = 40), and Speech Impairment (n = 59). Adequate construct validity for the CREVT was documented, using the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children–III as a criterion. Also, the CREVT significantly predicted the scores on the Wide Range Achievement Test–3. Lastly, the CREVT effectively differentiated between students with disabilities. These findings suggest that the CREVT may be helpful in identifying the presence of learning problems. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 39: 613–619, 2002.     

What Teachers and Headteachers Think about Inspection

This is a study of 14 inspections of primary and secondary schools carried out by local inspectors in five widely separated areas during 1992 and 1993. The inspection approaches varied and in two cases followed the new OFSTED pattern. Reactions to inspection were gathered through interviews with headteachers and discussions with groups of teachers. Teachers’ reactions are described in relation to: the preparation for inspection; the inspectors as individuals; the inspection process; reporting and follow‐up. It is suggested that some of the concerns associated with these issues will be met by the new OFSTED arrangements. However, OFSTED practice may be less satisfactory in meeting other concerns such as the provision of adequate teacher feedback and the organisation of follow‐up advice and support     

Early Relationship Quality From Home to School: A Longitudinal Study

The aim of this investigation was to examine the role of social relationships in the home as predictors of social functioning in the first years of school. Longitudinal data gathered on 156 children from urban, low-income families were used to examine the unique contributions of mother-child attachment classification at ages 1 and 2 years, the child's relationship with another adult caregiver, the child's closeness to a sibling, and the child's status in the family relative to siblings between ages 3 and 4 years, to teacher reports of their own relationship to the child and the child's social skills in the classroom and peer relations. The role of family-based relationships as possible protective factors for children at social or demographic risk for problems in school was also tested. Results indicate that quality of different family relationships provides relatively independent and complementary information about early social functioning in school, with more limited evidence for compensatory or protective processes at work.     

Young Children, Questions and Nonfiction Books

This article discusses the use of nonfiction as a powerful antecedent for success in the types of reading required later on in the intermediate grades. Recent trends in informational (nonfiction) books, values of bringing together young children, and informational books and criteria for selecting high quality informational books are identified. Several question types are highlighted and incorporated into three strategies for bringing together young children, informational books, and questions. Also, a bibliography of high quality informational books is provided.     

Technology in the elementary school: Blind variation and selective retention

Teaching technology without reference to the human need which calls for it, not only gives students the wrong idea about the nature of technology, it also hides the importance of the testing of artifacts for operation in the relevant environment. The research reported in this paper began with the trialing of stories designed to show the social need which triggered new invention, in the appropriate period of history, through the eyes of contemporary children of our pupils' age. The pupils were asked to design their working models through drawings, to construct them, and then to test and evaluate them. The model used to understand the interplay between the ideas in the minds of pupils, and the selection process which decided on their worthiness, is one drawn from evolutionary epistemology. Data shows that some elementary school children do recognise the mental nature of the design activity as the combination of parts of remembered mechanisms, and the grounds for selection as fitness for the job in the chosen environment. This approach goes some way towards distinguishing aspects of technological education from scientific education, including the high value accorded to creativity and personal invention in technology.     

Harder Than I Thought: A Qualitative Study of the Implementation of a Total Quality Management Approach in Business Education

After a brief discussion of the role of Total Quality Management (TQM) in higher education, this article analyzes factors impacting its adoption in the Management Department at Central Missouri State University (Central). In examining the program at Central a brief history of the program is presented along with the results of a qualitative analysis of interviews of the faculty engaged in the program. This information provides useful insights to the development of TQM processes in education. Several key factors are identified including outcomes, the educational process, and student assessment.