Issues in cross-cultural counseling: An examination of the meaning and dimensions of tolerance

While there is a clear need to address the ethical dimensions of cross-cultural counseling, the current literature lacks both a theoretical model of ethnic tolerance and a suitable measure for assessing the construct. The present study addressed this gap in the extant literature by (a) developing a measure of ethnic tolerance based upon extensive field work, (b) examining the measure's reliability and construct validity in light of two models of ethnic tolerance, and (c) examining the relationship of several factors (e.g., age, gender, and exposure to those of a different culture) to scores on the tolerance measure. Results indicated that the tolerance measure was best viewed as a unidimensional construct, had substantial content validity, and had modest construct validity. Respondents with more social contact with immigrants, as well as those who had positive experiences with immigrants, tended to score higher on the tolerance measure. Results underscore both the complexity of factors associated with tolerance and the need for counselor education programs to provide arenas for students to become aware of their own values and biases and how these may affect culturally-different clients.     

Working in groups: social and cognitive effects in a special class

Judith Watson, Reader in Education at the University of Edinburgh, considers the potential of social-constructivist ideas of teaching and learning for pupils with learning difficulties and reports on the introduction of social learning experiences within a special unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.     

Exploring the Influences of a Partner-Based Teacher Credential Program on Candidates’ Performance Outcomes

The study compared candidates in a 4-year undergraduate program for secondary mathematics and science teaching, based on the UTeach model, with candidates in a 1-year postbaccalaureate program at the same institution. Candidates in the undergraduate program participated in a partnership of university mathematics, science, and education departments and intensive field-based experiences in high-needs schools. We conjectured that this approach would better prepare prospective teachers to develop beginning teacher competencies. Analysis of the Performance Assessment for California Teachers Teaching Event identified few differences between candidates in both groups. Surveys revealed significant differences between candidates’ perceptions of their preparation for teaching. These findings suggest that different program models can offer differential support to prospective teachers but how the program features are enacted influences the impact that these programs have on teacher preparation.     

Sub-nanomolar detection of thrombin activity on a microfluidic chip

Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is a form of Förster resonance energy transfer. BRET has been shown to support lower limits of detection than fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) but, unlike FRET, has not been widely implemented on microfluidic devices for bioanalytical sensing. We recently reported a microscope-based microfluidic system for BRET-based biosensing, using a hybrid, high quantum-efficiency, form of BRET chemistry. This paper reports the first optical fiber-based system for BRET detection on a microfluidic chip, capable of quantifying photon emissions from the low quantum-efficiency BRET² system. We investigated the effects of varying core diameter and numerical aperture of optical fibers, as well as varying microfluidic channel design and measurement conditions. We optimized the set-up in order to maximize photon counts and minimize the response time. The optimized conditions supported measurement of thrombin activity, with a limit of detection of 20 pM, which is lower than the microscope-based system and more than 20 times lower than concentrations reported to occur in plasma clots.     

秦始皇兵马俑博物馆室内含硫颗粒物的SEM-EDX研究

本文对秦始皇兵马俑博物馆室内采集的长短期降尘、大气悬浮颗粒物和彩绘漆层进行了SEM-EDX研究，在大气悬浮颗粒、短期和长期降尘中，含硫颗粒的粒径分别为0.9～22.8μm、1.0～29.0μm和1.2～37.7μm，多为石膏与粘土或石英以内部混合的状态存在。降尘中的附着型絮状硫酸钙多于大气悬浮颗粒物中，显示降尘和大气中的二氧化硫发生了累进的化学反应。彩绘漆层表面的坑和裂隙附近观察到原位生长的硫酸钙晶体，显示漆层材料或降尘颗粒物与大气二氧化硫之间的酸化学反应，可能是彩绘漆层表面受侵蚀形成微小坑和裂隙的原因之一。     

Perceptual-cognitive expertise of handball coaches in their young and middle adult years

There is little research investigating the maintenance of perceptual-cognitive expertise in general and even less comparing coaches of different ages. The aim of this study was to test for perceptual-cognitive differences between age groups, licence levels, and their interaction. This study investigated differences in skilled performance between young and middle-aged coaches of three different skill levels. Participants performed an accuracy-oriented pattern recall (mean distance in pixel) and a time-oriented flicker test (mean detection time in ms). There were some significant differences between age groups and between skill groups for both tests, but no interactions. For the pattern recall test, the effect sizes were larger for skill level differences, while for the flicker test effects were larger for ageing. These results suggest coaches are able to maintain accuracy skills better than reaction timed tasks. This is in line with findings on speeded performance in general populations, which show declines with age. Moreover, results also support findings on perceptual expertise in skills where accuracy was important.     

Teachers’ journeys towards critical use of ICT

Teachers have a central role in developing new learning models in schools. This paper describes a study that explored teachers’ confidence and competence in using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as they participated in an ICT development project conducted by an Australian education system in 12 primary schools. The project aimed to develop ICT integrated teaching practices by providing in‐class equipment and teacher professional development in ICT use, curriculum development and teaching strategies. The study used qualitative data from teacher records of Professional Development and Action Learning to identify three of four stages proposed to describe teachers’ ICT learning. Teachers moved from gaining basic ICT skills, to conducting ICT‐focused lessons and eventually appropriate ICT integration. Teachers who progressed to the third stage were able to exploit additional learning opportunities and begin to make fundamental changes to their pedagogy, but needed more time to reach the final stage of challenging existing pedagogical structures.     

A Longitudinal Study of Predictors of Spatial Ability in Adolescent Females

This study examined the longitudinal predictability of spatial ability in late-adolescent females by retesting 11-year-old girls studied by Newcombe and Bandura at age 16. Spatial ability at age 16 was predicted longitudinally from masculinity of the ideal self on a scale of intellectually relevant attributes at age 11, wanting to be a boy at age 11, and, negatively, by feminine expressivity at age 11. No timing of puberty or lateralization effects were observed. The findings strengthen evidence that sex-related differences in spatial ability could be experientially determined, and help to focus the search for exactly how this occurs. The findings also cast doubt on the idea that sex-related differences in spatial ability could be caused by sex differences in timing of puberty or lateralization, although other biological mechanisms remain plausible.     

Ubiquitous Computing in the Library:Indiana State University Library s Experience

1 Introduction New technologies and other developments haye changedthe information seeking behaviors of the academic communityand the general public.Nowhere is this more evident than inthe exponential growth of the World Wide Web and cellularphone usage.Responding to these user needs and newtechnologies,libraries are moving from being InformationWarehouses to becoming Information Portals.Full-text