Student outcomes and perceptions of instructors' demands and support in online and traditional classrooms

In this study, seven graduate students were interviewed and 187 (91 online; 96 traditional) graduate students were surveyed about perceptions of differences in instructors' demands and support and student' motivation, self-regulation, satisfaction, and perceptions of learning in these environments. Results indicated significant differences in students' perceptions on all variables except self-efficacy. Results indicated a strong effect for differences between perceived instructor affective support in online and traditional classrooms. Although students in traditional classrooms ranked instructors' affective support higher, the variable had a stronger relationship with online students' satisfaction. Differences between online and traditional students' reports of instructors' academic support, instructors' demands, and students' satisfaction were significant with medium effect sizes. Results are important because they provide information about students' perceptions of the differences in environments created by instructors that relate to students' affective outcomes.     

初等学校教师教育：问题和忧虑

在印度，对6-14岁儿童实行免费义务教育。随着初等教育的普及，教育质量的提高迫在眉睫，因此必须加强初等学校教师教育。文中探讨了初等学校教师教育中存在的一系列问题和忧虑，主要包括：教师的收入、地位和工作条件，课程及课程质量和内容，社区取向的教育，训练的持久，教师训练的过程，语言和教学媒介，在职培训，训练机构，教师培训者，远程教育和现代教育技术等等。     

Continuity in Parent-Child Relationships from Infancy to Middle Childhood and Relations with Friendship Competence

This cross-cultural study examined continuity in parent-child relationships from infancy to middle childhood in a sample of German families. Connections were traced between individual differences in a composite of markers of the parent-child attachment relationship system (including classification of the infant via the Strange Situation and parent via the Adult Attachment Interview and for mothers' ratings of sensitivity) and later parent-child communications. Fundings within the mother-child relationship revealed modest links between the composite and communications and were taken to suggest that the divergent fields of attachment and family communication research are addressing similar underlying relationship processes involving the interplay between relatedness and autonomy. Further findings revealed that the composite modestly predicted variability in children's competence in forming friendships and that differences in concurrent child-mother communications significantly added to and possibly mediated these effects. Results were interpreted as supporting a process model of development, whereby adaptation is influenced by both current and past relationship status.     

Parental reactions to children's negative emotions: longitudinal relations to quality of children's social functioning

Relations between self-reported parental reactions to children's negative emotions (PNRs) and children's socially appropriate/problem behavior and negative emotionality were examined longitudinally. Evidence was consistent with the conclusion that relations between children's externalizing (but not internalizing) emotion and parental punitive reactions to children's negative emotions are bidirectional. Reports of PNRs generally were correlated with low quality of social functioning. In structural models, mother-reported problem behavior at ages 10-12 was at least marginally predicted from mother-reported problem behavior, children's regulation, and parental punitive or distress reactions. Moreover, parental distress and punitive reactions at ages 6-8 predicted reports of children's regulation at ages 8-10, and regulation predicted parental punitive reactions at ages 10-12. Father reports of problem behavior at ages 10-12 were predicted by earlier problem behavior and parental distress or punitive reactions; some of the relations between regulation and parental reactions were similar to those in the models for mother-reported problem behavior. Parental perceptions of their reactions were substantially correlated over 6 years. Some nonsupportive reactions declined in the early to mid-school years, but all increased into late childhood/early adolescence.     

Developmental arrest at the logographic stage: impaired literacy functions in Klinefelter's XXXY syndrome

We report an analysis of reading and spelling processes in a case of developmental disability associated with a genetic anomaly (Klinefelter XXXY syndrome). The results are interpreted within the framework of a model of reading and spelling development (Frith, 1985). An almost complete absence of alphabetic functions was noted. Reading appeared to be based on a ‘logographic lexicon’ (Seymour & Elder, 1986), and spelling on a letter sequence generator which was modifiable by access to a limited store of word images.     

Facing up to the risks in commercially focused university–industry R&D partnerships

The number of university–industry R&D partnerships (UIPs) has increased significantly over the past decade, in most OECD countries and in Australia, yet the study of risk in such commercially focused collaborative ventures is still a developing area. This review paper seeks to contribute to debate on this increasingly important phenomenon by addressing three key areas of risks for universities in entering such collaborations. The commercialization of research findings presents particular risks to universities, most notably the possibility of financial loss, which has a greater impact than for companies in cross‐sector collaborations. Another major type of risk faced by universities is relational risk, and this can significantly alter the trust dynamics that underpin research and innovation. There are also institutional risks to universities and their research staff engaged in commercializable R&D and, ultimately, to their reputation as a neutral source of expertise. It is argued there is a need for universities in Australia to develop comprehensive policies to manage the risks of commercialization and R&D collaboration with industry partners.     

Drug-induced renal Fanconi syndrome: A case report

The renal Fanconi syndrome which results from renal tubular dysfunction can be either associated with various inbom errors of metabolism or acquired from various etiology. We report a case of gentamycin-induced Fanconi syndrome in a 4-month old infant who presented with aminoaciduria, glucosuria, phosphaturia and compensated metabolic acidosis.     

Interaction of LDL and platelets in ischaemic and ischaemic risk subjects

Platelets play a vital role in the progression of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, a major cause of death worldwide. Platelets are activated by many triggers like elevated LDL in blood resulting in aggregation and formation of plaque. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of LDL and signal transduction inhibitor on the activation of platelets in Ischaemic risk subjects. Platelets from IHD and hyperlipidemic subjects were hypersensitive to ADP, as higher levels of platelet aggregation were observed in these groups. LDL from IHD hyperlipidemic subjects was more effective in activating platelets from any other group. Ox-LDL was more effective in activating platelets than native-LDL as monitored by level of platelet aggregation induced by PAF and thrombin. Calcium channel blocker, nifedipine and verapamil inhibited platelet aggregation at micromolar level. Protein kinase inhibitor, staurosporine was effective in inhibiting ADP induced aggregation at nanomolar level.