Naomi's Birth

A first-time mother, who is also a nurse, tells the story of her drug-free birth at a free-standing birth center.     

“My Child,My Choice”? Mandatory Curriculum,Sex, and the Conscience of Parents

In this essay Lauren Bialystok argues that the standard liberal defense of parental opt‐outs is inconsistent in the case of comprehensive sex education. Using the recent controversy over a new sex education curriculum in Ontario, Canada, as a case study, Bialystok examines the aims and effects of sex education and the self‐described conscience of opposing parents to reveal that children's interests may be harmed by deferring to parents' views on sexuality. The opt‐out strategy is a merely formal solution, which appears to be indifferent to both the strength of the justification for sex education and the content of the grounds on which parents oppose it. Being overly respectful of parental conscience in the case of sex education risks reproducing the illiberal paradigms that the curriculum is intended to erode, and thus subverts its own liberal intentions. Bialystok concludes by suggesting ways of honoring parents' right to involvement in their children's education while delivering a mandatory curriculum.     

Situational interest helps correct misconceptions: An investigation of conceptual change in university students

Instructional Science - Many learners possess misconceptions regarding instructional content; toward this aim, educational practitioners employ teaching practices that support learners’...     

Using a Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Fluency Heuristic to Target Math Interventions with Students in Early Elementary

The study examined the use of a conceptual and procedural framework for identifying math deficits and delivering appropriate interventions. Participants were two first‐grade students and one third‐grade student, who were identified as struggling with the grade‐appropriate content in math. The first‐grade students focused on addition and the third‐grade student focused on multiplication. Each student's conceptual understanding was assessed, and students who lacked conceptual understanding received an intervention that addressed underlying concepts. Students with acceptable understanding of the underlying concepts received an intervention that focused on the procedure. The study used a single‐case, multiple‐baseline design, but the contra‐indicated intervention was administered for the first 2 weeks following baseline, with the prescribed intervention for the final 2 weeks. Each student showed more growth during the prescribed intervention phase when compared to the contra‐indicated phase.     

COMBINING SELF‐MONITORING AND AN INTERDEPENDENT GROUP CONTINGENCY TO IMPROVE THE BEHAVIOR OF SIXTH GRADERS WITH EBD

A withdrawal design was used to examine the influence of a self‐monitoring procedure on the overall effectiveness of an interdependent group contingency intervention implemented in a sixth‐grade classroom in an alternative school serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Dependent variables included student on‐task, off‐task, and disruptive behaviors exhibited during language arts. Following baseline, the classroom teacher implemented an interdependent group contingency using randomized criteria for reinforcement and randomized reinforcers. Next, a self‐monitoring intervention procedure was added to the existing interdependent group contingency intervention. The self‐monitoring procedure was then withdrawn and reinstated. Results indicated that though there were improvements in behavior from baseline upon intervention implementation, the self‐monitoring procedure did not increase the effectiveness of the interdependent group contingency intervention. Limitations and suggestions for future research investigating the influence of self‐monitoring on group contingency interventions are discussed.     

DIRECT BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION: EFFECTS ON TEACHERS’ PRAISE AND STUDENT DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

Direct behavioral consultation is an extension of traditional behavioral consultation and focuses on assessment and training in the classroom during ongoing classroom activities. This study evaluated direct behavioral consultation services in two elementary alternative classrooms referred following a program evaluation in which data suggested behavior‐specific praise was not being delivered at a desired level. A multiple baseline design across classrooms was used to evaluate indirect and direct training procedures for increasing teachers’ implementation of behavior‐specific praise. Results indicated that indirect training did not result in substantial improvements in teachers’ use of behavior‐specific praise. Direct training procedures resulted in immediate increases in behavior‐specific praise for both teachers, but only one teacher maintained those increases immediately following training. For the other teacher, when performance feedback was added to direct training, increases in behavior‐specific praise were maintained. Data are also presented regarding student disruptive behavior. Results are discussed in terms of direct behavioral consultation theory and practice for educational settings.     

Mapping Access and Opportunity for Students with Disabilities: Urban K–8 Schools as Pockets of Privilege

Abstract

Using a DisCrit intersectional lens and statistical and spatial methods, we trace how the creation of K-8 schools functioned to create pockets of privilege in one urban U.S. school district. K-8 schools were both whiter and wealthier than district averages, serving as “enclave” schools. Although far fewer students with disabilities were served in K-8 schools compared to traditional elementary and middle schools, those attending K-8 schools were more likely to be educated in inclusive settings.     

Preparing Doctoral-Level Consultants for Systems Change: Implementing and Supervising Multitiered Practices in Early Childhood Education

Implementing changes that support a preventative approach in early childhood education (ECE) requires the collaboration of skilled professionals. The present case study describes a change effort to implement multitiered systems of support (MTSS) in early childhood settings that included collaboration of agency personnel, school psychology program faculty and trainees, and ECE faculty. It describes a competency-based training initiative that provides applied experiences in consultation, supervision, and change facilitation for systems change efforts. The implementation of a systems-level approach for promoting positive behavior at three ECE agencies is described, with resulting teacher and child outcomes. Implications for future consultation research, training, and practice are discussed in relation to a consultation training model that provides competency-based field experiences to support change in ECE.     

Effects of degree of segmentation and learner disposition on multimedia learning

The construction of asynchronous learning environments often involves the creation of self‐paced multimedia instructional episodes that provide the learner with control over the pacing of instruction (segmentation); however, does the amount of segmentation impact learning? This study explored the effects of the degree of segmentation on recall and application of new knowledge and the nature of learner dispositions toward segmentation. Undergraduate students (n = 212) were randomly assigned to engage in a 9‐minute multimedia tutorial (ie, instructionally designed video‐based presentation) addressing historical inquiry that was divided into 1, 7, 14 or 28 segments (degree of segmentation) where students had control over when each segment began via a “Continue” button. Students' dispositions toward the segmentation—helped learning, made learning easier, made learning confusing, was annoying or seemed appropriate—were also measured. Results indicated that increased segmentation facilitated recall and application; however, learners perceived a high degree of segmentation (28 segments) more negatively. Overall, these results indicate that increased segmentation within a multimedia instructional environment has a positive influence on recall and application, regardless of the learner's disposition toward the segmentation.     

Reading Across Mediums: Effects of Reading Digital and Print Texts on Comprehension and Calibration

This study explored differences that might exist in comprehension when students read digital and print texts. Ninety undergraduates read both digital and print versions of newspaper articles and book excerpts on topics of childhood ailments. Prior to reading texts in counterbalanced order, topic knowledge was assessed and students were asked to state medium preferences. After reading, students were asked to judge under which medium they comprehended best. Results demonstrated a clear preference for digital texts, and students typically predicted better comprehension when reading digitally. However, performance was not consistent with students' preferences and outcome predictions. While there were no differences across mediums when students identified the main idea of the text, students recalled key points linked to the main idea and other relevant information better when engaged with print. No differences in reading outcomes or calibration were found for newspaper or book excerpts.