Teachers’ Use of Scaffolding Strategies During Read Alouds in the Preschool Classroom

Relatively little is known regarding preschool teachers’ use of specific scaffolds, including those high support scaffolds (e.g., co-participating, eliciting, reducing choices) that may be important for children who are struggling to acquire language and literacy concepts. The goal of this study was to characterize preschool teachers’ use of six types of scaffolds (generalizing, reasoning, predicting, co-participating, reducing choices, eliciting; see O’Connor et al. in Ladders to literacy, Paul H. Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD, 2005) within the whole group read aloud session. Two specific questions were addressed: (1) To what extent do preschool teachers use high and low support scaffolds during whole group read aloud sessions? and (2) To what extent does preschool teachers’ perceived frequency of use of specific scaffolds correspond to their actual use of scaffolds? Videotaped classroom observations were carried out for five preschool teachers conducting whole group read alouds in their classrooms; frequency of use for six types of scaffolds was coded using systematic observation procedures. Results indicated that teachers showed a preference for three types of scaffolds, all of which were low support, and that the three types of high support scaffolds occurred at very low rates. Additionally, results showed a substantial discrepancy between teachers’ perceived frequency of use of specific types of scaffolds relative to their actual use. Together, findings suggest that preschool teachers may benefit from professional development focused on using a range of scaffolds, to include high support scaffolds beneficial to children who may need high levels of support to participate in read alouds.     

Perceptual judgments for stair climbing as a function of pitch angle

Two experiments explored perception and action for stair climbing, with manipulations to the stair dimensions. In Experiment 1, a custom-built apparatus manipulated the stair dimensions, while three groups of participants made perceptual judgments of climbability. The groups differed significantly for absolute leg length (p < .0001), but there was no significant difference between the groups when stair dimensions were calculated relative to leg length. The selected tread depths and riser heights reflected constant proportions of participants' leg length. Using the pitch angles formed as a composite metric, the results revealed that all groups selected 60 degrees as the limit for climbability. Experiment 2 scaled pitch angle systematically from 20 degrees to 80 degrees, and participants judged 65 degrees and beyond to be unclimbable. These results provided evidence that pitch angle might be used in perceptual judgments for stair climbability.     

Motivation for physical activity in young people: entity and incremental beliefs about athletic ability

Three studies are reported of children and youth aged 11-19 years (n = 3478) examining the nature of beliefs about athletic ability. Drawing on related research in academic, moral and stereotyping domains, development of a psychometric instrument assessing athletic ability beliefs is detailed. Support was found for a multidimensional hierarchical structure that is invariant across age and gender. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a structure comprising two higher-order factors of entity and incremental beliefs underpinned by beliefs that athletic ability is stable and a gift (entity), and is open to improvement and can be developed through learning (incremental). Incremental beliefs, indirectly through a task goal orientation, and entity beliefs directly, predicted self-reported amotivation towards physical education and sport. On the other hand, enjoyment of physical activity in youth was predicted directly by task orientation and incremental beliefs. Predictions concerning the moderating role of perceived competence were not supported. Our findings highlight the importance of ability beliefs and goals in understanding the determinants of physical activity in children and youth.     

The effect of exercise training on the kinetics of the antibody response to influenza vaccination

The significance of in vitro changes in immune function accompanying exercise training is unclear. To determine the effect of exercise on the response of the intact immune system to a challenge in vivo, we measured the speed and overall immunoglobulin G (IgG) response to influenza vaccination in humans engaged in different intensities of activity. Male participants (n = 21) were split into heavy and light training groups. Venous blood samples were collected 0, 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days after vaccination with trivalent influenza vaccine, and also 12 months after initial vaccination. Serum IgG was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. There was a significant difference in baseline IgG between groups, but no difference in IgG concentration 14 days after vaccination. The IgG concentration remained elevated 12 months post-vaccination in the heavy training group. The results suggest a positive relationship between habitual physical activity and baseline antibody concentrations, which, in turn, affects the relative magnitude (fold or percentage increase) of the antibody response to vaccination. The training loads of the participants in this study had no effect on overall IgG measured 14 days after vaccination.     

Investigating the learning challenges presented by digital technologies to the College of Education in Kuwait University

There is now widespread recognition that digital technologies, particularly portable hand held devices capable of Internet connection, present opportunities and challenges to the way in which student learning is organized in schools, colleges and institutions of higher education in the 21st Century. Traxler, Journal of the Research Centre for Educational Technology, 6(1), 3–15 (2010) suggests such devices are pervasive and ubiquitous, conspicuous and unobtrusive, noteworthy and taken-for-granted with everyone typically owning one, using one and often having more than one. As a consequence it has been argued that the availability of such devices, controlled mainly by the student and not the teacher, has the potential to change the traditional dynamics and pedagogical patterns of the learning environment (Burden et al. 2012). Education institutions, however, typically remain organized around spatial and temporal considerations such as buildings, timetables, calendars and internal structures which are designed to classify and manage students. In the case study reported here students and faculty teaching staff from the College of Education in the Kuwait University were surveyed in order to assess their access to such technologies, their capability to use them effectively in support of achieving planned learning outcomes and the implications for change that could emanate from such findings.