Categorization skills in infants

The prototypical category-learning experiences with which infants are confronted are ones in which they have had prior experience with and have clearly noted the differences among a set of objects. Their task, then, is to notice also the similarities among the objects and to form a category based on these similarities. The goals of the current experiments were to create a laboratory situation in which it was clear that 10-month-old infants were distinguishing one category exemplar from another, and then to determine the structure of the category representation the infants developed under these learning conditions. A set of artificially created face stimuli was used in which the mean and modal prototypes were distinct. The infants' performance could not be explained by the context theory; they appear to have retained a count of the feature values observed during study. These data give support to the claim that prior to language, infants have available strategies for abstracting category-level information from their perceptual experiences with discriminable objects and events.     

Teacher evaluation in Illinois: school leaders’ perceptions and practices

The aim of the current study is to assess school leaders’ perceptions and practices in the context of a new policy that emphasizes teacher evaluation. The study draws from survey data of 606 K-12 school leaders in the USA in a state implementing a new teacher evaluation model under Race to the Top. Findings illustrate that school leaders spent significant time on teacher evaluation. Some felt this was a good investment of time (e.g., rich conversations with teachers), increasing the ability for evaluations to improve instruction. Most, however, perceived the time demands as a cost (e.g., spending longer hours on the job, delegating more tasks to others). School leaders felt very confident in their ability to conduct observations and provide feedback to teachers. The opposite was found for student achievement data. Administrators’ reported preparedness, confidence, and beliefs suggest that barriers exist to using student achievement data to evaluate teachers. Findings suggest that school leaders need resources to build capacity, particularly in accommodating the new time demands of teacher evaluation. Administrators could benefit from professional development that addresses the use and value of student achievement if this measure continues to be a substantial component in teacher evaluation models.     

Break for Physical Activity: Incorporating Classroom-Based Physical Activity Breaks into Preschools

Engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is essential to lifelong health and wellness. Physical activity behaviors established in early childhood relate to physical activity behaviors in later years. However, research has shown that children are adopting more sedentary behaviors. Incorporating structured and planned physical activity breaks into classroom transition times is an inexpensive and effective technique to increase children’s physical activity during school hours. However, this approach has not been studied in preschool settings. The purpose of this paper is to provide a simple, cost-effective method that incorporates structured physical activity into the preschool curriculum through classroom based physical activity breaks. Results of a case study along with an overview of the implementation of physical activity breaks are discussed.     

Language Assessment of Latino English Learning Children: A Records Abstraction Study

The researchers examined how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in a small northern California school district assessed Spanish speaking English learning (EL) Latino children suspected of language impairments. Specifically we sought to (1) determine whether SLPs adhered to federal, state, and professional guidelines during initial assessments and (2) identify tests and measures used by SLPs during language assessments. The researchers conducted a records abstraction review of 88 speech-language assessment reports of Spanish speaking EL Latino children. The reports were examined for parameters of best practice as outlined in recent studies. Results indicated that for each report the SLP responsible for assessing the child failed to consider at least one best practice parameter. Although impossible to determine at this stage, it is likely that many of these children were erroneously assessed and subsequently placed in speech-language programs. Findings support the notion that many EL Latino children continue to be inappropriately assessed for language impairments.     

Whose feedback? A multilevel analysis of student completion of end-of-term teaching evaluations

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is now common practice across higher education, with the results used for both course improvement and quality assurance purposes. While much research has examined the validity of SETs for measuring teaching quality, few studies have investigated the factors that influence student participation in the SET process. This study aimed to address this deficit through the analysis of an SET respondent pool at a large Canadian research-intensive university. The findings were largely consistent with available research (showing influence of student gender, age, specialisation area and final grade on SET completion). However, the study also identified additional influential course-specific factors such as term of study, course year level and course type as statistically significant. Collectively, such findings point to substantively significant patterns of bias in the characteristics of the respondent pool. Further research is needed to specify and quantify the impact (if any) on SET scores. We conclude, however, by recommending that such bias does not invalidate SET implementation, but instead should be embraced and reported within standard institutional practice, allowing better understanding of feedback received, and driving future efforts at recruiting student respondents.     

OF MANNERS AND MORALS

ABSTRACT:  In this paper I explore the role of manners and morals.¹ In particular, what is the connection between emotional demeanor and the inner stuff of virtue? Does the fact that we can pose faces and hide our inner sentiments, i.e., 'fake it,' detract from or add to our capacity for virtue? I argue, following a line from the Stoics, that it can add to our virtue and that, as a result, moral education needs to take seriously both a commitment to good character and a commitment to the 'aesthetic' of character.     

An innovative academic seminar model

This paper describes a collaboration between an urban antipoverty agency, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), and a private higher education institution, Lesley College. This collaboration is providing a bachelor's degree program for adults associated with human service agencies. The introductory course, which is the focus of this paper, served to validate the students' experiential learning, helped them gain needed skills, and empowered them to make positive changes in both their perceptions and behaviors. Within a remarkable short period, the individuals in this group made significant changes in their lives. The program described can serve as a model in creating nontraditional partnerships to address the needs of underserved adult populations.     

Understanding teachers with extreme individual learning differences: developing more effective teachers

Three teachers, who held extreme preferences for the ways they learn, participated in a year‐long professional development course, designed to sensitize teachers to their own and colleagues’ individual learning differences (ILDs). The case study focuses on their extreme learning preferences and discusses the impact of these preferences on their language, beliefs and practice, both before and after the course. The teachers’ learning preferences were determined from their scores on seven learning/cognitive styles tools and understood further from field notes, interviews and pre‐/post‐test responses. The study suggests that teachers with extreme learning preferences tend to: (a) teach the way they prefer to learn; (b) overgeneralize and project their own learning needs onto students; and (c) hold initial pathognomonic (“blame the learner”) beliefs about students mismatched to them. After the course, the teachers changed their language, beliefs and practice in the direction of becoming more effective teachers, e.g., they held more interventionist beliefs (“I can intervene to help the learner”). The three teachers were strong prototypes who can provide insights about the importance of ILDs in learning, practice and professional development.