Supporting School Readiness Through Librarian-Child Interactions in Public Library Storytimes: An Analysis of Assessment Scores and Influential Factors

Early Childhood Education Journal - A recent trend in public libraries′ children’s services emphasizes the role of promoting school readiness. In order to gain a deeper understanding of...     

Physiological aspects of competitive cross-country skiing.

The physiological demands of cross-country skiing require competitive skiers to have high maximal oxygen uptakes and anaerobic thresholds. Anaerobic capacity has a relatively less important role, but may be of greater importance today with the faster race velocities resulting from the new skiing techniques of ski skating. Although use of the ski skating techniques results in faster race velocities than the classical techniques, it has been found that under some conditions the double-pole technique is more economical than other skiing techniques. It is suggested that this results from a more effective storage and recovery of elastic energy, a greater proportion of the forces being directed along the line of travel, and a lower air resistance due to greater trunk and hip flexion with the double-pole technique. The greater economy of the double-pole technique suggests that this may be advantageous in certain race conditions if the upper body is adequately prepared. The greater propulsive forces generated with the upper body with ski skating also suggest that training of the upper body should receive more emphasis. The potential cardiovascular adaptations from cross-country ski training appear to be similar for the classical and skating techniques, yet training specificity is important for optimal performance.     

The Future of Innovation Studies in Less Economically Developed Countries

In this paper, we argue that there are patterns of innovation occurring in less economically developed countries (LEDCs) that have been historically overlooked by the innovation studies literature, including the literature on innovation systems and the triple helix. This paper briefly surveys cases in agriculture, banking, biomedicine and information and communications technologies that demonstrate organizational, scientific and technological innovation in Africa, South Asia, and Brazil. In particular, we track new developments in two distinctive patterns within LEDCs: (1) civil society as a site of innovation and; (2) innovation through appropriation. By systematically uncovering patterns of innovation in LEDCs, science and technology policy scholars may make new theoretical gains in innovation studies that can potentially contribute to innovation policies in the global South.     

Noncognitive Variables and Student Learning in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between participation in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at California Valley College (CVC) (one of the 113 California Community Colleges in California) and several measures of student learning. An embedded survey design was developed using William Sedlacek’s noncognitive questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), items based on Marcia Baxter Magolda’s epistemological reflection model of cognitive complexity, and items based on student learning outcomes for learning in EOPS. The survey had a 43.7% response rate. Students’ demographic characteristics, progress data, and grades were also collected. The survey concluded with four open-ended questions examining students’ perceptions about their learning. GPA (grade point average) as an outcome measure, and several NCQ scales were positively correlated with the Learning in EOPS Scale. Qualitative and mixed methods analyses extended statistical findings, highlighting the importance of positive outlook, positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, and support for learning. Finally, the study found that students’ academic and social involvement played a noteworthy role in students’ development, especially as related to cognitive complexity and learning in EOPS.     

Greetings from the Editor

The eight early childhood educators who participated in this study were admitted into a 60-credit statewide distance-delivered Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program at the University of Alaska. All eight educators were women of Alaska Native ancestry who lived and worked in remote and rural Native communities. Seven of these teachers were employed by Head Start programs and one taught preschool for a rural school district. A major goal of the statewide distance-delivered AAS program is that participants will become skilled observers of children and learn to use observation to make decisions that foster developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive services. All the course work in our AAS degree program involves actively doing and using observations of children. This study is based on a principle that intrinsic changes can occur in program management, curriculum development, and teacher practice when teachers learn how to use observation of children rather than external evaluation to make decisions about their programs.     

对佛教体验的再思考:皈依与神迹--佛教体验的"家族相似性"特征

佛教中的体验与“家庭相似性”关联何在,为之辩护的论题包括两部分：（1）与其他方式相比,把皈依概念和神迹概念纳入体验概念可以使我们对佛教体验形成一种更为恰当的观点,而这一观点能够表明佛教的宣称与科学的经验主义的宣称之间的区别（前提1-10）;（2）关于界定体验之所是的“家族相似性”理念,本文结论是,皈依与神迹是对佛教中的体验所作出的非实在论的“家族相似性”定义中的两个要素（前提11-13）.