Limited representation of individuals with disabilities in early childhood classes: alarming or status quo?

UNICEF’s new Millennium Development Goals and Beyond (2015. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/) focus on the needs of the largest marginalised minority, individuals with disabilities, challenging us to examine issues related to exclusion and develop strategies for making an authentic sense of belonging and high-quality early childhood education a reality for over 93 million children with disabilities (United Nations Children’s Fund. 2006. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=150). A first step in addressing stigma and the exclusion of individuals with disabilities is to examine materials in environments, given that positive representation in books and media contributes to a sense of belonging, increased self-esteem, and greater understanding of and attitudes towards others. Historically, the portrayal of individuals with disabilities in the literature and media has been absent or negative while the number of children with disabilities in early childhood classes has steadily increased. In this study, the representation of individuals with disabilities in school materials was examined in 32 kindergarten classes using the Inventory of Disability Representation (Favazza, P. C., and S. L. Odom. 1997. “Promoting Positive Attitudes of Kindergarten-Age Children Toward People with Disabilities.” Exceptional Children 63: 405–418). Two classrooms (6%) had moderate representation, 22 classrooms (69%) had low representation, and 8 classrooms (25%) had no representation of disabilities. Implications for practice and research are presented in light of the current focus on disability rights and becoming a more inclusive society.     

Text Learning Using Scientific Diagrams: Implications for Classroom Use

In two experiments, eighth-graders viewed ecologically valid diagrams and then read a text containing multiple feature-to-fact associations or studied the same materials in reverse order. Using the Kulhavy and Stock model of text learning using organized spatial displays, it was predicted that those students viewing the diagram prior to reading the text would recall more facts and features than subjects viewing the material in the reverse order. These predictions were well supported. In addition, since the materials used in the experiments were created from actual classroom materials, these experiments examined whether the model for text learning is also valid using this type of materials. In this area the model proved to be very effective as well.     

The status of evaluation research in communication training programs

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and types of evaluation research methods used in communication training programs. A random sample of internal or in‐house human resource (HR) trainers were surveyed and asked to respond to a series of questions concerning evaluation practices used in planning, implementing, and assessing communication training programs. The findings suggest that: (1) HR trainers, for the most part, do not conduct needs analyses while planning communication training programs; (2) the majority of HR trainers collect data on trainees’ attitudes toward communication training programs; (3) the majority of HR trainers do not measure changes in cognitive, affective and psychomotor behaviors or job performance that may occur as a result of participation in communication training programs; (4) experimental and quasi‐experimental designs are used by only a very small percentage of HR trainers; and (5) cost benefit analyses are seldom used to assess the economic effects of communication training programs. The findings of this study suggest that although communication training programs have significantly increased in the past decade, the use of systematic and controlled evaluation research is presently not being undertaken to plan, implement, and assess communication training programs.     

Children's physical activity and physical self-perceptions

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physical self-perceptions and physical activity in Canadian school children aged 10–14 years. The sample consisted of 220 boys and 246 girls in grades 5–8. Physical activity was assessed by 7-day recall using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. Selfperceptions of physical conditioning, sports competence, strength, body appearance and general physical selfworth were measured by the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). We found that boys were more physically active than girls and had higher perceptions of sport competence and strength. All PSPP scales were significantly correlated with physical activity in both boys and girls. Structural equation modelling procedures found the hierarchical PSPP model provided a good fit to the observed data, with little evidence of diff erences between the sexes. Analysis of five alternative structural models of the relationship between the PSPP and physical activity found the most parsimonious model to have significant pathways from both physical conditioning and sport skills to physical activity. Models for the sample as a whole, for boys and for girls were similar, accounting for an R 2 of 0.27–0.29 for physical activity. Our results demonstrate that physical self-perceptions, especially physical conditioning and sport skills, are significant correlates of activity in this population.     

Matching Up Learning Styles with Learning Objects: What's Effective?

ABSTRACT

Online instruction is quite prevalent on campuses and within libraries. Librarians are engaged in the creation of learning objects that can either be linked to or embedded within course-management systems. But are those instructional tools designed to best accommodate diverse learners or are they constructed to reflect the teaching and learning style of the designer? Results from a study (a survey of librarians, student usability studies, and interviews) document both considerations made in the creation of learning objects, and the effectiveness of learning objects from students’ perspectives. The findings may be useful for future modifications of these tools (e.g., tutorials, videos, podcasts, and PowerPoints).